Whether you’re becoming a landlord to kick off a career in the property business or are an “accidental landlord” through circumstances, it’s not a job which can be taken lightly. It’s your tenant’s job to pay the rent, and it’s your job to keep up with all of the legal requirements and responsibilities of being a landlord. Fail to adhere to the legislation, and you could be landed with a hefty fine.
Gas Safety
One of the most common reasons why landlords are fined is for not keeping up to date with a Gas Safety certificate. Landlords have to pay for an annual check on boilers, gas fires and other gas appliances by a suitably qualified engineer. Tenants must be given a copy of the gas safety certificate. If you don’t bother with gas safety checks, or don’t instruct a managing agent to work on your behalf, you could face fines of up to £6,000 per appliance. If someone is injured as a result of your negligence, criminal charges might apply too.
Electrical Safety
Your obligations when it comes to electrical safety are slightly different. A landlord has to ensure that electrics in a rented property are safe when tenants move in, and make sure they’re kept in a safe condition through the tenancy. If your property is a HMO, it should be fully inspected every five years. If you provide your tenants with appliances, these also have to be tested and carry the CE mark as a guarantee of basic quality. Always use properly qualified professionals to do any electrical work on your properties, or delegate the responsibility to a letting agency if you use one to collect rent and vet tenants.
HMO Rules
A HMO – House in Multiple Occupation – is classed as a house where usually five or more non-related tenants live. If your property is defined as a large HMO there are additional requirements to keep your tenants safe. Firstly, you need a HMO licence from the local council. Your property will be assessed to make sure it is suitable to have higher numbers of people living there. You will also need to make some adjustments such as fitting hard-wired smoke alarms, and getting gas and electrical safety certificates. There are stiff fines for letting out a house as a HMO and not getting the correct paperwork and licences. Fines can be as high as £20,000.
Illegal Eviction
If you want to get rid of your tenant, then you have to follow the correct legal process to do so. Don’t be tempted to try and negotiate the legislation yourself; get the specialist lawyers on the case to avoid falling into any legal potholes. If your behaviour is defined as “harassment”, you could end up with a criminal record. In order to evict your tenant you’ll have to serve the correct legal paperwork, wait for two months, get a court order and finally pay a Bailiff for the eviction. Cutting corners or just changing the locks could result in fines of £5000 or more.
