About us
LVP Properties is a letting and management agent for residential properties in Manchester, UK. We deliver a more personal and one-to-one services to local and overseas landlords.
For Lettings & Management Services, 9% management fee (including tax) are charged per tenancy. Feel free to contact us for details.
Lettings & Full Management Services
Professional rental assessment to determine estimated rental income and advise the Landlord on all relevant/ related matters and any action required to make the Property suitable for letting.
Advertising and marketing of the property via property portals.
Organising and conducting viewings with prospective tenants and report all offers received to the Landlord for acceptance.
Conducting an affordability assessment and reference check including a right to rent check. Where necessary, additional security would be requested by means of a guarantor. In the case of a company, a full bank reference would be undertaken.
Generating and preparing the tenancy agreement necessary for the Landlord to gain protection of the relevant Rent and Housing Acts, and renewing the Agreement where necessary at the end of the term.
Taking a security deposit (5 weeks’ rent) from the tenant and submitting all required paperwork to comply with deposit protection legislation.
Collecting the rent and paying over to the Landlord on a monthly basis, less any fees or expenses due or incurred for the period. Payments will be made by direct bank transfer.
Organising a check-in arrangement, to include signing of the tenancy agreement, thorough check of the property against the ingoing inventory, handover of keys, demonstration of appliances and setting up of standing order for future rents payments.
Arranging with service companies, principally electricity, gas, water and council tax for meter readings and advising them of service contracts to the tenant at the beginning of each tenancy. This service will be given wherever the landlord has provided the Agent access to the meters.
Preparation of a full inventory as detailed in the scale of fees (Page 5).
Responsibility for the management of an empty property is not normally included, but will be carried out by special arrangement.
Co-ordination of repair or maintenance including arranging for tradesmen to attend the Property and obtaining estimates where necessary, supervising works and subject to landlord approval settling accounts from rents received.
The Agent will take meter readings wherever possible on each change of occupation of the Property only where the Landlord has specifically provided access to the electricity gas and water meters. The Agent will inform the service companies of these readings and change of occupation. In many cases, the service companies (e.g. BT) require that the new occupiers formally request and authorise the service and it is not possible for the Agent to do this on the tenant’s or Landlord’s behalf.
Carrying out a full property inspection and inventory check at the end of the tenancy and dealing with matters relating to unfair wear and tear before releasing the tenant’s deposit.
Following the departure of a tenant, a final inspection of the Property is carried out by the Agent. Testing of all the electrical appliances, heating system and plumbing is not feasible during this inspection; a qualified contractor should be appointed for this purpose should it be required by the Landlord. Any deficiencies or dilapidations would normally be submitted to the Landlord together with any recommended deductions or replacement values.
Landlord's Legal Obligations
Landlord’s Legal Obligations
Below are only some of the key legal obligations that you must comply with as a landlord, and this will change from time to time as the law changes.
This list is not intended to be a full list. If you have any questions, please get independent advice or visit: www.gov.uk/renting-out-a-property.
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
The EPC will give the property an energy rating depending on a number of factors such as build date, size, efficiency of the heating system and glazing etc. It will also make recommendations on how to improve the efficiency giving scores for where the property is now and where it could be if improvements were carried out.
Once obtained, a certificate is valid for up to 10 years. A Copy of EPC is required before the start of your tenancy. The EPC rating must also be included in advertising and marketing material.
Any rented property is normally required to have a minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E. (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-private-rented-property-minimum-energy-efficiency-standard-landlord-guidance)
Electrical Safety
Electrical installations must be inspected and tested by a qualified and competent person at least every 5 years. You have to provide a copy of the electrical safety report to your tenants and to your local council if requested. You must make sure your tenant has a copy of the inspection report before the start of the tenancy. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electrical-safety-standards-in-the-private-rented-sector-guidance-for-landlords-tenants-and-local-authorities)
A portable appliance test (PAT) is recommended to be tested every year if applicable.
Gas Safety Regulations
All gas appliances and flues need an annual gas safety check, which should always be carried out by a suitably qualified Gas Safe-registered engineer. You’ll then be given a landlord gas safety record with details of all the checks that were carried out.
You must provide the record to current tenants within 28 days or new tenants at the start of their tenancy. Failure to do so may mean you are not able to use section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 to take possession of your property if needed. (https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/gas-safety/renting-a-property/landlord-gas-responsibilities/)
Smoke and Carbon-monoxide Alarms
You must ensure there is at least one smoke alarm on each floor of a rented home where there is a room used as living accommodation.
You must ensure there is a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation which contains a fixed combustion appliance, including wood burning stoves, gas boilers and fires (excluding gas cookers/hobs).
The alarms must be installed and working at the start of the tenancy. You must ensure smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms are repaired or replaced if you are informed that they are faulty.
Please see the https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-alarms-explanatory-booklet-for-landlords for more information.
Water Safety
You must ensure the water supply is in working order and asses the risk from exposure to legionella. (https://www.hse.gov.uk/legionnaires/legionella-landlords-responsibilities.htm)
Letting with a Mortgage
Usually, buy-to-let mortgages are used to fund the purchase of a property which is intended to be let. If you want to let a property with an existing owner- occupier mortgage, you must get consent from your mortgage lender and insurance provider.
Planning Permission
You must ensure that you have the correct planning permission for the proposed use of the property. You should bear in mind that where an “Article 4 Direction” is in place, this may restrict the right to change between use as a dwelling for a single household or as a house of multiple occupation without specific permission. A change of use as a larger HMO will ordinarily need permission. You should instruct a planning consultant if you need further advice or to make a planning application.
Property Licensing and Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO)
A house in multiple occupation is a property let out by at least 3 people who are not from the same ‘household’ (for example, a family) but share facilities like the bathroom and kitchen.
If you want to rent out your property as a house in multiple occupation, you must contact your council to check if you need a licence.
In some areas, local councils require landlords to hold a licence to let out a property under an additional licensing scheme (covering small houses in multiple occupation) or selective licensing requiring all rented properties in the area to be licensed. Check with your local council if your property must be licensed.
It is an offence if you do not apply for a license for a licensable property. An unlimited fine may be imposed.
Right to rent
Before a tenancy begins, landlords have a legal obligation to make sure that their tenant and any permitted occupants living at the property have the right to remain in the UK prior to the commencement of the tenancy. If they have this right but for a limited time, follow-up checks are required.
For more information, visit www.gov.uk/government/ collections/landlordsimmigration-right-to-rent-checks.
Protecting tenancy deposits
Tenancy deposit must be protected using one of three government-approved schemes, within 30 days of receiving it.
Tax obligations
Letting a property can increase your income and you may be taxed. It may also affect any benefits that you receive. Use this https://www.gov.uk/guidance/income-tax-when-you-rent-out-a-property-working-out-your-rental-income to find out your tax obligations as a landlord and how to work out your rental income.
When letting property and collecting rents for landlords overseas, the Agent is obliged by the Taxes Management Act (TMA) 1970 and the Taxation of Income from Land (Non-Residents) Regulations 1995 to deduct tax (at the basic tax rate) to cover any tax liability, unless the Landlord has been authorised in writing by Inland Revenue to receive rent gross and the certificate has been sent to the agent in advance.
Furnishing
You must make sure that all upholstered furniture you provide meets fire-resistance standards. Labels attached to all new upholstered furniture show these standards. (Furniture and Furnishings (Fire)(Safety)Regulations 1988 & General Product Safety Regulations 1994)