Intercity Accommodations Terms and Conditions| Leeds letting agents

Intercity Accommodation
21 Moor Road Tel: (0113) 230 2303/ 230 2304
Far Headingley Fax: (0113) 230 2305
LEEDS
LS6 4BG Website: www.intercity-accommodation.co.uk

E-mail

Letting your property

Terms of business

Scale of Charges

Acceptance of terms of business

Property information form

Owner information form

Fire safety regulations

Gas safety requirements

Electrical Safety requirements

House in Multiple Occupation Guidance notes

Deposit Protection Scheme

Energy Performance Certificates

LETTING YOUR PROPERTY

SOME QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

INITIAL ENQUIRIES
On your invitation, we will visit your property at a mutually convenient date and time to provide you with a current rental valuation together with an indication of its letting potential. It is always useful for us to know what the minimum rental amount is to permit us the flexibility to do business with the best potential tenant rather than just the wealthiest. Advice as to level and quality of furnishings, decor & fittings would be available, all free of charge and without obligation. If you decide to appoint Intercity Accommodation we will market the property as soon as our management agreement has been signed and keys are received. We will then undertake viewings (always accompanied) with prospective tenants, seek employers’ references, proof of earnings and undertake a legal tenancy agreement on your behalf. A detailed inventory of the condition of the property and its contents will be drawn prior to the tenant’s occupation of the premises.

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?
Each time that a new tenant is located a charge, the equivalent of one week’s rent will be made. If an existing tenant simply wishes to accept a further tenancy a small charge of £35 is made to reflect administration time and costs. Our commission rate starts at 11% & VAT. No advance payment is required from you, as these charges will be deducted from the rental income. The Agency will undertake any advertising of your property that we feel may be necessary and there is no charge for this. However in the unlikely event that you wish specific additional marketing, we can discuss with you and advise you on the likely effectiveness and costs at that time.

WHAT IF I CHANGE MY MIND?
You are free to do so with written notice to our office at any time whilst the property has not been let and no tenancy has been agreed or is being considered on your behalf. If an application for a tenancy is already being considered then we will be in the process of taking up references for that prospective tenant. If you wish to change your mind at this stage then a charge the equivalent of one week’s rent will be made to cover administrative costs incurred to date. Once a tenancy agreement has been signed you cannot change your mind nor can you change your mind during a tenancy. We will always tell you when the tenancy agreement for your property is due to end. Providing you give us written notice at least two months before this end date then we can take steps to cease the letting if you wish. Otherwise the letting will continue until you give us written notice to stop.

HOW LONG MUST THE PROPERTY BE LET FOR?
The minimum period of letting is six months, which means that you cannot gain possession of your property before six months have expired. Longer tenancies are possible and we can discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this if you so wish. Remember that you can usually only obtain possession of your property at the end of a tenancy agreement. Possession before the end of a tenancy is possible only if the tenant has breached one or more of the tenancy terms. It is always helpful if an indication can be provided of the anticipated maximum duration of let. Many prospective tenants may be deterred if the maximum let is only six months. The Housing Act made it lawful to enter into a tenancy of less than 6 months. If you require such a short letting then we can discuss this with you.

CAN I STIPULATE THE TYPE OF TENANT I WANT?
Yes. You can also stipulate other conditions such as non-smokers, no pets, no children, and no sharers. However it is important to remember that the more conditions you impose the more limited your choice of prospective tenants will be.

HOW CAN I BE SATISFIED AS TO THE CHOICE OF TENANT?
The practice of some companies is to charge commission in advance for the entire duration of the tenancy regardless of whether rent is actually received or not. Our charging structure means that unless a tenant pays the rent due, we cannot collect our commission. Clearly it would not be in our interests to accept a tenant where we have any doubts whatsoever as to their future conduct. At times of low demand there may be pressures to secure a letting for a property that may have been vacant for some time. However we would rather offer you the option of employing another agent than risk securing an unsuitable tenant.

WHAT GUARANTEE DO I HAVE OF GETTING MY PROPERTY BACK
If the tenancy has expired and no less than 2 months notice has been served then possession is guaranteed. If possession is required during the term of a tenancy then you must be able to prove (to a court if necessary) that your tenant has actually done something which is in breach of the tenancy. There are 17 grounds that may be relied upon of which 9 are discretionary and the remainder are mandatory. An example of a discretionary ground is one where the tenant has not taken good care of the premises. The courts decision as to whether possession is awarded or not depends entirely upon the circumstances of the case. An example of a mandatory ground is one where the tenant has accrued two months rent arrears. Such decisions would be made by the County Court.

