By far the most important area to check is that the property itself meets all of the necessary regulations. Many of these new landlords have found themselves in a position where they are renting the property purely because they were unable to sell. As such the tenant needs to ensure that the landlord still took the time to ensure that the property meets all of the necessary regulations. One of the best ways for a client to do this is to find a reputable letting agency to deal with. Taking this route the tenant can be certain that the agency will have thoroughly checked out the property removing some of the pressure from themselves.

Another area that it is necessary to check is that the Landlord will be able to cover the mortgage on the property. Tenants should always check that the landlord is in a position to cover the mortgage on the property so they don’t find themselves unexpectedly homeless when the Owner falls behind on payments.

If the tenant is moving into a property with a landlord that also occupies a room on the premises then they should always ensure that this does not break the landlord’s mortgage agreement.

Overall there is more property available to rent now than there has been in a long time. This means that there is more choice for prospective tenants and while this can generally be seen as a positive thing from a renter’s perspective it does mean they have to be far more careful in looking for a reputable landlord from whom to rent. However by taking a few extra steps such as those outlined above Tenants should be able to find the perfect property for them.

Recently when searching for Property To Rent In Birmingham and Property To Rent In Bristol I discovered that I was far happier finding a reputable agency to deal with which removed some of the stress from my search for me.

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The main problems that tend to occur are block management disputes, deposit disputes and disputes over who is responsible for repairs etc.

At AA Property Services, Clifton, Bristol we try to advise landlords with impartial and helpful advice.

The most straight forward, invaluable advice that we will offer is simple and many would think obvious that is for all Landlords to not cut corners and do everything above board. Due to the age that we know live in there are many rules and regulations that have been put into place to protect both Landlord and Tenant.

For Landlords when they buy an investment property it is vital to make sure that you have a reliable management company in place. After this the next step is to make sure all the fixtures and fittings are in good condition.

You are now ready to rent out your property. For the sake of a couple of hundred pounds you cannot beat going through a letting agent. They (should!!) make it a stress free process for you. Your property will be seen by the widest audience possible and will be handled in a professional manner. If any tenants are interested in renting your property they will have to pay a holding deposit whilst they are fully referenced from employment, old landlord and down to there credit history you as a Landlord can rest assured that you have the best tenant possible in your new property.

On move in day they will be made to sign an in depth tenancy agreement along with an inventory of the property meaning all potential problems that you could come to face in letting out your property are virtually nullified by the tenants signing many legal documents.

By doing this if the worst case scenario was to occur and the tenants caused damage to a high magnitude the cost would now be fully their responsibility.

This is the main contributing factor where a letting agent can really help you. Therefore our best advice would be for the sake of a couple of hundred pounds us a professional letting agent for total peace of mind.

What you should look for in a rental agreement is important. There should be the terms of stay like how long you will be renting the property, who is responsible to receive the payment of rent, where the payment is to go, and if there are any damages done before if they are going to pay for them to be fixed or are they asking you to pay for it and they’ll reimburse you afterwards. Also it should state if you are responsible for the property taxes.

The rental agreement is drawn up be the renter for the tenant to sign and keep a copy of. Please make sure you keep a copy and for good measures get it notarized your copy and the copy the renter has. It reassures you as the tenant if anything goes wrong or something the renter says they’re suppose to do and haven’t you have the renter agreement to fall back on. Please have someone else look over it before you sign it and have a friend or someone witness it and sign it also so you have someone to back you up if you need to take things to a higher level.

Thank you for your time to read this article about rental agreements and I hope this has helped you as much as it has helped many other people. Have a good day!

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Tip 1: Timing is Everything

Don’t raise the rent in winter or fall! It’s drastically harder to fill rental properties in the winter, so wait until spring when you’ll be able to find a new tenant to sign a rental agreement much faster.

Tip 2: Advance Notice: More is More!

First of all, most states require you to give tenants written notice 30-90 days in advance of raising rent, which is something you need to research in your state. Additionally, however, having the conversation sooner rather than later gives you a chance to find a new tenant BEFORE the old tenant moves, creating a smooth transition with no costly vacancies.

Tip 3: Do It in Person

There are a thousand good reasons why you should have the conversation about rent increases in person, but the bottom line is that the tenant will be far likelier to agree to it if you put on your big kid pants and show up in person. People feel less comfortable saying no in person, and you will find that you make a far more charismatic and persuasive case if the tenant can see your face, watch your hand gestures, and see that you’re a person with your own bills and expenses on the rental property.

