why
choose
A landlords guide to our easy and stress free process
to find out more and to view all our available properties please visit
www.oakhill.co.uk
Tailor-made solutions for landlords
are one of the leading letting agencies in Milton Keynes, with a reputation for good service. With our affiliation to RICS, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, and being a licensed ARLA agent you can be assured of a professional, efficient and honest service at all times. Our knowledgable staff are available to guide and advise you. We are experienced in residential and commercial management and mixed use developments. Our knowledge of housing legislation pertaining to the private rental sector is regularly updated. Our portfolio of managed properties range from simple studio flats to 8 bedroom family homes. We are particularly experienced in the MK9 area of Milton Keynes around the business district, and we are right on the doorstep of the Vizion complex and The Hub where we have several properties under full management. We offer a range of services from the simple Let Only package for the more experienced landlord to Full Management for those landlords who prefer a more ‘hands off’ approach to their investment. For something more bespoke we offer you a pic’n’mix package where you can decide which services you want to add to the Let Only package and only pay for what you need.
Why Choose Oakhill? ✓ A ffiliated to RICS, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, the largest recognised organisation for property professionals in the world
✓ Licensed ARLA members ✓M embership of NALS, Safe Agent and the Property Ombudsman Scheme for Lettings
✓ Approved Client Money Protection scheme through RICS to protect your interests.
✓ Competitive and flexible rates – ask about our packages for multiple property portfolios
✓ F ull colour letting particulars and 2D floor plans to enhance your listing
✓ C omprehensive inventories with a selection of supporting photographs
✓W e provide regular updates and advice on legislative changes that could affect you or your property
✓ Up to date property portal and social media advertising ✓ Full residential and commercial management service ✓ Secure electronic document delivery and signing system, no postal delays
✓ Dedicated Maintenance and Accounts desks for your convenience
Our unique service, step by step 1. Agent choice Choosing a regulated and accredited agent, a member of RICS or ARLA, is important so that you are protected in the event that anything should happen to that agent. As a minimum they must be a member of a recognised redress scheme with Client Money Protection insurance in place. Choosing the wrong agent could cost more than just lost rent, it could cost you your property.
2. Market appraisal Oakhill carry out a full market appraisal free of charge. We will critique your property in a constructive way, and advise you on current market rent level and any work that we feel you may need to address before bringing the property to market. We will discuss your expectations, potential tenants and answer any questions you may have about letting your property.
3. Marketing Effective marketing is the key to finding the right tenant for any property. At Oakhill we have our own website plus we advertise on some of the industry’s top portals including Rightmove and Zoopla; anyone searching property to let in Milton Keynes or MK9 will see our advert as soon as they enter either of those search terms. We use full colour window cards, 2D floor plans and social media feeds to attract quality tenants to your property as well as maintaining good contacts within the big name companies in Milton Keynes.
4 Tenant’s references Oakhill put all applicants through an independent referencing agency to confirm their identity, check their employment status, their credit history and any other relevant checks depending on the type of tenancy they are applying for. Applicants must pass the reference criteria to be acceptable. We will always confirm the results of the reference checks with you before proceeding to the next stage.
5. Agreements Housing Law is a complex area of law; it is imperative therefore that an agent has a robust tenancy agreement to protect your interests. At Oakhill we review the agreements we use at least once a year, sometimes more often, and make any changes required to keep abreast with the law as it changes. We will advise on the best type of tenancy agreement to use at the point we source a tenant for you; individual or company. We will also provide an agency agreement between you and Oakhill.
6. Inventories to find out more and to view all our available properties please visit
www.oakhill.co.uk
Only the tenancy agreement is more important than the inventory, yet many landlords fail to address this vitally important area. Without an inventory the landlord is unlikely to succeed in a claim for deductions from the deposit nor prove the pre-tenancy condition of the property. We prepare comprehensive inventories, including a selection of photographs, which is given to the tenant at the start of the tenancy to check and sign for.
LET BY www.oakhill.co.uk
7. Deposits Oakhill take a deposit equal to one and a half months rent from tenants as a financial bond against a breach of tenancy by the tenant. Deposits for AST tenancies are protected in a government approved tenancy deposit scheme; The Dispute Service or TDS for short.
8. Rent arrears It happens from time to time so be aware of any agent who says they never have rent arrears! It’s how its dealt with that defines the agent. A robust rent collection system is a must, as is a set procedure for dealing with debt as soon as it occurs; in most cases a polite but firm letter is sufficient to remedy the situation on the rare occasions it happens.
9. Legal obligations The agreement to rent a property places legal obligations upon the landlord; these are covered in our tenancy agreement but please ask if you have a specific question.
10. Fees We believe in transparency when it comes to fees, so we provide all landlords with our fee structure at the outset. Our fees are competitive in the local market when comparing service for service, but think very carefully before choosing an agent on cost alone, it may cost you a lot more than you save in the long run.
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Let only or fully managed? Let Only
Fully Managed
Free rental appraisal and advice
✓
✓
Marketing advice, Internet and newspaper advertising, ‘To Let’ board and enhanced floorplans
✓
✓
Accompanied Viewings
✓
✓
Provide fully referenced tenants
✓
✓
Preparation of Tenancy Agreement and associated paperwork
✓
✓
Collection of deposit and first months rental in advance
✓
✓
Deposit protected in TDS deposit scheme Let Only deposits transferred to Landlords own scheme
*
✓
Full written and photographic Inventory
*
✓
✓ ✓
Meter readings recorded and utilities notified
✓
Rental collection & debt control
✓
Co-ordination of any necessary repairs or maintenance works which may arise during the tenancy
✓
Arrangement of Annual Gas Safety Certificate and epc
✓
Periodic inspections
✓
Regular updates on legislative changes
✓
Legal notices relating to the tenancy served
*
✓
Reminder that fixed term is ending, S21 notice sent if required
*
✓
✓ ✓
Check out inspection and inventory report
✓
Dealing with deposit disputes
✓
Remarket the property if required
✓
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Advice line available during tenancy
*
✓
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* = Optional service for Let Only landlords – additional charges may apply
Peace of mind for busy Landlords With Oakhill you get the choice of two ready made services or you can pick your own from our bespoke menu of services. For example, landlords who opt for the let only service may want to manage the property themselves but have us prepare the inventory for them; they may want to have us attend the checkout or step in to provide holiday cover so an inspection doesn’t get missed or serve that vital S21 notice for them. Most landlords opt for the full management service; as the legislation and red tape surrounding the rental industry grows so we find many landlords, who previously managed the property themselves, are finding the prospect more daunting and so turn to us for assistance, advice and support.
Hanslope
A509
M1 Yardley Gobion
Newport Pagnell
A508
Potterspury
Cosgrove
Old Stratford Deanshanger
Great Linford
Wolverton Greenleys
Linford Wood
A5
Cranfield
Willen Broughton
Milton Keynes Shenley Church End Nash
Kingston M1
Walnut Tree
Shenley Brook End Whaddon
Caldecote
Woburn Sands
Bletchley Woburn
A421
A4145
Newton Longville Drayton Parslow
Mursley
A5
Great Brickhill Stoke Hammond
unique coverage Luminous House, 300 South Row, Central Milton Keynes MK9 2FR 01908 359499 info@oakhill.co.uk
Silbury Blvd
A5
Avebury Blvd
S outh R ow
H6 Childs Way
www.oakhill.co.uk
Saxon Gate
Wi t a n G ate
Grafton Gate V6
Central Milton Keynes Shopping Centre Midsummer Blvd
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