DO I HAVE TO TELL MY BUILDING SOCIETY?
If you have borrowings secured against the property then yes. The lender may impose certain conditions and they may also wish the Agency to serve your tenant certain notices. You must also inform your insurance company that your property is going to be tenanted.

WHAT ABOUT THE SERVICE BILLS?
Unless you agree otherwise, the tenant is responsible for the payment of gas, electricity, water rates, council tax (or equivalent) telephone account and personal belongings insurance. The Agency would always take meter readings for the gas and electricity supply immediately before and after each letting with details being advised to the appropriate authorities direct.

WHEN WILL I RECEIVE MY RENT?
The tenant’s obligation is to pay rent within 7 days of the 1st day of each month. You can expect to receive your net rent as soon as your tenant’s payment has cleared the banking system. This will usually be before the middle of the month. It will be paid directly into your bank account and a statement will be posted to you. If your tenant is due to vacate the property, then rent will paid by the middle of the month following vacation in anticipation of repair expenses that may be incurred during the last month. Rent may also be carried forward if a repair invoice is anticipated during the course of the letting. Interest will not be paid on money which is retained providing that the retention is not unreasonable.

WHAT ABOUT REPAIRS?
You would be expected to repair/replace any item supplied by you within the property if it deteriorates or breaks down. This duty does not extend to the tenants belongings. Additionally, Landlords are not obligated to repair/replace items which have failed due to tenant negligence or in cases where a superior alternative exists; although many Landlords exercise discretion in such circumstances. You would not normally be expected to improve the property beyond its original condition although you may wish to do so to ensure a long and successful letting. We will ask you whether you want to arrange for repairs yourself or whether you wish our office to arrange them on your behalf or indeed a combination of both. The Agency can use your appointed, qualified tradesman providing that s/he is able to respond with reasonable speed to instructions. This is vital to retain the confidence of tenants. The Agency will always appoint our own contractors to deal with emergency repairs in your absence and out of office hours. A charge based on 10% & VAT of the invoice cost will be levied in respect of administrating repairs on your behalf. The Agency also offers an insurance policy at a cost of £7.35 per month, which provides free labour and parts for most urgent repairs (excluding central heating boilers). The policy offers a response time of 4 hours which in our experience is generally maintained. A specimen policy is available upon request.

WHAT ABOUT ANY DAMAGES OR RENT ARREARS?
A deposit will always be claimed in advance from your tenant which will generally be marginally more than one months rent. Careful selection of tenants mean that damages are rare but in this unlikely event the tenant will be responsible to you for damages which exceed the value of the deposit held. Larger deposits (up to a maximum of 2 months rent) can be requested although this is a practice more common in London and may deter a speedy letting. A detailed inventory of contents will be drawn prior to each of every new letting, which you may inspect upon request at any time prior to or during the occupation, by your tenants of your property. This will then be used on your tenant’s departure to check the property. Deposits are returned once your tenant has given vacant possession of the property. You are welcome by prior appointment to inspect the property at the same time of the check-out by prior appointment. Any claims for unreasonable wear and tear (that have not already been identified by the Agency) must be made within 7 days of the tenant’s vacation. If your tenant does not pay his rent or the cost of any damages then we will advise you how you can apply for possession of the property. Although the Agency prides itself on never having had rent arrears on any client’s account, we are nevertheless able to offer insurance policies in respect of this risk for most lettings.

WHAT ABOUT LEGAL COSTS?
Although this is very unlikely, there are insurance policies that are available. We can advise you on these.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO LET?
Letting a property is similar to selling a house in that the price, quality and particularly location are all factors. The times of peak demand are generally July/August/September and properties that are competitively priced and in the most popular areas will be let earlier than those that are not. Forecasting the letting market has its uncertainties but it is clear to us that there is a distinct reluctance by many very mortgage-worthy people to undertake the lengthy commitments of home loans. Hence there has been significant expansion of the private rented sector led by the demand from quite mobile, well paid career individuals. As a guide we would say that an average property becoming available at a time of average demand would take approximately 4 weeks to let.

CAN I TRY TO SELL IT WHILST IT IS TENANTED?
It is extremely difficult to market a property as being for sale whilst it is tenanted. Selling agents & their clients do not have the interests of tenants uppermost in their minds and from experience this often leads to unacceptable disruption to your tenant. In short your property must be wholly for sale OR wholly to rent. If you sell your property to your tenant before the tenancy has expired then the outstanding commission that we would have expected to receive for the remainder of tenancy will be due. If you prefer we can charge you 1% of the sale value instead if this works out to be less.

