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    DO YOU HAVE AN ELECTRICAL CERTIFICATE?

    I was recently chatting to a landlord who self-managed his properties and was having a problem with one of his tenants who had fallen into rent arrears. Despite trying all they could to help the tenant, it was clear the arrears were not going to be made up and they would continue to increase.

    The landlord was picking my brain on what paperwork was required, in the event he had to go down the court route.

    It was apparent to me that he was a good landlord and had always used an agent (not Move On) to set up a new tenant for each property and then let the tenancies rollover.

    After going through the paperwork, it was clear he had not had any electrical certificates conducted on his properties and he was completely oblivious to the fact that he needed one. He was under the impression that they would only be required for new tenants moving in after April 2021 and as none of his tenants had moved out, he hadn’t instructed his electrician to do them.

    Part of the court paperwork is to include all legislative paperwork. Also in the court waiting room is a representative from Shelter, who will go through the tenant’s paperwork as well.

    I advised him to get the electrical certificates completed ASAP.

    For the avoidance of doubt:

    SINCE APRIL 2021 – ALL RENTAL PROPERTIES MUST HAVE A VALID FIVE-YEAR EICR CERTIFICATE!

    Feeling deflated? Exhausted with all the changes? Then let us take care of your property needs. We promise to hold your hand throughout this process, giving you less stress and more freedom!

    If you fancy an informal chat any time, then email me sharon@moveon.biz with your phone number.

    Sharon

    Right to Rent Checks Advice for Landlords Blog Articles

    Right to Rent Changes 2022: What You Need to…

    Changes to how tenants can prove their Right to Rent in the UK are just one example of the many legislative changes for the lettings sector in the last few years. These frequent right to rent changes can make it difficult for landlords to know how to keep up and keep their rental properties and tenancies compliant.

    Right to Rent Checks Advice for Landlords

    Right to rent legislation for landlords and agents from the UK government has changed multiple times over the last couple of years, particularly throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. But what are the newest changes and how can you make sure you’re doing the right thing? That’s where we come in. Check out our list of frequently asked questions from landlords on Right to Rent checks below…

    Got more questions? Our Landlord Compliance Guide has everything you need to know about the latest legislation changes for rental properties in England.

    Compliance Guide for Landlords 2022

    Download the full guide for FREE here.

    What are right to rent checks?

    Right to Rent checks refer to mandatory checks that landlords in England need to carry out on all prospective tenants. This includes those subletting or those taking in lodgers, and the checks are to ensure that all tenants have the right to rent in England before entering into an agreement. The idea of these checks was introduced after the Immigration Act 2014.

    Checks include verifying the identity of your tenants through physical or online government documents and checking their right to reside in the UK through these.

    Generally, to have a right to rent in England means tenants:

    • Are a British Citizen
    • Are an EEA or Swiss National
    • Otherwise have a ‘Right to Rent’ in the UK

    Who needs to be checked?

    All prospective tenants and permitted occupiers over the age of 18 should be checked before a let is agreed.

    These checks must also be followed up on any renewal of tenancies in the case that a tenant’s residence permit or visa expires during the tenancy. They must also be carried out on any children included in a tenancy upon renewal if that child has turned 18 throughout the tenancy.

    What documents can you use?

    The government guidance on which physical documents can be checked changed at the beginning of April 2022.

    Currently, for UK and Irish citizens, right to rent can be proven with either a UK or Irish passport or a combination of two other examples of photo I.D (such as a UK driving licence and birth certificate).

    For EU and international citizens who hold residency in the UK (for either a time-limited period or unlimited period), checks now need to be completed using the UK Gov’s online checking service. This uses the tenant’s date of birth and a share code that they must provide to you.

     

    The official UK government guidance (plus accessible versions) can be found by clicking here.

    What are the Right to Rent changes?

    Until 6th April 2022, Biometric Residence Permits for international citizens were still valid to be used as I.D documents for right to rent checks, however this has now changed.

    Anyone who is not a UK or Irish citizen must now use the government online checking service and provide a share code and their date of birth to their landlord or agent for the check to be completed.

    Later this year the UK government are hoping to also replace physical document checks for UK and Irish citizens so everything will be digitized. There are introducing new technology called IDSPs that citizens will be able to set up and verify their identity remotely. However, these are still in development, and we can’t be sure when they will be released for general use yet.

    Conclusion

    Landlords are facing fines of £3,000 per tenant for not completing these checks (or having a managing agent complete them), so it’s incredibly important to ensure these checks are carried out properly.

    Feeling overwhelmed? You’re not alone!

    Our property management packages could be the solution you’re looking for. We take care of everything, including checking your new tenant’s right to rent. Or, if you’re still not sure, you can download our free guide for landlords on the most important pieces of compliance you need to keep in mind in 2022.

    Download your free guide here!

    For more information on tenant’s Right to Rent, visit the GOV.UK website: https://www.gov.uk/check-tenant-right-to-rent-documents

    Information For Tenants

    Information for Tenants

    Information for Tenants

    At Move On, we aim to do our best to use our knowledge and experience to make sure everyone involved in the lettings process is always in the loop, and this includes our tenants. It’s important that every tenant knows what is going on with the property they are renting or applying for, and that they have all the right information from the get-go.

    Being a tenant in today’s world can be a stressful experience, but our hope is that both the tenant’s and landlord’s experiences can be made as simple and stress-free as possible.

