A tenancy begins with keys, a handover and, if you want a clear record of the property’s condition, a carefully timed check-in. Get that appointment right and you give both landlord and tenant a fair, shared starting point. Get it wrong and even a beautifully formatted report may leave questions about what the property was like when the tenancy began. The check-in is not just a quick walk around with a...
A property inspection should protect your investment, not make your tenant feel as if they’re living in a particularly polite surveillance programme. The difference is simple: agree a reasonable visit, explain what it’s for and treat the home as your tenant’s home. So, how often should a landlord inspect a property? For many tenancies, every three to six months is a practical starting point. But...
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is more than a letter grade for your property. Turn to its recommendations page and you will find a practical shortlist of improvements, from simple fixes to bigger upgrades. For landlords, that list can be a useful starting point when a property sits at band E or F. You do not necessarily need to start with major building work. Begin with the measures that are...
A vacant property can look perfectly peaceful on a winter’s day. Behind the scenes, though, cold weather, unnoticed leaks and a steady build-up of post can turn an empty home into a landlord’s unwelcome seasonal project. The answer is not to worry about every creak in the roof. It is to prepare the property, check the terms of your insurance and keep a clear record of what you have done. Here’s a...
If you have booked a Legionella risk assessment, you may be wondering what the assessor actually does once they arrive. Do they take water samples? Inspect every tap? Produce a certificate with a large red “PASS” stamped across it? Usually, it is more practical than that. The assessor looks at how water moves through the property, where it could stagnate, and whether existing controls are suitable....
A rental listing can have beautiful photographs, a good location and a sensible asking rent, then quietly lose a suitable applicant because the floorplan tells the wrong story. Perhaps the bedroom dimensions are optimistic, the kitchen is shown on the wrong side of the property, or the plan still reflects a layout that changed during refurbishment. Applicants notice. Some decide not to enquire; others...
A tenancy deposit dispute is much easier to manage when you can show, clearly and fairly, how the property looked at the start and how it looked at the end. A professional inventory report gives you that reference point. It does not guarantee a successful deduction, but it can help you present accurate, consistent evidence if a disagreement arises. For landlords, property managers and letting agents, the...
October is when a rental home starts to show how well it is prepared for winter. The heating comes on, windows stay closed for longer and damp weather tests roofs, gutters and seals. In Folkestone and across Kent, a timely mid-tenancy visit can help you spot small warning signs before they become a bigger repair, or a difficult conversation during the tenancy. A mid-term inspection landlord visit is not...
If your rental property is empty, “I’ll pop round when I get a chance” is not an inspection plan. It may also fall short of your insurer’s requirements. For landlords in Folkestone and across Kent, the right inspection interval depends on the wording of the property’s policy. There is no single rule that applies to every empty home. Some policies require a visit every seven days; others allow a...
If you let a home in Kent, your Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is more than a document to file away after the listing goes live. It tells prospective tenants how energy-efficient the property is, helps you understand where improvements may be needed and forms part of your landlord compliance checklist. The rules can feel fiddly, particularly when a certificate is still valid but shows a low rating....
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