Our Letting Service includes...
1. Initial inspection and assessment of property.
2. Advertising of property.
3. Showing of property to prospective tenants.
4. Interviewing of prospective tenants including the obtaining
of references.
5. Compilation of inventory lists (if requested)
6. Preparation and signing of tenancy agreements
7. Collection of security deposit and rent-in-advance from
tenant and issuing of keys.
8. Transferring of utility accounts where permitted by individual
utility company policies.
Fee for all of the above = 6% of the gross lease term rent
N.B. Minimum charge = 2 weeks rent
Lease Renewal = 3% of the gross lease term rental income
________________________________________________________________________
KINSELLA PROPERTY MANAGEMENT LTD.- OFFICIAL COMPANY POLICY
DOCUMENT
The following information constitutes the official company
policy of Kinsella Property Management Ltd. regarding all
lettings conducted through our agency, effective from January
1st 2006. Please note that K.P.M. Ltd. reserves the right
to modify this policy document in the future if and when deemed
necessary, such modifications to become effective immediately
upon publication of such modifications on this website.
_________________________________________________________________________
Initial inspection and assessment of property:
We will meet the landlord at the property to first carry
out a brief inspection and then to discuss in more detail
issues such as the potential rental income, the type of tenant
that might be suitable, the best methods of transferring utilities
such as ESB, telephone, gas etc., deposit payments & any
extra "once-off" payments due from the tenant such
as for oil, refuse etc., the frequency and desired method
of rent payments, and so on.
Various factors will be taken into account when advising
a client of how they should proceed with the letting of their
property. The location, condition and size of the property,
standard of contents & fittings provided and current market
rental values are all factors that will be considered. This
service is provided free and without obligation.
We recommend the following tips to increase the desirability
of your property to prospective tenants:
OUTSIDE:
Cut the lawn, cut back any shrubs and sweep paths &
driveways
. Brighten the exterior of the property with a fresh coat
of paint if necessary
. Place a rough textured mat outside the front door. This
will encourage viewers to wipe their feet before entering,
thereby keeping your floors and carpets cleaner.
. Consider fitting a burglar alarm to the property with the
box clearly visible on the outside. This will not only discourage
burglars, but will also offer prospective tenants an added
sense of security that could well make them choose your property
over a similar one with no alarm.
INSIDE:
Neutral decor works best
. Clear the property of as much clutter and unnessessary
breakable ornaments etc. as possible.
. Painted walls are easier to maintain than wallpapered ones
. Professional cleaning is recommended
. Unfurnished and partially furnished properties should at
leasst include carpeted or wooden flooring, curtains, cooker,
refrigerator and washing machine
. Furnished properties should also include the furniture
found in most homes, i.e. beds, tables, chairs, suite of furniture,
kitchen delph, cooking utensils & cutlery
. Linen, towels and bedclothing are not normally included
even in a fully furnished property, and we strong advise against
leaving a T.V., video or hi-fi equipment
. Open the curtains, turn on the heating and lights prior
to a viewing in order to create a warm, lived in atmosphere
. Service all appliances prior to letting to ensure they
are in working order, and to minimise faults later on.
. Provide the tenant with a list of contact and emergency
numbers, especially if they are not from the locality
. The better the presentation and quality of the property
and furnishings, the higher the likely rents achievable, and
the better the quality of tenant that will be attracted to
the property. Ask yourself this question and answer it honestly
"Would I live in this property myself?". Spending
a little extra energy and money will go a long way towards
enhancing the appeal of your property, thereby renting it
quicker, for good rent to excellent tenants.
Advertising of the property:
Our main methods of advertising properties are through the
local newspaper "to let" section, via this website,
by the placing of an information poster in our window, and
by the inclusion of the property in our weekly property listings
which are distributed to all prospective tenants and local
businesses. Please note: The method and frequency of advertising
a particular property shall be at the sole discretion of K.P.M.
Ltd. and the client will incur no additional charges in this
regard except for the following cases:
. The client has requested a particular ad or ads to be placed,
in which case the client will be charged appropriately
. The client has also placed the property for let with another
agency, and subsequently lets it through that agency or privately,
in which case the client will be charged for any advertising
costs incurred by K.P.M. Ltd. up to and including the date
of letting.