    Looking to rent a property through Move On? Here’s how the process goes…

    Applying for a Rental Property

    2022
    Sign Up To Our Mailing List
    Available Properties to Rent

    Scroll to the bottom of this page to find our Sign Up form and input your details to be notified whenever a new property becomes available to view.

    2022
    Book Your Viewing

    Once you’ve seen a property you’re interested in, give us a call to book in your viewing. Alternatively, you can send us a message on Facebook, Instagram, or via email at enquiries@moveon.biz.

    2022
    Information For Booking

    Upon booking, you will be asked the following, so it’s best to have this info to hand: Your contact details Who is moving with you (adults, children & pets) When are you looking to move by? Tenant’s current occupation & salary? Any adverse credit (CCJS, IVAS, etc.)?

    2022
    Register Your Interest
    Viewing Properties to Rent

    If you’re interested in renting the property after your viewing, register your interest by telling us you’d like to apply. You can do this via phone, email, or face-to-face at the end of your viewing!

    2022
    Your Offer’s Agreed!
    Applying for Rental Properties

    Once your offer of interest has been accepted by the landlord, we will send you some documents online via Signable to fill out and confirm the details of the let.

    2022
    I.D Checks and Holding Deposit

    When we’ve received the forms back signed from all tenants, we will ask for proof of photo I.D (this is required for Right to Rent checks) and payment of a holding deposit (1x weeks’ worth of rent)

    2022
    Referencing Checks
    Employer Referencing for Rental Property

    Once we have received payment of the holding deposit and I.D from all tenants, you’ll be submitted for referencing through our partners at Homelet. You will receive an email inviting you to fill out an online referencing form. This will use employer references, credit checks and previous landlord references to make a final decision.

    2022
    Referencing Passed
    Rental Application Passed

    Once references are acceptable and passed for each tenant, we will begin creating the move in documents ready for your move in date. They will be sent via Signable prior to your picking up the keys.

    2022
    Prior to Picking Up Keys

    Before moving in and picking up keys, you will need to verify your I.D in person; pay your first month’s rent and deposit (5 weeks’ rent equiv.) and have signed your move in documents.

    2022
    Welcome to Your New Home!
    Picking Up Keys for Rental Properties

    Still not sure about whether you might be the right fit for one of our properties, or not sure whether you should apply? Read our FAQs for Tenants.

    If you’ve still got questions about the process or your application, please give us a call on 01202 711169.

    Blog Articles

    MINIMUM EPC RATING TO CHANGE IN 2025?

    The Government is in current consultation to bring forward the change in EPC ratings from E to min ‘C’ from 2028 to 2025.

    With climate change being a prominent factor in the news at the moment, the government is keen to do their bit.

    From 2025 all new builds will be banned from putting in gas boilers to drive us away from gas as a carbon-based fuel. They are looking to replace these boilers with a heat source air pump.

    The government introduced a ‘Green Homes Grant’ in September 2020, where they would pay two thirds of an invoice and the public paid one third with a cap of £5000. However, this was closed on 31st March 2021 due to various hitches and lack of skilled workforce. There is talk of them looking at another type of grant– let’s hope so!

    Landlords will not be able to issue new tenancies unless their property is rated ‘C’, just like we did with the current system when they banned F and G ratings from the rental sector in April 2018.

    The older the property, the more likely you are to be a D or E. I would highly recommend you looking at your current EPC and seeing if you have a potential rating of ‘C’ and what the recommendations are on how to achieve this.

    If they insist on landlords upgrading properties to the pump system, this could have a negative impact on the rental sector as it just wouldn’t be affordable for many landlords and the return on investment could take several years to recoup! As they say, ‘watch this space’.

     

    Have a good week!

    Sharon Canning

     

    If you would like a friendly, no obligation chat regarding buying, selling, renting or investing in property, then please email sharon@moveon.biz   or telephone 01202 711169.

    Blog Articles

    Rental Market Update: Bournemouth and Poole

    You couldn’t miss headlines throughout 2021 of the increase in sales property prices. However, news on lettings and rental prices has not been as common.

    The last three or four years have seen the rental market pretty static, but this has dramatically changed over the last 12-18 months. Tenants are staying longer in their properties, which in turn means there are less properties coming to market. This has created a shortage and pushed prices up.

    Gardens have been very much sought after and this has seen an uplift of hundreds of pounds in monthly rentals, which is adding thousands to yearly totals for landlords.

    So how does a landlord approach this with their existing tenant, especially if they have been long-term and good tenants? This is where a letting agent should shine and act as negotiator between the two parties. Most tenants expect a yearly increase in their rent, but when a significant increase, this can cause distress to the tenant.

    We have successfully negotiated larger-than-normal rent increases with our tenants, giving our landlords that extra revenue.

    It is important for landlords to keep up repairs and maintenance of their properties as this also has an impact on not just the amount of rent that can be achieved, but also the quality of the tenant.

    Rental properties are a business for landlords and not a charity. You can still be a great landlord and go the extra mile but, at the end of the day, the money left in your hand impacts your living standards. Tenants will always look at the market to see if there are properties better and cheaper for them, this is where we need to make sure it is a win-win for both sides.

    If you would like us to help negotiate a rent increase with your tenants then please phone for an informal chat.

     

    Have a good month!

    Sharon Canning

    For more information or help with your rental property, email sharon@moveon.biz   or telephone 01202 711169 today.

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