Management Service

Rental Assessment

A free appointment with our experienced Property Manager will provide you with a rental assessment of your property and professional advice with regard to every aspect of residential letting and management.

Marketing

Depending on the type of tenant you are looking for, your property will be marketed on our website, in local newspapers and circulated around major companies and/or colleges throughout the South Wales area via e-mail, main reception areas and distinctive "FOR RENT" sign/boards where permitted.

Viewings

ROCHEFORT SHUGAR Ltd will accompany all viewings and provide all propsective tenants with full details on your property. We will offer a free transport service to all prospective tenants, covering all areas of Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.

Vetting Prospective Tenants

We will obtain credit and fraud scores, check for any County Court judgements, obtain employers and previous landlord references to ensure that the prospective tenant would be recommended as a suitable tenant for your property. Once the final report is obtained and successful, we require your final approval for the tenancy to commence.

Services

All services are transferred into the tenants name at the start of the tenancy. This means that they will be responsible for the payment of all interim and final bills whilst occupying your property. You are provided with a copy of all service letters giving a record of all meter readings taken at the start and end of each tenancy. It is the Tenants responsibility to arrange a transfer of the telephone line and to re-direct their mail. The tenants deposit will be returned to the tenant upon proof of payment of all final utility bills.

Inventory

A detailed list of all external and internal items will be prepared by ourselves prior to the tenancy commencing. Both the tenant and ourselves will check through this document, in order to obtain a true accurate record of the landlords property.

Notices & Tenancy Agreement

All appropriate notices under the Housing Act 1996 are issued prior to the tenancy commencing, to safeguard the re-possession of the property if required. An appropriate tenancy agreement will be drawn up to suit the requirements of the Landlord and Tenant. Both Landlord and Tenant will receive a copy of all notices and tenancy agreement.

Energy Performance Certificate

From 1st October 2008 all rental properties with new tenancies in England and Wales are required to have an Energy Performance Certificate [EPC].  The EPC is valid for 10 years and does not have to be renewed before each new tenancy within that time unless any alterations have been to the property within that time.  Landlords must provide an EPC free of charge to prospective tenants at the earliest opportunity and must provide a copy of the EPC to the person who eventually takes up the tenancy. An EPC is not required for any property that was occupied prior to 1 October 2008 and which continues to be occupied after that date by the same tenant. However, landlords may commission EPCs for these dwellings if they wish.  Rochefort Shugar Ltd can arrange for this to be done on the landlords behalf, the fee will be discussed upon appointment of our Property Manager
For further information/government guidelines please visit:
 
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/planningandbuilding/pdf/866773.pdf
http://campaigns.direct.gov.uk/epc/

Deposit

A deposit will be taken from the Tenant prior to the commencement of the tenancy which is equivalent to one month’s rent plus £100.00. Under new legislation, all deposits taken after 6th April 2007 are covered by a tenancy deposit protection scheme. ROCHEFORT SHUGAR Ltd uses an insurance based scheme and will hold the deposit in our clients deposit account as stakeholders.  Deposits can be utilised only in the event of making good any damage caused to the property, non-payment of services, cleaning costs etc. for which the Tenant is responsible.
Rochefort Shugar Ltd advises you to visit www.mydeposits.co.uk then refer to ‘Agents’ section on the left hand side and then download Scheme rules – 3rd Edition in order to understand the scheme in full.
On occasion we may utilise the Custodial scheme through The Deposit Protection Service [TDPS]. Please refer to www.depositprotection.com for further details.

Consent to Letting

It is essential that the Landlord obtains the necessary consents where applicable from the Head Lessor, Mortgagee, etc. Two copies of the relevant section of the lease must be given to ROCHEFORT SHUGAR Ltd, and certain obligations must be reflected in the tenancy agreement under the sub-tenants obligations.

Insurance

You should make certain that your property and its contents are adequately insured and that your existing policy covers a furnished property, as many residential policies do not. ROCHEFORT SHUGAR Ltd can advise on all types of residential insurance policies to give you the cover you need.

Income Tax

Rental is a non-earned income and is subject to tax. As this is specialist area we recommend that you obtain advice from either an accountant or the tax department of your Bank/Building Society.

The following list covers some of the main items that are tax deductible from rental income received from residential property letting:

a) Wear and tear - 10% of your gross rent less water rates
b) Management fees
c) Maintenance works
d) Water rates
e) Insurance of heating appliances
f) Insurance on contents
g) Interest on mortgage
h) Any outgoings that the Landlord bears during each tenancy period

Rental Payment

Landlords are required to provide ROCHEFORT SHUGAR Ltd their Bank or Building Society details in the United Kingdom, the Agents will require the name, address, branch and account number of the Bank or Building Society. If the rental is to be remitted to an alternative address, then full details are to be provided.

Gas Safety Regulations 1994 & Furniture and Furnishings Fire Safety Regulations 1993

The above regulations will be discussed with yourself upon appointment of our Property Manager.

Taxes Management Act 1970, Section 78

If you are going to reside abroad, the Inland Revenue will hold the Agent responsible for payment of any tax liability arising from rent collected by ourselves on your behalf, unless we receive a letter of exemption from the Inland Revenue. Income tax will be deducted at a basic rate from the gross amount.

Maintenance & Repairs

ROCHEFORT SHUGAR Ltd provide a genuine 24 hour maintenance service to all landlords, where tenants can contact us in the event of an urgent maintenance concern. Landlords must provide authorisation in order for all works to proceed. In the event that ROCHEFORT SHUGAR Ltd are unable to contact the landlord, then we will proceed to arrange for the neccessary repair works to be carried out by one of our approved contractors.

Final Inspection and Inventory Check

ROCHEFORT SHUGAR Ltd will carry out a detailed inspection and inventory check at the end of the tenancy. The landlord will be provided with a written report and will be given an opportunity to inspect the property. The deposit will only be released upon authorisation of the landlord.

Fees

The set up charge is equivalent to a quarter of one months rent plus VAT for each new tenancy. The monthly commission is 10% of the monthly rental plus VAT

Tenant Finder Service

ROCHEFORT SHUGAR Ltd will:

a) Market your property - web site, advertise in the Western Mail & Echo Homes supplements [twice weekly], contact local companies and re-location agents

b) View property with suitable tenant [landlord to supply necessary keys, fobs and alarm code details if neccessary]

c) Reference check the prospective tenant [Home Let Referencing Service]

d) Prepare and provide the relevant tenancy agreement and notices

e) Arrange for landlords gas safety check to be carried out prior to tenancy commencing [landlord may arrange if preferred]

f) Notify all relevant utility companies

g) Check in the tenant at the property

h) Provide tenants with standing order mandates for further rental payments [landlord to provide bank details]

LANDLORD will:

a) Prepare the inventory and provide ROCHEFORT SHUGAR Ltd with two copies, prior to tenancy commencing

b) Manage the property throughout the duration of the tenancy

f) Carry out final inspection and inventory check

FEE: equivalent to a half of one months rent plus VAT