07 October 2009 - Preparing a Property for Rent; 8 Top Tips

As the rental market starts to pick up in Autumn/Winter 2009 these are some timely reminders for landlords about how to prepare a property for renting.

Harpreet Garcha the owner of Belvoir Kettering shares his "Top Tips" for landlords to prepare a property for a Tenant.

1. Check your homeowner`s insurance policy. Most don`t cover damages done by a tenant, so you`ll have to purchase an additional policy to cover not only your home and any contents you leave, but also liability issues in the event the tenant is injured on the property. Insurance via you letting agent is often a good option as these bespoke policies are some of the best in the industry and would pay for both malicious or accidental damage by a tenant.

2. Make sure your local planning regulations and homeowners association permit residential property rental. If not, you may need to obtain a variance to rent your home. A local property letting agent with local knowledge such as Belvoir Kettering, will be able to offer you good initial advice.

3. Decide what furniture you`ll leave and what will go into storage. Short term rentals, typically 4 months or less, are usually rented furnished. You`ll want to make the tenant feel at home, while protecting heirloom furniture and other treasured possessions. Storing them offsite is safer than simply warning tenants about fragile chairs or delicate fabrics. Consider purchasing inexpensive basic furnishings to use in place of irreplaceable family favourites.

4. Make sure appliances, plumbing and electricals are in good working order. It`s easier for you to make needed repairs or replace them before you go than to try and arrange it remotely, or worse yet, come home to find that the tenant has tried make repairs on their own!

5. Belvoir Kettering can act to handle all repairs and emergencies, or create a list of trusted service people to leave with the tenant. The former has the advantage of saving you from a tenant who calls in an expensive service person for minor repairs, while the latter means you only pay or services actually used.

6. Have a cleaning service come in to thoroughly clean the house before the rental starts, then make it a contingency in the rental agreement that the tenants hire the same service to clean before they leave. This prevents disagreements when it come to security deposits. Belvoir Kettering lettings agent can provide, for an agreed monthly fee, a full service in which the property is cleaned and the garden is maintained.

7. Arrange to pay all your basic bills in advance or online. Having mail forwarded is slow and often unreliable, and could result in late payments and penalties.

8. If you`ll be renting to people from another city or county, leave a local reference pack with names of area businesses, a map, local emergency information, and details of good restaurants. A tenant who feels a part of the neighbourhood is more likely to care for your home.

So if you have houses to let in Kettering, or anywhere else, we would suggest that you contact Belvoir Kettering as we can help you make the whole process faster and easier.