Showing of the property to prospective tenants:
Having ascertained from the client the most desirable type
of tenant for a property, (i.e. sharers, a family, a couple
etc.), we will arrange a series of viewings for interested
parties.
Our policy on this matter is to show the property to as many
suitable tenants as is necessary to successfully let the property.
Our viewing times are very flexible and tailored to meet the
needs of busy working people, and include evening and weekend
viewings where requested.
At all times a representative of K.P.M. Ltd. will accompany
prospective tenants on viewings, both from a security point
of view and as part of the vetting process (Apart from obtaining
references, much insight into a persons true character can
be gained through casual conversations conducted during these
viewings).
Interviewing and vetting of prospective tenants:
This is by far the most important part of our letting service,
and one that we pay very careful attention to.
Before any prospective tenant can be considered suitable
for a particular property, they will first be individually
interviewed by a trained member of our staff and will be requested
to provide a written or vocal reference. The most acceptable
references are from a bank, an employer and a previous landlord.
These are then followed up by a telephone call to ensure
authenticity. Only when we are suitably satisfied as to the
good standing and genuine nature of the tenant will we recommend
them to a client. At that point it is wholly up to the client
to decide whether to accept them as tenants or not.
Our aim is to secure the right tenant at the best rent available
in the shortest time possible. However it is important to
be aware that this is not a perfect science, and because we
are dealing with people, things do go wrong occasionally (For
example, a landlord may give a glowing reference to get rid
of a bad tenant, a couple break up during the tenancy, a tenant
loses their job during the tenancy and is unable to pay the
rent, etc.)
Thankfully however, these are rare occurrances, and there
are various legal remedies available to the landlord against
the tenant if the do happen, either through the courts or
through the Private Residential Tenancies Board
Please note: K.P.M. Ltd. accepts no liability for rent arrears,
damage, or distress caused by such occurrances, nor will any
refund of letting fees be given should the tenant vacate the
property before the full lease term has expired.
Preparation and signing of tenancy agreements:
Due to recent changes in the law governing private tenancies,
namely the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 and the establishment
of the Private Residential Tenancies Board tenants now have
far greater rights rights and security of tenure than previously.
Therefore it is vitally important that a proper legal tenancy
agreement is used for all new tenancies and tenancy renewals
to ensure that the landlords rights are safeguarded.
To this end, we use a legally approved copyright standard
tenancy agreement that all tenants must sign before occupying
a property. It covers all of the essential areas such as obliging
the tenant to pay rent on due dates, to keep the property
in good order, not to cause annoyance or nuisance to neighbours
and so on.
However, we can add in other special conditions if so requested
by the landlord, provided they do not infringe upon the rights
of the tenant.
To further strenghten your position, we may, in certain
cases, request that a guarantor be also required to sign the
lease agreement, especially in the case of younger first time
tenants. The guarantor in these cases would normally be a
parent or guardian and preferably a home owner.
Inventory:
In the case of very good quality and expensive furniture
and fittings, we recommend that an independent specialist
inventory clerk be appointed to prepare and inventory and
Schedule of Condition. Even if the property is unfurnished
there should be a Schedule of Condition for the property itself.
Carpets, curtains, furniture, etc. can be very expensive to
replace and unless the condition of these soft furnishings
and interior decor is properly documented it may prove difficult
to claim recompense for any damage at the end of the tenancy.
In the case of lesser quality furniture and fittings, it
would still be advisable for a client to prepare their own
inventory, taking down as much detail as possible about each
item. The taking of digital photographs to include date and
time taken, prior to each letting would also be a good idea,
and may provide good before & after evidence in the case
of a dispute over any damage caused.
Alternatively, we can compile an inventory on your behalf
if so requested.
Collection of security deposit & rent-in-advance and
issuing of keys:
Upon the signing of the lease agreement, the tenant pays
us a security deposit plus rent-in-advance. If the rent is
to be paid weekly, they will be required to pay 4 weeks security
deposit & 1 weeks rent in advance. If it is to be paid
monthly, they will pay 1 months security deposit & 1 months
rent in advance. The security deposit is the landlord's provision
against anything above what might reasonably be considered
normal wear & tear allowing for the lenght of the tenancy.
