Landlord’s Guide

Letting your property through Winston Crowns is the smoothest process you will experience. Our Premium Management and letting property team will handle all the property matters with care and attention with outstanding results achieved. If you are private or institutional landlord only the highest calible tenant will ever be introduced.

The Letting Process starts with landlords registration

1. We would conduct free marketing appraisal of your property
2. We would than advise landlord if necessary, how best to prepare the property
3. Landlord will have option to choose our Premium Management or letting service only (details are given below)
4. Premium Management will give landlord peace of mind, the property will be uploaded to our Premium Global Marketing portals and will be listed under Premium/Signature Properties.
5. Lettings Service will benefit of complementary services, professional photographs, brochures, property particular, virtual tours, marketing via Zoopla, Prime Location and Find Property. National/local/international newspaper and magazines only upon request.

Winston Crowns – Securing the best tenant at the best price

Winston Crowns will arrange everything from the beginning from marketing your property and sourcing reliable tenants, to drafting the agreements, managing the property, collecting rents.

We will give you a realistic valuation of your property to rent your property quickly.

Presenting your Property: We advise on how to present your property to the applicant. We will provide any advice if necessary on how to present your property whether it is your own home or a rental investment, the very first thing that attracts an individual is how you present your property.

Arrangements to Make:  

1. The date you want your property to be let and to allow flexibility in moving date as London Letting Market moves in at an incredible pace.
2. Calculating the costs related to the tenancy i.e. the Safety Certificates Regulations, Inventories, Professional Cleaning Fees, Agency Fees.
3. Signing of the Documents- We will ensure that all the legal documents are in place correctly and are signed by the legal owner before the tenant has actually moved in the property
4. Registering the Deposits it is a legal obligation to register the deposit with the government backed scheme. We are the members of DPS and will ensure that this is done correctly.

Our Landlord Services include:

 Standard Letting, Rent Receipt and Renewal Service @ 10%

In providing the above, Winston Crowns will:

• Inspect the Property, advise on current market conditions and rent achievable.
• Arrange for Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) to be obtained at your expense prior  to marketing the Property if you don’t have already one.
• Undertake comprehensive marketing campaign of your Property and advertise it on Winston Crowns website and other property websites which we are members of.
• Accompany prospective tenants to view the Property where appropriate.
•  Negotiate offers received for the Property and submit any offers received to you and then conclude the Terms to be granted in the Tenancy Agreement.
• Take up references through a reference agency for your approval, where appropriate.
• Prepare and submit a draft Tenancy Agreement to you and the prospective tenant.
• Ensure that an appropriate Tenancy Agreement is signed by you and the tenant in order to complete the letting.
• Arrange at your expense for inventory to be prepared at the commencement and termination of the tenancy by independent Inventory Clerk.
• Arrange at your expense for the Property to be professionally cleaned prior to the commencement of the Tenancy, such costs to be made by Landlord even if the Tenancy does not go ahead.
• Collect and hold deposit as stakeholder in a general client deposit account.
• Collect initial payment of rent/rents and deposit prior to the commencement of the tenancy.
• Endeavour to set up a standing order mandate for rental payments, where appropriate.
• Register the deposit with the Deposit Protection Scheme where appropriate.
• Where provided with necessary information, such as name of suppliers and utility account numbers, Winston Crowns will notify existing service provider and the local authority of the tenant’s liability (if appropriate) for payment of the services and council tax during tenancy.
• The utility companies and the local authority should sent relevant forms to the new occupier(s) to be completed and signed and it remains tenant responsibility to ensure that the new account is opened in tenants name, Winston Crowns cannot be held liable if services are disconnected or are not transferred by the utility companies.
• Arrange at your expense for the Property to be professionally cleaned prior to the commencement of the tenancy.
• Inform tenant before of after the letting is concluded, advising the tenant of contact details including those of the person managing the property, if not Winston Crowns.
• Arrange for the first instalment of rent to be paid in advance and to account to the Landlord as soon as the funds have been cleared by our bank.
• Prepare statements on receipt of the rent and pay the net amount to the Landlord, where appropriate.
• Send our reminder letter if rents are not received.
• Contact you and tenant prior to the end of the Tenancy to check if both parties would like to renew.
• Advise on current market condition and rent levels achievable.
• Re-appraise the Property where appropriate.
• Negotiate the renewal terms between both parties on your behalf.
• Take up further references through a referencing agency, if necessary.
• Prepare and submit a renewal Tenancy Agreement to you and the tenant.
• Endeavour to obtain a signed renewal agreement for you and the tenant to complete renewal.
• Endeavour to set up a revised standing order mandate for rental payments, if necessary.