HOW OFTEN WILL THE PROPERTY BE INSPECTED?
Whilst the property is vacant the property will be visited as many times as there are prospective tenants wishing to view. There is no restriction to your access rights at this stage. Once the property is let, inspections must be undertaken strictly by prior appointment with the tenant via your Agent - except for emergencies. The Agency obtains monthly inspection rights for all properties but where appropriate, inspections may be more or less frequent.

VACANT PROPERTIES
Empty properties are always at risk. We do not manage vacant properties although the property may be visited during the course of viewings with prospective tenants. Your insurers will normally wish to be notified by you of any period exceeding 30 days that the property may be unoccupied. Additionally you may wish to fit a timer switch to internal/external lighting. During winter months you may be advised to drain the water supply system or to operate background central heating.

WILL I HAVE TO PAY INCOME TAX ON THE RENT?
You must declare to the Inland Revenue all your rental income. There are many allowable expenses that you can claim before tax is finally charged including your agent’s charges, mortgage interest, buildings insurance and repair costs. There is also an allowance of 10% for wear and tear for furnished properties. In many cases these expenses can reduce the annual tax bill to a negligible level.

OTHER LEGAL REQUIREMENTS (see attached guidance notes)
Apart from the obvious requirements of keeping your property in safe and habitable condition, there are requirements concerning gas safety and fire safety. Guidelines to these regulations are enclosed herewith.
There is further legislation (from 6/4/06) governing the standards of accommodation for Houses in multiple occupation (HMO) some of which will require a license before the property can be let to tenants. Information regarding the legislation can be obtained from the government’s website at www.propertylicence.co.uk and at Leeds City Council’s website www.leeds.gov.uk Please note that it is an offence to knowingly rent out a ‘licensable’ property but which does not have license. It also an offence to knowingly rent out a licensable property which, without reasonable excuse, is in breach of any of the conditions of the license for the property.
All licensable properties must have a 5 yearly inspection of the fixed electrical installation and fixed appliances to ensure that it is safe. Intercity Accommodation and Leeds City Council both recommend that all rental properties should meet this standard.

PROTECTION OF TENANCY DEPOSITS
From April 2008, it became law that all tenants’ deposit must be legally protected by employing the services of one of three government approved bodies. Intercity Accommodation has been approved to hold deposits on behalf of tenants. See page 21 for further details.
THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING INTERCITY ACCOMMODATION.
Intercity Accommodation has been established since 1980. We do not sell properties nor do well sell any financial products. Consequently our experience of the letting market and knowledge of the Housing Acts of 1988, 1996 and 2004 is not diverted in any way. Our levels of service are maintained by our policy of strictly limiting the numbers of properties managed at any one time. Since 1980 our occupancy rates have averaged at over 90% per annum. The Housing Advice Centre, Leeds City Council, the Tourist Board and the Trading Standards Department are currently referring prospective tenants to our office. A judicious allocation of our annual advertising budget attracts a sustained level of enquiries throughout the year. Intercity Accommodation is a member The National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS) which is approved by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) and also a member of the Ombudsman scheme. Intercity also has professional indemnity insurance.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS
Please telephone or call into our office. Many people are renting properties for the first time and there are often questions that are particular to your circumstances that we may not have answered. Perhaps you simply want a certain point explaining a bit more. Please do not feel that you are asking a silly question or that you are wasting our time. You may in fact be helping us to avoid any similar confusion in the future.

WHAT SHOULD I DO NEXT?
If you wish to employ Intercity Accommodation, then please complete the enclosed property information form and return it to our office. We will then commence our marketing and management immediately.

