Creative Green Energy Services for Landlords
De-regulation in October 2015 saw the of the rules which govern landlords who rent to private tenants change and become more onerous on landlords and their agents. As we at Creative Green Energy go about our work as property consultants in our various functions ranging from EPCs to project manager we are often surprised at the relaxed attitude of our clients to issues which are now more distinctly their duty of care to tenants. Take smoke alarm and carbon detectors as an example of issues we regularly see, the placement and type of alarms may vary, smoke alarms for instance may need to be linked once a property is over several storeys, carbon monoxide detectors are required for all solid burning apparatuses including open grates if there is any possibility of use and hobs. At the start of each new tenancy, tenants need to be shown that each alarm and or detector is in working order, tenants need to be given written instructions on their duties to maintain and test, both needs to be documented and retained so that the landlord can demonstrate proactively compliance.
De-reg Oct 2015 initiated a change to the way notice requiring possession are processed, retaliatory evictions became a higher concern, landlords need to fix repairs as highlighted during a tenancy or known to them, not only to completion but also document so that there is a paper trail to demonstrate that their duty has been discharged correctly.
How many landlords have robust processes in place that covers their duties to their tenants adequately, how many landlords feel that because an agent is involved that they are protected from being responsible or from potential prosecution. As the headline depicted in the picture shows, land lords and their agents are being individually and jointly held responsible in cases which are now regularly going before the court. Continuous rental income is now no longer a landlord’s primary concern, administrating each tenancy should be! If not fines and compensation payments may place your ability to be a landlord in jeopardy. Creative green energy understands and can assist you in fulfilling most of your duties. Contact us via email: sales@creativegreenenergy.com