As I’m off to the USofA, I’ve decided to rent out my house.

As I’ve only just bought the house this year I’m quite keen that it stays in a reasonable condition when I return. Plus I want to minimise the possibilities of any maintenance issues while I’m away.

So what tips do you have for tenant-proofing my home?

Put solid hardwood floors EVERYWHERE. I know just the man…

First thing would be service the gas fires or boiler and do a condition report with photos or video of the place before you leave .I assume you agree on the condition with the tenant and I think you need to lodge the deposit somewhere? Others with more knowledge will be along soon with more advice hopefully!!

insurance, big deposit and pick the tenants well.

We rent out a flat – on the cheap side for it so lots of people want it when the lease comes up and we can pick and chose.

Insulate everything.

Make sure there are air bricks in places that can’t ‘accidentaly’ be covered up. (this bits a sersious bit of advice).

Write instructions for everything, right down as far as how to turn off a stop tap (lefty loosey, righty tighty). My parents house was flooded by some muppet opening the valve that connects the mains water supply to the central heating system. Then denying all knowlage and f***ing off demanding money for a B&B in the meantime. cost about £7k in the end as the insurance wiggled out of it.

Less serious bits of advice.

White carpets to every room, they’re horendously impractical and cant be kept clean so you can bill them for replacements when he moves out even if they are a nun who only walked arround the hosue in merinio socks and never touched red wine.

Instruct the worst letting agent you can find to make their life miserable

Whether the rent has been paid or not, send out random letters demaning moeny and thertening legal action, when they complain, just say it’s standard procedure for ‘the company’.

Be very unclear about who actualy owns the property, only refer to it as’the compnay’.

Make sue you walk arround the house regularly to ‘inspect’ it. If you can’t make it, any nosey friend will do. Just make sure they definately check the bedroom imediatley after the tennant gets out the shower, and don’t knock.

Can you tell I don’t like landlords?

Get the electrics checked out and RCDs fitted so they’ll struggle to burn the place down. Easiest thing to do is not let to students or DSS.

Make sure yo have all the legal stuff right as well. Protected deposit, gas safety check, elec certificates and so on. get real professional advice on this

Actualy I’d say think about students.

They generaly pay more rent that normal people as they split it more ways. and More rent means your 1.5months deposit is quite a bit bigger as well.

They will always have money (3x a year they get their loan, you can always offer a slight discount if they pay the rent upfront on the date of the loan). And if they dont, just get their perents to sign as gaurentees.

Register with the university and they’ll often have schemes in place to sort out contracts etc and withold degrees if they dont pay rent etc.

They’re only there 30 weeks of the year.

As long as the house is habitable (4 walls, roof, insulation, heating that works and hot water etc), things like carpet stains or dodgy wall paper are acceptable, so less redecorating to do between tennants.

Good houes will have lots of competition between students to get them, so you’ll have next years trennants sorted 8+months in advance, usualy by the end of November the good houses are all gone. The downside is, get the price wrong and it coudl be empty for a whoel year. And you can pick the group you like most. Top Tip, girls are far messier than boys, our neighbours used to come round to use our shower as they hadn’t cleaned theirs in over a year!

no pets. no smokers. no stereos/musical instruments.
no pets. especially dogs.

put all your stuff in storage & let it as unfurnished. That way, if they do trash the furniture, it’s their stuff they’re trashing

vet vet vet the tenants

can you tell I don’t like tenants?

Until I’d bought the house I’d actually been a tenant for 3 years, in 3 different houses, through 3 different letting agents. I hate letting agents!

I live in a nice part of Aberdeenshire, so no chance of students or DSS tenants.

Carpets are off-white, but I’m reasonably relaxed about the idea of buying replacement carpets.

All the walls are plain white, so hoping it’ll be easy enough to touch up between tenants.

I worry about the boiler. It’s a Potterton and hasn’t been the best so far – I already had to replace the PCB (a common fault).

Not sure what to do about the bathrooms. Main concern is damp, mould etc.

What is my responsibility for kitchen appliances I’ll leave behind (built in fridge freezer and dishwasher)? The dishwasher is a bit erratic – do I replace/fix it now or just leave it until it breaks down?

Everything electrical has to be PAT trested and if its listed inthe inventory it has to remain working while the tennant lives there as its part of the tennancy agreement.

One way arround this is to say “its old, it might break down, its just there if you want it/because you asked for it”. Still needs to be safety checked, but it doesnt matter if it stops working, but theres no onous ont he tennant to get it fixed either so you still end up with a buggerd appliance at the end.