TERMS OF BUSINESS

In consideration of you instructing us to act as your sole managing agents we will: -
Visit your property and advise you on the rental income that we feel that you can realistically achieve for the property
Advise you on current demand for your type of property and rented accommodation generally
Advise you on the standards of decor, heating and furniture required for letting of your property
Advise you on consents you may need to obtain prior to the letting such as from your Building Society and Licenses from Leeds City Council and discuss with you any conditions that they might impose on your letting – however we are unable to ensure or monitor your compliance
Advise you on your income tax liabilities
Provide you with guide lines to the gas safety and fire safety requirements
Advise you on your repairing and maintenance responsibilities
Erect a 'to-let' board at your property and arrange appointments with any prospective tenants
Provide an accompanied viewing service for all prospective tenants
Consider applications from prospective tenants and take up references as considered appropriate
Discuss with you, if you so wish, the circumstances and references of any prospective tenants prior to the granting of a tenancy
Prepare and obtain the tenants execution of a Shorthold Assured Tenancy agreement under the terms of the Housing Act 1988 (as amended by Housing Act 1996) as drafted by the Solicitors Law Society and to prepare and serve any appropriate additional notices that may be necessary or that you might require
Prepare an inventory of the contents and schedule of conditions and on your request we will make this available for you to check prior to the tenant entering into possession of the property
Collect a deposit from your tenant usually marginally more than one months rent unless otherwise agreed with you
We will take meter readings for the supply of gas and electricity prior to your tenant’s occupation of the property
We will provide any information that may be requested by companies on behalf of your tenants in respect of utilities to your property such as council tax, water rates and telephone
Demand and collect the rent each month from your tenant including reminder telephone calls, the issuing of reminder letters and visits to the property as may be appropriate
We will prepare a monthly statement of your rent collected detailing any expenses together with an explanation for that expense and receipts
We will pay your net rent to you as soon as your tenants rent has cleared our banking system
We will advise you if the rent has not been paid or if it is paid late and offer you any explanation that we or your tenant may have
We will advise you on how and when you can obtain possession and offer you guidance if you need to instruct a solicitor
We will arrange to inspect your property on a regular basis and provide you with a written report of our observations if any. We will also provide you with a written report of any faults reported by your tenant or any or observations we may have on the property condition or your tenants conduct
We will (if instructed by you) also arrange to provide you with quotations for any repairs or maintenance that may become necessary and provide access by arrangement with your tenant to you and or the contractor
We will deal with all repairs of an emergency nature (including accidental locking out) at your property and provide your tenants with a 24-hour emergency help line telephone number
We will deal with items of maintenance providing that you have instructed us to do so in writing or by email and sufficient funds are available or have been supplied in advance
When your tenants vacate your property, we will use the prepared inventory to inspect the property and use our judgement to assess whether the property is in reasonable condition. You are welcome by prior notice to this office to be present during our inspection. We will then return the deposit within 7 working days to your tenant less any deductions that may have been agreed with you for unreasonable wear and tear, damages or rent arrears
We will take final meter readings for the supply of gas and electricity and notify the appropriate authorities of those readings
We will, at all times, offer you advice as to your rights, duties and responsibilities as a Landlord and offer you guidance as to what performance you can expect from your tenant

In return you must agree to:
Obtain a license if your property requires one and comply with any conditions of that license
Ensure that your property complies with any other H.M.O. (House in Multiple Occupation) condition or selective licensing condition.
Notify your Building Society or lender and receive their permission for you to let your property
Notify your insurance company of your intention to let your property
Remove from the property, prior to our preparation of the inventory, any items that you do not wish to include with the letting
Provide details and paperwork relating to any guarantees and instructions
Provide details of any repair contractors that you might prefer to use although if they are unavailable or cannot respond within a reasonable period of time then our own contractors will be employed
Provide details of your contact telephone/fax number/s and correspondence address during our period as managing agents
Notify us if you do not intend to be resident in the U.K. during the letting
Notify our office in writing and in advance of Intercity Accommodation marketing your property of any restrictions to the letting such as no smokers, no pets no unemployed etc.

Cancellation terms:
The Agency may cancel the management agreement with written notice at any time if your instructions are such that they breach the terms of the tenancy agreement, management agreement or laws of the land.
The Agency may cancel the management agreement with written notice at any time if we consider your instructions unacceptable
Either you or we may end the agreement with at least one month’s written notice. However if you cancel our management whilst a tenancy agreement is still current then we reserve the right to charge to you commissions on the uncollected rent for the remainder of that tenancy agreement or until the tenants vacate the premises, whichever is the later.

Scale of charges

UK Residents Non UK residents
Fee for withdrawal of instructions prior to an application being received £50 & VAT
Fee for withdrawal of instructions after an application has been received but prior to the inception of the tenancy The equivalent of 2 weeks rent & VAT
Letting fee for new tenancies The equivalent of 1 weeks rent & VAT
Renewal of existing tenancies £50.00 & VAT

Management charge

Basic commission rate 11% & VAT 12.5% & VAT
Houses in multiple occupation and for tenants who claim Housing benefit 12.5% & VAT 15% & VAT
Licensable H.M.O’s 15% & VAT 17.5% & VAT
Gas safety inspection/
Electrical safety inspection £25 & cost of inspection based on trade prices
Energy efficiency certificate £150 including cost of inspection
Copy documents £1 & VAT per item
Extraneous visits to premises (valuations etc) £25 & VAT
Preparation and service of notice to tenants for possession of property Included
Maintenance/insurance expenditure on behalf of clients 10% & VAT (based on invoice value)
Application for House in Multiple occupation Upon request
Protection of tenants’ deposit Included
Preparation of inventory Included
Referencing of tenants Included

There are no additional charges unless:
They become necessary by virtue of legislation or you have asked us to do something that falls outside the scope of our usual terms of management. In which case the charges will specifically be brought to your attention and agreed with you in advance.

ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS OF BUSINESS

I HEREBY CONFIRM THAT:
1. I am the owner of the above property AND/OR
2. I am able to enter into a management agreement on behalf of the owner

AND THEREBY:
1. I/We Instruct Intercity Accommodation to manage the above property on the terms of business which have already been provided to me
2. Authorise Intercity Accommodation to sign the tenancy agreement/s and other documents on my behalf

AND FURTHER:
I understand that the terms of business may be varied with no less than 28 days written notice to me and that the current terms will always be displayed in the offices of Intercity Accommodation.

INCORRECT INFORMATION :

If the Landlord warrants that all the information he has provided to the Agent is correct to the best of his knowledge and belief. In the event that the Landlord provides incorrect information to the Agent which causes the Agent to suffer loss or causes legal proceedings to be taken the landlord agrees to reimburse and compensate the Agent for all losses suffered.

SIGNATURE DATE

PROPERTY INFORMATION FORM
(PLEASE COMPLETE ONE FOR EACH PROPERTY)

PROPERTY TO BE MANAGED
ADDRESS

POST CODE
TELEPHONE NUMBER – WHEN IT WAS LAST CONNECTED
IS THIS PROPERTY A LICENSABLE HOUSE IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION (H.M.O)? (see page19)
IF SO PLEASE SUPPLY A COPY OF THE LICENSE OR A COPY OF A RECEIPT FOR YOUR LICENSE APPLICATION

LENDER
Please supply written agreement from your lender for you to rent your property
NAME OF LENDER

ADDRESS OF LENDER

TELEPHONE NUMBER

MORTGAGE/LOAN ACCOUNT NUMBER

LEASEHOLD PROPERTIES
Please supply a copy of any lease conditions and written permission for you to rent your property.
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE ADDRESS

CONTACT NAME
TELEPHONE NUMBER AMOUNT OF SERVICE CHARGE

GUARANTEES
Please list below items within the premises that have the benefit of a guarantee
DESCRIPTION OF ITEM DATE GUARANTEE EXPIRES
INSTRUCTION BOOKLETS
Please list below any instruction booklets or notes that you are supplying to this office for the benefit of the new occupier of the above premises

GAS SAFETY
DO YOU HAVE A CURRENT GAS SAFETY CERTIFICATE? (see page 17) YES NO
IF YES PLEASE SUPPLY COPY
DO YOU WANT THE AGENCY TO ENSURE FUTURE COMPLIANCE YES NO

ELECTRICAL SAFETY
DO YOU HAVE A CURRENT ELECTRICAL SAFETY CERTIFICATE FOR THE FIXED WIRING INSTALATION AND FIXED APPLIANCES? (see page 18) YES NO
IF YES PLEASE SUPPLY COPY
DO YOU WANT THE AGENCY TO ENSURE FUTURE COMPLIANCE YES NO

ENERGY EFFICIENCY CERTIFICATE
DO YOU HAVE AN ENERGY EFFICIENCY CERTIFICATE ? YES NO
IF YES PLEASE SUPPLY A COPY OF THE CERTIFICATE ENCLOSED – YES NO
IF NO – THE AGENCY WILL ARRANGE THIS PRIOR TO MARKETING THE PROPERTY

REPAIRS
Unless you give details below of any preferred contractors in the event of repairs, then the Agency will employ contractors from our own list. We will endeavour to employ any preferred contractors that are listed below – subject to their availability and excepting for out of hour’s emergencies.

GAS ELECTRICS
PLUMBING JOINERY

DO YOU WANT TO TAKE OUT AN INSURANCE POLICY FOR REPAIRS ?
YES NO

ALARM
If there is an alarm, then please complete the table below and provide written instructions
NAME AND ADDRESS OF INSTALLER
TELEPHONE NUMBER
ALARM CODE

IS THERE IS NACOSS MAINTENANCE CONTRACT? YES NO

UTILITIES
GAS PROVIDER
LOCATION OF GAS METER
ELECTRICITY SUPPLIER
LOCATION OF ELECTRICITY METER
LOCATION OF FUSE BOX
LOCATION OF WATER METER
LOCATION OF WATER STOP TAP LETTING PERIOD
The Agency will undertake lettings for periods of not less than 6 months and not more than 12 months at a time.
DATE THAT PREMISES ARE AVAILABLE TO LET

