The process of letting a property can be a particularly daunting experience for those who have not done it before and even for those who have! Through their extensive knowledge, our Lettings Departments are able to guide all landlords through the pitfalls of letting their property with the minimum of fuss and the maximum of customer care.

Outlined below are a few points to consider before renting your property out. However, please note that this is not a definitive list; meeting one of our Lettings Managers is the only sure way of getting all of your queries answered.

 
Quality Tenants

Keystones Properties have a stringent referencing process that all of our tenants must pass before they are eligible to reside in one of our properties. These references are provided to you for your inspection well in advance of the move in date.

 
Contracts

The contracts that we provide for the letting of your property(s) fully adhere to the latest housing act, and are designed to give you the maximum protection against problematic tenants.

 
Cleaning

We always recommend that a thorough professional clean of a property is done prior to renting it out as this covers two eventualities. Firstly, it avoids the scenario where the tenant is unhappy about the condition of the property when they move in and secondly, it helps us ensure that the property is returned in the appropriate condition at the end of the tenancy.

Inventories and Gas Safety Records

• It is now widely regarded that, as a prerequisite to letting your home, you must have an inventory done before allowing a tenant move in to your home. This is to provide an adequate means of assessing the condition of your home prior to renting it out and also when the tenant leaves. Keystones Properties has a number of fully independent inventory clerks that we work closely with to maintain the condition of our properties.
• It is also statute law that all UK properties that are let out have a current and up to date Gas, Electric and Energy performance certificates (again Keystones Properties can assist in acquiring this document).
• It is now widely regarded that, as a prerequisite to letting your home, you must have an inventory done before allowing a tenant move in to your home. This is to provide an adequate means of assessing the condition of your home prior to renting it out and also when the tenant leaves. Keystones Properties has a number of fully independent inventory clerks that we work closely with to maintain the condition of our properties.
• It is also statute law that all UK properties that are let out have a current and up to date Gas, Electric and Energy performance certificates (again Keystones Properties can assist in acquiring this document).

From April 2007, any deposit paid to a landlord or agency must be protected using a government authorised tenancy deposit scheme.

The new legislation has been introduced to ensure that: 

• you get all or part of your deposit back, when you are entitled to it
• any disputes which may occur between you and your landlord or agent will be easier to resolve
  
  

At the commencement of any Assured Short hold Tenancy Agreement, you must pay your deposit to your landlord or agent as usual. However, within 14 days, the landlord or agent is required to give you details about how your deposit is protected, including:

• The contact details of the tenancy deposit scheme
• The contact details of the landlord or agent
• How to apply for the release of the deposit
• Information explaining the purpose of the deposit
• What to do if there is a dispute about the deposit
  
  

As a tenant, you have a responsibility to return the property in the same condition that it was let to you; allowing for fair wear and tear. If your landlord has not entered your deposit into an authorised scheme, you are entitled to apply to your local county court. The court can order the landlord or agent to either re-pay the deposit to you or to protect it in an approved scheme. If your landlord has failed to protect your deposit, they will be ordered to repay three times the amount of the deposit to you.

If the property that you are moving into is managed by Keystones Properties, then the deposit will be held under custodial based scheme approved by Government run by The Deposit Protection Service (The DPS); further information on this company can be found at www.depositprotection.com