Landlords - Letting Your Property

Placing The Property With Us To Let

1. After agreeing a valuation price PCM for the property, the LL needs to decide whether the property is LET ONLY or LET & FULLY MANAGED by Shepherd Gilmour. Fees for this will be discussed at the valuation stage.

2. The LL then needs to sign and send/fax/email the relevant documentation, (The Landlord Pack) WE CANNOT CONDUCT VIEWINGS UNTIL WE RECEIVE THIS DOCUMENTATION.

3. Landlords should then provide Shepherd Gilmour with keys, communal door fobs, entrance fobs/codes and if applicable car park fobs. Without the correct keys and fobs time can be wasted by us, the viewer and the Landlord, meaning your property not let for longer.

4. Shepherd Gilmour will then do a photo-shoot of the apartment and upload the pictures onto our own website, and on to the many other property websites that we use including www.rightmove.co.uk www.findaproperty.com plus others. We also advertise in our front window which is located on Deansgate, one of the busiest roads in Manchester, both for road and foot traffic – providing us with lots of “walk-ins” We also advertise in the Manchester Evening News and Urban Life – which reach a wide and varied audience.

Finding The Tenant

5. We will then organise and conduct accompanied viewings. If the property is tenanted, we will organise a convenient time with them directly. Please provide contact numbers for your tenants.

6. We will try to give feedback as often as possible. Whilst we understand that you would like as much information as possible regarding your property, we do not turn down viewing opportunities and pride ourselves in having the flexibility to do viewings straight away – given our location on Deansgate, this happens frequently. If there is any specific feedback regards price, condition etc, or we have any offers or news, we will of course be in touch at the earliest opportunity.

7. Once we receive an offer from an interested tenant; we will contact you. If the offer is at the asking price and nothing “special” has been requested we will proceed automatically with referencing. If the tenant offered lower than the asking price then we would contact you to get authorisation.

8. We reference our tenants via an outside agency. They check three years residential and employment history. We will report to you any quirks that come back from the referencing, and negotiate accordingly. If the reference is returned “acceptable” we will proceed with arranging a move in date for the tenant. Where you manage your own property you will be consulted to ensure you can attend your own check in.

9. Gas safety checks will be arranged by us on FULL MANAGEMENT where applicable.

Checking The Tenant In

10. On the day of move in there are two options:

• FULL MANAGEMENT – We draw up all legal tenancy documents, inventory, arrange to meet tenant at property and go talk through the previous. We exchange cash and keys and take signature on all relevant paperwork.
• LET ONLY – we draw up all legal tenancy documentation, arrange a check in at our office. We exchange cash and keys and take signature on all relevant paperwork

First Payment And Copy Documentation

11. Tenancies will be processed onto our system within two to three working days of move in. The documents and any payment due will be issued within 5 working days of the tenants moving in. The two methods of payment are bank transfer (only applicable to FULL MANAGEMENT) and cheque. If we manage your property please make sure we have your bank details as soon as we have found you a tenant to ensure the first payment can be made by bank transfer.

This initial documentation should contain copy of tenancy agreement, inventory (if FULL MANAGEMENT), guide to Landlord Content insurance, guide to Tenancy Deposit Scheme, and covering letter with your tenants contact details (if LET ONLY). It should also include a copy of the first months financial statement, unless your current balance is negative which would mean your first statement comes the second month.

Payments Of Rent

12. For FULL MANAGEMENT we request rent to be paid monthly by standing order into our bank account. We endeavour to ensure this is the case however tenants can refuse, cancel or amend standing orders at their will and without our knowledge. On some occasions the tenant may pay up front for their rent – therefore payment may not occur monthly, but all this will be discussed with you.

13. For FULL MANAGEMENT we will raise statements monthly along with cheque or bank transfer for the rent. Any deductions for our fees or maintenance work carried out will be shown on these statements. It usually take 5/7 working days for your rent to process through our systems and clear in your account.

14. Late rent is pursued by 7, 14 and 21 days rent arrears letters. Industry laws and guidelines state that we cannot harass tenants to pay their rent. We also cannot legally commence eviction on a tenant for rent arrears until they fall two months in arrears. If it becomes necessary we will initiate this process until it is required to instigate court proceedings at which time we would advise you to seek independent legal advice.

Maintenance Issues

15. For FULL MANAGEMENT we are available 24 hours a day for emergencies, and during normal office hours for normal maintenance issues. We have a team of professional contractors that can assist in many different matters from pluming and electrics to complete building work. For FULL MANAGED properties all our contractors are at your disposal and will be used to maintain your property. We automatically carry out works under £125 + VAT, unless otherwise agreed.

Inspections

16. For FULL MANAGEMENT periodic inspections are carried out on your property to check the property is being maintained to a suitable standard. You will receive a follow up letter stating our findings. It will state if any action is required by yourselves.

Renewing Tenancies

17. We will contact tenants in writing to alert them to the end of tenancy date and request advice on their requirement. You will then be contacted and advised of your tenants decision.

Check Outs

18. For FULL MANAGED properties we arrange for tenants to check out, they are usually present when we attend the check out. A letter documenting our findings and recommendations for the return or division of deposit will then be forwarded to you – we aim to get this done within 5 working days of the check out. We will then aid negotiations until a satisfactory decision is reached. We aim to achieve this within 2 to 3 weeks from the check out. These timescales are dependent on tenants returning paid utility bills and Shepherd Gilmour receiving exact costs from contractors/suppliers for any work carried out.

For LET ONLY properties we rely on the Landlord to give us access again for the apartment.