Short term tenancy

i4U

Hello,

I have tenant who is looking to move in immediately. I have done the basic checks. However, I want to let it out on a 3/6 month basis first. I want to see that the person pays regularly and he is a good person. When it comes to tenancy agreements, do different rules apply to a 3 month or 6 month tenancy agreement, compared to 12 month agreement. I would prefer an initial 3 month term.

Also, as a landlord, if someone does not pay rent, and you give written notice requesting that they vacate the property, what are your rights and how long does it take to get someone out?

I am hearing a lot of horror stories.

tbs624

You can grant a 3 month tenancy if you like but the law states that you cannot repossess your property within the first 6 months of any tenancy unless the T breaches specific parts of the contract

As you seem to have little knowledge of LL&T laws relating to notice etc your best bet would be to join a national LL association and read up on your rights and obligations as a LL *before* letting your property out. You can set the membership fee against the rental income for tax purposes. Experienced tenants can (and often do) run rings around a newbie LL who doesn't know what they are doing.

Jowo_2

Don't do 'basic checks' - rogue tenants love an accidental landlord and will exploit your ignorance of housing law. Of course, they often want to move in immediately as the moment they have the key, they can stay put for many months merrily trashing the place and not paying a penny.

Buy a book on how to let property and follow all the steps - you skip them at your own peril.

Insist they fill in a full tenancy application form and then do a full screening process through a comprehensive check offered by tenantverify.co.uk. That will include previous landlord, current employer and credit checks.

Make the tenant pay for it.

Then you need to get a good AST, have a Corgi gas safety certificate if you've got a boiler, take a full deposit and protect it, undertake a full inventory/schedule of condition and be ready for midnight phone calls to say the boiler doesn't work.

If you don't have the time or appetite for this, then hand it over to a letting agent that belongs to a professional body like ARLA.

scrummy_mummy_2

CORGI gas certificates no longer apply...you will need an engineer who is Gas Safe Registered...not CORGI.
https://engineers.gassaferegister.co.uk/
You will also need an Energy performance certificate for prospective tenants to view BEFORE you let the property.
http://campaigns.direct.gov.uk/epc/
You will also need to choose a tenancy deposit scheme that you wish to join
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/AdvancedSearch/Searchresults/index.htm?fullText=tenancy+deposit+schemes
and decide how you want to keep abreast of all the landlord changes such as potential compulsory registration that is currently being mootoed....join the NLA sharpish and bone up even quicker.
http://www.landlords.org.uk/

The NLA allows you access to a huge library of information, a LL helpline and courses you can go on.
I would also recommend you book on to the NAEA basic law for lettings courses they run in Warwick...they are a few hundred quid but well worth it and you only need invest 3 days or so to gain top dollar knowledge....alternatively pay a lettings agent to do it all for you!...however, that is no guarantee they know what they're doing.

i4U

Good advice. Thanks.

i4U

I have joined the NLA.