Millennium Lettings & Management was created in 2018 by Alastair and Averil Fitchett.  Alastair has over 30 years experience in lettings and sales, as well as providing a consultancy service for clients wishing to develop a property portfolio. We understand that clients expect the highest levels of customer service with sound advice and effective marketing, designed to secure the optimum rental income and the right tenant in the shortest possible time. Averil has several year’s experience of property management and brings a meticulous attention to detail that is so important in ensuring our Landlord’s properties are well-maintained and always compliant with current and upcoming legislation.

Our aim is to introduce reliable, professional tenants and, where requested, manage your property whilst protecting your interests first and foremost. You should expect us to achieve these goals based on a comprehensive referencing and vetting procedure.

Most importantly, we are here to guide and assist you in the successful renting of your property.

PREPARATION & PRESENTATION

Good Landlords deserve good Tenants and we firmly believe that a well-presented property is more likely to attract a higher quality tenant. We only choose to work with Landlords who are prepared to act legitimately and fairly by complying with the law and presenting and maintaining their property in a good and tenantable condition.

For our part, we will offer advice to ensure your property is correctly prepared for marketing, recommending any works, small or large, to appeal to prospective tenants. Fixtures and fittings should be of good quality or removed prior to marketing. If you have any unreliable appliances in the property you should consider replacement or removal prior to letting. As a general rule, we find that most tenants prefer to rent an unfurnished property, usually with the exception of kitchen appliances.

It is however true that first impressions do count, so here are a few things you may wish to consider:

(If no shower is fitted, we would recommend doing so. This is often high on a tenant’s ‘wish-list’)

We strongly believe in the old adage of “what you give is what you get” and, by following the basic principles above, we are confident you will secure a tenant that meets your expectations.

ADVERTISING

All our properties are promoted through advertising boards and through an array of high profile and most visited websites. Any potential tenant registered with Millennium Lettings will be notified of a new instruction within minutes of it being registered as available, by email, text or telephone.

TENANT SELECTION 

We will discuss your expectations of suitable tenants and will endeavour to source ones that most closely match that criteria. Once an application is submitted, references are usually obtained from the following: current employer, previous Landlord and/or a personal character reference. We also commission a comprehensive credit check to confirm a tenant’s reliability and track record. We aim to process all references within 7 working days. Once the references are received, the date a tenancy commences can be affected by many factors, however, we will endeavour to give you an indication of, and agree, a proposed timescale at the start of the referencing process.

INVENTORY

Once a tenant’s application has been processed and approved, providing you have chosen to take advantage of the inventory option (included with the Fully Managed option), we can arrange a full and detailed inventory. This is not just a list of included fixtures and fittings but a schedule that determines the general condition of your property. This can then be compared to an exit inspection report prepared at the end of the tenancy and can prove invaluable in the event of a dispute. A catalogue of photographs will also be used to support the inventory.

UTILITY PROVIDER NOTIFICATION (managed property only) 

As part of the inventory process we will take meter readings for gas, electric and water (if a meter is fitted) and pass them on to the service provider. We will also contact the local authority to have the council tax transferred into the new occupier’s name. This applies only to fully managed properties. 

We may use a third party to deal with this process and, unless specifically instructed by the Landlord, the current provider may change to allow the new tenants to access a better tariff. You have the right to retain the existing gas and electricity supplier should you so choose.

DEPOSITS

Following the introduction of new legislation, tenants are requested to pay a deposit equivalent to 5 weeks rent. This is now fixed in law and cannot be deviated from under any circumstance.

Deposits must be registered with a recognised Custodial Scheme in accordance with the terms of the Tenancy Deposit Act 2007. We use the Government scheme, The Deposition Protection Service, which is free to use and for managed properties we handle the necessary documentation as part of our service to you.

TENANCY AGREEMENT

The tenancy agreement we use is comprehensive. An initial contract is usually prepared for a minimum of six or twelve months. All tenancies are now Assured Shorthold, unless otherwise stated. The tenant will usually pay no less than one month’s rent in advance plus the agreed security deposit which is the equivalent of five weeks rent. The deposit can be paid back to the tenant at the end of the tenancy once you are satisfied that the property has been returned in the same condition as at the start of the tenancy, subject to normal wear and tear.
Please note that changes to fixed term tenancies are due for implementation from 1st May 2026 with the introduction of the Renters Rights Act. We will update with further information accordingly.

RENT COLLECTION

For managed properties we will collect the monthly rent on your behalf. We then make deductions for management charges and any other maintenance items, paying the net amount into your nominated bank account. For Let Only clients, we will collect the first month’s rent and the security deposit. Thereafter, the Landlord should make arrangements direct with the tenant to confirm when and how they would like the rent to be paid.

INSPECTIONS

A regular visit by our inspection team is an obvious way of monitoring your Tenants and ensuring your property is being well cared for. Should you choose the Managed option, we aim to carry out a minimum of one inspection every six months throughout the tenancy, in addition to entry and exit inspections. Inspections are not included with the ‘Let Only’ service. For Landlords wishing to ‘manage’ their own property, we strongly recommend that you too, carry out regular inspections.

REPAIRS (managed property only)

For managed properties we provide a repairs service, as every property at some time will require some form of remedial works. If something goes wrong and the tenant contacts us, we will endeavour to contact you immediately. In the majority of cases the problem can be resolved quickly and inexpensively. However, if a serious fault does occur and we are unable to contact you within a reasonable time frame we will authorise a repair as agreed by you prior to the commencement of the tenancy. 

