Re-marketing starts in January each year, don't be left with an empty student house in September. Contact us now and you can relax while we market your property and find you tenants.
Landlords - No Let No Fees Competitive Rates
Our fees are competitive and may be open to negotiation dependent on the level of Service required:
Full Management or Tenant find only
We specialise in Letting Student Accommodation and offer full Property Management. We find students for your Licensed HMO's, shared houses and City apartments, Obtaining full year contracts starting from July. Out of Hours Service (until 7pm Mon - Thur)
For our initial meetings with you we will if necessary be pleased to visit your property outside normal office hours, at a time that is convenient to you, to fit in with your busy schedule.
A member of staff is also available on the telephone out of hours until the times stated.
What we will do is manage everthing for you :-
Advertise and find the right tenants No Let No Fees Prepare and Supply an AST agreement Manage rent collection and payment to you Manage changeover of Utilities Council Tax exemptions *Manage Maintenance & refurbishments *Cleaning and redecoration *Arrange Gas & PAT Tests *Complete your HMO Licence application *Carry out full itemised & Digital Inventory *Arrange an EPC Energy Performance Certificate *Arrange Deposit Protection Insurance
(*Some of the services above are charged in addition to the Management fees.)
We perform inspections through out the year and final inspection when tenancy ends Plus provide a point of contact for all your tenant enquiries
HMO’s LEGAL REQUIREMENTS From April 2006 (Under the Housing Act 2004) all local authorities have set up mandatory licensing schemes for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) .
At present, only HMOs which comprise:-
· three storeys or more
· and are occupied by five or more persons
· who comprise two or more households will need to be licensed, Landlords who think that their properties may need to be licensed should contact their local authorities as soon as possible to check whether their property comes within the definition.
There are quite severe penalties for landlords of relevant properties who remain unlicensed.
Increased demand for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO's) -
The trend towards smaller households - for young people, the aged, single parent families and the growth in the number of students attending Sunderland University is producing demand for this type of housing.
Six categories of HMO have been identified:
- lodgings, bedsits, shared houses, hostels, nursing and rest homes, and flat blocks.
There are estimated to be 1,500 HMO's in the City.
Concentrations of HMO's are within the inner areas of Sunderland, highest concentrations being Thornholme SR2, Hendon, Central SR1 and St. Peter's SR6.
There is pressure on the existing housing, from the growth in student and other small households. Some 2,750 other students are expected to be accommodated in private sector properties, i.e. not under the control of the University.
That is why the conversion of dwellings into bedsits, flats and other forms of shared occupation is making a valuable contribution to meeting housing needs.
Common fire safety standards for all houses in multiple occupation
There are certain fire safety items that should be common to all HMO's An early warning fire alert system (smoke & heat detectors) An escape route free from obstructions & materials that burn easily Bed rooms & living areas should have an openable window or door as a means of escape if the main exit route was blocked All bedrooms, kitchen & living rom to have close fitting internal doors locks on final exit doors which can be opened easily without a key Fire extinquishers available and a fire blanket in each shared kitchen Ensure there is no unsafe electrical wiring or defective appliances Regular maintenance & repair of fire precaution measures Information available for tenants & visitors about fire precautions Avoid the use of chip pans these are one of the highest risks to fire in the home
If the house has three storeys or more or is a larger property or one with a more complex layout, then additional safety measures will be required. A higher standard of fire warning system & illuminated escape routes bedrooms, kitchen & living room to have self-closing internal Fire doors Fire notices where the escape route is not the normal route of travel Safe surface finishes to walls & ceilings Fire resistant ceiling between any floor and accommodation above Any external fire escape must be protected from potential fire & smoke
