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Letting your property requires expertise and experience.
We offer a comprehensive, professional service for the most competitive fees.
Our fees are considerably lower than the fees charged by other agencies, but without compromising on quality or professional standards.
If you are a landlord with a portfolio of property, we can tailor-make a package to suit you, with extremely competitive management fees. We are able to beat any other genuine management package offered by another agent. So if you are currently letting with another agency, why not give us a call to see exactly what we can offer you
We are currently offering a very special deal of 4 months free management
Full Property Management
There is a strong demand in all areas for the properties that we manage, as we have a reputation amongst tenants for providing good quality properties, together with a prompt repair service. All tenancies are arranged on a six month assured shorthold tenancy agreement, and all tenants are thoroughly referenced to your satisfaction. This can include previous landlords reference, employment reference, credit reference. We also require all tenants to provide details of next of kin, and to provide a three year address history where possible.
We can also provide for an additional charge, landlord’s protection insurance against unpaid rent.
Net rental income can be paid directly into your nominated bank account and every month you will receive an itemised statement produced by our fully computerised system, which we believe is the best available. Any queries will be dealt with by our experienced staff. We provide professional advice on achieving the best rent, and attracting good tenants.
Properties are advertised in the local press, our offices, on the internet and by other media we think suitable. We accompany prospective tenants to view the property, and we carry out inspections at the beginning and end of each tenancy. Periodic inspections are arranged as required.
Scale of Charges
| Bronze | |
| Let only | 1 months rent plus VAT |
| Full Management | 9.95% plus VAT of each month’s rent |
| Letting fee | £100 at the beginning of each tenancy |
Inclusive Maintenance Programme |
|
| Full management | 8% plus VAT |
| Plus maintenance package | 12% plus VAT of each months rent |
For full terms of business –please contact your local office.
The Maintenance Contract
Our maintenance contract offers complete peace of mind for our landlords. For a regular monthly fee your property is maintained by our operatives to our exacting standards.
One of the biggest headaches for any landlord is dealing with requests for repairs from tenants. An emergency can happen at time and has to be dealt with quickly and the cost is unknown. Our maintenance contract takes care of it for you, for a fixed monthly cost.
We will cover gas and electrical safety certificates, end of tenancy cleaning, redecoration where required, general repairs and labour costs of breakdowns.
All tenants phone our offices, not you, and we deal with their requests quickly and efficiently
We can offer this service to any landlord, subject to a preliminary inspection of the property.
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H2H Landlord News
Energy Performance certificates – what are they?
From 1st October 2008, all rental properties with a new tenancy in England and Wales will be required to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). You do not require a certificate until your current tenant vacates and you re-advertise for a new tenant.
Why should you care?
Because your prospective tenants will be able to see at a glance how energy efficient and environmentally friendly your properties are. If you have invested in energy saving measures your properties will perform well and will really stand out from the crowd. If not, you may find them harder to rent out in the future. Grants are available to help with the costs of improving the property and can be available to tenants and landlords.
What is an Energy Performance Certificate?
EPCs look similar to the energy labels found on domestic appliances such as fridges and washing machines.
The energy efficiency and environmental impact of your property will be rated on a scale of A – G (where A is the most efficient, and G is the least efficient) as shown below. Current running costs for heating, hot water and lighting will also be shown on the certificate, together with a list of recommended energy saving improvements.
How do you get an Energy Performance Certificate?
We can organise that for you, and if you have our maintenance contract, you will benefit from a reduced cost. We will instruct an accredited Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) and the will visit your property to assess the age, construction and location of the property as well as its current fittings such as heating systems, insulation, double
How much will they cost?
The cost of an EPC will vary, with the final costs being published in August, but as a guide we expect a cost in the region of £90. This cost cannot be charged to the tenant, and you must supply the EPC on any printed advertising material, at the viewing or at the signing of the lease
When do you need to get one?
It is recommended, especially if you have a reasonably high turnover of tenants, that you don’t wait until you have a vacancy after 1st October 2008, but get an EPC as soon as possible, to ensure that you comply with the law when it comes in. If you don’t have one after that you could be fined £200 for non-compliance. The EPC will remain valid for 10 years. H2H will commission an EPC for you, at the time of re-advertising, giving you peace of mind that it is taken care of.
What can you do to make my energy rating as high as possible?