We will then issue the tenant with a set of keys to the property,
along with a rent book and a copy of the lease agreement.
*Transferring of utility accounts where possible:
Before the tenant moves into the property, we will take note
of the utility readings (electricity, gas, etc.). We will
then issue the tenant with the completed utility account transfer
forms, to be signed by them. We then submit the forms to the
utility companies and instruct them to issue a closing account
bill to the previous account holder, quoting the final utility
reading.
* Please note that some utility suppliers will not allow
a transfer of account name (e.g. Calor Kosangas, Wexford Borough
Council re refuse charges). In these cases, the utility bills
must remain in the property owners name. It is therefore essential
to obtain proof of payment of such bills before a security
deposit is returned to a tenant at the end of the tenancy.
Insurance:
As a landlord, you should inform your insurance company that
your property is let. You are responsible for maintaining
insurance on the building and your contents. Tenants are encouraged
to insure their own possessions under a seperate policy.
Fees:
Our fees for all lettings will be the greater of 2 weeks
rent or 6% of the gross lease term rent plus V.A.T. @ 21%.
We will deduct our fees from the security deposit and rent-in-advance
paid to us, and forward the balance to the landlord together
with an invoice for our fees
PLEASE NOTE:
If a client has availed of our letting service only, this
is where our involvement with the letting ends. From here
on and for the duration of the tenancy, it will be the sole
responsibility of the landlord to ensure that rental payments
are paid on due dates, to ensure that the property is being
well maintained, and to deal directly with the tenant regarding
all tenancy issues.
__________________________________________________________________________
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Q. On average, how long does it take to rent a property?
A. A lot depends on the condition of the property and its
contents, the location of the property, the type of tenants
you are looking for, and the required rent. Our representative
can offer you advice on all of these areas in order to speed
up the letting process. If you agree to follow our guidelines,
we would expect to have your property rented within 1-2 weeks
of placing it with us.
Q. Does your agency keep a database of prospective tenants?
A. Yes, we always keep a database of quality tenants actively
seeking good quality accommodation. They will all have been
interviewed, referenced, and given us their requirements in
advance, so as to minimise delay in taking occupation once
a suitable property has been found.
We also have strong links with many local businesses including
factories, banks, hotels, and restaurants, who are always
seeking accommodation for new employees. We regularily e-mail
properties to let listings to them, and many of them deal
exclusively with us.
Q. What type of person is most likely to rent accommodation
in Ireland today?
A. It can vary quite a lot, but we find an increasing number
of foreign nationals coming to us looking to rent an apartment
or house at present. They will have been brought in to work
in local hotels, restaurants and shops, and are mainly Eastern
European.
Apart from that most of our clients are young working single
professionals, welfare recipients, and families relocating
from aboard or other parts of the country, who wish to rent
for a period to familiarise themselves with the area before
purchasing thier own property. Many of these families will
require unfurnished properties, as they will have sold their
homes where they previously lived but have kept their furniture.
Q. What type of property is there most demand for?
A. From our experience, the most popular kind of rental property
over the last number of years has been a two bedroomed terraced
townhouse in a modern housing development in or near Wexford
Town. They are very popular with single professionals sharing.
After that, we have found one and two bedroomed apartments,
and three bedroomed semi-detached houses very popular. However
there is good demand for all types of property once they are
well maintained, bright & airy, and well kitted out. There
is a certain demand for unfurnished properties also, but well
over 85% of our client require fully furnished properties
Q. Who is responsible for maintaining the garden during a
tenancy?
A. Before a tenancy commences, the garden should be in good
order, with the grass neatly cut and all shrubs etc. cut back.
We can arrange for this to be done for you on request. After
that you have two choices:
. You can stipulate in the lease agreement that the tenant
is responsible for the upkeep of the garden during the tenancy.
However in this case you must provide them with sufficient
gardening tools and a lawn mower which is good working order
(Don't forget to include these in the inventory)
. You can arrange for a gardener to maintain the garden on
a regular basis, and reflect this cost in the rent charged.