DATE THAT LETTING IS TO BE DISCONTINUED
SHOULD THE LETTING CONTINUE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE FROM YOU? YES NO

CONDITIONS/RESTRICTIONS
If you wish to place any conditions on this letting or any restrictions on the type or numbers of tenant then please give details belowRENT
Rent is subject to seasonal demand and can vary so please indicate the absolute minimum you require.
WHAT IS THE MINMUM GROSS RENT YOU REQUIRE (Per calendar month)
DOES THIS INCLUDE ANYTHING SUCH AS THE SERVICE CHARGE?

DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS/INSTRUCTIONS?

DETAILS OF TITLED OWNERS
( PLEASE COMPLETE ONE FOR EACH OWNER)

FULL NAME OF OWNER
USUAL PLACE OF ABODE

CORESSPONDENCE ADDRESS (IF DIFFERENT)

DAY TIME CONTACT NUMBER
OUT OF HOURS CONTACT NUMBER
EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBER
MOBILE NUMBER
E-MAIL ADDRESS
HOW MANY PEOPLE OWN THIS PROPERTY?

PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS
NAME OF YOUR BANK
ADDRESS OF YOUR BANK
SORT CODE
ACCOUNT NUMBER
NAME ON THE ACCOUNT
IF YOUR ACCOUNT IS HELD WITH A BUILDING SOCIETY THEN PLEASE SUPPLY ROLL NO

OVERSEAS LANDLORDS
Please complete this section if you are not going to be resident in the U.K. during the letting. The Agency is able to offer an accountancy service for non-resident Landlords - please enquire.

HAVE YOU COMPLETED A CLAIM FOR PERSONAL ALLOWANCES
HAVE YOU COMPLETED A CLAIM FORM TO RECEIVE GROSS RENT
WHO WILL BE YOUR TAX ADVISOR/ACCOUNTANT?
NAME AND ADDRESS OF YOUR SOLICITOR

NATIONAL INSURANCE NUMBER

SIGNATURE DATE

THE FURNITURE AND FURNISHINGS (FIRE SAFETY) REGULATIONS 1988

We would advise all property owners who let residential furnished/part furnished properties in the course of business, that they must ensure all post-1950 furniture and furnishings conform to current fire resistance regulations by 31 December 1996. Owners of residential furnished accommodation who are not letting their property in the course of business are exempt.

The regulations apply to the any of the following which contain upholstery:
Furniture intended for private use in a dwelling including children's furniture
Beds, headboards of beds and mattresses (of any size)
Sofa beds, futons and other convertibles
Nursery furniture
Garden furniture which is suitable for use in a dwelling
Scatter cushions and seat pads
Pillows

The regulations also apply to:
Loose covers for furniture
Stretch covers for furniture

The regulations do not apply to:
Sleeping bags
Bed clothes or duvets
Loose covers for mattresses
Pillowcases
Curtains
Carpets

Copies of a guide to the regulations can be obtained from the West Yorkshire Trading standards office on Leeds 253 0241 or by writing to
The Consumer Safety Unit
Department of Trade and Industry
Room 302
10-18 Victoria Street
LONDON SW1H 0NN

Copies of the regulations can be obtained from HMSO bookshops (Austicks) or by writing to Her Majesty's Stationery Office
HMSO Publications Centre
P.O. Box 276
LONDON SW8 5DT

Enquiries from persons wishing to ensure that their furniture and furnishings meet the requirements of the regulations should be made to the local (West Yorkshire) Trading Standards Office.

SECTION 36(1) HEALTH & SAFETY AT WORK ACT 1974
REGULATIONS

On 31 October 1994, it became law that all gas appliances, installations and related pipe work must be regularly serviced and maintained in a safe condition so as to prevent risk of injury to any person.

Each such appliance should therefore be checked for safety by a suitably appointed engineer (Corgi registered) at intervals of not more than 12 months.
A record of each safety check should be kept together with a record of any defect/s found and remedial action taken.
These records should then be made available for inspection by any person (e.g. tenant) who may be affected by the use or operation of such appliance upon submission of reasonable notice.
A copy of a current gas safety certificate must be supplied to the tenant within 14 days

It is the duty of the owner of any such appliance OR (by agreement) that of his/her Agent to ensure compliance with the above. If you wish the Agency to arrange compliance with the above regulations on your behalf for your property then an annual charge of £25 per property (regardless of the number of gas appliances) will be made by the Agency in addition to the cost of the works.

