Absolutely. Your mortgage lender will need to give you permission to let the property, and may have special conditions that you must include in a tenancy agreement before you can get their permission. If you are buying a property, with the intent to let it out, you would be best to apply for a buy-to-let mortgage.

Rent should be a fair and realistic amount based on factors such as the property’s location, condition, and proximity to local transport and amenities. Fleming Lettings can advise you on comparable local properties and the rental yield you can expect. Under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, rent can only be increased once per year and must be in line with the local market rate. Landlords are also prohibited from inviting or accepting offers above the advertised asking rent.

Fleming Lettings offers three separate service levels: Let Only, Rent Collection, and Full Management. Each offers a different degree of involvement from us, and the fees reflect this. The right level of service depends on how much support you need to manage a successful tenancy. Please refer to our Pricing Guide for full details.

Our Full Management service means you can sit back and leave the day-to-day running of your let to us. Every aspect of the tenancy is handled by our experienced agents, creating a professional distance between you and the tenant. This means you avoid dealing directly with issues such as rental arrears, maintenance, and disputes.

Yes. All landlords are liable to pay tax on their rental income, whether they live in the UK or overseas. We recommend speaking with an accountant or tax advisor. Please note that Making Tax Digital for Income Tax applies to landlords with rental income over £50,000 from April 2026, with the threshold lowering to £30,000 from April 2027. You can also visit the HMRC website for further information.

With our Rent Collection and Full Management services, we arrange for the tenant to pay rent by direct debit or standing order. Once funds have cleared into our account, we transfer the money to your nominated bank account, minus any agreed fees, outgoings, and commission. You will receive a monthly statement confirming all deductions, and an annual statement to assist with your HMRC submission.

In most cases the tenant is responsible for utility bills, council tax, and the TV licence. This must be clearly stated in the tenancy agreement. If you supply the property with a television, you would be expected to pay the licence fee. If any bills are included within the rent, this must also be clearly set out in the agreement.

We strongly recommend a detailed inventory and schedule of condition be completed before every tenancy begins. This documents the contents and condition of your property prior to the tenant moving in and includes photographs. In the event of damage, an inventory is essential to support any claim against the deposit. Without one, it can be very difficult to prove the pre-tenancy condition of the property and recover costs for repairs or replacements.

If a tenant damages the property, they may be required to pay for repairs directly, or a deduction can be made from their deposit at the end of the tenancy. You must always allow for fair wear and tear, taking into account the length of the tenancy. Any disputed deductions can be referred to the Tenancy Deposit Scheme for independent resolution.

In most cases the security deposit taken is transferred to you (the Landlord) within 5-working days of full receipt of the cleared funds. For the cases where we are managing the deposit for you, any deposit paid to Fleming Lettings will be registered with the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) within 30 days of receipt. The scheme holds the deposit securely for the duration of the tenancy and helps resolve any disputes about deductions at the end of the tenancy. If you choose to hold the deposit yourself, you are still legally required to register it with a government-approved scheme and provide the tenant with the relevant prescribed information within 30 days.

We always advise landlords to protect themselves against non-payment of rent through their landlord insurance policy. Rent guarantee insurance can provide cover if a tenant defaults. Fleming Lettings can provide a list of landlord insurance providers on request. If arrears do arise, we will work with you to address the situation — significant rent arrears is one of the statutory grounds on which you can seek possession of the property under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

Under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, you can only increase the rent once per year. You must give the tenant at least two months’ written notice using a formal Section 13 notice, and any increase must be in line with the local market rate. Tenants have the right to challenge a proposed increase at the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) if they consider it unfair. Fixed-term tenancies no longer exist, so rent can no longer be increased at the end of a fixed term — all tenancies are now periodic. Fleming Lettings can conduct rent reviews and advise you on appropriate rental levels.

Since 1 May 2026, Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions have been abolished. You can no longer ask a tenant to leave simply because you want the property back. You must now have a valid legal ground for possession under the reformed Section 8 process. Common grounds include significant rent arrears, anti-social behaviour, wishing to sell the property, or needing to move in yourself or a close family member. You must serve the correct written notice citing the relevant ground and, if the tenant does not leave, apply to the court for a possession order. You cannot forcibly remove a tenant without a court order. Please speak to us for further guidance on the specific grounds available.

