Landlord Process

In order to accurately value your property, we will consider a number of factors such as location, number of bedrooms, local services and amenities, the cosmetic appearance and overall condition of the property.  At Hern and Crabtree we will advise you on a realistic rental value based on these factors and the current state of the local market.

Looking after rented property is a full-time job and means you are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If the boiler at the property breaks down, something needs repairing, the tenant can’t pay their rent or leaves the property unexpectedly this can be stressful and therefore it is important to be able to manage these situations effectively and in line with legislation. Alongside the physical management of the property there are also a number of legal compliance matters you must adhere to in advance of and throughout the tenancy. Furthermore, should you be looking to manage the property yourself you will need to obtain a Landlord Licence through Rent Smart Wales. At Hern and Crabtree we take on the strain for you, ensuring you, your property and your tenants are well looked after and all legal compliance managed which will ultimately ensure the tenancy runs as smoothly as possible.

When deciding to let your property you should carefully choose whether or not you wish to offer it as furnished or unfurnished. If choosing to rent your property furnished, ensure you allow for increased costs over time as wear and tear necessitate replacing the furniture. You will also be responsible for the upkeep of the furniture throughout the course of the tenancy.

If letting a property unfurnished, we would recommend that white goods are provided as a minimum.

Flexibility is key as this will broaden the appeal of the property to prospective tenants as individual requirements vary.  Anything surplus to requirements should be removed and placed into storage if need be.

At Hern and Crabtree we work hard to vigorously market all our available properties across a wide variety of mediums. For each of our properties we develop a marketing strategy in order to give them maximum exposure to those looking to rent a property.

Once we receive an offer from a potential tenant, we will discuss this information with you, together with detailed information about them. We check their employment status, situation, who is intending to move in, and how long they are looking to rent for. We will discuss the potential tenant with you and if you wish to accept their offer and proceed to formal referencing. If not, viewings will continue until a suitable tenant is found.

Once a suitable Tenant has been sourced, we will ask them for a holding deposit and for them to provide identification and proof of current address which will be copied and kept on file in the office. We will then commence the referencing process.  During this time, viewings are suspended until all checks have been completed. If for any reason the let falls through at any point, we will continue with viewings immediately to ensure a suitable replacement tenant is found as soon as possible.

All tenants will undergo thorough background checks to determine their suitability. These checks will include identity verification, their right to live and work in the UK, employment information, Landlord reference and a credit check to look for any adverse credit. These checks will enable us to determine their suitability as a tenant.

Once all referencing is completed and we have determined the tenant as suitable, we draw up the tenancy documentation including the AST. This will be sent out to the tenancy for e-signature and once the tenants have signed, the document will be signed and witnessed by ourselves. We then ask the tenants to make payment of the rent and deposit at least 48 hours before the tenancy start date. If you have chosen to take our fully managed service, a full inventory will be completed at the property and this will be checked and signed by the tenants on the move in day.

On the tenancy start date, the tenants will collect their keys from our office. They will be provided with a Move In E-Pack in advance of their move in day which will include all the tenancy documentation such as the agreement, inventory, gas safety certificate and EPC.  They will also be provided with contact information for all matters relating to the tenancy and the property in case of any matters needing assistance.