Tip 4: Offer Tenants the “Assurance” of a Longer Rental Agreement

If the tenants hesitate when you tell them you have to raise their rent (and of course they will), this is actually a golden opportunity. Tell them that you understand that they have their own bills and their own concerns, and that you’re willing to extend their rental agreement from 12 months to 18 or 24 months, so that they can have a written assurance that you will not raise their rent again for a year and a half or two years. Sign a new rental agreement with them, with the new amount and the extended term, and you just secured a rented property for the next two years!

Tip 5: Research Market Rents Carefully and Beat the Competition… Barely

Moving is expensive, and tenants would have to start all over with a new rental agreement and new landlord. If your rent is less than local market rents, try raising it to just under the local average, so that it doesn’t make fiscal sense for your tenant to move. For example, if you currently charge $875, and area rents for comparable rental homes is $1,000, raise the rent to $975, and when your tenants balk, tell them that they’re welcome to check out the house across the street available for $1,000, or the house a few blocks over available for $1,250, or the one up the street that’s also $975, and explain that their rent is still below area market rents.

Tip 6: Consider Alternatives to Raising the Rent

It’s possible that raising the rent is not worth the trouble, if it means losing a particularly good tenant. If you have a great tenant, consider approaching them (in person, of course!) and talking over a few possibilities. First of all, explain why you might need to raise the rent (higher taxes, etc), which most reasonable people understand. Second, gauge their reaction to the proposed rent increase. Third, if they look panicked, tell them that they’ve been great tenants, so you’re willing to cut them some slack. Consider offering them a new rental agreement that phases in a rent increase over the next 12, 18, or 24 months. So, maybe the rent will stay the same for the first six months, then raise by $25 for the six months after that, and another $25 the six months after that. Make sure they know that you’re working with them, and trying to keep the rent affordable, because they’ve been such great tenants.

Raising the rent on your rental agreement isn’t the fun part of being a landlord, but it is a necessary part if you intend to actually make any money. Consider each rent increase on a case by case basis, be fair, be honest, and remember that securing another, longer-term rental agreement may be more valuable than an extra $15/month.

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If that sounds appealing to you, then consider the fact that in addition to the tremendous yearly saving that even one or two hundred dollars per month in reduced housing costs may achieve, you are also investing what you do pay for housing into your finances, your future, and quite possibly the future of your children, rather than into your landlords pocket. Using government home grants to finance the down payment of your home saves you tens of thousands of dollars from the very start, and then continues to pay off month after month in cash savings, property value, and home equity.

Sound amazing? It is, yet this is absolutely and positively achievable by most American citizens who are willing to spend a few hours online performing a free grant search to locate the local government agencies in there are that award first time home buyer grants, grants for real estate, and government home grants. Thousands of American taxpayers qualify for this free unclaimed money, acquire enough home grants to completely finance the down payment of a home that is currently selling for far below the actual value, and come out ahead with a mortgage payment that is lower than their monthly rent. Not to mention the fact that this property is now theirs.

If you are tired of throwing your hard earned money away to live under someone else’s roof and have nothing to show for it, check into government grants for real estate today while the housing prices are low. You may just be building your picket fence tomorrow.

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When leasing a million dollar home, either with the option to buy, or for a short period of time (like 1-2 years), a renter must sign a lease agreement in order to reside in the home. Usually the renter/future buyer pays a sum in cash, usually non-refundable of 2, for permission to reside in the home without actually having his name on the deed. For situations such as lease to own, the renter in that particular case would sign an agreement to buy the house at a later date, for a price that was previously agreed upon. Unfortunately in some of these situations, portions of the rent paid by the leaser may or may not go towards the actual price to purchase of the home. It’s important to understand these facts before committing to leasing a million dollar home.

There are many reasons why people choose to rent luxury homes instead of purchasing them. For instance, if you find that you like the idea of change and don’t wish to reside in a home for more than a few years, leasing would appeal to you more so than purchasing a home on a fixed mortgage. Also, with leasing comes the privilege of avoiding costly repairs. If you wish to rid yourself of some of the common upkeep required for homeowners, leasing may prove to be a viable option. Be sure to check with the owner first to see what he/she will or will not recover while you are residing in the home.

Insure that you understand what type of lease agreement you will be operating under. The terms “lease option” and “rent to buy” are oftentimes used interchangeably so inquire of the owner to find out exactly what terms they are offering. You also have the option to approach the owner as well with your own offer for leasing and which conditions you’d like to live under.

If while leasing a million dollar home you find yourself becoming tired of paying someone else’s mortgage, leasing to buy is a great way to buy the home at a later date. However, this may become a problem if you don’t have excellent credit since you may still need to qualify for a loan when it comes time to purchase the home. This is something that you should take into consideration before signing your name on the dotted line. If your credit happens to be subpar, you can indeed use the time you spend leasing the home to repair any errors and in order to clean up your credit for a future purchase.

