Please can someone confirm that I have not missed any documentation for my latest tenant (new)
AST
EICR
Gas Cert
EPC
How to Rent
Direct the tenant to DPS website (deposit will be transferred to them tomorrow) and I assume the tenant will receive info from DPS directly re their deposit
Anything I have missed from the list ?
Inventory
How to rent is the most valid version (v5) download it from gov website so you are not giving an out of date one ( they update but don’t change the version name sometimes).
Deposit documents are the responsibility of the Landlord not DPS.
DPS notify them but you have to serve the documents.
There is a certificate, terms and conditions and prescribed information ( all three need to be served ).
The latter needs a signature and a date from the tenant so make sure you keep that.
Your AST should have a clause documenting documents served in advance of tenancy commencing (I email it the day before or time the contract so it can be seen it was in advance if on the same day).
We make them sign the clause saying they have received the documents or get email confirmation it was received.
If you do not have this specific clause get them to sign a piece of paper with all documents they received listed.
Make sure all documents are in date
The inventory.
Instruction booklets for any appliances.
especialy the boiler and keep a copy yourself
I have laminated all print out paper copies of instructions and put it in folder. So at the end of tenancy they have to leave the instruction folder in flat.
This is first time I have done with my last tenant so I would have instructions ready for best time.
Thanks for the reply
Where do I get the certificate and terms and conditions. I could only find the prescribed info on the DPS website
The certificate link will be emailed to you or it you can download it from the website on your deposits page
It is a PDF so save it to your computer and then email it to the tenant
When you fill in the prescribed info on their website you can print as PDF. There is a link for terms and conditions on the bottom of that page. Click and save PDF to you computer and send
Deposit documents are to be served in 30 days of receipt of deposit but if there is an issue judges do not favour landlords if not deposited and served in 10 days ( I heard that on a law course a few years ago)
I assume we are talking about statutory requirements here so that a section 21 or section 8 can’t be challenged on the grounds that the AST wasn’t legitimate because statutory requirements were not completed .
If that’s the case then Right to Rent needs adding in that you have to check your prospective tenant is not staying in the country illegally . Copy of a valid Passport is best.
Also a check that the smoke alarm is working before the tenant moves in perhaps by taking a video on your phone to show it being tested .
Smoke alarm certificates can be obtained from a registered electrician (DEIC). That then cannot be disputed as it is signed off by a registered electrician ( integrated, number and site of alarms and all in date and working)
Right to Rent checks are important to avoid a fine or worse, but for the avoidance of doubt, failure to conduct them would not invalidate a landlords notice.