A Guide For Landlords

What services can the council provide?

Free marketing of your property. They screen prospective tenants to establish that they will be able to manage a tenancy and pay their rent. A dedicated team to support you through the letting process. A choice of tenants. A bonus in lieu of a deposit. If you find a suitable tenant for your property through the scheme you will get a non-returnable incentive of one month's rent, plus we aim for this to be a quick and simple process that will allow you to take advantage of the incentive we pay.

What sort of properties are clients looking for?

We help hundreds of people each year who would like to move into a private sector property. They are looking for a variety of sizes and types of accommodation in most areas. As a result we advertise all suitable properties in various different boroughs, however those situated in Camden are more popular and are let more quickly.

How does the Private Renting Scheme work?

Once you have informed us that you would like to advertise your property with us we will immediately add your property to our database of available properties and more than likely have viewings within 7 days..

Viewings

If one of our customers is interested in your property one of our housing advisers will contact you to arrange a convenient time for the interested party to meet with you and view the property.

Do you have to accept the potential tenant?

No. The scheme is based on choice for ALL. If you are not satisfied with the potential tenant there is no need for you to accept them. In fact if you are not satisfied we want you to tell us why. We will then have a better chance of helping you find the tenant that you want. Unless requested, you retain full management of the property so we want you to find a tenant you will be happy with. This is central in helping a good relationship to develop between yourself and your tenant, and helps the tenancy to last beyond the initial 12-month period.

Once you have found a suitable and interested tenant we can help you to complete the necessary paper work and we can provide ongoing support if problems arise.
We do not ask you to keep the property vacant for our customers and have no problem with you simultaneously looking for a tenant elsewhere. We simply ask for the opportunity to find you a potential tenant and to be kept up to date with the availability of your property.

The Sign-Up Stage

When you have found a prospective tenant with whom you would like to sign a tenancy agreement you will need to send us copies of the following documents in order for us to process your payment:

• Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement
• Arrangement Form (Enclosed in Pack)
• Confirmation of the Rent Valuation from the Housing Benefits Office
• A CP12 Gas Safety Certificate (If the property has gas appliances). This can be obtained from a Corgi-registered engineer or your gas company
• An NIC/EIC or ECA electrical test safety certificate or equivalent. This can be obtained from an NICE/EIC or ECA approved electrician or from your electricity company

Property Conditions

What condition does your property have to be in?

The property must be in a lettable condition before any agreements can be signed. We may carry out a preliminary inspection, to tell you if your property is suitable and whether you need to carry out any works. You will need to confirm that the property is of a good standard and ready for letting.

Does it have to be furnished?

No, but it may take longer for you to rent the property if it is unfurnished. The majority of renters are looking for furnished properties. If you are providing furnishings for the property you must ensure that they meet current health and safety requirements and fire safety regulations. Furnishings must be clean, unstained and damage free. Here at Marble Lettings we can conduct an inventory on your behalf to ensure all existing fixtures, fittings and furnishings are left as they were at the beginning of the tenancy.

General Information

What are your responsibilities?

The tenancy agreement that you sign will be a private arrangement and you will retain full responsibility and rights of the management of your property on a straight let. The Council will have no involvement with your tenancy agreement; it is solely between yourself and the tenant. Every tenant recommended by the council will have their own designated caseworker should any problems arise.

How long do the tenancies last for?

In order to pay you the incentive the council will ask that the tenant remain in the property for at least 12 months. If the tenancy ends early, we will require that you repay a pro-rata amount of the incentive payment or accept another one of our clients. On request there is the option of also entering a 3-year tenancy agreement.