CURRENT CONTRACTOR : T.M. West Plumbing Services Ltd
Unit 5a
New Craven Gate Industrial Estate
LEEDS LS11 5NF
Tel: Leeds 2471 888
Fax: Leeds 2471 777

CURRENT COSTS EXCLUSIVE OF VAT: (As at 1/4/10)
Gas fire servicing only £27.00
Gas hot water boiler servicing only £27.00
Central heating boiler servicing only £32.00
Back boiler unit servicing only £35.00
Gas wall heater servicing only £27.00
Combination boiler servicing only £32.00
Cooker safety check only £12.0

ELECTRICAL SAFETY TESTING OF FIXED WRITING INSTALLATION AND FIXED APPLIANCES

The 2004 Housing Act makes it mandatory that all licensable Houses in Multiple Occupation (H.M.O) should have their fixed electrical wiring and fixed electrical appliances tested for safety by a suitable qualified electrician, once every 5 years.

Leeds City Council further recommend that Houses in Multiple Occupation, even those that do not require a license also have the same 5 yearly inspections.

Such certificates must be supplied upon demand by any official organisation or to any person having an interest in the property (such as the tenant) within 7 days.

The inspection is conducted in accordance with ‘16th Edition IEE Wiring Regulations, BS 7671' this is then recorded on a 6 page form which highlights work needed to upgrade the electrical installation to current regulations, this report is recommended for house letting or purchase and will demonstrate the integrity and safety of the installation.

It is recommended that a periodic electrical installation report on the fixed wiring be carried out every 5 – 10 years depending on the age of the installation. Typical costs range from £100-£200 depending upon size of the property

The cost of testing the fixed electrical appliances is currently £75 for up to 6 appliances.

Intercity Accommodation advises that ALL rented properties should have this safety inspection. It is once every 5 years and our charges for overseeing such compliance are only £25 & VAT per property.

HOUSING ACT 2004
BRIEF SUMMARY OF H.M.O.and Selective Licensing

Properties that require a license
If your property has 3 or more floors of ‘habitable’ accommodation AND has 5 or more ‘unrelated’ occupants then you must apply for a license. These properties will need to meet certain standards.

The deadline for submitting applications to Leeds City Council for H.M.O. Licenses is the 3 July 2006. Application forms and guidance notes can be downloaded from www.leeds.gov.uk or by contacting our office

Intercity Accommodation will NOT be able to continue to manage such properties unless you supply a copy of a receipt from Leeds City Council to confirm that they have received your application.

We should inform all owners that it is a criminal offence to knowingly allow a property to be let if it requires a license and does not have one. It is also a criminal offence to fail, without reasonable excuse, to comply with any conditions that might be attached to that license. All licenses must be displayed at the property and the license will provide information as to the maximum number of occupants that are permitted and any conditions. It is also worthy of note that the Housing Act 2004 entitles tenants who lives in an unlicensed property (when it should be licensed) to claim a full refund on rent paid.

Please note that Intercity Accommodation cannot ensure or monitor your compliance with H.M.O. requirements and conditions but will endeavour to advise so far as we are able.

Properties that are H.M.O’s BUT do NOT require a license
Properties that are shared by 3 or more ‘unrelated’ people, regardless of the number of habitable floors that the property has – will be known as an H.M.O. and will need to meet certain standards but these are not as strict as for the licensable properties.

Advisory Standards for H.M.O’s (both types)
The Managing Agents will have a duty to properly manage H.M.Os whether it is a licensable property or not. This includes ensuring that the property is safe, undertaking risk assessments, annual servicing of fire alarm systems and the supply of gas and electrical safety certificates within 7 days of such a request. Clearly the demands of owning and managing an H.M.O have increased significantly for both the Landlord and the managing agent. Intercity Accommodation will (in an unqualified capacity) draw to the attention of owners, any obvious defect with the property and take instructions

