Hi Landlords I’m about to have to complete a new contract for the first time since the Renters Rights. Im a small business so I don’t usually use an agent but I’m very nervous as it’s the first one. Can I find out what you think is the best thing to do? Buy one online? Go through an agent. Anything that might help will be greatly received.
Kind regards
Kevin
You have asked the question on the Openrent forum. Why not use Openrent.
Best!
If you’re an experienced landlord and want to self manage, then you could use OR RentNow or perhaps Hello Neighbour. Have a look at Suzanne’s review on the independent landlord site. She compares the two offerings side by side.
Consider joining a LL association such as nrla and doing their training to understand the changes as a result of RRA.
(You also get access to all their templates such as the APT)
See also Source: The Independent Landlord Renters' Rights Act: Free resources for landlords • The Independent Landlord
Some APTs have more detail (eg nrla, stirling ackroyd) than others (OR). For example the OR contract doesnt specify when 1st rent payment must be made so tenant can delay paying up to move in date. It also has very little about cleaning or ventilation and nothing at all about the disposal of tenant’s goods if they leave them behind. It also doesnt specify the notice period properly. See eg
Google ‘Sample APT’ and youll find some
Any agent (online or physical) should have updated their tenancy agreement. So if it still refers to fixed terms, has a break clause, rent increase clause or notice more than 2 months (or rather 2 months plus ending date before a rental period) or payment in advance (except 1st month) or payment not on 1st day of rental period, then you know it’s not legal and hasnt been updated properly.
Suspect most agents will only let you use their APT if you use them to manage the property.
Best
A lot of the contracts are missing forfeiture clauses
Tessa’s is the best one I’ve read
N r l a is good but missing fire/ flood forfeiture clause
I’ve heard o r is not good from a solicitor
Do you mean a clause to enable the contract to end in the event of a fire /food. Not sure what the terminology means
Yes that is what I mean
The uninhabitability clause in the OR APT contract appears quite thorough. Not sure what the problem would be with it.
Hi Christopher
Thanks for your comment it does appear that open rent could be the way forward for me. I have 4 potential tenants that I am due to see soon that I have found myself. I’m trying to look at the open rent website to see if I could use them purely for doing the contracts in this instance but to date I can’t clarify this do you have any further ideas on this that you could share with me?
Kind regards
Kevin
You can set up a tenancy using Rent Now without the need to advertise. Strangely enough, although you do not require advertising you are still required to create a listing for your property. This is so that a Property ID/reference can be generated. You then publish the listing (once published the advert is live) and immediately send an invite to your chosen applicant. It is important that they don’t delay because the longer it is published others will see it and start sending messages etc. As soon as your applicant selects Rent Now the advert is immediately frozen and others will not be able to view or apply.
Your applicant will also need to have an Openrent profile. Sorry if this is obvious.
Best!
Be aware that if you use Openrent ‘rent now’ to create the contract they will also take and hold the holding deposit, and take rest of 1st months rent hold it up to 10 days after move in - protects tenants from rogue LLs who dont hand over keys. They will also handle putting the security deposit in mydeposits or (unless you turn the option off in ‘advanced settings’) offer an insurance option instead (‘reposit’) which may or may not be better for you and tenant. If you use OR you have to have a 1 week holding deposit as well - they insist.
Good luck