Short Term Landlords

By visiting your property we can provide a realistic no-obligation rental valuation. Our valuations are based on our local knowledge and take into account current market conditions.

During our visit we can also provide advice on preparing your property for the rental market including the necessary safety requirements.

Your property will be promoted on our modern, user-friendly, informative website. The website enables clients to make an enquiry 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Our website is an invaluable tool when trying to sell your property to prospective clients. The internet is the biggest source of enquiries for all types of letting so we have invested in maintaining a good web presence and search engine optimisation.

We have agreements with a number of partner websites where we market your property alongside our own website. Depending on the availability of your property these include Citylets, Gumtree, Lettingweb & Zoopla.

Our personal approach means we get a great deal of repeat business and referrals. Our client database is constantly growing and we are always pro-actively marketing our services to new organisations and businesses.

Most short term guests do not view properties before they book. Any viewings that do take place are accompanied by an At Home In Edinburgh representative and are at the convenience of any resident guests.

Demand for quality is getting greater all the time and competition is fierce, especially during the festival period. Guests expect to move into a property and live as they would at home, so expect WIFI to be provided.

To achieve the best possible rental price presentation is everything. Most short term guests do not view properties before they book, so presentation through photographs is very important.

Our photographer will help you dress the property for photographs. We ask that you prepare for the visit by having your property looking its best – clean & tidy with no clutter, beds made and lights turned on. Plants or flowers can enhance the images. We can provide a list of recommended items to be left in a property.

There are many reasons why people find themselves needing short term accommodation:

• extended holidays
• visiting friends & family
• temporary relocation to Edinburgh e.g. to attend a course or work placement
• renovation works are being carried out on their own home

We have a network of relocation agents and insurance companies that use our services to re-house people for short term periods.

Our aim is to find the right guests who will look after your property. We obtain as much information as possible about guests and only agree to a let when we are comfortable with the match. Your property is our priority.

We take a deposit at the point of booking and retain it for the duration of the let. The deposit is there to protect your investment. The amount will depend on the length of the guests stay and the size of your property. We always make the deposit amount clear to you for each booking.

Rents are paid to you at the start of each month in arrears for any rental income earned in the previous month. You will also receive a detailed electronic statement.

Rents are paid by BACS straight into your account unless otherwise agreed.

We take pride in the standard of our properties and this is vital to maintaining our reputation and securing returning guests. Our properties are professionally cleaned between bookings and left in immaculate condition for new guests. If guests arrive to a clean and well presented property, they are more likely to take care of it and leave it in the condition they found it.

Our team of regular cleaners undertake changeovers (cleaning and linen change) unless otherwise instructed by landlords. Any costs incurred will be deducted from your rental income.

We aim to address maintenance issues as soon as they arise to ensure your property is maintained to the best possible standard.

Our team of trusted, competitively priced tradesmen & cleaning professionals have worked with us for many years

Guests are provided with a 24/7 emergency contact number in case any issues arise during their stay.

An owner is responsible for ensuring that their property and its contents are covered by adequate insurance including any extra cover required to cover booking cancellations. Guests are advised to have their own belongings insured separately.

Please contact us for more information about landlord insurance.

We can advise you on the various statutory requirements you must comply with as a landlord. Below is a summary of the current regulations:

Gas Safety Certificate (valid for 12 months)

If your property has any gas appliances a landlord Gas Safety Certificate is legally required to prove that they are in safe condition. The annual check typically costs around £66 Incl. VAT.

Portable Appliance Test (valid for 12 months)

A PAT checks all the landlords portable electrical appliances in the property are safe to use (not required for tenants appliances). It typically costs £50 Incl. VAT.

Electrical Installation Condition Report (valid for 5 years)

A registered electrician needs to carry out an inspection of the:

• Installations for the supply of electricity
• Electrical fittings including the consumer unit (or fusebox), switches, sockets, light fittings, etc.
• Fixed electrical equipment including heating equipment, boilers, smoke alarms etc.

Anything that fails to pass the electrical safety inspection must be replaced or repaired immediately.

An EICR needs to be carried out every 5 years and the cost of the report is around £150 Incl. VAT.

Legionella Risk Assessment (needs to reviewed regularly)

Health and safety regulation requires that landlords carry out risk assessments for the Legionella bacteria which cause Legionnaires disease and thereafter maintain control measures to minimise the risk. Typically the cost is around £66 Incl. VAT.

Smoke detectors and fire blankets

Guidance states that there should be at least:

• One functioning smoke alarm in the principle room which is frequently used by the occupants for general daytime living purposes
• One functioning smoke alarm in every circulation space, such as hallways and landings
• One heat alarm in every kitchen
• All alarms need to be mains powered
• All alarms should be interlinked

The number and position of the alarms will depend on the size and layout of your property. There should be at least one alarm on each floor. We can arrange quotes for any work needed.

We recommend that a fire blanket is also left in the property.

CO detectors

Landlords must provide a long-life battery or mains powered detector in any space that contains a carbon-based fuel appliance (excluding cooking appliances) e.g.

• Gas/oil boiler
• Gas/oil fire
• Wood burning stove or open coal fire

There should also be one in any bedroom or living room which is bypassed by a flue.

Non-resident landlords

If you live outside the UK for more than 6 months of the year then it is in your interest to register as a non-resident landlord with HMRC by completing a NRL1 form. If you do not register we are obliged to deduct 20% tax from your rent and pass this onto HMRC. This will usually be considerably more than you would otherwise need to pay.

You can find the appropriate form at www.hmrc.gov.uk/cnr/nr_landlords.htm. Our agency reference is 904/NA 052582.