Why Let Your Property Privately?
  • It saves you money. No letting agency fees.
  • You take control of letting your property.
  • It gives you the chance to write your own description and select your own photographs.
  • You can reach potential customers nationwide through our website.
  • Our step by step guide and information will make it easy for you to let your property.
  • Our distinctive To Let Sign Board will attract potential buyers.
  • Our website information is updated on a daily basis.
What Does Our Free Package Include?
  • Advertising your property for twelve months.
  • Our attractive full page advert will help promote your property.
  • Select up to 10 photographs to be displayed.
  • Change your details or photographs at any time within the twelve month period.
  • A Letting Board with your own personal reference number. This is known to account for over 70% of all local home lettings.
  • We will guide you through every aspect of letting your property in a clear and precise manner.


How Do I Let My Property Privately?


Step 1 - Make sure your property is in good order.
  • It is advisable to re-decorate the property before you decide to rent.
  • Check any gas appliances such as boilers, cookers and fires. They should be tested by a corgi registered gas engineer once a year or every time a new tenant moves into the property.
  • You will be required to obtain an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for potential tenants to view after the 1st October 2008. For additional information see our HIPS page.
  • Complying with the Fire Safety Regulations by providing fire exits, smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. Depending on the type of property that you are letting check with local council.
  • Furniture must comply with the 1988 Fire Safety Regulations.
  • If the building was built after 1992 it must have smoke alarms on every floor.
Step 2 - Insurance

You may want to consider taking out insurance, although by law landlords to not have to, but it maybe advisable. If the property is still under mortgage the lender will usually insist that the building be insured. Every landlords policy should include Property Owners Liability cover and if the property is being let with furniture you may want to have a contents insurance added as well. There are many insurance policies available for landlords and they are competitive with normal household insurance policies, consult a good insurance broker.

Step 3 - Setting the Rent and Deciding on a Tenant
  • You will now need to build an overall picture. The type of property and its location will decide the amount of rent you charge. Examples can be found in local newspapers or letting agents windows. Does the rent include or exclude council tax, water, gas or electric bills?
  • You may then decide on the type of tenant you require, do you have any restrictions i.e. no DSS, no pets or smokers. What are the local amenities such as schools, shops and bus routes. You should include all this when compiling your advertisement.
Step 4 - Preparing your Property
  • This will require you to write a description of your property. You need to describe each room. Perhaps the room for example has a fireplace, fitted kitchen or a recently fitted bathroom. Is the property furnished or unfurnished? Does it have off road parking?
  • You can if you wish take photographs of your property. You can select up to 10 photographs. Choose the rooms you wish to photograph showing them at their best. You can include photographs of outside gardens, even sea or country views. Remember to build an overall photographic picture of your property.
  • Make sure the information you provide is completely accurate and not misleading. It is your responsibility to ensure the accuracy of the information you submit.
  • Simply follow our guide, we will explain how to send the information you have provided and how to download the photographs. Once the information appears on our website you should then be ready to arrange viewings.
  • Our letting board will be dispatched to you within 5 working days. Once you have received your letting board it can be erected, it carries a reference number which is linked to your property description.
Step 5 - Arranging a Viewing
  • The viewer will contact you directly, either by telephone or e-mail. They may require more information about the property or want to arrange a viewing.
Step 6 - Legal
  • After viewing the property the potential tenant may decide to offer a holding deposit. At this early stage this should not be taken as a commitment to rent the property, as it is refundable should they not wish to proceed. You should then ask them for references from their employers, their bank or previous landlords. They should also provide identification such as a passport, birth certificate or a driving licence. After satisfactory references have been obtained they should then sign the tenancy agreement. It is always worth running a tenancy agreement past a solicitor. The law relating to tenancy agreements in the UK is very complex. For that reason it is worth involving your solicitor at most stages of a letting. Even if you draw up your own tenancy agreement it is worth running them by a solicitor.
A good tenancy agreement should include:-
  • The landlord and tenants name and address of the property being let.
  • The date tenancy begins and the duration.
  • The amount of rent payable and how often should it be paid.
  • Landlords responsibilities to the tenant, such as keeping the premises in good working order.
  • Length of notice the landlord needs to give the tenant.

At this stage it is worth drawing up an inventory with the tenant detailing all the fixtures and fittings. Once agreed and signed by both parties a copy should be given to the tenant. This list is checked when the tenant leaves and any items missing or broken maybe taken out of their deposit.

You may ask the tenant for a deposit, usually 4 to 6 weeks rent plus a months rent in advance. This should be offset against the holding deposit.



How Do I Send This Information?
  • Just complete our property form with all the relevant details and click to send.
  • Please e-mail your photographs separately to us at property@yourpropertykey.co.uk.
  • On receipt we will review the property details and upload them to our website.
  • Once the information is uploaded we will be happy to change any details or photographs within the 12 month period.
  • If you have specified a Letting Board this will be despatched to you within 5 working days. Please be aware that fixings and a (2”x 2”) post are not provided, but can be obtained from a DIY store or Timber Merchant.
  • Should you wish to send us your details by post please print off our property form and send, together with your photographs, our address can be found on our contact page.