RightMove

company news

____________________

At last the summer is here and it's a busy time of year for Elite. Tenants who are looking to rent a property for the first time usually have many questions. A couple of the more frequently asked are listed below:

Are There Any Rules About What Comes With A Property If It's Fully Furnished, Furnished, Part Furnished Or Unfurnished?

No, there are no strict rules but both expectations and reality can vary in different areas of the country and even within different niche sectors within the local markets.
Generally, a property offered as "fully furnished" would come with all the main fixtures, furnishings and fittings, white goods etc., plus the standard crockery, cutlery, glassware, pots and pans etc., that a reasonable tenant would normally use on a day to day basis.
At the other end of the scale, an "unfurnished" property would normally be provided only with such basics as carpets, curtains and light fittings.
Clearly, there are infinite variations between these two extremes of what might be included. Therefore, the critical aspect, whether you are a landlord or tenant, is to make sure that everyone clearly understands what main items are, or are not, included before finalising the tenancy agreement.

What About Insurance?

Landlords and tenants should take care to review any existing policies when renting or letting a property for the first time as some standard insurance products will either not provide cover, or might place restrictions on cover, for rented property and/or its contents.
A failure to inform your insurer that you are renting/letting a property could invalidate any subsequent claim. It is for a landlord to insure the building and his/her contents, fixtures and fittings.
The tenants are responsible for insuring any of their own possessions. There are various specialist insurance products designed for landlords and tenants and rented property: - Buildings, Contents, Legal Expenses, Emergency Repair cover, Rental Guarantee cover etc.
[After the 14th January 2005 it will be illegal for a letting agent (or anyone else) to advise on or sell such general insurance products unless they are authorised by the Financial Services Authority (FSA), or, like Elite directly regulated by a broker registered with the FSA.

What Happens If Either Party (Landlord Or Tenant) Unexpectedly Want To End An Existing Tenancy Early?

There are only limited ways in which this can happen; the landlord cannot make the tenants move out, nor can the tenants lawfully walk away from their obligations to fulfil the contract. Either party might request of the other that a formal "surrender" of the tenancy be allowed. It would then be up to the parties to agree the terms and conditions of such a surrender. This might include some financial compensation for inconvenience or costs incurred.

If you are considering putting your property on the rental market or are having no success with other agents, why wait? Call Elite on 0845 604 4485 for a free property appraisal. There is absolutely no cost to you until we find your ideal tenant.