Compliance

Tenancy Deposit Schemes

Since the change in the law in April 2007, Landlords are required by law to enter the deposit paid on an assured shorthold tenancy agreement into one of 3 government backed tenancy deposit schemes, (Tenancy Deposit Protection TDP).

In England and Whales a deposit can be placed within the following government backed TDP:

1. Deposit Protection Service (Custodial and Insured)

2. MyDeposits

3. Tenancy Deposit Scheme

As compliant letting agents, we register with one of these schemes to ensure you are returned your deposit, so long as you have met the terms of your Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement, you have not damaged the property you let in any way and have paid your rent and bills.

We will register your deposit within 30 days of its receipt and arrange for its return within 10 days of your inventory being checked. Should there be any discrepancies with the letting agent or landlord, your deposits are protected in line with the terms of the scheme until the issue is resolved.

https://www.gov.uk/tenancy-deposit-protection/overview

Financial ombudsman and Redress Schemes

It is now a legal requirement for letting agents and property managers to join one of 3 government approved redress schemes as of the 1st October 2014.

The 3 schemes are as follows:

1. Ombudsman service property

2. Property redress scheme

3. The property ombudsman

The schemes were introduced following recognition from the government that, in the past, there have been reports of a minority of letting agents delivering poor service and engaging in unacceptable practices.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lettings-agents-and-property-mangers-redress-schemes

As a member of The Ombudsman Service, tenants and landlords can be assured that we are committed to help drive up standards as we aspire for Forest Property Management & Lettings to deliver an unbeatable professional and friendly service.

Gas safety checks and Electrical Safety Certificates

The department for communities and local government have released The Smoke and carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015. Forest Property Management & Lettings will provide a copy to our landlords in order to ensure properties rented by us meet the requirements set out by these regulations.

The regulations require private sector landlords, as of the 1st October 2015, to meet the criteria set out by them in order to safely and responsibly rent out a property to a perspective tenant.

It is a legal requirement that an annual gas safety check is carried out by a CORGI registered operator and a gas safety certificate issued, with a copy being supplied to the tenant in the rental property. Forest Property Management & Lettings have a contract with an external CORGI registered plumber in order to carry out these works.

At present there is no legal requirement for an annual check of electrical systems or appliances. However, Forest Property Management & Lettings would always strongly recommend that our landlords have these checks undertaken on occupancy and every 5 years thereafter, by our contracted electrician, as it is in the landlord’s interest to do so.

It is a legal requirement that a landlord provides a safe building to their tenants and it is advised these checks are undertaken to avoid accidents related to faulty or sub-standard appliances, where the landlord could find himself liable.

All electrical appliances should be visually checked at the start of every tenancy and if there is any doubt, properly tested. Any used electrical appliances introduced by the landlord should be PAT tested.

It is recommended that all electrical systems should be brought up to the latest Electrical Regulation Standards, within an earth leakage circuit breaker (ELCB) fitted at the consumer unit.

http://www.landlorzone.co.uk/content/electrical-safety-certificate

Forest Property Management and Lettings use the National Landlord Association, Landlord Zone and UK ALA to ensure we are up to date and compliant with all regulations applicable to letting agents and landlords.

UK ALA and NLA

The UK Association of Letting Agents, (UKALA) and the National Landlords Association, (NLA) have joined forces to represent letting agents and property managers. Registering with UK ALA and NLA gives our landlords and tenants further peace of mind that Forest Property Management & Lettings are committed to delivering a service that is compliant with UK law and regulations, but also a service that is informative and up to date.

Forest Property Management & Lettings display the UK ALA and NLA member’s logo on our website and will be undertaking exams in order to become members of ARLA (UK association of residential letting agents), and be accredited members of UK ALA in the near future.

Landlord and Tenant responsibilities

At Forest property Management & Lettings we believe that it is beneficial for clients to be as informed as they can be before undertaking the responsibility of becoming the lettings manager of their rental property. It is for this reason we provide an introductory information pack for our landlords in order to direct them to the resources they need to stay compliant should they go on to manage the property themselves.