Landlords

Landlord guide

Millers Letting Agents

We have established ourselves as one of the leading estate agencies in Epping and the surrounding areas. Our offices are situated at strategic locations to provide us with a sound base from which to serve the community. As well as sales and financial services we specialise in lettings & management. Our services are designed to put the landlord first and to ensure the successful management of your property.

Tenants

Finding the right tenant for a property is fundamental. We start by establishing with yourself criteria for the sort of person(s) you wish to occupy your property. We then match these details to applicants that we have registered looking for accommodation and call to book an appointment to view. We also advertise on the following websites www.rightmove.co.uk www.findaproperty.co.uk www.propertyfinder.co.uk www.primelocation.co.uk www.homesonview.co.uk & www.millersepping.co.uk along with the local West Essex property Mart.

References

Once we have found a suitable tenant(s) the successful applicant will be required to complete an application form. We use various professional credit checking agencies to carry out our reference checks. If a tenant’s references are declined then the tenancy will not proceed.

Rent guarantee & legal expenses

As an added benefit in using our MANAGED SERVICES we can take out a policy which guarantees your rent and any legal expenses which may arise in the unlikely event that the tenant fails to pay their rent and we are forced to seek legal possession. Unfortunately agents are UNABLE to offer this service to NON MANAGED tenancies. For further detail please contact our office.

Deposits

We expect a damage deposit from ALL our tenants, which is equal to 5 weeks rent. This is the maximum allowed by law. Deposits are held to help ensure the tenant looks after the property and safeguard against unpaid rent. It is legislation that deposits are held by a third party; Millers use the Deposit Protection Scheme The DPS. It is refundable at the end of a tenancy only after the tenant has vacated the property, providing the house and their account are in order. When the tenant vacates the property, you will have an opportunity to inspect the property yourself prior to the deposit refund. Should you wish to so do, you must make arrangements to view the property within 48 hours of the keys being returned. In our managed service this is taken care of for you.

Inventory

Prior to the tenant moving in we can arrange for our inventories clerk to compile a full inventory of the property. The inventory gives an accurate description of the general condition of the accommodation and a list of all its items and furniture:. Whilst compiling the inventory we take the meter readings, which can be passed on to the appropriate service companies. At the same time we also inform the council of the change of occupancy. Please be aware that an extra charge applies for the inventory.

Tenancies

All new tenancies are rolling periodic tenancies. Tenancies have to continue now for a minimum of 1 year. Should you wish for the tenants to leave you must serve the required notice of seeking possession.

End of tenancy

Once a tenancy comes to an end a final inspection must be carried out, if we manage a property we make arrangements to enter the property and confirm that the condition is similar to the start of the tenancy, is clean and ready for re letting (fair wear and tear accepted). We will check the accommodation against the inventory and photographic evidence, take meter readings as well as obtaining details as to where the tenant has moved to inform the services. The deposit is refundable to the tenant once we are convinced that everything is in order. If you wish, you can inspect the property before the deposit is refunded. This must be done within 48 hours of key return. If for any reason there are any disputes with how the property has been left, the first course of action is to give the tenant an opportunity to rectify the problem. If the tenant does not rectify the situation, we can then make a deduction from the deposit (valid estimates must be obtained indicating the exact cost of repair or cleaning). Failing an agreement between the landlord and tenant, we act as arbitrators. We will aim to resolve the disagreement as quickly and amicably as possible. Our decision is final and both parties must agree to abide by our judgement.

Inspections

During our management we conduct regular inspections of all tenanted properties. These inspections serve numerous purposes and they allow us to visit the tenant in the property and ensure they are looking after it. We also check for signs that something may be wrong with the property. If something needs attention we can then inform you as soon as is practical, helping to reduce the risk of the problem becoming worse and the cost escalating. These visits also help us get to know the tenants better, so that when the lease is due for renewal we can be confident in the advice we give to you. You will receive a written report detailing any findings and with photographic evidence if necessary.

Repairs

Every property at some point will need some maintenance work being carried out. If things go wrong and the tenant contacts us with a problem we arrange to visit the accommodation isolate the issue. We will then contact you not just with the problem, but with a cost effective solution. In the majority of cases the problem can be resolved quickly. However there are two important points to remember when it comes to repairs. Firstly, if a serious fault does occur (water burst/ flood) and we cannot contact you; we will authorize a repair up to a cost equivalent of one months agreed rent. Authorization for this is contained within the sole agency agreement you signed. Secondly, once a property is tenanted you do have an obligation to ensure it is well maintained. Carrying out repairs quickly is often as important for you as it is for the tenant. After-all repairs caught early enough can save you a lot of money. Remember tenants do have rights. Tenants can contact the Environmental Health because repairs are not being attended to quickly and the ensuing ‘enforcement order’ could include extra repairs and a significantly higher final bill. Work not done will be carried out by them and they will add a hefty additional charge on top of the repair bill.

Gas appliances

It is a legal requirement that every gas appliance and gas central heating system has to be inspected on an annual basis. They have to meet strict conditions and a safety report must be issued. (This report or copy of it must be kept with our files). You can use British Gas (who charge per item inspected) or a private gas engineer (some of whom have a flat rate, regardless of the number of appliances). Remember for an inspection to be complete, the piping must also be inspected and the person conducting the inspection MUST be GAS SAFE registered. We can arrange for the safety inspection to be carried out for you by one of our local gas engineers. Once the inspection has been completed, we keep a record of the date. A safety report must be issued every twelve months.