Again we can arrange this for you if required.
Q. Who is responsible for repairs and maintenance?
A. Repairs and maintenance are inevitibly going to become
necessary during most tenancies. Washing machines, fridges
and cookers do break down as they age, and leaks do occur.
In such cases, it is the landlords legal responsibility to
have these problems sorted promptly and to burden the cost
of same.
However if it is clear that the tenant was responsible through
neglect or misuse, it would be reasonable to charge them for
the repairs or with hold it from their security deposit. It
would still be advisable though for the landlord to arrange
for the repairs to be carried out in these cases rather than
put the onus on the tenant to employ their own contractors,
to ensure quality of workmanship.
Q. What is normal wear and tear?
A. This has to be one of the most difficult questions to
answer difinititively and has been the source of the greatest
number of disputes between landlords and tenants. The reason
for this is that it is largely a subjective judgment. What
one person might call clean, another would say was filthy,
what one person might call minor scuff marks on a wall, another
would say the whole house needs repainting.
The law would state that it is how a reasonable objective
person would view things. A good rule of thumb would be to
compare a rental property to a rental car. The average driver
of a rental car is simply not going to treat it with the same
level of care and respect than they would their own.
That does not mean they are going to burn out the clutch
or ruin the upholstery with cigarette burns. It just means
that they probably will not leave it back to the car hire
company in the same pristine condition that they got it in,
and car hire companies make allowances for this.
They will have the car professionally valeted before renting
it again and build this cost into their overall expenditure
budget, after all they have charged the client handsomely
for the hire of the car (plus a full tank of petrol!) and
stand to make a nice profit.
It is the very same with a rental property. The tenant has
effectively been paying the landlords mortgage for them during
their tenancy, and can reasonably expect the landlord to absorb
the minor costs of having their property professionally cleaned
at the end of the tenancy, together with painting touch ups
etc.
A tenant simply will not and cannot be expected to treat
a rental home with the same care, dedication and attention
that a home owner would, and is entitled to the full refund
of their security deposit, provided all rents due have been
fully paid to date, and all terms of their lease agreement
have been honoured.
However, if, upon carrying out the final property inspection,
for example, the landlord finds doors broken or hanging from
their hinges, cigarette burns in the carpet and suite of furniture,
crayon scribbles or markings on walls, broken windows and
appliances or excess refuse strewn around, etc. it is an entirely
different matter.
No reasonable person could put such blatent abuse down to
normal wear & tear, and in such circumstances the landlord
would be fully within their rights to with hold the tenants
security deposit to pay for these repairs and excessive cleaning.
However they must still furnish the tenants with receipts
for works carried out, and refund the balance, if any, of
their deposit after completion of these works. If it turns
out that the tenants security deposit falls well short of
the repair costs, the landlord can bring a compensation case
against the tenant through the Private Residential Tenancies
Board whose decisions are legally binding.
Q. How often should I expect to repaint the interior of my
property?
A. Again there is no hard and fast rule for this. However
from our experience of managing numerous rental properties,
and given the hired car scenario, we would advise you to be
prepared to have to entirely repaint the interior of your
property at least once every 2 years.
Indeed many landlords will repaint after every tenancy to
keep their property in pristine condition in order to stay
ahead of the competition when reletting their property. With
so many brand new first letting properties coming on stream
every year, it is becoming an extremely competitive market
amongst landlords to secure quality tenants for their properties.
The day of the squalid house or flat with substandard furniture
and appliances is well and truly over. To be realistic in
this day and age you really have to stand back from your property
and ask "Would I honestly live here myself?". If
the answer is no, you can be guaranteed a tenant will say
the same thing.
Q. Are there minimum legal standards for rented accommodation?
A. The answer is yes. Since January 1st 1994, the Housing
(Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 1993, have imposed
on landlords a statutory duty to ensure that any rented dwelling
must comply with minimum standard (For your convenience, we
have included full details at the bottom of this page).
However, according to the legislation, a landlord is not
responible for anything a tenant is entitled to remove or
for repairing glass breakages in windows in any part of a
building of which a tenant has exclusive use.
