What Landlords Should Do During Void Periods
Of course, in an ideal world, the void periods between tenants would be non-existent, but sometimes they are unavoidable. Whether the property is on the market, you are waiting for your next tenants to end their current tenancy or there is another reason why your rental property is empty for an amount of time, there are some things you should do.
Some of these are for the protection of the property, others are legal requirements and some are opportunities that don’t usually come up when there is a tenant in the property. Whatever you do, don’t follow the example of the Liverpool landlord whose property had been empty for years and who let it become a dumping ground.
The landlord was issued with a £2,800 fine for failing to comply with notices to remove rubbish and remove vermin from the property.
Here is advice on what you should do during void periods.
What to Do During Void Periods
Put utility bills in your name
You are responsible for utility bills during void periods, so make sure the companies know who to bill. Take meter readings on the day the old tenants move out and on the day the new tenants move in and send them to the energy supplier to gain an accurate overview of how much you owe.
Turn off gas and electrical items
You should turn off appliances whilst the property is empty. Not only does this reduce energy costs during this period, but it is a safer option too. When they are all switched off, there is no worry about any of them developing faults and causing fires.
Your previous tenants should have cleaned out the fridge and defrosted the freezer, so leave these with the door open to prevent smells developing. You could do the same with the washing machine too.
Adjust the heating
Take a look at the heating timer when the old tenant moves out. In the summer, you can stop the heating and hot water altogether. In winter, make sure you keep the heating on at times to avoid frozen pipes. Simply set it to come on for a small while every day. It will also make the house less chilly during viewings.
Fix any issues
Tenants don’t always report all maintenance issues, so this is a perfect opportunity to check the state of repair of the property and fix any issues that you find. It is much easier to decorate too when there are no tenants to work around, so you could also give the place a lick of paint if it needs it.
Check your insurance
All policies are different, but there is likely to be a clause in your landlord building insurance that invalidates it if the property is vacant for a certain number of days. If you think that your void period might take you over that threshold, you should contact your insurer to ask about how you can maintain cover.
Check your Council Tax situation
As with utilities, the Council Tax responsibilities fall on the landlord between tenants. However, some councils allow you an exemption or at least some money off your bill if you have an empty property and it is unfurnished. Check with the local authority to find out what you are able to claim during void periods.
Create your inventory
Whilst you have an empty property, you can create the inventory for the next tenants. Once you have written it, wait until they move in and then provide them with it to sign off once they have ensured it is correct. This is easier to do once the previous tenant has taken all of their possessions away.
Property Management
Outsource your property management to Executive Property Management Solutions and we can help with the transition between tenants during void periods. We look after maintenance as well as organising references and tenancy agreements for your new tenants. There are so many other aspects to our service too, and you can find out more at the Make Lettings Easier page.
