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RENTING PROPERTY IN BRAINTREE SINCE 1987
Centurion has been managing property on behalf of Landlords since we opened in 1987. During our 19 years of running the lettings agency we have let literally thousands of homes in the Braintree area and many of our Landlords have been with us for over 10 years. Please read some recent testimonials we have received from our Landlords.

MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ESTATE AGENTS (NAEA)
We belong to The National Association of Estate Agents, which is the body responsible for much of the legislation which has improved our profession. This includes all areas of renting and selling property, in particular the Property Misdescription Act (PMA) and the Estate Agents Act. As well as representing the industry in Parliamentary committees. The NAEA also has strict rules of conduct to which it's members must adhere including disclosure of personal interest, methods of prospecting and much more. To see the NAEA website click here.

MEMBERS OF HOMELINK WITH OVER 850 OFFICES IN THE UK AND ABROAD
NAEA HomeLink is a network of Estate Agents working with like-minded professionals committed to making the moving experience straightforward by providing you with access to a professional friendly property service.

The NAEA HomeLink Estate Agent will listen to your needs and help you achieve your goal whether that is achieving the best price or selling your property quickly to enable you to buy the property of your choice. Whether you're buying or selling, the professional friendly staff aim to make the process as stress free for you as possible.

TRADITIONAL VALUES - MODERN TECHNOLOGY
We have always adopted a long-term approach to all our dealings with clients and our business has grown to a portfolio of hundreds of managed properties on the back of hard work and impeccable integrity. Our staff are all professionally trained and have attended training courses with the National Association of Estate Agents on all aspects of letting. Our advice is free and our guidance has helped many Landlords avoid many of the pitfalls that are possible with Renting out a property.

If you want to rent out your property safely, for the maximum return and with the least amount of worry and hassle, we hope you will choose Centurion: the agent with the longest track record.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT IS RENT GUARANTEE?
We currently use ‘Homelet’ to carry out references on our tenants. Homelet will issue a rent guarantee certificate if the tenant meets their ‘acceptance’ criteria. The certificate is valid for either a 6 or 12 month period from the date the initial tenancy commences. The policy can be used if the tenant is still living at the property but not paying the rent. The policy will usually cover a maximum of 6 months payments and covers a landlord until the fixed term of the current tenancy has expired or the tenant has vacated the property or the rent guarantee certificate has expired, whichever is the sooner. It also covers the landlords legal costs incurred in evicting the tenant as a result of non-payment of the rent.

There are no additional charges for the production of the initial rent guarantee certificate(s). All renewal certificates are optional and chargeable. We will arrange for the rent guarantee certificate(s) to be renewed at the landlords request/expense. We take no responsibility if the certificate is not renewed.

We will complete all relevant Homelet claim forms on your behalf as part of our management service. Any court appearances must be made by the landlord. If you require us to attend court on your behalf these appearances are chargeable at a rate of £50.00 plus VAT per hour.

We reserve the right to dispense with the services of Homelet without notice. The offer of the rent guarantee can be withdrawn at any time

HOW DO I KNOW THAT THE TENANT YOU FIND WILL BE SUITABLE?
As a company we follow strict criteria when choosing suitable tenants. We do not let to students, sharers or people in receipt of benefits. We will only match professional tenants to our properties. In addition to our own criteria we use a referencing agency that have their own criteria on tenant suitability. They will only pass tenants if the tenant proves to be financially viable.

WHAT REFERENCE CHECKS ARE CARRIED OUT?
We use an independent agency to carry out the referencing. The company we use is 'HOMELET'. Every individual named on the tenancy agreement should be referenced (which would usually be every one living at the property over the age of 18). The usual checks carried out are: credit checks, employer’s references and a previous landlords reference (if the tenant is leaving a rented property to take up this new tenancy). The referencing agency will only deem a tenant as being acceptable if they meet their own strict underwriting criteria for the legal rent protection policy. To strengthen your position as landlord and their position as insurer they may also ask the tenant to provide a guarantor.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THE TENANT DAMAGES MY PROPERTY?
On the commencement of the tenancy the tenant will pay a dilapidations deposit (equivalent to one months rent). If we manage the property the deposit is held by us in a secure Client Account. If you choose to manage the property yourself, please give the office a call regarding the change in legislation under the Housing Act 2004, as it will soon no longer be possible for individual landlords to hold deposits themselves. At the end of the tenancy we ask the landlord to carry out an inspection to be sure that he is satisfied that the property has been returned in the condition it was let (allowing of course for usual wear and tear). Once we have the landlords authority we will then release the deposit back to the tenant. *If however there are any discrepancies about the condition of the property we will negotiate and agree with the tenant the amount to be with held. *The Housing Act 2004 will change the way deposit disputes are resolved. This change in legisaltion will come into effect in October 2006.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE INTRODUCTION SERVICE AND THE FULL MANAGEMENT SERVICE?
With the Introduction service, once the tenancy has commenced the tenant will deal direct with the landlord on a day-to-day basis. Any maintenance or repair issues the tenant has he will contact the landlord direct with. We would recommend that only the experienced landlord with time on their hands should choose to manage the property themselves. With full Management we will deal with all aspects of the let from the commencement of the tenancy through to the end. Summaries of the services for management are:

• Advice on the letting of your property
• Tenant referencing and free, insurance backed, rent guarantee
• Draw up the assured shorthold tenancy agreement and (at your instruction) the section 21 notices.
• Collecting the rent and holding the tenants deposit
• Chase any late payments of rent and completing the rent guarantee claim forms if necessary. Property inspections (at your instruction)
• Maintenance issues, instructing contractors and organising estimates
• Renewal agreements (at your instruction)
• Arrange gas safety checks
• All day-to-day dealings with the tenants

WHO PAYS FOR REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE?
The costs for everyday repairs and maintenance remain the responsibility of the landlord. If we manage the property we will arrange repairs etc on your behalf and pay the contractor out of the tenants rent. We are able to organise quotes for your approval on any major repair that becomes apparent. landlords are consulted regarding any amounts in excess of £75.00. We undertake to ensure all repairs are genuine, and carried out by competent professionals. Full details are provided on our information packs.

