SERVICES

RESIDENTIAL SALES
RESIDENTIAL LETTING

RESIDENTIAL SALES - SELLING 

Selling your home can be stressful so it is important to choose an agent you can trust who will make this process as smooth as possible. We at Liddicoat Sanderson Estate Agents, aim to eliminate the stress and make the experience as easy as possible.

In the meantime, here are a few guidelines which we hope will assist:

VALUATION - Firstly if you are selling, you will require a marketing proposal, part of which includes the valuation. At Liddicoat Sanderson Estate Agents we can offer you a free, no obligation factual and accurate appraisal of the current market value of your home. Our experienced property valuers will provide you with a valuation based not only on their in depth knowledge of St Austell and surrounding areas, but also utilising our extensive database of recent properties sold. We will also provide you with a marketing plan which we believe will best suit your property.

INSTRUCTION OF THE AGENT/PROPERTY DETAILS - Once instructed to commence marketing your property, we will then prepare full sales details of your property. Bearing in mind the importance of presentation, we will ensure that your sales details highlight the vitally important aspects of your property and ensure that your home is shown to its best possible advantage with the aid of full colour photographs and accurate floor plans showing the square footage of the property  together with useful information.

MARKETING - Once you have approved our particulars of your home marketing commences and viewings should follow swiftly. Appointments to view your property are made by Liddicoat Sanderson and accompanied viewings can also be arranged for us to show prospective buyers around.

FOR SALES BOARD – Our distinctive For Sale boards are an effective marketing tool, available 24 hours a day.

OFFICE AND WINDOW DISPLAY – Photographs will be prominently displayed in our town centre premises in order to optimise exposure to the market place.

EMAIL – Wherever possible, all prospective buyers who register with us are asked to provide email addresses in order to ensure that they are notified of any new properties as soon as possible within 24 hours of receiving your instruction.

MAIL SHOTS/PHONE OUTS -  We will contact existing registered prospective buyers as soon as possible after receiving your instruction and your details will be then be sent to new registered buyers.

WEBSITE – This is updated daily and full colour details of your home are placed on our website within 24 hours of being placed on the market.

Besides the exposure on our own site, Liddicoat Sanderson also uses the following national property websites which will feature your home:
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/
http://www.primelocation.com/
http://www.findaproperty.com/
http://www.propertyfinder.co.uk/
http://www.naea.co.uk/
http://www.thinkproperty.com/
http://www.fish4.co.uk/

ADVERTISING - We will provide regular prominent advertisements of your property in the Cornish Guardian to ensure that your home is fully marketed to local buyers.

UPDATING ON YOUR SALE - At Liddicoat Sanderson, we pride ourselves on our conscientious sales management. We aim to keep you regularly updated on the sales process right through to completion and liaise with your purchaser, the legal representatives, surveyors and mortgage lenders in order to ensure that your sale is progressed as smoothly and as stress-free as possible.

OFFERS – Any offers we receive are promptly verbally notified and then followed up in writing. Our competent sales team will negotiate between you and your prospective buyers in order that we may select the best applicant for your needs.

We will inform you of the position of the buyers and liaise with you until an accepted offer has been agreed. Should you require your sale to be completed by a certain date, this is when you should notify us and we will endeavour to satisfy your request wherever possible.

AGREED SALE – At this point (if you have not already done so), you will need to instruct a solicitor and, should you require assistance, Liddicoat Sanderson will only be too pleased to recommend local firms as well as providing you with an instant quote from our own in house legal team.

The solicitors will then write to all parties and the buyers will instruct a surveyor to conduct a survey of your property (the “agreed sale” is subject to the contract and any survey) and the buyers’ mortgage offer (if required) will also be subject to the results of the survey.

The sellers’ solicitors will request the title deeds from the lender (if appropriate) or yourselves as the seller and the Fixtures and Fittings form must be completed at this stage.

The solicitors draw up the Draft Contract which sets of the Terms of the Sale and sends it to the buyers’ solicitor together with all relevant documents including the Home Information Pack. Any enquiries will then be raised, the Title Deeds and Lease (if applicable) will be checked and local searches carried out.

Once the draft contracts have been approved, it can be signed by both parties.

EXCHANGE OF CONTRACTS – As long as the mortgage offer has been received and cleared funds placed with your buyer’s solicitor, a mutually convenient date can be agreed upon for the exchange of contracts.

COMPLETION – The completion and your actual house move will usually take place a week after exchange of contracts, although it can be the same day or even months after, depending on the buyers, sellers and their respective solicitors.

RESIDENTIAL LETTING

ASSURED SHORTHOLD TENANCIES.

INTRODUCTION -  Assured and shorthold tenancies were introduced by Government to encourage the letting of residential property by allowing landlords to charge the full market rent, as opposed to rents “controlled” by legislation.

Additionally, in the case of shorthold tenancies, legislation enabled landlords to regain possession of their property.

Recent legislation has therefore removed the most onerous restrictions relating to residential letting.

SETTING UP A TENANCY - All tenancies started after 28th. February, 1997 are automatically shorthold tenancies, unless the procedure to set up an assured tenancy is adopted.