In the event of an emergency, or a situation that has serious consequences for the tenants or the property, we may need to act quickly. Whilst we will always endeavour to contact you first it may not be possible and we may need to act swiftly for the safety and security of both parties and of course, the property itself.

TAXATION

We do not offer tax advice and clients are advised to consult with a professional ahead of entering into a rental contract.

INSURANCE

It is essential that your property is correctly covered for rental purposes. There are a variety of policies available to Landlords, including buildings, limited contents, legal expenses, rental guarantee and emergency repair.

ENERGY PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATE (EPC)

Your property must hold a valid EPC certificate prior to commencement of any tenancy. Unless a certificate already exists, or we are otherwise instructed, Millennium Lettings will commission a Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) to perform an EPC. Once obtained, the certificate will be valid for up to 10 years.

COMPLIANCE

There are four main compliance issues relating to tenanted property which must be considered, relating to gas, electric and furniture. We set out below a brief summary of your responsibilities.

GAS SAFETY

Invariably, this involves a simple inspection carried out by a registered Gas Sure inspector. Once approved a certificate is issued for 12 months and a copy must be available on our files at all times. This must be renewed annually and a valid certificate must be in place prior to commencement of a tenancy.

We cannot stress enough the need to comply with these regulations in full. Failure to do so can have serious consequences and may lead to criminal prosecution and a heavy fine for both the Landlord and the agent.

FIRE & FURNISHINGS SAFETY REGULATIONS

These regulations place a responsibility on the Landlord of a furnished or part furnished property to ensure the furniture that is supplied in the property complies with current legislation. The penalty for non-compliance carries a maximum punishment of up to 6 months in prison or a level 5 fine, currently £5000, or both. For this reason, in most cases we recommend that properties are let unfurnished but will be happy to discuss the matter in greater detail if required.

ELECTRICAL TESTING

The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994, mandatory since 1 January 1997, state that all electrical appliances supplied with let accommodation must be safe and in good working order. This applies to both new and second-hand appliances and covers all electrical items supplied for the intended use of the tenant. The regulations also cover fixed appliances such as cookers, showers and immersion heaters, which must also be safe.

Following the introduction of new legislation in June 2020, it is now a legal requirement that all rented property must hold a valid Electrical Installation Condition Report Certificate. Once issued, this will last for a period of 5 years before it needs to be renewed. We are able to arrange this for you but you must be aware that we cannot commence a tenancy without this certificate in place.

Failure to comply with the electrical regulations may constitute a criminal offence under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 that carries a maximum penalty on summary conviction of a £5000 fine and/or 6 months imprisonment. Landlords and/or Letting Agents could also, in addition, be sued in Civil Law under the Duty of Care for the failure to ensure the tenants safety and may face punitive damages accordingly.

SMOKE ALARMS AND CO ALARMS

A recent change to legislation from June 2022, something you must be constantly aware of, now requires all rental properties to have working and tested smoke alarms on each floor of a residential building. Modern properties may have a hard-wired system but older properties may not. It is a Landlord’s responsibility to ensure they are compliant at the commencement of a new tenancy and the tenants responsibility to check them regularly during their occupation.

CO alarms will test for carbon monoxide so are required where there is a gas supply into a property and where there is a combustible appliance. We recommend alarms are fitted on each floor of the property and especially where any gas appliances are present in a room. Failure to comply can attract a fine of up to £5000.00 but clearly there is a greater risk where gas is concerned and avoidance/ignorance is not an option.

WHAT ELSE SHOULD YOU CONSIDER?

• Mortgage – If you do not have a Buy-to-Let mortgage you should ensure you obtain approval from your mortgage lender. Some will charge a fee, some will ask you to change your mortgage and some may apply certain restrictions or conditions. Please be aware that some may also refuse, but this is rare. 
• Leasehold property – If your property is leasehold, ensure you obtain permission from the head lessee prior to renting out the property. Also check any conditions that may be applied as these could affect any potential tenants. 
• House insurance – You should ensure you have the correct insurance cover for the purpose of renting. You must take out buildings insurance and you may also wish to add limited contents insurance to cover items such as carpets, curtains, appliances etc. The tenant is responsible for his/her own possessions and will also have a liability for any damage caused to your property and its contents. 
• Overseas Landlords – If you are moving, or already live, abroad then the letting agent (if under full management) is required by law to deduct the required amount of tax from the rental income, usually 22%, however, this can be avoided if you register with the Inland Revenue Financial Intermediaries & Claims Office (FICO) and complete the necessary form, called NRL1 
• Rental Guarantee Insurance – You have the option to take out a rental guarantee and legal indemnity insurance which covers the cost of legal expenses if you need to evict or take legal proceedings against a tenant for loss of rent. We would be happy to advise if requested.

AND FINALLY…

Our guide is designed to provide you with sufficient information to make a sensible decision on which agent to choose and whether being a Landlord is right for you. We would like to reassure you that the vast majority of Landlords have a happy and lasting rental ‘experience’ with few, if any, problems. As your agent, our aim is to ensure this is the case for each and every tenancy that you entrust us with. By instructing Millennium Lettings you are assured of the experience and expertise necessary for you to achieve the most from your property investment with the minimum of fuss. 

We look forward to being of service.