· Insulating your property is the most cost effective measure you can take. In most cases cavity wall insulation is straightforward, inexpensive and hassle-free. Installing new loft insulation in most properties is a simple job, and should be done to a depth of 270mm.
· If your boiler is over 15 years old it’s probably time to replace it and you’ll get a better rating if you combine it with modern heating controls. If you need to save space, buy a combi boiler, which doesn’t store hot water in a tank but heats but heats water directly from the cold water mains
· Fit a hot water tank jacket
· While double glazing can be fairly expensive, it will reduce noise and lower heating bills
· When purchasing new appliances look out for the Energy Saving recommended logo, and choose the most energy efficient in their category.
For free, impartial advice on energy efficient improvements call 0800 512 012 or visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
Are there grants to help cover installation costs?
There are several grants available that can cut your costs by half or even to zero! Visit www.est.org.uk/muhome/gid to see if you are eligible
If your tenants are in receipt of certain benefits they can apply for a Warmfront grant which can cover the cost of insulation or central heating. We are currently advising all tenants in receipt of these benefits to apply for these grants, and we have sent them the relevant forms for them to complete
If you have insulated your properties you can also reduce your income tax by claiming under the Landlords Energy Saving Allowance. Visit www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2004/revbn31.htm for further information, or take advice from a suitably qualified accountant.
Why is the Government introducing EPCs?
Domestic energy accounts for 27% of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions. The Government is introducing a number of energy saving initiatives, including EPCs, aimed at making all buildings more energy efficient. These measures are being applied across all European Union countries as per the European Directive for the Energy Performance of Buildings.
Where can I find out how energy efficient my properties are now?
The Energy Saving Trust will provide you with a personalised Home Energy Check report on each of your properties for free. Simply complete the questionnaire* today and you should have your report very soon. Alternatively, visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk for more information.
*Available online at www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/proxy/view/full/165/homeenergycheck
This factsheet was produced from information provided by the Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes, an independent voluntary network funded by Government and facilitated by the Energy Saving Trust
Raising finance
Buy to let mortgages are still available for up to 85% of the purchase price. Rates at the time of writing (02/07/08) are from 6.99% but are changing on a daily basis. If the property being purchased is being sold at a competitive price, now could be a good time to consider increasing your portfolio, as rents are increasing, which could lead to improved yields.
If you have mortgages on your existing portfolio re-mortgaging may be an attractive proposition, provided that your mortgage is less than 75% of the value of the property. When advising you on whether to remortgage or not we would consider the standard variable rate you are currently on, any arrangement fees to be charged by the new lender, and your view on whether or not to fix for the next few years, as standard variable rates are exactly that – variable. You may consider it wise to fix and pay an arrangement fee, so that you can accurately budget for the next two, three or even five years. Each case is different, and a solution can only be offered after a full fact find has been conducted. Our advice is free, and we do not make any charge for arranging a mortgage, so do ring Gwen Howell on 01743 340222 if you would like an independent review.
Let to Buy
Many new landlords are entering the market at the moment, as they are finding that letting their own home is a viable alternative to trying to sell it in the current market, enabling them to move on, either by purchasing another property, or by renting another.
Either way, we can advise on all aspects of let to buy, which could involve re-mortgaging to another lender, or simply by obtaining the permission of your current bank or building society.
If you are considering this route, the first step is to ask us to visit the property to advise you, not just on the achievable rent, but also as to the best way to present the property, as well as all the ins and outs, and legal obligations of becoming a landlord. Again, this is a free service, to provide you with the information you need on which to base your decision.
We are currently offering all new landlords 3 months free management, plus a FREE Energy Performance Certificate.
H2H – the most comprehensive letting service
· A full, professional property management, or let only service
· Free valuations Tenant referencing
· Advice on how best to present your property Advertising
· Photographic Inventory Always accompanied viewings
· Preparation of legal documents Rent collection
· BACS payments Monthly and annual statements Debt management
Full management of single properties just 9.95%, bespoke packages available for portfolio management.
We are currently rolling out an enhanced inspection programme to be able to advise landlords of basic steps they can take to improve the energy efficiency of their property, such as loft insulation or hot water cylinder jackets, and the availability of grants towards the cost.
Investment Property currently available
We have a selection of keenly priced property suitable for investment landlords, some tenanted on an assured short hold tenancy agreement.
To view, please ring the relevant branch office. For mortgage advice, please phone Gwen Howell on 01743 340222.