Oakfield have been successfully letting property for more than 20 years, our Marketing Consultants are experts in their field and whether you are a Landlord with a portfolio of properties or you are buying your first rental property we are here to hold your hand and guide you through the process.
These 11 steps show you what to expect when letting a property with Oakfield.
Step 1
Rental Valuation
Oakfield offer a free, no obligation marketing proposal meeting. One of our Marketing Consultants will visit you at the property to discuss our services and most importantly establish a valuation on the property based on current market conditions, the size and condition of the property as well as its proximity to local amenities.
As experts in letting property for over 20 years in Bexhill, Eastbourne and Hastings we have an in-depth knowledge of what Tenants are looking for when renting Oakfield, you can choose from our four service levels to find the best to fit your needs and personal requirements. Build on the basic Let Only Service to a more comprehensive Rent Collection Service or choose the Fully Managed Service to make your property investment hassle-free. The final option is our Collect and Pay Service for Landlords looking for complete security and peace of mind where Oakfield will pay the rent, even if the tenant doesn’t on the same date every month.
Our top tip: In our experience, corporate tenants often opt for properties fully managed by agents to ensure their maintenance needs are looked after by professionals so if you are aiming to attract a corporate tenant, consider our fully managed service.
Step 3
Landlords Responsibilities
All gas and electrical appliances including central heating boilers should be in good working order and comply with health and safety regulations. Your annual Gas Safety record must be up to date and be given to any new tenant. All properties are required to have an Energy Performance Certificate. Landlords must supply tenants with a Government issued How to Rent Guide before the commencement of the tenancy. All private landlords letting property in England must also comply with the Right to Rent legislation.
If your property is located in Hastings, and in one of the following wards, Gensing, Braybrooke, Tressell, Ore, Old Hastings, Castle and central St Leonards you will also require a selective license.
Make sure you are fully aware of all your legal requirements.
Step 4
Marketing your Property
Without a letting agent, finding the right Tenant can be expensive, time consuming and hard work.
You want to get the word out about your property and encourage Tenants in the best position.
At Oakfield as soon as we receive your instruction, we’ll prepare your property’s details, which can include professional photography, floor plans, a location map and an Energy Performance Certificate. Then we’ll start marketing your property to attract the right tenant with:
High profile online exposure
Your property will be marketed on our website oakfieldproperty.co.uk, where potential tenants can sign up to our online account service which alerts them when rental properties that match their criteria become available. We also use rightmove.co.uk, Zoopla.co.uk the 2 largest property portals in the UK and another other online portals to market properties.
In addition, Oakfield’s local market knowledge, large database of potential Tenants, in-branch visibility, and open house viewings, will ensure that your property will soon be seen by thousands.
Step 5
Viewings
We carry out all viewings at the property and will liaise with you and/or Tenants where applicable when booking in viewings. We also offer out of hours’ viewings to make finding the perfect new rental property more convenient for our Applicants.
We discuss all feedback from our viewings on a regular basis, however in addition as a Landlord you can view all feedback via our Landlord online account.
Step 6
Negotiating and agreeing an offer
We will negotiate and submit all offers we receive on your property and qualify all applicants to ensure they meet our, and most importantly your, criteria. We will always achieve the best possible rent and suitable applicant for your property.
Step 7
References, Credit checks and Right to rent checks
It is important to run thorough checks on prospective tenants to ensure that your investment will be secure. At Oakfield, we use strict referencing procedures carried out by independent experts which can give our landlords a comprehensive understanding of their personal and financial circumstances, including a check on their employment history, credit worthiness and previous addresses.
Right to rent checks also need to be carried out in line with legislation, we will do all of this on your behalf. The reference reports can be sent to you to check prior to approving any Tenants.
Our top tip: We believe strict referencing betters your chances of avoiding problems with payments further down the line.
Step 8
The Tenancy Agreement
This document outlines the agreed responsibilities of both parties. It is important that both tenants and landlords take the time to read this carefully before signing. At Oakfield, we use an online signing system called Docusign for speed and efficiency.
Step 9
The Inventory
An inventory is a detailed list agreed and signed by both parties itemising the contents and condition of the property at the time of the tenant moving in. Oakfield uses an Independent Inventory Service to provide a comprehensive list designed to minimise the risk of any dispute over the deposit at the end of the tenancy.
Step 10
Securing the Deposit.
Step 11
The move in day
Once all the checks have been done, the inventory carried out and the Tenancy agreement signed your Tenants can move into the property. At this point unless you have selected our Fully managed or collect and pay services then the management will be passed over to yourself.
Our top tip: Small gestures will go a long way in building good relationships with your tenants, leave out instructions to appliances. (This may also mean tenants will be less likely to break the appliance!)