Tenants, What Is Expected Of You?

January 12, 2012 · Filed Under Leasing · Comment 

So you’ve found your ideal property to rent in Putney, your dream town-house to rent in Twickenham, your bijou flat in Barnes or your Rococo rented flat in Richmond. Well done. But now your work begins.

What work? Well, keeping an eye on your new rented home. Whilst you aren’t responsible for fixing any faults that occur during your tenancy, you are responsible for reporting them.
If you notice a damp patch, act on it.

Ring your letting agent if the property is managed or notify your landlord if it isn’t. Let them know where the problem is and when you spotted it. That way repairs can begin sooner and you don’t risk getting billed for a long-standing fault when you move out. If you don’t let the landlord know about a problem until it’s time to move out, you could be billed for it as damage.

So whilst it isn’t your property, you need to care for it as if it were. Keep an eye out for damp, watch out for mould especially in kitchens and bathrooms, look out for paper starting to peel away from the wall and tell your agent or landlord about it. If you think you notice a leak from a tap or toilet, tell someone straightaway. Water damage is serious and costly so keep an eye out for it at all times.

If you notice any electrical problems ring the agent or landlord immediately. We once noticed a nasty fish smell when we plugged in a laptop in one flat. We unplugged it and rang the agent who sent out an electrician. It turned out the wiring in the walls was Bakelite and was arcing. If we’d continued to use the socket we would have had a wall fire. If carpets start to fray, tell the agent straightaway or risk being billed for it when you leave.

Look carefully for all faults, scuffs, marks and chips when you check out the independent inventory and make sure the condition of the property does not deteriorate any further. If you make any chips in doors, scuffs on walls, scratches on glass, you will have to pay for it. So be careful as you live in your home and treat it as if it were your own.

If you choose to put up pictures, ensure that when you move out no-one can tell that it was there. Fill in any holes and repaint the walls to the standard it was when you moved in. If you are given permission to redecorate, you must unless the landlord says otherwise, put the room back to its original decoration before you move out.

You aren’t expected to live as if you were living in a show home. Normal wear and tear is expected, but you must also take care of your rented property. Use your common sense and if something breaks, let the agent know so that they can fix it.

Heathcoate specialises in letting residential property in the Richmond, Twickenham and Putney areas. We offer a unique all-inclusive service providing tremendous value for tenants and landlords. Do not hesitate to visit our site.
http://heathcoate.co.uk/wordpress

The Benefits Of Using A Letting Agent, Five Good Reasons

January 5, 2012 · Filed Under Leasing · Comment 

I’m a long-time tenant. I prefer to rent. I currently rent in Putney. My partner’s job takes him around the country and it’s sooo much easier to move if you rent than if you buy. Plus we get to live in some wonderful character properties or ultra-modern flats. One thing I have learned, however, is that it’s always, ALWAYS; better to rent through an agent. Why? Where to begin? Okay, learn from my experience, here are my top five reasons on why renting through an agent is best.

1. Inventories are your friend and your protection.

Letting agencies always provide an inventory that lists every single default in the property. Whilst this can seem to be a pain, it is, in fact, you protection against unscrupulous landlords who try to bill you for the torn stair carpet that was there when you moved in.

2. Agents mean you get a proper contract.

It’s hard to believe, I know, but some landlords still think they can tie you into two year leases with no option of ending the tenancy early. Years ago, when I was still new to the renting game I found a flat to rent in Richmond. It was a gorgeous studio apartment with a garden view. The problem was the landlady insisted it was a two year rental! I signed, but only got out of the contract thanks to the Citizens Advice Bureau. With an agent, you can avoid all these unscrupulous tactics.

3. Agents mean you’re more likely to get your deposit back.

With the advent of the Deposit Protection Scheme you might not think this is so important, but again, learn from my experience. Two years ago I found a flat to rent in Twickenham. It was through an agent but wasn’t managed by a letting agent. This was another big mistake. The worn bath enamel that we had noticed on moving in, and had notified the landlord about, he then tried to fine us for when we moved out six months later. We ended up losing a fair amount of our deposit. With an inventory and a managed flat this never would have happened.

4. Problems get fixed faster.

With my second, bigger flat for rent in Richmond, I noticed that we had a damp patch suddenly appear in the corner of the living room ceiling. One quick call to the letting agent and it was sorted. They came around the next working day, looked at it and arranged for builders to come in and fix it. Compare this to my experience of my flat rent in Twickenham. We needed a new light fitting for the bathroom; the electric light just wasn’t working. It was a problem with the electrics not the bulb. The landlord lived in a flat downstairs. It took nearly three months to get it sorted. We only got it fixed just before we moved out and then we got billed for it!

5. Agents know their landlords and properties

To be fair to my local letting agents, they had warned me off the flat in Twickenham. They had tried to work with this landlord before and dropped them from their books. I should have listened to them. At the time I thought they were sore at losing out on a commission. Now I know that they actually know their market and if they won’t touch a property it’s for a good reason. Now I won’t rent any property unless it is through and managed by a letting agent.

If you want to avoid the expensive mistakes I’ve made, you’ll do the same thing too.

Heathcoate specialises in letting residential property in the Richmond, Twickenham and Putney areas. We offer a unique all-inclusive service providing tremendous value for tenants and landlords. Do not hesitate to visit our site.
http://heathcoate.co.uk/wordpress

Why People Are Interested In Net leased Investment Vehicles

October 25, 2011 · Filed Under Leasing · Comment 

People are interested in net leased investment vehicles because they may perceive them as a safer type of investment than many other types. While generally viewed as a favorable type of investment product, these real estate transactions can become more desirable depending on other conditions in the economy.