In practice, as letting agents our standard tenancy agreement sets up a shorthold tenancy, normally for an initial period of six months, which can be extended at the Landlord’s discretion, subject to the satisfactory conduct of the tenancy. Landlords can grant a longer term initially if they wish to do so.

ENDING AN ASSURED SHORTHOLD TENANCY - A tenancy may be terminated by two months notice on the part of the landlord or one months notice on the part of the tenant, otherwise the tenancy will continue on a month to month basis until terminated by notice.

A tenancy cannot normally be ended before the fixed term has expired, and early possession can only be obtained via the Court on specific grounds, some of which are mandatory and others discretionary.

Typical grounds for early possession are arrears and property damage.

Alternatively where the tenancy has been properly conducted the landlord may (at his discretion) grant a new fixed term tenancy.

FURNISHED OR UNFURNISHED - A tenancy can be furnished or unfurnished. However experience has shown that the demand for unfurnished accommodation is greater than for furnished. Furthmore, accidental damage is more likely occur to furnishings than to the property itself.

For these reasons we would normally advise unfurnished letting.

It is appreciated that in certain circumstances it may not be convenient or practical to empty an already furnished property, in which case the property can be let furnished, subject to Fire Safety Regulations (Furniture & Furnishings). Floor coverings and curtains are usually included in “unfurnished” lettings.

DEPOSIT - Our standard tenancy agreement provides for a security deposit against accidental damage. The amount of the deposit is normally equivalent to between one and two months rent.

REPAIRS - Landlords are responsible for almost all repairs with the possible exception of internal decorations. The tenant has a duty to take care of the property and is responsible for damage caused by the tenant.

The property needs to be in a good state or repair and condition at the outset of the tenancy.

Safety certificates are required for the gas installation (if any) and appliances and similarly for the electrical installation and appliances.

COUNCIL TAX & WATER RATES - Except in the case of multiple occupation, the tenant will be responsible for council tax, as provided for in our standard tenancy agreement.

If the property is vacant, for example between tenancies then liability for council tax reverts to the landlord. If the property is unfurnished there is no charge for the first vacant six months. If the property is furnished, 50% council tax is payable when vacant.

In respect of water rates when the property is vacant and unfurnished no charges are levied. If vacant, but furnished 100% charges are levied.

ELECTRICTY, GAS AND TELEPHONE BILLS - These charges are the responsibility of the tenant.

INCOME TAX - Rental income is liable for income tax and it is the responsibility of United Kingdom landlords to declare the income derived from letting.

The amount of income that is liable for tax is the net income, that is to say, the gross income less allowable costs and expenditure.

In the case of landlords who are not resident in the UK, it is the agents duty to deduct tax at the standard rate from the rent received, unless the taxpayer obtains an exception.

INSURANCE - It is of course essential to ensure that comprehensive insurance cover is maintained for the buildings and contents. Existing policies must be endorsed to cover letting. Some insurers do not provide cover for letting, in which case we can obtain quotes for suitable cover.

MORTGAGED PROPERTY - The written consent of the lender must be obtained.

OUR LETTING SERVICES.

OBJECTIVE - Our aim is to secure trouble free tenancies and a secure income for landlords.

This objective is best achieved by finding tenants of good standing who are able to comfortably meet the rental commitment and tenants who will respect the landlords property.

Letting Services fall into one of two categories :-

LET ONLY OR FULL MANAGEMENT.

LET ONLY - This service includes:

• Advice on rental value
• Letting particulars
• Advertising
• Viewings.
• Finding & vetting a suitable tenant (s)
• Preparing tenancy agreement
• Preparing inventory (Furnished)
• Collect first rental & deposit. Account to landlord for funds received.

FULL MANAGEMENT - As per LET ONLY and in addition

• Collect rentals throughout term.
• Account for funds with a monthly statement.
• Deal with urgent repairs.
• Liaise with landlords over repairs in excess of £100.00.
• Instruct and supervise repairs.
• Deal with any tenants complaints.
• Pay tradesmen.
• Check property every three months.
• Check property at end of tenancy and deduct cost of tenants defects.
• Re-let property to new tenants.

FEES

Let only     8% of the first six months rental plus vat.
Full Management   10% of monthly rental plus vat.
Full management plus
No Arrears Guarantee  12.5% of monthly rental plus vat

Fees are subject to confirmation following our inspection of the property.

NO ARREARS GUARANTEE - Whilst we make every effort to find tenants who will pay the rent regularly and on time and also people who will respect your property, there will inevitably be a few cases where tenants fall into arrears due to illness, redundancy, marital breakdown etc.

Our No Arrears Guarantee provides landlords with security of income. In cases of non-payment this firm will meet any arrears by the end of the month in which the default occurs, up to a maximium of six months, or the end of the tenancy, whichever is the earlier.

This guarantee is subject to your consent that we may (at our discretion) terminate the tenancy early, sue the tenant for debt, (at our discretion) and re-let the property.

FREE RENTAL VALUATIONS - We offer free rental valuations in connection with a proposed letting for existing landlords and new buy-to-let landlords.

NOTE: This guide is intended to provide private landlords and would-be landlords with information about residential letting. It is not an authoritative interpretation of the law and does not cover every case. No responsibility is accepted for errors or omissions.