Under the Landlord and Tenant act 1985 Landlords are responsible for the repair of the structure and exterior of the property together with the installations for supply of gas, electricity, water and sanitation. If the property is not in a good state of repair at the commencement of the tenancy the tenant will immediately be able to insist that repairs are carried out. If the premises were in a serious state of disrepair, the tenant would be entitled to treat the letting as being at an end because of the landlords breach of his obligation.

IS IT BETTER TO LET FURNISHED OR UNFURNISHED?
We only let to professional tenants and have found that they have a far greater preference for unfurnished accommodation.  A landlord will therefore be limiting his market if he chooses to furnish his property. A tenant will usually respect a property more if it is full of his or her own possessions. Moreover the difference in rent between a furnished let and an unfurnished let is negligible. If the property is let furnished the landlord remains completely responsible for repairing and replacing anything that becomes worn or broken (unless of course this is a deliberate act by the tenant) To this end we will no longer market a property that is furnished.

WHAT ABOUT WHITE GOODS?
White goods refer to large kitchen appliances. In general all properties should be let with a cooker, but anything over and above this is down to the landlords discretion. The landlord must always remember that anything that he supplies remains his responsibility and should it break down he will have to repair or replace it

WHAT ABOUT BILLS, COUNCIL TAX AND WATER RATES?
The tenants are responsible for all bills, council tax and water rates. It is the tenants’ responsibility to notify all of these relevant bodies before the commencement of their tenancy. The tenant is also responsible for providing meter readings and departure dates at the end of the tenancy.

WHO DO I NEED TO NOTIFY THAT I AM LETTING MY PROPERTY?
To avoid any problems or misconceptions you should notify the following of your intention to let your property:

• Mortgage provider (Bank or Building Society)
• Head landlord or Freeholder (if your property is leasehold)
• Insurance Company (your insurance could be invalidated if you do not notify them that the property is being let)
• Accountant or tax office
• Post Office (for mail redirection - do not rely on your tenants to re-direct your mail)
• Utility companies and Council - you will only need to do this if you have been living at the property yourself.

WHAT ABOUT THE SAFETY REGULATIONS?
As a landlord you should be aware of the law and what the current safety regulations are:

Fire Regulations
Under the Fire and Furnishings (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 1993 the landlord has the obligation to ensure that all furniture in properties being rented for the first time, or any new or additional furniture being put into a property already rented out, must comply with the fire regulations by displaying a label stating that they are fire resistant.  If items of furniture do not comply with the fire regulations, the landlord must either change the items before any tenancy commences or remove them from the property.  Instructions to let a property available for rental will only be accepted if all furniture complies with the regulations.  Failure to do so can result in prosecution.

Gas Appliances Regulations
Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994 and 1996, all gas appliances must be checked by a Corgi registered tradesman. The landlord must carry out such tests annually. As part of our management service we can arrange these inspections on your behalf at the landlords expense prior to the rental of the property and on an annual basis thereafter, the cost being deducted from the rent

The Electrical equipment safety regulations 1994
These regulations cover all mains voltage household electrical goods. If you let property you must ensure that the electrical system and all appliances supplied are safe - failure to comply with the regulations is a criminal offence and may result in:

• A fine of £5,000 per item not complying 
• Six month's imprisonment 
• Possible manslaughter charges in the event of deaths 
• The Tenant may also sue you for civil damages 
• Your property insurance may be invalidated. 
• The Health & Safety Executive enforces these regulations.
• There is no statutory requirement to have annual safety checks on electrical equipment as there is with gas, but we strongly recommend that landlords have their electrics tested and then carry out periodic checks after this by a qualified electrician.

SMOKE DETECTORS
The law requires that all houses built after 1992 have electronically linked mains operated smoke detectors installed on each floor. Although older properties are exempt we would strongly recommend that smoke detectors be fitted in all rented properties at a minimum of one per floor.

WHAT SHOULD I DO BEFORE I LET MY PROPERTY?
There has been a dramatic increase in the number of properties available for rent. The market is therefore much more competitive than it used to be. Before putting a property on the market for rent a landlord should make sure his property is in good decorative order and looks clean and tidy throughout. If you visit the property between lets and feel that your property is looking dated or tired it will become more difficult to let and /or will affect the level of rent achievable.

WHAT IS THE TAX POSITION?
We strongly advise you seek the advice of an accountant to discuss your tax position. We can recommend an accountant to you if required. In short, you are liable to pay tax on income from a rented property. However there are many allowable expenses that can be deducted from the rental income that an accountant will be in a position to advise you on.

WHAT ABOUT OVERSEAS LANDLORDS?
We manage a large portfolio of property for overseas clients. The tax position is different. Rules on tax state that the letting agent MUST deduct tax at source. The only exception to this would be where we hold an exemption certificate with your approval number on it issued by the Inland Revenue. Copies of the relevant forms.