Whilst there are legal obligations on what Landlords must provide in an unfurnished property, it can become complicated to decide what extras to consider. In this blog, we will outline what landlords must provide in their unfurnished properties, by law in England, beyond the basics such as a boiler, heating and bathroom facilities & also what you may choose to provide on top of this.
Legal Requirements of Unfurnished Properties
Smoke Alarms
In England, it is a legal requirement to install smoke alarms on every floor of your rental property, where there is living accommodation, and they must be tested annually.
For single-lets, battery operated smoke alarms are permitted. Generally, this type of smoke alarm should be fitted to the ceiling of a circulation space, such as a hallway. Ensure your tenant is aware of this as they are responsible for replacing any batteries and must let you know if the smoke alarm fails to work after doing so.
In licensed HMOs (House in Multiple Occupation), you are legally obliged to provide hard-wired smoke alarms. An electrician will be needed to fit these for you.
Carbon Monoxide Alarms
Carbon Monoxide alarms are required in every room fitted with a “fixed combustion appliance”. In short, this means boilers, wood-burning stoves and other operational fireplaces. Whilst this excludes gas cookers, we would recommend you fit an alarm as good practice as gas cookers are also a source of Carbon Monoxide.
You are able to purchase Carbon Monoxide alarms with a battery life of 10 years, which we would advise, but do not forget to get them tested at least once a year.
Flooring
As a landlord, you must provide appropriate flooring in your properties. This means flooring that is safe to walk on; exposed floorboards are acceptable but leaving uncarpeted underlay and grippers is not.
Doors
The external doors provided should be secure. This entails locks that work properly. We would recommend that you change locks immediately after purchasing a property and periodically between tenants.
Cooker, Oven or Hob
Under Section 10 Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, your property must be fit for human habitation, including “facilities for preparation and cooking of food”. Whilst the term “facilities for preparation” does not specify cooking appliances, nearly all Landlords will provide a cooker, hob or oven. We would recommend also providing some sort of extractor system to aid the tenant in looking after your property, although you are not legally obliged to do so.
Added Extras for Unfurnished Properties
White Goods
We would recommend that Landlords provide appliances if the kitchen in the property is fitted with space for integrated appliances, as a tenant shouldn’t have to buy appliances for a fitted kitchen.
In terms of supplying free standing appliances, it’s completely up to you as the Landlord what you choose. Whilst not compulsory, most Landlords will choose to provide a fridge-freezer in their property. Any model is suitable but make sure it has a long guarantee.
Whilst most properties will come with the necessary plumbing, it is often quite rare that landlords will provide their tenants with a washing machine & tumble dryer in an unfurnished property. As previously mentioned, you may want to consider installing a washing machine if the kitchen in your property is fitted with integrated space.
Top Tip: Ensure any free standing appliances that you provide are PAT tested at regular intervals.
Curtains
Whilst some landlords don’t provide curtains or blinds, many will ensure their property has curtain poles/rails. Not only does this provide less hassle for your tenant, it also reduces the risk of them damaging your property in the process of installing the poles themselves.
If you plan on installing blinds, make sure they comply with child safety rules beforehand.
Bathroom Fittings
We would highly recommend that you make sure all bathrooms in your property are installed with extractor fans. This will help the tenant to look after your property by reducing the chance of damp & mould forming.
Extra bathroom fittings such as cabinets & toilet roll holders can be nice additions for your tenants but are not necessary. If you do not want the tenant installing them themselves, either provide them or make sure that you have outlined this in your tenancy agreement to avoid any disagreements at the end of the term.
At Elliot Leigh, we offer a hassle-free, seamless service, that maximises your investment and minimises the day-to-day problems with managing properties and tenants. Aside from the legal requirements, we only ask that you provide a cooker & fridge-freezer in your property when joining our scheme. Don't hesitate to get in touch to find out more about Elliot Leigh Guaranteed Rent and then benefits that we offer.
Comentarios