Rent paid. Property occupied. But are you actually covered?
Everything may look fine on the surface, but is your tenancy legally protected? In this week's article, Katie explains why a problem-free tenancy can still hide costly compliance gaps, and why staying on top of the legal details is just as important as collecting the rent.
Everything Looks Fine on the Surface. But Are You Legally Protected?
Tom's property was the picture of a smooth let.
Good tenant. Rent in every month. No complaints. No maintenance nightmares.
Tom barely gave it a second thought. Which was, quietly, the problem.
When his tenant gave notice after eighteen months and Tom started thinking about re-letting, a conversation with a colleague made him stop.
Had he served the How to Rent guide at the start of the tenancy? He thought he had. He was not sure it was the current version.
Was his deposit prescribed information correctly served? He had the protection certificate. He was less confident about the full paperwork.
Had he done an electrical inspection? The gas certificate was fine. He had not realised the EICR was a separate legal requirement.
He had been so focused on the fact that everything was running smoothly that he had not checked whether the legal foundations underneath it were solid.
The difference between fortunate and protected
A tenancy that runs without incident can hide compliance gaps for its entire duration.
Those gaps only become visible when you need to rely on your legal position. Serving a valid possession notice. Defending a claim. Making a deduction from the deposit.
At that point, what you did or did not do eighteen months earlier becomes critically important.
Tom was lucky. His tenant left voluntarily. He never had to test his legal position.
A lot of landlords are not that lucky.
How we protect our landlords at Harrisons
When we manage a property from the start, every document is served correctly and on time. Every certificate is current. Everything is logged and stored properly.
We maintain a full compliance record for every property we manage. When a landlord ever needs to take action, we can confirm the legal foundation is solid before they move.
That confidence is genuinely worth a lot.
Your action point this week
Go through the compliance records for every property you currently manage.
Could you serve a valid Section 21 notice tomorrow if you needed to? Could you evidence every pre-condition has been met?
If any of that feels uncertain, now is the time to address it. Not when you actually need it.
Legislation keeps moving and it is genuinely hard to stay on top of it alongside everything else. If you want a free compliance check across your properties, get in touch. It costs you nothing and it could save you a lot. Call 01204 659670, email katie@harrisonsnet.co.uk or visit harrisonsnet.co.uk.
Here's to your property success!
Katie
Harrisons Estate Agents
01204 659670 | katie@harrisonsnet.co.uk | harrisonsnet.co.uk