Management Service @ 15%

• Management Service includes all the provisions of terms of Standard Letting Service, Rent Receipt and Renewal Service in addition to those set out below.
• Pay current ongoings such as ground rent and service charge and supplier invoice when demands are sent to us providing we are holding sufficient funds from you to cover them. Winston Crowns is entitled to accept and pay without questions demands and accounts which appear to be in order.
•  Deal with day-to-day management matters including repairs, refurbishment and emergencies. In the event or emergency, during, after or office hours, Winston Crowns reserves right to instruct works to be carried out in order to minimise any possible delay or damage to the property.
• Arrange at your expense for Electrical Safety Test (PAT and NICEIC) of all appliances, plugs, sockets and wiring, and in the event that works are required to be undertaken prior to the letting, to liaise with you about instructing electrician to carry these out.
• Arrange for annual and renewal Gas Safety Report to be made by Gas Safe registered engineer, at your expense and provide a copy to you and tenant. In the event that works are required to be undertaken prior to the letting, to liaise with you about instructing an engineer to carry these out.
• At the end of the tenancy, we will contact the service companies and request transfer of responsibility for the service accounts. We will pay the bills received from monies held on the landlord’s behalf until the property in re-let. Winston Crowns cannot be held liable should the service companies cut off the services for whatever reason.
•  Visit the property once during the tenancy, or if specifically requested on a more frequent basis, on payment of £100 including VAT plus travelling expense per additional visit, to check that the property is being kept in good order and no damage had been sustained. Any such visit can extend only to apparent and obvious disrepair and will not amount in any way to a structural survey. Winston Crowns cannot be held liable either for latent defects and failure to notice anything concealed from our representatives.
• Advice you on damages and compensation which may be due from the tenant at the end of the tenancy according to he Inventory Check-Out report and subject to having sufficient funds, organise for repairs or replacement.
• Our management service applies while the property is let and occupied.
•  The minimum period for our management service is six months.
• The management agreement can be terminated after the minimum period by either party giving one month’s notice to the other, such notice not to expire before the end of the first six months. On the expiry of such notice, we will revert to the Standard Letting Service and commission fees payable will revert to those payable for the Standard Letting Service or those payable during the Renewal period, as appropriate.

 Management Service Only @ 5%

• In the event that you transfer an existing tenancy to us, which had been arranged or managed by another firm, Winston Crowns will charge and initial appraisal fee of £100 inclusive of VAT and thereafter charge a management commission fee of 5% inclusive of VAT
• The minimum period for our management service only is six months.
•  The management service only can be terminated after the minimum period by either party giving one month notice to the other.

 Vacant Property Management Service @ 8% 

• Winston Crowns can manage your property before it is let, or for any vacant period between tenancies. A fee of 8% including VAT of the total cost of any work instructed will be additionally charged. Winston Crowns must be in receipt of funds in order to pay contractors employed on behalf of the landlord.
• Vacant Property Management Service covers a regular monthly visit to the property to ensure that everything appears in good order; liaising with insurance companies, if appropriate; liaising with utility companies regarding payment of accounts; any cleaning as required; organising contractors and resetting burglar alarm.
• Vacant Property Management can only be undertaken when Winston Crowns is in funds for both commission and working fund.
• During void periods we cannot be held liable for any loss and/or damage arising from fire, flood or theft. If the landlord requires supplies to be turned off or disconnected during this period, Winston Crowns must receive instruction in writing and arrange for the required contractor to attend at the landlord expense.

Premium Property Management @ 17%

• The Premium Property Management includes all the provisions of the The Standard Letting, Rent Receipt, Renewal and Management Service in addition those set out below.
• Winston Crowns will recommend competitive insurance covers for your property, if required.
• Winston Crowns will notify you when we believe that damage to your property has resulted from an insured risk and we will provide you with information that you need to in order to make a claim. We will also obtain estimates for repairing the damage which can be supplied to the insurers and arrange for the repairers to be carried out upon your instruction.
• Winston Crowns will liaise where necessary with the landlord’s accountant, solicitor, superior landlord, mortgages and trust.
• Winston Crowns will arrange our bespoke interior design, refurbishment, furnishing, gardening, surveyor and project manger quotation and submit them to you for approval where appropriate. For the management for any of the services an administration fee of 15% including VAT the total cost charged for the services subsequently instructed.
• Should quotation be obtained by Winston Crowns but no work instructed by us by you, then Winston Crowns will charge £500 inclusive of VAT.
• Winston Crowns will undertake a visual check of the property and if a newly built property, liaise with your surveyor responsible for snagging, referring back to the developer as appropriate.
• Upon receipt of notification from you, following completion of your property, we will collect keys and passes form the developer or sale agent and arrange for duplicate, as required.
• Winston Crowns will instruct approved contractor with whom we have service agreement or our internal contractors. Our service agreement provides quality, safety and a benefit of loyalty discount to our client on majority of works we arrange subject to any defective workmanship or problems associated with third party contractors instructed to do work on you behalf previously prior instructing Winton Crowns and any failure by you to comply with relevant legislation, safety and other regulations.
• We will arrange for meters for the supply of gas, electricity and water to be read and advise the utility companies of your purchase.
• Winston Crowns will incorporate following services and cost into the commission fees, which will be paid for the entire duration of the tenants occupation: EPC, floor plan, professional photographs, brochure, marketing material and tenancy administration fee. The minimum term of the tenancy is 12 months.

Short Let @ 20%

• Unless otherwise agreed in writing, its landlord’s responsibility to pay for all utility bills including gas, electricity, water and council tax. It is tenant’s responsibility to pay for any communication services.