Tuesday, 13 September 2022
Being a landlord comes with many benefits. You’re able to work for yourself, learn more about the property industry and build lasting relationships with tradespeople and others in the field.
But you need to be aware of the safety measures you need to put in place to enhance and maintain the security of your properties.
There are certain responsibilities and government enforced laws you must abide by to ensure you’re creating a safe environment for all tenants.
Keep reading for more information on the security steps you need to take as a landlord before you begin renting out property.
Responsibilities of a landlord
Before you start renting out your property to tenants, you must be aware of the laws in place that identify steps you need to take to guarantee a secure home.
As a landlord, you must:
- Provide an Energy Performance Certificate for the property
- Check all gas and electrical equipment is safely installed and maintained at all times
- Keep the property free from health hazards including fire hazards and carbon monoxide poisoning
- If in England, check your tenants have the right to rent a property
- Make sure your tenant has a copy of the ‘How to rent’ checklist
- Protect your tenant’s deposit in a scheme approved by the government
But it doesn’t end here.
To meet fire safety regulations, smoke alarms and carbon monoxide must be fitted and tested. Please be aware that there are regulations in place specific to houses, purpose-built flats and houses converted into flats. You must meet these standards in order to rent to tenants.
Regular inspections to be aware of
Health and safety inspections are regularly conducted to ensure a safe standard of living for the tenant.
Your property will be tested against the HHSRS (Housing health and safety rating system) and look for possible hazards.
Inspections are completed either because a tenant has requested one or if the local council is doing a survey of local properties and think your rental could be hazardous.
Are your door locks sufficient?
It is the landlord’s responsibility to ensure that every door, window, garage and shed are functional (can be open and closed properly), and has a sufficient lock installed.
If you find the locks in your property are becoming rusty or break regularly, investing in new door locks guarantees safety in and around the house.
Although it’s not a legal obligation for you to change door locks between tenants, it’s advised.
Old tenants may have made copies of keys so they could still gain access to the property and unlock all internal doors.
Swapping out the door locks is a quick, easy and affordable way of increasing security in your rental properties.
How to keep your rental property secure
After putting so much time, effort and money into your property/ies, it’s only natural you’ll want to do what you can to protect it.
According to the police, external timber doors should be secured with a five-lever mortise lock, whereas a three-point locking system will ensure maximum security for uPVC doors.
It’s important to note that many law firms are now encouraging victims of burglaries in rental properties to sue their landlords on the grounds of insufficient security measures. This can knock you and your reputation back considerably, and even lead to a reduction in your portfolio due to insufficient funds.
With these risks in place, we advise you do what you can to not only prevent burglaries and protect your tenants but also to protect you and your savings.
Landlord tip: Be aware that adding locks to internal bedroom doors can lead to properties being classified as a house in multiple occupation (HMO), which you could need a licence for.
How do security measures on a rental property help the landlord?
Installing quality safety measures in your rental properties doesn’t only protect the tenants from potential burglaries but also reduces the likelihood of costly repairs for the landlord (you).
Although we advise you to insure any belongings that will be left in the rental property, such as electrical kitchen appliances, you will be responsible for repairing any damages caused by a burglary.
However, if you have adequate door locks in place and the tenant leaves them unlocked when they’re out of the house, they will be charged for any repairs. This is because you have done what you can to keep the tenants safe, but their actions have led to a much easier break-in.
Financial responsibilities of a landlord
Renting properties comes with new tax and insurance payments you need to make to make sure you’re covered.
You will be required to pay income tax on your rental income – not including your day-to-day running expenses.
If renting out properties counts as running a business for you, you will also be required to pay class 2 National Insurance.
If you still have a mortgage on the property you wish to rent out, you must contact your mortgage lender to comply with the signed contract – terms and conditions usually state you must tell your lender if you move out or let the property.
You must also check if you need to tell HMRC if you just occasionally rent out your property on a short-term basis – this could affect the tax you pay.
Protect your property, tenants, and yourself with LockShop Direct
Here at LockShop Direct, we stock a wide variety of door locks suitable for each and every door type - inside and out.
Our team are highly knowledgeable and always happy to pass on what they’ve learnt over their years with us. If you need some advice on which is the best door lock for you, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today.
You can call us on 0330 174 0851 to chat through your options with an expert, or send your enquiries over to info@lockshopdirect.co.uk and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
Author: Innocent Olwo
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