Yes. Under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, a mandatory Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database is being introduced, requiring all landlords to register their properties. This is expected to be launched in late 2026. Failure to register may result in fines. Fleming Lettings will keep you updated as the rollout progresses and will assist you with registration.

Yes, but you must give the tenant sufficient advance notice before visiting — generally at least 24 hours — and the visit must be at a reasonable time. Your tenant has a legal right to quiet enjoyment of the property and you cannot enter without their permission, except in a genuine emergency.

A routine visit is where the landlord or letting agent, having given the tenant appropriate notice, visits the property to check that it is in good order and to identify any maintenance issues. Fleming Lettings conducts these on behalf of landlords on our Full Management service.

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rates the energy efficiency of your property from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) and is valid for 10 years. It is a legal requirement to have a valid EPC before letting a property. Currently, the minimum rating required is E. However, all privately rented properties will be required to achieve a minimum EPC rating of C by 2030 under the updated Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES). We strongly recommend landlords begin planning for these upgrades now.

There are several steps you can take to improve your EPC rating. More straightforward measures include switching all lightbulbs to energy-saving LEDs, ensuring loft insulation is at least 270mm deep, and filling cavity walls with insulation. More significant improvements include replacing an old inefficient boiler, installing modern heating controls such as room thermostats, or adding solar panels. Grants may be available to help with the cost of some improvements — for example, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme offers up to £7,500 toward the cost of a heat pump.

A Gas Safety Record confirms that all gas appliances, pipes, and flues in your property are in safe working order. The check must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer and renewed every 12 months. You must provide a copy of the current record to your tenant before they move in, and within 28 days of each annual check thereafter. This is a legal requirement.

Yes. It is best practice to have a Portable Appliance Test (PAT) carried out regularly on any electrical appliances included in the let to ensure they are safe for use. While PAT testing is not a strict legal requirement, it demonstrates due diligence and is strongly recommended.

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) assesses the safety of all fixed electrical installations in the property. It is a legal requirement to have a valid EICR before letting a property to a new tenant, and it must be renewed every five years. A copy must be provided to the tenant at the start of the tenancy and to any prospective tenant on request.

Yes. Any furniture supplied with the property must comply with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations and display the required compliance labels in a prominent position. This applies to upholstered items such as sofas, beds, and mattresses. Non-compliant furniture must be removed before the tenancy begins.

Yes. You are legally required to install a working smoke alarm on every floor of the property that is used as living accommodation, and a carbon monoxide alarm in every room containing a fixed combustion appliance (such as a gas boiler or solid fuel burner). Gas cookers are exempt from the carbon monoxide alarm requirement. Alarms must be tested and confirmed as working at the start of every new tenancy.

Under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, tenants now have the right to request permission to keep a pet. You cannot unreasonably refuse such a request. If you do refuse, you must provide a valid reason in writing within a set timeframe. As a condition of granting permission, you may require the tenant to take out pet damage insurance to cover any potential damage caused by the animal.

The Right to Rent scheme requires landlords and letting agents to check that all adult occupiers have the legal right to reside in the UK before granting a tenancy. Fleming Lettings carries out these checks as part of our tenant referencing process. If you opt to carry out checks yourself, you are responsible for obtaining and retaining acceptable evidence of the tenant’s right to rent. Failure to carry out correct checks can result in a significant financial penalty.

Under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, a new mandatory Private Rented Sector (PRS) Ombudsman is being established, expected to launch in late 2026. All private landlords will be required to join the scheme. The Ombudsman will provide a free, independent service to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants, and will have the power to award compensation to tenants where appropriate. Fleming Lettings is also an approved member of The Property Ombudsman scheme.

The Client Money Protection (CMP) scheme provides compensation for landlords, tenants, and other clients if a letting agent misappropriates or misuses their rent, deposit, or other client funds. It is a legal requirement for all letting agents to be members of a government-approved CMP scheme. Fleming Lettings holds full Client Money Protection — details are available on our website.