Sweeping Up When a
Tenant Leaves
As the temperature inevitably begins
to cool it is clear that Autumn has
commenced. Being the start of the
academic calendar, this time of year is
often the busiest time for a landlord.
Be it a student let or a non student let,
it is important for landlords to keep
on top of their obligations, particularly
in these more regulated times when
non-compliance can mean heavy
financial sanctions.
Out with the Old
As most landlords know, the end
of any tenancy can be either
straightforward or a nightmare.
Hopefully, the correct notice has been
served by the relevant party and
the end date is clear in everyone’s
mind. It needs to be because even if
the correct form of notice has been
served, the tenant can still just decide
to stay in the property, albeit paying
rent, until the landlord ultimately
takes the tenant to court.
Upon the departure of the old tenant,
an inspection of the property should
be conducted. It is customary to
include a requirement for the tenant
P1
to undertake a professional clean, as
the aim is to compare the property in
the same state as when the tenants
arrived. You then need to write to
the tenants within 14 days of the end
of the tenancy to try and agree any
deductions to the deposit, taking into
account fair wear and tear.
If the deductions cannot be agreed
then either party can refer the dispute
to the relevant dispute resolution
scheme. All of the tenancy deposit
scheme providers operate some form
of optional scheme, although both
parties do have to agree. The key to
securing the necessary deductions
is being reasonable and evidencing
them with receipts. Always make sure
you have a check in schedule and a
check out schedule, and get quotes
for anything major.
In with the New
First and foremost, make sure
that your tenants have passed a
referencing check. If they are a first
time tenant then this may be simply
getting a reference from a parent or
guardian but if they have previously