By Admin UK Online Letting Agents 0 Comments

Online Letting Agents Reviews

There are a huge variety of online letting agents in the UK, and they each have various benefits over High Street agents. For instance, there is a reduced cost to the landlord, often a 24/7 advice helpline and free tenant referencing (at least for the landlord).

With such a variety it could be difficult to know who to choose when comparing the companies. To make things easier, take a look at the following list of UK-based online letting agents and a review of the main features that they provide:online letting agents uk

OpenRent
They will market the house on the biggest portals such as Rightmove, Zoopla, Prime Location and Gumtree. They offer landlords a five-day free trial and offer one of the cheapest packages (£29 for three months).

Website: www.openrent.co.uk

Letting a Property
£89 for eight weeks is not cheap, but they do have more than 30,000 tenants on their system who could be potential matches for a property. They offer vetted tenant calls, tenant referencing and rent collection packages, which some cheaper companies omit.

Website: www.lettingaproperty.com

House Simple
A slightly cheaper option at £59 for three months, this markets the property on over 700 websites including the biggest names. They also organise viewings, credit checks and referencing and provide a tenancy agreement.

Wesite: www.housesimple.com

I am the Agent
Another pricey option, they £99 for their service until a tenant has been found. They also offer a 24/7 enquiry line for tenants and have many positive reviews from customers.

Website: www.iamtheagent.com

Rentify
Rentify charge a 5.5% fee (vs. 10% for a High Street agent) and also offer a 27/7 advice line which is open 365 days a year. They do not charge for referencing fees and have supported over 200,000 landlords in the UK since 2012, so they have a great track record.

Website: www.rentify.com

Upad
This company charges £99 for the service until the tenant is found (however this is capped at three months service). They market the house on more than 100 websites including the biggest names (Rightmove, Zoopla, Prime Location and Gumtree).

Website: www.upad.co.uk

The Online Letting Agents
These offer several packages, but their most popular Gold Package is £59+VAT for three months. They provide a tenant reference (with a £99 charge for the tenant) and bespoke contract. Their full-managed package is a hefty £199+VAT but includes extras like informing the council and utility bill providers.

Website: www.theonlinelettingagents.co.uk

Tepilo
This is Sarah Beeny’s online estate agency. Unlike the others, they offer a tenant find service for £180, and any extras such as a ‘To Let’ board or a professional floor plan cost extra on top of this.

Website: www.tepilo.com

Visum
The charge for this is £42.50 until tenants are successfully found. As with Upad, there is a ‘fair usage’ cap of three months. Although Visum don’t market on the wide variety of websites that Upad and OpenRent do, they still use the biggest names, which is great for landlords who perhaps aren’t as interested in the smaller companies. These include Rightmove, Primelocation, Findaproperty, Zoopla, The Times, The Sun, AOL, MSN, and Talk-Talk among others. They also offer free tenant referencing, a free tenancy pack and free information for customers.

Website: www.visum.co.uk

By Admin EPC UK 0 Comments

Why Do You Need To Arrange EPC/ PAT Tests For Your Property?

While the thought of hiring a professional to come around your home is not the most exciting or pleasing of thoughts, there are many reasons why you should look into relying on expert advice and guidance. If you are looking to safeguard your home, meet the terms and conditions of your insurance and have peace of mind about your home, there is a great deal to be said for arranging a visit by local experts.

This is essentially the case when it comes to electrical appliances and connections in and around your home. You should never mess around with electrical appliances or equipment because there is a high level of danger and risk associated with them. This sort of work should be left to the experts, no matter how confident you are in dealing with DIY jobs around the home. Also, if you are looking to ensure that you meet legal requirements concerning the condition of your property, you will need to hire fully qualified and registered engineers. This is why calling on Cenultra makes perfect sense.EPC certificate London

In the modern day, everyone wants to be more energy efficient and there are many reasons for this. If you are looking to play your part in saving the environment, you should always be looking to take the environmentally friendly option. If you are thinking to save money, you should be looking for ways to minimise the amount of energy that you waste.

These are two very different reasons for reducing the amount of energy that you use and waste, which means that many people are looking into the process. It is probably fair to say that the financial aspect is the most important element for most people, but the fact that there is a combination of reasons to be more energy efficient is a good factor.

The EPC test provides peace of mind

This is why undertaking an Energy Efficiency Certificate, EPC test at your property is important. This is because EPC tests will tell you how energy efficient you building structure is, and will provide a score based on its effectiveness. The test will provide the property owner with insight into how expensive it can be to light and heat the property and what the carbon dioxide emissions at the property are likely to be. These are important details for property owners and you can see why homeowners, landlords, commercial and industrial property owners would all be interested in this information. The test is graded from A, which is very efficient, to G, which is inefficient.

