The Humble Check List

THE HUMBLE CHECK-IN

We’ve looked at lots of different aspects of the tenancy cycle, over the last few weeks and, today, it’s the turn of the “humble check in.”

I call it the “humble check in” because a lot of landlords and agents disregard this stage of the process and don’t treat it with as much importance and care as other steps, which come before and after it. So, moving in day for tenants – check in day for you, it’s a bit of a balancing act. There are things you need to do and procedures you need to follow, you want to show your tenants that you appreciate the fact that it’s special for them, you want to “set out your stool” of how things will work between you and, you then want to “get out of their hair” and not over-stay your welcome, so that they can move into their new home in peace!

This could be because they feel that it’s “job done” by this stage, or because most of the documents etc. have been signed or that there isn’t much for them to do. Whatever the reason, it often gets forgotten, but, as you’ve probably gathered, we’re a little bit different here at KPA.

For a tenant, check in day is super important. It’s moving day, the day when they will receive the keys to their new home. It’ll likely be the first time that they will get the opportunity to show it to their friends and family and to put all their most treasured possessions in their places and even perhap s their furniture. So, check in day, is a very exciting time for tenants. Here’s how we deal with the check in:

We would already have done all the precheck in work like the inventory (important document, your inventory is your authority with the DPS and MyDeposits – if in doubt see our website at www.kpa.co.uk for a previous blog on this topic) and had all the requisite tenancy documentation signed and the full referencing procedure carried out.

On the check in day, a member of our team will meet the tenant at the property to cover all of the following: • Do the right to rent face to face checks. Even though your digital checks may already have been done and your tenant has passed referencing, you will need to ensure that they are who they say they are before you give them their keys. • Carry out the Fire alarm tests and furniture audit, in their presence, and record this fact

• Put a fresh clean mattress protector on the bed and, again, record this fact

• Discuss important facts about the property like where the fuse board is, the stopcock etc.

• Take meter reads

• If it’s an HMO then show them the

HMO board and discuss its contents and be ready to answer any questions relating thereto • Show them where the house booklet is (with all the important information, some of which you may have just told them, but you know they’ll be too excited to remember). • If it’s an HMO be ready to answer any of their questions about their housemates

• Make sure that they know how to get hold of you if they need to, under normal circumstances and in the case of an emergency • If you have any insurance policies that necessitate them dealing with a third party (with a boiler for example) then make sure that they know about this and pop all details into the house booklet

• If the property comes with the benefit of a cleaner or a gardener or both, then make sure that they know who this is and when they will come and what they will do – again, another item for the house booklet Moving in day is a big deal for your tenant(s), show them that you understand and appreciate this and use it as another opportunity to set out your stool as to how the landlord and tenant relationship will proceed moving forwards – professional, fair, one of equal value where both parties can expect to be treated with respect, “friendly but not your friend.” You’ll be pleased, in the long run, that you took the time and trouble with this often overlooked part of the process – and so will your tenant!