We had that clause in our agreement for some of the white goods left behind by the previous tennant.

Stuff does not need PAT testing, that’s for places of work. If it’s dodgy, don’t leave it in the house.

Don’t give tenants an excuse to drill walls etc so make sure all possible curtain rods and rails are in place, and plenty of hooks where needed.

Write it into the contract that they are not to redecorate or you might come back to a purple kitchen.

The only mandatory legal stuff is a gas safety cert and notifying(and if necessary getting their permission) your mortgage lender. I’d be getting the elecs looked at and some landlord insurance as well. Get to know a good local maintenance guy and sign up to a central heating contract as they are good value. Understand the assured shorthold tenancy and make sure your tenant does too. Get a address and landline phone number workplace and of a relative of the tenant so you can get to them when they do a runner, and check everything they tell you, no matter how plausible.

Laminate floors everywhere, easily replaced,and cleaned,

RCD electrics,

Gas safety certificate, on display and up to date,

Handrail on stairs,

Spare keys with the letting agents,

Cancel phone, and tv licence, as you will be liable for payments, also tell the water board if a meter has been fitted,

Ensure all doors shut well and quietly, especially front and rear door and back gate,as they usually get forced shut if tight,causing more damage,costs,

Mains wired smoke alarms,

Insist on NO SMOKING INSIDE,

No pets,

No MOUNTAIN BIKERS OR ROADIES, (only joking)

Make sure all stop taps are well marked along with direction to turn taps off same with electric, disconnect outside tap , due to freezing, neighbour didnt running for 2 days continuously,

Get decent insurance etc,

live in a nice part of Aberdeenshire

You need to register as a landlord too.

https://www.landlordregistrationscotland.gov.uk/Pages/Process.aspx?Command=ShowHomePage

What is my responsibility for kitchen appliances I’ll leave behind (built in fridge freezer and dishwasher)? The dishwasher is a bit erratic – do I replace/fix it now or just leave it until it breaks down?

If your going to America, you are going to need someone to look after it for you. Be aware that factors will take an admin fee everytime something needs doing / changing. I’d be putting stuff right on my terms before leaving TBH. It’s hard to argue the toss with a letting agent from t’other side of the pond.

I rent my place – be picky about tenants, remove any furniture you care about, register as landlord, service the heating before you leave.

I use an agency. Bit of a rip-off but they seem less incompetent than others I have dealt with, and if anything does go wrong should save hassle.

You will need to look at your insurance too, you have to maintain the buildings insurance and inform your mortgage company. Plus take out more insurance for your own stuff with you or in storage. I have insurance coming out of my ears.

If you are on good terms with neighbours try and keep them sweet and give them your contact details in case there are any issues.

I have been very very very lucky with excellent tenants (reluctantly tempting fate) did I say be picky about the tenants ? I offer below market rent to keep mine it’s worth it.

If you chose to use an agent look at the deal they offer as if you were an incoming tenant. Its in your best interest that you get a reliable tenant who is so happy there that they never decide to move out until you give plenty of notice of your return. Some agents make their money on change – its in their interest that tenants are so annoyed and harassed that before they’ve even unpacked they’ve got half an eye on moving out again (ahem, countrywide). Thats fine for the agent as they get a big wedge of arrangement fees that they’ll heap on the next hapless tenant, but less good for you if you’re left rentless for 1 -2 months in every 6 as the property goes back on the market again.

If you are planning to be away for a fair old time its prob best to leave the property as unfurnished as you can. Someone who has to bring/buy their own sofa/fridge/dining table is a) going to feel less like they are living in someone else home and therefore more settled b) not likely to up sticks and leave again in 6 months. And be reasonable as to your expectations of wear and tear, people will be living in your house, not looking at it. Its not going to be in a state of suspended animation.

As a tenant, hell is other people’s stuff. Leave the house as empty as you possibly can, cupboards empty, shed empty, loft empty. Nobody want to look at, or feel responsible for your things.

Unless you really need the money I wouldn’t rent it out – I’ve worked overseas before and it’s great to come home to your house in the same state you left it in. Why let tenants wreck your house and alienate the neighbours.

Make sure you get a proper tenancy agreement drawn up and include grounds 1 and probably 2 in it.

And if you know nothing about renting out properties its probably best if you seek the advice of a housing solicitor, and not the collective musings of some cyclists. Of course this may cost you money, but it could save you a serious headache(and lots of money) if and when you return.
I won’t recommend any websites but there are plenty about where you can at least get a feel for what you might want to look out for