If you have a property that you want to let out, then it is important that you are aware of all your responsibilities as a landlord. If you are new to letting your property out, it is better to find a local company that can help you with this, such as this letting agency Gloucester as they will also be able to help and advise you with many aspects of being a landlord.
Being a landlord comes with many responsibilities which you need to ensure you take seriously – here are some of these…
Fire Safety – To reduce the risk of fire in the property, you must make sure that each floor of the property has a working smoke alarm on it. If you are offering the property furnished, then the furnishings must also comply with the fire safety guidelines and be officially fire safe. Doors and windows can be escape routes, so must be able to be opened in the event of a fire. Carbon monoxide is also something that can be deadly, so as well as smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms should be installed in rooms which have an appliance that burns solid fuel of any sort.
Energy Efficiency – Before you let out any property, you will need to make sure that you have certificates showing the energy performance of the house. These are known as EPC’s (energy performance certificates). If you don’t have these, there are assessors who will be able to provide you with one. It is also worth bearing in mind that the minimum energy efficiency a rental property can have is E (the highest being A) – if your property is below E you could be fined, so this is certainly something that is worth doing.
Gas – Gas can be dangerous and therefore there are regulations when it comes to gas equipment in a rental property. It is essential to make sure that all equipment such as the boiler has been correctly installed by a qualified gas engineer and also that you have this checked at least on an annual basis to ensure that it is safe and in good working order. You need to provide the records of the gas safety checks to tenants of the property when they move in.
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