Thinking to rent privately - are the LL's requirements reasonable

Fly_Baby

Many thanks to everyone for your advice. You reassured me a little.

Hopefully he will be as meticulous towards his obligations and eager to go by the book when he becomes a real, not prospective, landlord.

Geenie

N79 wrote: »

I don't really agree that these are all rules that have to be followed so to ensure that prospective Ts do not get the impression that their LL's have missed something out I thought I would post my view.

- They should have buildings and contents insurance for a LET property Only if the property is mortgaged / subject to lease conditions. Other LL can risk no insurance if they want (should have public liability from somewhere though) I never bother with contents insurance!

Are you saying that anyone would let a house out without adequate insurance for the place?! I agree about general content, as that is the tenants responsibility for their own possessions, but the structure and any fixtures and fittings should always be insured by a LL, as with anyone owning a property. What if a tenant burns the house down! And yes it does happen, as recently round here when the tenants were so stoned they set fire to the sofas and the whole house ended up gutted! It will cost £1000's to put the place right again.

- They should draw up an inventory
Optional, especially if the LL is not taking a deposit.

I can only ever imagine a LL with a complete wreck not taking a deposit, and even then, they would probably want one to cover any unpaid rent. Show me a LL who doesn't take a deposit unless family etc perhaps, and I will say they are a complete fool!

- They should of PAT tested their electrical appliances
Disagree although it is probably a good idea from the point of view of proving duty of care

Absolutely essential I would say. I don't provide any electrical appliances in my properties, but if I did I would get them checked over each year as my experience is that tenants fiddle with things at times. When I had my electrician do a recent check on a property, he discovered that a tenant who had just left had taken out a fuse in the main box and had put a wire in instead.....probably because the modern ones are ultra sensitive and keep tripping, and he had lots of fancy electrical things going on! But I was blardy furious, as this made it so dangerous and I would have probably been blamed if anything had gone wrong and someone ended up electrocuted or a fire started!

I thought I would post my view as well!

Blacksheep1979

He could ask you to come dressed as a multicoloured chicken to sign the contract - that's his right. You have the right to tell him to !!!!!! off, it all boils down to how much you want the house.