Q. Will I have to pay tax on my rental income?
A. The short answer is yes. Generally rental income is treated
as an extra income apart from your salary and is taxable at
your current tax rate. However you are allowed deduct expenses
for repairs and maintenance and mortgage interest payments.
Our letting and management fees are also fully deductible.
It would be best to seek expert advise on this matter from
your accountant who can assist you with your year end returns.
Q. Can tenants claim tax relief on their rental payments?
A. Yes. Legislation brought in under the Finance Act 1995
offers tax relief to tenants paying rent on private accommodation.
They may request your P.P.S.N. number and other information
from you at the end of the year for this , which they are
legally entitled to receive.
Q. Am I legally obliged to register a tenancy with a state
authority?
A. Yes. Under legislation brought in under the Residential
Tenancies Act 2004, a landlord is legally obliged to register
each new tenancy of a property with the Private Residential
Tenancies Board, and there are severe fines and penalties
for failing to do so. Full details are available at www.prtb.ie,
where you can also download the registration forms.
Q. How can I be sure a tenant will pay the rent on time?
A. The short answer is you cannot. If a tenant is going to
miss a payment, they are going to miss a payment. However
the tenancy agreement drawn up and signed by your tenant is
a legal document under the terms of which they have many legal
obligations, one of which is to always pay the rent due on
the date due.
Again if you cannot manage to bring your tenants rent up
to date, there are various remedies available to you to recover
rent arrears through the courts or through the www.prtb.ie
N.B. : If controlling and keeping track of your tenants rental
payments is of concern to you, you might want to talk to us
about our rent collection service, which comes under our full
management service (see landlord services).
___________________________________________________________________________
The following are the minimum standards as set out under
the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 1993.
In summary they require a landlord to:
1. Ensure that the house is in a proper state of structural
repair, i.e. that it is essentially sound with the roof, floors,
ceilings, walls & stairs in good repair.
2. Provide a sink with hot and cold water facilities in each
dwelling.
3, Provide toilet and bath or shower facilities (further
details below). #
4. Provide adequate means for heating, for installing cooking
equipment and for storing food.
5. Maintain installations for the supply of electricity or
gas in good repair and safe working order.
6. Provide proper ventilation and lighting to each room.
7. Maintain common facilities for cooking, food storage,
lighting and heating in good repair and safe working order.
8. Maintain common sinks, toilets, baths/showers and other
common areas in good repair and in a clean condition.
9. Provide a secure handrail for any common stairway.
The landlord is not responsible for anything a tenant is
entitled to remove or for repairing glass breakages in windows
in any part of a building of which a tenant has exclusive
use.
# What are the precise requirements for toilet and bathroom
facilities?
Flats: If the dwelling is a flat in a building containing
two or more flats, a toilet and bath or shower must be provided
either:
. in the flat itself, or
. elsewhere within the building but not more than one floor
above or below the flat.
In general, there must be at least one toilet and bath or
shower for each two flats. However, up to four flats may be
served by one toilet or by one bath or shower provided the
flats are not intended to be occupied by more than four persons
in all (e.g. four bedsits each occupied by one tenant may
be served by a single toilet/shower).
Houses: Where the rented dwelling is a seperate house (including
a semi-detached or terraced house), the toilet and bath or
shower must normally be provided inside the house. However
an outside toilet is acceptable where:
. a house is let under a tenancy commenced before January
1st 1994, in the case of a private house, or before January
1st 1998, in the case of a local authority house.
. a house with an existing letting is being re-let to the
same tenant or a member of that tenant's household.
Enforcement of the Regulations:
Local authorities are responsible for enforcing the legal
requirements in relation to registration, rent books and standards
described above. Where a tenant considers that any of the
requirements are not being observed and is unable to get a
satisfactory response from the landlord, the tenant should
contact the county council, corporation or urban district
council in whose area the rented dwelling is located. These
authorities have powers to investigate any breaches and prosecute
offences, which carry penalties of up to eur1270.00, plus
an additional eur127.00 penalty for every day of a continuing
offence. |