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This being a requirement of the Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations 2007 with the result that both landlords and tenants will have more information about how energy efficient the property that they are either letting (landlord) or renting (tenant) is.

So what exactly constitutes an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)?

Well each EPC is required to have three parts:

- The Energy Efficiency Rating which relates to the running costs of the property.

- The Environmental Impact Rating that relates to the carbon dioxide emissions from the property

- Finally the Recommendation report which provides the information on that which the landlord (or tenant) could do to improve the rating of the property.

It is worth noting that as Landlords you are not required to act upon that advice although clearly there will be recommendations where it would be in your best interests to do so.

People have got very excited about these EPCs but simply look at the back of your own domestic household appliances i.e. fridges, freezers and washing machines and you will see these there. Exactly the same rating system is used where an ‘A’ rating is the most energy efficient and ‘G’ is the least energy efficient. The average property is currently rated ‘D’.

The Energy Performance Assessment comprises an inspection of the whole property including any loft areas and basements, inside and out, together with measurements of room sizes and photographs of key elements. For the most accurate assessment the following details will be required:

- Age of the property

- Model number of the central heating boiler (if any)

- Documentary evidence of any improvements to the property such as double glazing, wall or roof insulation.

- Evidence of date and construction methods for extensions/conservatories/re-built areas of the property.

Where all this information is not readily available or indeed if no access is possible to parts of the property (e.g. the loft) the assessment can still be carried out, but assumptions may have to be made to allow an estimate of certain elements.

Now that you are aware what an EPC comprises – which Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) require an EPC?

There has been an element of initial confusion surrounding this issue and the most up to date guidance comes from Communities and Local Government.

The current status is as follows

Landlords who have an HMO, with shared essential facilities (bathroom, shower, toilet and/ or kitchen) and who have individual tenancy agreements with their tenants do not need to provide an EPC unless they sell the house or let it as one whole dwelling, or convert it to self-contained units.

A mixed property with shared and self-contained units will require EPCs for the parts that are wholly self-contained.

Landlords of completely self-contained flats and those who let houses to a group of sharers (with one contract between all of the occupiers) do need to provide an EPC when they let to new tenants after 1st October 2008 or in Scotland 1st December 2008.

It is ironic that energy performance certificates will accordingly not be required for most HMOs. given the prevalence of HMOs in older housing stock with typically poorer inherent energy performance. It is unlikely, therefore that EPCs will have the impact needed to assist vulnerable occupiers of HMOs who are often least able to choose their accommodation.

An EPC when issued lasts for 10 years. As a landlord you do not need to get a new one for each new let, the same one can be re-used. Where changes are carried out to the property which may affect / improve the energy performance such as an extension, loft conversion, new double glazing etc, a new EPC may be commissioned.

Right guys – you now know what they are, where you need one for your HMOs and how long they last.

As in all aspects of the property business the best advice I can give is that you do not need to know everything but you need to know a man that can. In this instance you require an accredited assessor you will find one below.

http://www.epcregister.com

My advice if you have a large portfolio is to shop around for competitive quotes as several Valuation Surveyors have started to offer this service.

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Understand The Price Of Housing

Generally the closer you are to a downtown area, the more expensive your rental costs will be. If you have lived in the suburbs or rented a room from a friend, most likely your costs were low. However, when you rent a one bedroom apartment you will bear the costs all by yourself. You will be responsible for electricity, cable, and Internet. If your budget is tight, try living in areas that are a bit further from the inner city. Research the areas on the Internet in the city into which you are moving. You may discover some fresh areas that may be amenable to your situation.

Figure Out The Cost Per Square Foot

If you want to figure out exactly what you are paying per square foot, take the total cost you will be paying for one month’s rent and divide it by the total square feet in the apartment home. For example, if the cost of a one bedroom apartment home is $950 and the square footage is 700 sq ft, perform the following calculations. $950 dollars divided by 700 square feet equals out to $1.35 per square foot.

Remember that just because a certain apartment room may be larger than another, does not mean it more expensive. Keep in mind that you need to compare all apartment homes you visit with these calculations.

Compare Rental Units

Never sign a lease at the first apartment community you visit. There are several apartment homes in a big city. Leasing agents will try and influence you to lease a unit on the spot. Spend a few days scouring over several apartment homes. Try and view only 4 or 5 in a day. If you see too many, you will forget what apartments had certain amenities and features. Many renters today take pictures with their camera phones to remind them of the communities they have viewed.