Another excellent reason for undertaking an EPC is that it can suggest ways to make your property more energy efficient. Anything that helps to save money and help you to be greener has to be seen as a sensible idea, and this is why we offer this test and service at an affordable price. At Cenultra, we know that many people are looking to cut costs, be more efficient and have a positive impact on the environment. This service can help you achieve all of these outcomes, which means that the initial cost of this service can be repaid very quickly, allowing you to make savings over time.

Legal requirement regarding EPC

It is also vital to know that there is a legal requirement in the UK for all domestic and commercial properties that are up for sale or lease to have an EPC. Our qualified and experienced experts will evaluate your home and provide you with a broad range of tips that can help you to make your home more energy efficient, which may include draught-proofing your doors and windows, looking into alternative heating options or even opting for innovative eco-friendly solutions.

There are legal requirements regarding testing electrical equipment

In addition to EPC testing, at Cenultra, we can provide you with Portable Appliance Testing ( Commonly known as PAT testing ). This is a test that evaluates electrical appliances and equipment to ensure that they are safe for usage. PAT testing is considered to be a legal requirement, and if you do not have up to date IAT tests, you may find that your insurance is rendered invalid.

While the frequency of PAT testing will depend on your devices and the previous recommendations, you will find that the recommended time can range between 3 months and 48 months.

We provide these tests along with electrical safety certificate test, so if you are keen to assure that the electrical appliances in your home are of the best quality and condition, we can help you out.

By Admin Gas Safety 0 Comments

How much does a gas safety certificate cost?

Gas safety certificate cost:

Although gas inspection is an important part of the property manager or landlord safety procedures, it is very tough to determine exactly how much your gas safety certificate will cost as costs vary from borough to borough depending on how much competition there is for engineers in the area.

Gas safety certificate cost also depends on many factors, including the type of gas appliances in the property, the brand of the gas appliances, and the location of the property in question. An overall assessment of prices online recommends that people can expect to spend a minimum of £45 for one gas appliance, at least, £10 for any additional appliance, and, at least, £5 for the issuance of the certificate– plus VAT at 20 %.

As the Landlord, you are responsible for the safety of your property and tenants. As such it is essential to ensure that gas appliances are safe to use. Almost all properties in the UK have gas appliances ranging from the boiler, hob or a fireplace, needs that the Gas safety standards are met. At Cenultra, all engineers are qualified, they check the property and supply a Gas Safety Certificate and advise if any improvements are needed.

Gas safety certificate cost
Photo from: www.gassafetyshop.co.uk

Gas Safe Register is only the legally recognized body since the 1st of April 2009. The Gas Safety certificates last for a year from the date they are issued.

The gas safety certificate informs you that the gas appliance or pipework carried out is working safely and fulfills the appropriate safety standards. Gas Certificate also advised when the next Gas Safety assessment has to be carried out.

Things you need to know as a Landlord:

  • It is a statutory obligation to have a gas safety certificate, making sure your tenants are protected from unsafe gas appliances, which could lead to fires or carbon monoxide gas poisoning.
  • Whilst a gas safety inspection only provides a snapshot of that moment in time; it will often discover the small problems before they develop into anything significant, not only keeping your tenants safe but saving you money on repair bills.
  • You should plan ahead for renewing your gas safety record, and if it does come to your attention that your old gas safety record has expired, you should look for a registered gas engineer to inspect your gas appliances as soon as possible.
  • While some tenants may like to call you about everything but others are not so great at reporting problems, so by having an up to date gas safety certificates, you are doing your bit to keep both your tenants and your rental property safe.
  • The Gas Safety Record is produced every 12 months, for that reason you have to have a Gas Safety Check done annually. If new tenants move in while the record is still in effect, carrying a Gas Safety Check is NOT essential unless if you have done a gas work or installed a new gas appliance. You are supposed to hold the original copy for yourself and give the occupants with a copy of the report within 28 days of the Gas Safety checks.
  • If the tenants leave and the new one move in, providing them with a copy of the gas safety records is a must. Gas Safety Certificates are provided for a single property just if you own many properties you should get a Gas Safety Record for each one of them.
  • Your agreement with your tenants should be written in a way that allows you access to carry out maintenance or safety check. If the tenant refuses to allow access, ensure that you put in writing through recorded delivery your interests to come and perform this test so that you have a record that you have taken all sensible steps to get the gas safety check carried out.

Conclusion:
As we said, The cost will vary depending on the appliances and the location of the property. Cenultra offers a low-cost Gas Safety Certificate and Boiler Service each year and make sure that you regularly hold a valid Gas Certificate. Simply call us to know our current gas safety certificate cost.

