Being a landlord can be an effective way of boosting your income. However, many new landlords are unsure about their responsibilities in meeting the health and safety criteria and obligations they are required to fulfil. Here are some important rules to follow:
Gas safety
You are legally responsible for the safety of your tenant in relation to gas safety. If the property has gas appliances, there are three responsibilities:
- Maintaining pipework, appliances and chimney/flues safely. Appliances should be checked in accordance to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- An annual gas safety check. This is a legal requirement and must be performed by a registered engineer.
- A record of the annual gas safety check should be given to existing tenants within 28 days of completion. New tenants should receive the most recent at the start of their tenancy.
The Health and Safety Executive enforce gas regulations. Failing to comply with them may lead to prosecution/imprisonment with fines up to £25,000.
Electrical safety
By law, landlords must make sure that all electrical installations and appliances are safe. This again falls into three main categories:
- Making sure all electrical appliances are safe and have a minimum of a CE marking
- Ensuring that the electrical installations are safe and maintained throughout
- If the property is a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO), you are legally obliged as a landlord to have an electrical inspection and test every five years
Energy Performance certificate (EPC)
It is a legal requirement that any property for sale or to rent has an up-to-date EPC. The results should also be made visible to current or prospective tenants.
It was recently announced that from April 1st 2018, properties rented out in the private sector will be required to have a minimum energy performance rating of E. There is an abundance of information available on how landlords can improve their rating.
Tenancy deposit
The tenant’s deposit must be protected with a UK government-approved deposit protection scheme. It must be put into the scheme within 30 days of receiving it. At the end of the tenancy, the deposit is paid back if the terms of the tenancy agreement are met. The agreed amount should be paid to the tenant within 10 days of agreement.
For new landlords in the Birmingham area, Skribes is a local independent inventory and property services specialist. We provide landlords with inventory reports, check-in reports, interim reports, check-out reports and legionella reports, all of which are vital to minimising deposit disputes that arise when a tenant’s contract has ended.
To find out how we can help you to manage your property, call us today on 07891 551905 or email info@skribes.co.uk.