Look For New Apartment Construction

New apartment construction usually offers the best deals. They are looking to lease up as many properties as possible. They are more likely to offer free rent and free deposits and application fees.

Use An Apartment Locator

Many apartment locators are 100% free. They will send you a list of properties and make all the phone calls you need.

Don’t give up, as you will find the best apartment home for yourself.

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1. The Internet is Your Friend
As a landlord you will have to be very informed on rules and regulations concerning landlord as well as the tenant. The Internet is a great place to research these issues, as there are special forums and sites for landlords. Also, the Internet is a great place to advertise you property should you be looking for new tenants.

2. Join a Landlord Association
These associations are a great place to pick up tips and advice on land lording. You are sure to gain a lot of knowledge that will empower you to for fill your duties as a landlord.

3. Keep on the Right Side of the Law
As a landlord you are obliged to provide tenants with a safe premises. Make sure you are informed of your obligations and manage it properly. Always keep in mind that there are laws against discriminating against race, religion and gender, so treat applicants with the necessary respect.

4. Get Good Insurance
As with all other assets, you should get insurance covering your property as well as your own contents. There are specific insurance packages for landlords that protect them should tenants sue them for injury or negligence.

5. Always Run a Credit Check
Tenants that are unable to pay their rent are a landlord’s worst nightmare. Be sure that you pick a tenant that has a good credit record.

6. Cover Everything in the Application Form
You application form should be comprehensive and should include contactable reference as well as a section for the applicant to declare an understanding of the terms and conditions of the contract. Keep all the documentation for legal purposes.

7. Consult a Lawyer
Drawing up a contract should not be done without consulting a lawyer. Make sure that you understand all the section in the contract.

8. Be Swift With Maintenance
Should the property need any kind of maintenance, get it done as soon as possible. You don’t want tenants to withhold rent until repairs are done.

9. Administer Security Deposits with Care
Keep record of all deposits and be prepared to pay back the deposit as soon as you have inspected the property for damage.

10. Pick an Agent Carefully
If you are planning to use a rental agent, make sure you pick one with experience and a proven track record.

As a landlord you have to face a lot of challenges, but being organized and keeping informed are the key to your success.

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An intended short visit almost always turns into months and months become years. Since farangs are not allowed to own immovable property (e.g. land) in Thailand, the most likely scenario is a long term lease of a house, condominium unit, or apartment.

Many farangs have had a few crash and burn experience when it comes to leasing immovable properties in the Kingdom. Who would not want to be spared of these undesirable experiences? Thus, it behooves you to acquaint yourself with a few leasing essentials to avoid unwanted brushes with your lessor and the law.

First, like any other transactions, before you turnover that deposit and advance rental payment, make it sure that you have a secured lease contract. There is no way for you to protect and enforce your rights and interest over the leased property if no written contract proves it. If the period of lease exceeds three years, it is imperative that such written contract be registered in the proper Land Office where the property is located; otherwise, you cannot prevent your lessor from evicting you out of the property after the lapse of just three years.

Second, be aware that the duration of the lease of immovable property cannot exceed thirty years. If you want a longer period, make sure that your contract has a renewal clause. The law only allows renewal for a maximum of thirty years.

Third, you do not have the right to sublet the leased property unless otherwise granted in the contract. The right to sublease should be expressly granted and not just presumed on the basis that no such prohibition is stated in the contract. You definitely do not want to forget this fact because sublease of the leased property without the express consent of the lessor is a ground for termination of the lease.

Fourth, if you are a sub-lessee (meaning you are leasing from the original lessee and not directly from the lessor), you have to be aware that you are directly liable to the lessor. This means that payment to the sub-lessor (the original lessee) cannot be used as a defense against the lessor. Thus, if the sub-lessor fails to pay the lessor, you can be evicted from the leased premises regardless of your prompt payment.

Fifth, the Lessor cannot terminate the contract without prior notice to the Lessee. If the rent is payable at monthly or longer intervals, a minimum of 15 days notice is required by the law.

Lastly, if your lessor transferred or sold his rights over the property, there is no reason to panic. The contract of lease is not extinguished by the transfer of ownership of the leased property. Since this is expressly provided by the law, this provision need not be expressed in the written lease contract to be effective. However, if it makes you sleep better at night, you definitely can have a provision to this effect be incorporated in the lease contract.

Since you are in Thailand, expect that the lease contract will be written in the Thai language. Thus, it is important that you hire the services of registered and reputable Thailand Lawyers to ensure that the contract is protective of your rights and interests as a lessee.

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