Queries
The H.M.O team at Leeds City Council can be contacted on (0113) 2476248 or by email to hmo.team@leeds.gov.uk
The Deposit Protection Scheme
The Agent is a member of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, which is administered by:
The Dispute Service Ltd
PO Box 541
Amersham
Bucks
HP6 6ZR
phone 0845 226 7837
email deposits@tds.gb.com
fax 01494 431 123
If we are instructed by you/the Landlord to hold the Deposit, we shall do so under the terms of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme.
The Agent holds tenancy deposits as stakeholder.
At the end of the tenancy:
1. If there is no dispute we/the Agent will keep any amounts agreed as deductions where expenditure has been incurred on behalf of the Landlord, or repay the whole or the balance of the Deposit according to the conditions of the Tenancy Agreement with the Landlord and the Tenant. Payment of the Deposit will be made within 10 working days of written consent from both parties.
2. If, after 10 working days following notification of a dispute to the Agent/Member and reasonable attempts have been made in that time to resolve any differences of opinion, there remains an unresolved dispute between the Landlord and the Tenant over the allocation of the Deposit it will (subject to 3 below) be submitted to the ICE for adjudication. All parties agree to co-operate with any adjudication.
3. When the amount in dispute is over £5,000 the Landlord and the Tenant will agree by signing the Tenancy Agreement to submit the dispute to formal arbitration through the engagement of an arbitrator appointed by the ICE although, with the written consent of both parties, the ICE may at his discretion accept the dispute for adjudication. The appointment of an arbitrator will incur an administration fee, to be fixed by the Board of The Dispute Service Ltd from time to time, shared equally between the Landlord and the Tenant. The liability for any subsequent costs will be dependent upon the award made by the arbitrator.
4. The statutory rights of either you/the Landlord or the Tenant(s) to take legal action against the other party remain unaffected.
5. It is not compulsory for the parties to refer the dispute to the ICE for adjudication. The parties may, if either party chooses to do so seek the decision of the Court. However, this process may take longer and may incur further costs. Judges may, because it is a condition of the Tenancy Agreement signed by both parties, refer the dispute back to the ICE for adjudication. If the parties do agree that the dispute should be resolved by the ICE, they must accept the decision of the ICE as final and binding.
6. If there is a dispute I/we must remit to The Dispute Service Ltd the full deposit, less any amounts already agreed by the parties and paid over to them. This must be done within 10 working days of being told that a dispute has been registered whether or not you or I/we want to contest it. Failure to do so will not delay the adjudication but The Dispute Service Ltd will take appropriate action to recover the deposit and discipline me/us.
7. The Agent/we must co-operate with the ICE in the adjudication of the dispute and follow any recommendations concerning the method of the resolution of the dispute.

Energy Performance certificates

From the 1 October 2008, it will become law that an energy performance certificate (EPC) is available together with the surveyor’s recommendations. The survey should be undertaken by a licensed Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) and must be undertaken for all rented accommodation that is being marketed as available to new tenants or where an existing tenant wishes to renew their tenancy. The certificate will be valid for 10 years.

The certificate will look a bit like the coloured bars that are on many domestic appliances. It will show two things, firstly the current efficiency of the property and secondly the potential allowing for reasonable changes. There will be two charts produced, one will be the energy efficiency and the second will be the environmental impact rating. The rating will be shown by a letter - A is the best and G is the worst. Each EPC will have a unique serial number. The legislation allows for a fine of £200 for failure to comply.

The big problem for the rental market is that to reduce energy consumption by making a property more energy efficient will be a cost to the landlord, and the gain will be to save costs for the tenant. There are grants in many areas for some properties to make improvements. Enquiries should be made of the local authority to find out what is available.

The idea behind the EPC is that a prospective tenant will be able to see the rating and make an informed choice about whether or not to rent that property based on its energy efficiency. It is our view that if two identical properties are offered for rent at the same rental value and one has a better EPC rating, then tenants may chose the better one. However, in many cases there will be other differences which might have greater influence.

There are wide differences in the number of DEAs available and needed around the regions and it appears that Leeds may not have enough. DEAs have to work with an accreditation body for the assessment to be valid and the inspection results have to be uploaded to an accredited provider.

Regardless of the merits and disadvantages of EPCs; there is a requirement to comply with the legislation. We have spoken with a number of licensed DEAs and it is clear that demand for the surveys is predicted to be exceptionally high during the summer months and in the short period following 1 October 2008. For this reason, Accommodation will arrange EPC surveys on all managed properties at a cost of £150 per property (regardless of the number of bedrooms). This includes the cost of the survey, making arrangements for access and all the associated administration. A copy of the report will also be forwarded to you.

Website marketing.

We can offer you internet advertising that is effective.

Upon a one off advance payment of £99.00 (debit card only) to this office, we will immediately place your property details on our website. You are purchasing one designated advertising space at www.intercity-accommodation.co.uk for twelve months. Our site is well maintained and highly visible for all the normal search terms within our industry.

IcA will normally appear in the first five positions on the first page on Google at any time. This elicits a good level of enquiries from prospects.

Your property details and contact numbers will remain on our site until you advise it is let or not available. It is imperative to keep us advised as www.intercity-accommodation.co.uk is a `fresh` site edited twice daily.

0113 2302303 or 4

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