First time Landlord..

[JessB]

Hello, found this site through search engine....

Im a new Landlord. Im just sorting the house we bought ready to rent out, But im confused with what i need to provide when we get tenants. Il be asking 200 bond & 1st months rent. (reasonable) An ive read about a check list? But what other documents do you provide?

All help would be very nice and appreciated. (i cannot speak to other landlords in the area as i dont know any!)

Thank you x

[bdh198]

That's a very broad question and it sounds like you're looking for some fairly basic advice.

Assuming your property is going to be in England and Wales then a sensible place to start is by joining the National Landlords Association http://www.landlords.org.uk/. They have an enormous resource for landlords and they will go along way to answering any questions you might have. They also have contact information on local and regional NLA groups all over the country. These groups are a good place to get advice and to share experiences with more experienced landlords letting property in your area.

Another sensible starting point is by investing in one of the easy to follow landlord guides. The one I would recommend is Successful Property Letting by David Lawrenson http://www.amazon.co...49301306&sr=8-1 (you can find it in all good book shops, not just Amazon!). It's simply written and provides useful guidance to many of the issues you will face as a landlord.

Finally, if you're a first time landlord then it is probably sensible to use an experienced agent to manage your property for at least the first tenancy. They will know how the market works in your area and will be able to guide you through some of the pitfalls when you first set out. However, take your time in choosing an agent and make sure they are reliable and experienced. Ask for contact details and references from some of their existing landlord clients. A good agent can be worth their weight in gold (especially when you first become a landlord), but there are a few cowboy agents and they can cause you a great deal stress and expense!

Good luck