Letting a property in Cambridge? As a landlord, you have several responsibilities to stay on top of – from keeping your rented properties safe to properly protecting your tenant’s deposit.
Landlord Responsibilities at a Glance
- Keep your properties safe and free from health hazards
- Ensure all gas and electrical equipment is safely installed and maintained
- Provide an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for the property
- Protect your tenant’s deposit in a government-approved scheme
- Check your tenant has the right to rent your property
Safety Responsibilities
When letting a property in Cambridge, you need to ensure it is a safe and fully operational place for your tenants to live. It’s your responsibility as a landlord to install a smoke alarm on every floor and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance.
You will also need to guarantee all gas and electrical equipment is safely installed and maintained. This includes providing a valid annual gas safety certificate and an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) every five years.
Ongoing Property Maintenance
It’s up to you to continually conduct maintenance on your property. This means keeping the property structure and exterior – as well as installations for water, gas, electricity and heating – in full working order.
For example, it’s your responsibility to maintain water tanks, toilets, boilers, drains, gutters, external pipes, window frames and walls, plus any appliances and white goods you have supplied.
Right to Rent and Deposit Protection
In addition to keeping your property safe and properly maintained, there are also a couple of behind-the-scenes aspects to keep in mind.
Before the tenancy begins, you are legally responsible for checking that your prospective tenants have the right to rent in the UK. This process includes verifying the immigration status of all adult tenants, following the Home Office’s guidelines and retaining copies of relevant documents.
You are also required by law to protect your tenant’s deposit. This involves registering with a government-approved scheme and protecting the deposit within 30 days of receipt. This process also involves providing your tenant with legal details about the tenancy and how the deposit is handled.
How Bush & Co Can Help
When it comes to navigating your responsibilities as a landlord in Cambridge, we’re here to help share the load. Whether it’s registering your tenant’s deposit, organising ongoing maintenance or arranging safety checks and risk assessments, you can count on us to make the whole process smoother and simpler.
Speak to our expert team to find out more about the service packages we offer for landlords in Cambridge.
