Landlord FAQs

​VAT

As a VAT-registered organisation, we are required by law to charge VAT on all services we provide. This is charged at 20% and applies to all our clients worldwide.

Income tax

As a non-resident landlord, we must deduct the UK basic rate tax of 20% on your rental income net of all our charges.

However, if applicable, I would strongly advise that you fill out an NRL1 form and send this to HMRC office here in the UK. If HMRC accept your application, they will instruct us to stop deducting the 20% basic rate tax.

You can find more information about UK tax for non-resident landlords and the NRL1 form on the GOV.UK website by clicking here.

To complete the NRL form, you will need the following information:

Letting Agent Name: Intus Lettings Ltd
Letting Agent Address: Quay West, Trafford Wharf Road, Manchester, M17 1HH
Letting Agent Reference: 904/NA 055660
Letting Agent Email address: [email protected]
Letting Agent Phone Number: 0330 134 0155

Answer: Tenants are liable for council tax unless you choose to include this in the rent. Tenants are also liable for other costs such as utilities, TV licence and broadband and telephone

Answer: An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a document which shows how energy efficient a property is. An EPC is valid for a decade from issue and is required for any property which is being let out to a tenant, whether it is a new-build or pre-existing.

Any property in which a new tenancy is being granted must achieve at least an E rating as a minimum. From 1st April 2020, this minimum standard will apply to all private rented properties whether or not there is a change to the current agreement or not. You can purchase an EPC via Intus Lettings if you do not currently have a valid certificate

Answer: You can enter your property during a tenancy, but only under certain conditions. In accordance with the Housing Act 1998, either you or your letting agent must notify the tenant in writing at least 24 hours before you enter the property. The visit must be planned at a reasonable time of day and must be conducted for a viable reason related to the tenancy, for instance a scheduled inspection of the property. The tenant has the right to have an independent witness present for the visit if they choose.

You cannot enter for no reason as the tenant is guaranteed the right to live undisturbed and with privacy, and they have the right to quiet enjoyment of their home.

Answer: If the tenant damages your property, they will either have to pay for damages up front or it will come out of their deposit at the end of their tenancy, minus anything classed as reasonable wear and tear.

​If a tenant doesn’t pay rent then we will chase them by phone and send three letters in succession to try and resolve the issue. If a tenant goes into two months’ arrears we will issue a Section 8 eviction notice and go through that process. You will be kept up to date throughout.

Answer: ​Yes, all landlords are liable to pay taxes on their rental income. You can find full details on the HMRC website.

Answer: ​It is a legal requirement for us, a lettings agent, to put any deposit from a tenant into a government authorised deposit scheme. At Intus, we are a member of the Deposit Protection Service and the deposit will be held securely by them. Deposit protection schemes are used to protect both you and the tenant should any dispute regarding the tenancy occur at the end of the tenancy.

Answer: ​If you opt for our let-only service, you will have to collect the rent directly. If you opt for our fully-managed service, we’ll collect the rent from your tenant and send it to you minus any fees and maintenance costs at agreed intervals.

Answer: We will begin by valuing your property and then tell you how much rent you should be able to achieve based on similar local properties. From this, we can work out your achievable rental yield.

All details of our management services, including fees, can be found on our landlord’s page.

Answer: No, we also offer a let-only service which includes the valuation and advertising of your property, viewings, tenant referencing and preparing the tenancy agreement. Many landlords opt for this kind of service because they prefer to maintain the property and deal with tenants directly.

If the let-only service is more comprehensive than you need, we also offer a range of property management services and you are welcome to pick and choose which services you require.

Answer: ​If you have your property fully managed by Intus Lettings, we take care of all aspects of the tenancy for you. This includes the initial rental valuation, advertising, viewings, deposit protection, referencing, preparing tenancy agreements, inventory, rent collection, maintenance and inspections.

Answer: One of the major benefits of using a letting agency is that it allows you to take a step back and create a professional distance between landlord and tenant. It also allows us to act on behalf of the landlords should any issues arise such as payment disputes or maintenance issues. Using a letting agency makes your buy to let property a hands-off investment.