Alarms

It is requirement that all properties should be fitted with at least one smoke alarm on each floor. Furthermore , if your property has gas appliances then you will also need a carbon monoxide alarms (these detect the build up of dangerous gasses).

Furnishings

If any furniture is left in a property, then you as landlord have a duty to ensure it is maintained and (for electrical / mechanical equipment) repaired should it become faulty, provided of course this is not as a result of negligence or malicious damage by the tenant. Any soft furnishings (Chairs & beds etc.) that are left in the property must comply with fire regulations, and a label clearly stating so should be attached. If not then the furnishings must be removed from the property. They cannot be stored at the rented address.

Mortgages

If the property you wish to rent is subject to a mortgage then the mortgage lender should be informed that you intend to let the property. This should be done before a tenant moves into the property. Gaining permission from the building society usually depends upon the mortgage account not being in arrears. Some lenders do ask to see a copy of the lease which the tenant will be asked to sign and we will happily provide them with this. The lender may make a small charge to cover administration costs.

Insurance

As a landlord you are still responsible for the building and accordingly the buildings insurance. Please note buildings insurance will not cover the costs of replacing or repairing carpets if they become damaged but it does however cover fixtures and fittings. If the property is furnished or part-furnished you may also wish to consider contents insurance.

Empty property

The agreement you signed when the property was put on our books does not cover periods when the property is vacant. If you are concerned about the property and want us to manage it while it is empty, you must inform us of this and we can make arrangements to do so. (There will be an extra cost for this service.)

Keys

We would normally require two sets of keys to the property; one will be handed to the tenant on occupation while the other will be retained in our office for emergencies. Note: If you wish to use or collect these keys at any time- you must bring proof of identification as a security measure.

Finally

If you do have any problems, feel free to contact us – we are here to help.

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Rachel Pau

Very good at every stage of the sale! Friendly,efficient,reassuring and supportive

Numan Donbaloglu

A huge thank you to Tracy and Luke at Millers! They were both incredibly helpful, professional, and went above and beyond to make our move as smooth as possible. Their communication was excellent throughout the whole process. Highly recommend working with them!"

Richard McEnery

AVOID THIS LETTING AGENT, As a property investor i deal with many agents, and Millers is the Only foold & Horses of Epping. The staff Blame tennats then blame landlors with no consistency. They allowed a tenant to leave and threaten us and say the house was unsafe. We got a engineer and everything is 100% fine and new tennants are in and happy. I had to use another agent from Epping, The lady Sereena is not a nice human being and will not be able to assit you as a landlord or a Tennants as she couldnt even coordinate a plumber to visit the house. Epping is full of great agents, but i feel bad in saying this is very bad one., AVOID.

Sarah Crown

Maddie was incredible. She knew exactly what I was looking for and within a few minutes of chatting she’d found the perfect property for me. I had quite specific requirements (wheelchair accessible for my son with a downstairs bedroom and bathroom). Her receptiveness, knowledge of the area and amiability make her stand out in terms of other agents. I would recommend her as first port of call if you are looking to rent in the area.

Steve Ashton

The sale was made at the bottom end of the agreed range 450k-475k. The buyer pulled out on the first sale at the eleventh hour due to the assylum seekrs problems in Epping, but Millers quickly produced a second buyer (same price). All the Millers staff I dealt with were pleasant and helpful so its hard to single out an individual.

Nicholas Henderson

Terrible customer service. Called to enquire about a property, and was hung up. Called back and was consequently told the property had multiple offers so to make an enquiry online. Bring on the age of the machines

Serkan Yildiz

Worst estate agency I’ve worked with

Aylin

Very disappointing experience with Millers. Luke in particular was rude and unprofessional throughout the process. Instead of being helpful or communicative, his attitude made the whole experience frustrating and uncomfortable. It genuinely felt like they were doing their best not to sell the house to me — poor communication, lack of cooperation, and no real effort to move things forward. I would not recommend Millers based on this experience and would think twice before dealing with them again.

Pete Bailey

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. As the owner of the property, jointly with my wife, I feel it is important to respond to clarify a number of points and correct several inaccuracies. We received multiple offers on the property, including two at the full asking price, one of which was from a confirmed cash buyer. We also received two offers below the asking price. In a very challenging market, this level of interest reflects both the property’s value and the quality of the marketing undertaken. Your offer was significantly below the asking price and, in that context, was not one we wished to pursue. That decision was made by us as the owners and communicated accordingly. Given the valuation difference, it was unclear why a further viewing was being requested when your offer suggested the property was not considered to be worth the asking price. Luke and the wider team acted entirely on our instructions and, in our experience, provided a high standard of service. They generated strong interest, handled a high volume of enquiries, and secured multiple offers — something that should not be overlooked given current market conditions. While I do not usually respond publicly, some of the statements made do not align with the facts as we understand them. At no point was there any intention to mislead, and the handling of the sale was both professional and transparent from our perspective. We appreciate that unsuccessful offers can be disappointing, but we are confident that the process was handled appropriately and fairly. We wish you the very best with your ongoing property search.

Sarah Bryant

Millers managed the sale of my property and were professional, and kept me informed on progress and actions. Communication was great and they were available and accessible 7 days a week. Everyone I dealt with knew my property and I was impressed with the team and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.