Birch Meadow Lettings

St Albans - Harpenden - Hatfield - Welwyn Garden City

Safe & Legal

To cover you from the mountain of regulations we have put together a team of experienced trades partners who can will keep your tenants safe and you on the right side of the law at prices that you will find hard to beat. We can provide contact details free of charge or for a fee we can arrange all or any of these items for a small administration fee.


Bespoke prices*

Requirements	Cost paid to trade partners	Birch Meadow admin fee	Total cost


Gas safety certificate	£90	£25	£115



Portable appliance testing	£50	£25	£75



User manuals	n/a	£25	£25



Smoke detectors (up to 2)	£20	£25	£45



Survey of soft furnishings	n/a	Free of Charge	FOC



Tenancy deposit scheme	n/a	£25	£25



Energy performance certificate	£40	£25	£65

For landlords requiring all of the above we offer an £50 discount on our Birch Meadow admin fees (normally £150)


'Starter pack'*	Cost paid to trade partners	Birch Meadow admin fee	Total cost


All of the above	£200	£100	£300

*Notes

1) Trade partner costs are provided as a guide. The actual costs will vary depending on circumstances

2) NO VAT on Birch Meadow Admin Fees (Launch Offer - Save 17.5%)

3) NO VAT offer does not apply to Trade Partner invoices

The following requirements are the responsibility of the owner (Landlord) and any associate costs will be the responsibility of the landlord.

Requirements	Regulations	Consequences


Gas safety certificate	Under the GAS safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 all gas appliances must be checked on an annual basis by a competent engineer (e.g. a registered gas installer).	The penalty for non-compliance is 6 months imprisonment and/or a £5,000 fine



Electrical safety - portable appliance testing & user manuals	The Low Voltage Electrical Regulations 1989 and The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 cover this area. The main thrust of the regulation is that all electrical equipment supplied must be safe, made in line with safety measures and must meet safety objectives	Although not compulsory the landlord is responsible for the safety of his tenants. If an accident were to occur the landlord would be culpable and would have to provide some evidence of due diligence in regard to safety.



Smoke detectors	Covered by the Smoke Detector Act 1991. Compulsory installations for new buildings since 1991. Advisable for buildings before this date.	Again if an accident were to occur the landlord would be culpable and would have to provide some evidence of due diligence in regard to safety.



Survey of soft furnishings	The furniture and furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 & 1993 were introduced to protect furnished goods against fire. Under these regulations all upholstered furniture must be fire resistant. This is usually determined by labelling.	The penalty for non-compliance is 6 months imprisonment and/or a £5,000 fine



Tenancy deposit schemes	The regulations relating to this are contained under the Housing Act 2004. From 6 April 2007, all deposits taken by landlords and letting agents under Assured Short hold Tenancies (ASTs) in England and Wales must be protected by a tenancy deposit protection scheme.	The consequences for failure to comply with the regulations are severe. As well as returning the deposit to the tenant the landlord will be instructed to pay compensation to the tenant equal to three times the amount of the deposit.



Energy performance certificate (EPC)	The need for an EPC comes from the European Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings. All new lettings require an EPC. If you recently bought a property a certificate should be in the HIP (Home Information Pack). If not then one can be obtained for a modest fee and it will be valid for 10 years.	The penalty for non-compliance is £200 but note that this is policed by the local trading standards office. If you fail to certificate one of your properties they will check the others and the £200 fine applies to each breach.

Other considerations	Regulations	Why be concerned?


Homes of Multiple Occupancy (HMO) - Additional safety standards	The definition of a HMO is covered under the Housing Act 2004. The rules are complex but if 3 or more people will be living at the premises you may be effected by these rules.	There are additional safety considerations for HMOs. A breach of any licensing conditions is punishable by a fine of up to £20,000. Ask us for advice if 3 or more people will be living at the premises.



Consents to let are generally required from your superior landlord (leasehold property), your insurance company, your mortgage company (incl buy-to-let)	The requirement is usually included in the deeds or terms and conditions.	Failure to comply may invalidate your lease, your insurance or your mortgage. If in breach your landlord may be able to repossess your property depending on any forfeiture clause, your insurance company may not pay-out on claims and your mortgage company may call in your loan immediately leading to repossession if you are unable to pay.



Keys	Not applicable	Make sure you keep the original set of keys as locksmiths will only guarantee copies cut from the master key. Copies of copies often do not work. Remember to also keep a set of keys for window locks as tenants often lose these and it can be difficult to get spares.

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