Any prospective tenant will compare your property to others available on the market — first impressions count.
Consents
If you are a leaseholder, check the terms of your lease and obtain written consent to let from the freeholder or management company before letting your property.
If the property is mortgaged or has a loan secured against it, written consent must be obtained from your lender before the tenancy begins. Your lender may require additional clauses in the tenancy agreement, which you must tell us about, and may charge a fee for their consent.
Furnished or unfurnished
The majority of properties on the letting market are unfurnished, which usually includes carpets or flooring, curtains or blinds, white goods and kitchen appliances such as a washing machine and fridge/freezer.
Some tenants specifically look for fully furnished properties, though they represent a small proportion of the market. If the property is let furnished, everything included in the tenancy must comply with the Furniture & Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 1993.
Insurance and utilities
We always ask landlords to ensure the property and its contents are adequately insured, and to tell their insurer they intend to let — failing to do so could mean losing cover. Some insurers impose letting conditions, and we would need those details as they may affect the choice of tenant.
Accounts for utility services — gas, electricity, water, council tax and telephone — are ordinarily the tenant's responsibility.