Investments that involve commercial real estate many times center on how a building or buildings are leased to others. There are a variety of different types of leases available between property owners and tenants but one of the more popular is one called the single tenant net leased. This agreement will generally be for a freestanding building that is leased to a business. The tenants are many times nationally recognized companies who have many outlets and excellent credit ratings. The type of lease states that the lessee, or entity that leases the building, will pay the fees to maintain the business. These can be real estate taxes, insurance, utilities, maintenance fees or other costs normally absorbed by the landlord or property owner.

Investors like these types of properties because these allow them to invest in real estate without many of the headaches that can sometimes be associated with this type of investment. The investor does not have to manage the property in the traditional sense because the tenant manages maintenance and other issues. The real estate company that helps to arrange the lease does the screening of the tenant to see if they are credit worthy and able to pay the lease. The investor is guaranteed a specific income each month or yearly with no fluctuation to the amount as is sometimes found in other types of investments. The investor also has the advantage that when the lease is up, he or she owns the property and can sell or re lease it again.

Tenants like these real estate transactions for their own reasons. It generally allows them to have use of properties in very desirable locations without using traditional purchase agreements for the property. The do not have to have a large down payment to buy the property. Should the location prove to be a bad choice, they can find a lease elsewhere when the term is up. Leasing is beneficial to them from a tax perspective as well. Businesses cannot write off all of a mortgage payment on their tax returns. They are allowed to deduct all of a lease payment. From the perspectives of both the owner and tenant, the net leased investment method can be beneficial to both parties.

For more information on a net leased investment, please visit our website.

Affordable Long Beach Rentals in CA

October 7, 2011 · Filed Under Leasing · Comment 

Getting a chance to live at Long Beach rentals in CA can be a dream come true for many people who have never gotten that chance. Most people not only struggle with long commuting to their work place but also suffer with being far away from friends and family. To avoid all the hassles, it is important that you live in an area that is close to all of the important amenities required for busy lives. There are many excellent apartments, townhomes and condominiums as well as houses that are available for rent in the area, so you will have a good time searching through all of the options available to you. The only problem you may have is choosing one out of the many properties available to you to rent!

Many rental properties can be found in locations that are close to Downtown, offering double bed room houses at a price less than 1200 dollars. Nowadaysthe best properties in the area allare updated completely, with modern facilities plus clean environments. The community living in the apartments is also convenient, with planned regular activities and events. In addition, you can also find playgrounds and picnic areas as well as BBQ areas at many Long Beach rentals in CA.

Some historic apartments that are popular were constructed around 1930s and have been remodeled to offer all of the best conveniences of the modern day. The charge for a single bedroom house is $1,100 on a monthly basis on average. The floors in many historic buildings are superb and constructed using hardwood, although the kitchen and the bedroom are cemented with ceramics tiles to make the apartments look more appealing. Some of the amenities provided include covered parking and a 24 hour laundry facility, as well as many others. In fact theyoffer great access to an incredible beach as well as all of the fun and sun that goes along with spending time at one of the nation s most well known beaches!

Be sure that your next rental property offers very tight 24 7 security to the residents living around. You are going to want a place that perhaps is gated and offers night patrol throughout the grounds, if that will make you feel safe and comfortable in your home.Transportation is readily available throughout the area,which means that you and your family will always have a means to travel throughout the area. Be sure the apartments in Long Beach you want to rent are close to grocery stores, shopping centers, medical facilities and other important destinations.

For more information on Long beach rentals CA, please visit our website.

Cheap Apartments for Rent in West Covina

October 7, 2011 · Filed Under Leasing · Comment 

It may not surprise you to learn that there are many excellent apartments for rentin West Covina. These rental homes give tenants and owners the chance to enjoy the beauty of theplace for every single minute of their stay. In fact,the population of the area has been growing steadily for the past few years, and continues to expand at a healthy, prosperous rate.

Taking some time out of your busy day to go out and find some information about the requirements of renting the apartments may be as easy asusing the internet to find out the information you need. In most cases many local places market their superb designs through the Internet search engines such as Yahoo, Google search and Amazon. This helps promote the properties exposure especially to the renters as they get information faster.When doing marketing in general, using the Net is a way of making sure that you are able to increase every aspect of business at all measures. Otherwise nobody will come to know about the products and services you are offering. This also applies when dealing with apartments for rent in West Covina.

For those people who would like to stay in a low maintenance living and cheap apartments, the city has many properties that provide the perfect solution. Whether you are searching for a rental just for you or you need a place for your entire family, you are sure to find a great place to suit all of your needs.

For the past several years, apartments for rent in West Covina have remainedpopular for most people,some of them being natives of the area and others who move into it from another location. There are many choices to choose from, whether you prefer a state of the art apartment with a river view or you prefer a place right in the center of the city.Most people suggest looking for apartments with energy saving facilities like the double glazed windows and energy efficient appliances. The apartments not only provide renewable energy amenities but also give high standards of insulation too, which will save renters money.

The growing population of the area results in a constantly increasing demand for housing. The average rent is affordable for both the locals and outsiders. For friendly, affordable and convenient facilities you may want to consider one of the new apartments for rent in West Covina.

For more information on Apartments for Rent West Covina, please visit our website.

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