By Admin UK Locksmith 0 Comments

Choose The Leading Locksmith London Has To Offer

When it comes to looking after your home, or making sure that things are well taken care of, there are a lot of things to consider. Some will come to mind more instinctively than others, but if you have trouble getting in and out of your home, it suddenly becomes a major issue. It is unlikely that you will have the skills, tools or experience to deal with this sort of problem by yourself, and this is where being able to call a locksmith can assist you to take control of the situation.Cheapest Locksmith London UK

One of the most important things about a reliable, effective locksmith is that they should be with your quickly. This leads on to the realisation that finding a local locksmith makes sense because they are more likely to be able to attend quickly and at short notice. While there are benefits that come from calling on the services of a locksmith from a major national firm, there is no guarantee that they will be able to attend quickly and with all of the equipment that they need.

A local locksmith can offer a swift response

When you call upon a London locksmith, you’ll be far more likely to get a quick answer, which is one of the most important things when it comes to ensuring your home or property are well looked after. If you are looking for the leading locksmith London has to offer, you should call on the services of Cenulta. This is because Centulra can provide a wide range of professionals for a great range of roles that help to maintain the standard and condition of your home or property. Understanding that a local locksmith provides an emergency service is a great comfort to many people. You would hope that you never have to use this service but if you do need it, the work undertaken by a locksmith in an emergency can be a real life saver. You should be looking to find a local locksmith that can attend quickly but who can also indicate that they can carry out the work that you need. This is why you should be looking for the most qualified and experienced locksmith London has to offer.

Locksmiths provide a wide range of services

While most people will think of a locksmith as providing services relating to their front door keys, it is important to be aware that locksmiths offer a wide range of services, and that they can help on many locks.

The range of locks that a trained and experienced locksmith can provide help with include:

  • Padlocks
  • Digital locks
  • Biometric locks
  • Cabinet and locker locks
  • Window locks
  • High-security locks
  • Deadbolt locks
  • Combination locks

No matter what set of lock you need assistance with, it is always best to call on the professionals who can resolve the issue in an efficient manner. Too many people decide to address lock issues themselves only to find that they make matters worse. This can lead to them spending more money to have the issue resolved or find that the lock, or whatever the lock was protecting, has become unusable.

This is why there is a need to think about what you are doing and unless you have the appropriate tools and experience to take care of the matter, you should call on a professional locksmith to resolve the issue.

If you are locked out of your home or you need access to a home, room or cabinet but cannot do so, it is only natural to feel stressed. Rather than attempting to resolve the issue yourself when you feel under pressure, it is far safer to call on the services of an experienced professional who has dealt with this sort of problem on many times and occasions.

You should look towards a local company that has an excellent track record of helping people in these situations, and this is why Cenultra are the obvious choice of you want the sort of locksmith London can rely on. We are on hand if you need emergency services or if you require assistance in carrying out your normal activities.

When it evolves to finding the right solution, you’ll find that calling on the expert is the best way to resolve the matter in an effective manner. No matter what issues you have with locks at your home, get in touch with the leading locksmiths London has to offer.

By Admin Deposit Protection 0 Comments

I Haven’t Protected My Tenant’s Deposit, What Should I Do As A Landlord?

It is a legal obligation that, if you take a deposit from your tenant, it is placed in a government authorized Deposit Protection Scheme within 30 days of receipt. This has been in force since 2007 and now applies to all tenancies regardless of when they started.

You also need to inform your tenants fully of the details of their deposit protection within 30 days of receipt.

If you do not protect your tenant’s deposit, there can be serious consequences. Your tenants could take you to the county court, which could order you to repay the deposit or to place it in a scheme within 14 days. Tenant’s Deposit

The court can also order you to pay damages of up to three times the amount of the deposit, and can decide that the tenants do not need to move at the end of the tenancy.
You also cannot serve a Section 21 Notice to regain possession of your property at the end of a tenancy if you have not complied with Tenancy Deposit Protection (TDP) Scheme legislation. In this situation, you would have to show legitimate grounds for evicting your tenant(s) with a Section 8 Notice.
If you have failed to protect your tenant’s deposit within 30 days, there is no way of rectifying this mistake which will fully protect you from legal consequences.

The wisest option in this situation would be to pay the deposit into a TDP scheme as soon as possible. This would still leave you liable to court action, but a judge may decide to be lenient in light of the fact that you did try to fix the problem and, therefore, lessen the damages to be paid.

It is necessary to note that if you are using a letting agent and they fail to protect your tenant’s deposit, as a landlord you are still responsible. This is highlighted by the case of a landlord who had given his tenant’s deposit to a letting agent, but when it came to the end of the tenancy, the agent no longer existed.In this case, the landlord was held liable and ordered to pay three times the original deposit (£1950) in damages plus costs.

Therefore, you should make sure that your letting agent is part of a regulated Client Money Protection Scheme, and insist that they give you details of the TDP Scheme they have used within 30 days, just as they are supposed to do with the tenants.