Ht244 Property Management - Free Assessment Answers

Before the tenancy begins, the landlord or the landlord's agent must inspect the residential premises and record the condition of the premises by indicating whether the particular room item is clean, undamaged and working by placing "Y" (YES) or "N" (NO) in the appropriate column (see example below). Where necessary, comments should be included in the report. The landlord or the landlord's agent must also indicate "yes" or "no" in relation to the matters set out under the headings "Health issues" and "Communications facilities".

At, or as soon as practicable after, the termination of a residential tenancy agreement, both the landlord and tenant should complete the copy of the condition report that they retained, indicating the condition of the premises at the end of the tenancy. This should be done in the presence of the other party, unless the other party has been given a reasonable opportunity to be present and has not attended the inspection.

If the tenant has agreed to pay for water usage charges under the residential tenancy agreement, the landlord or landlord's agent must also indicate whether the residential premises have the required water efficiency measures.4. Two copies of the report which have been filled out and signed by the landlord or the landlord's agent must be given to the tenant before or when the tenant signs the agreement. The landlord or landlord's agent keeps the third copy.

As soon as possible after the tenant signs the agreement, the tenant must inspect the residential premises and complete the tenant section of the condition report. The tenant indicates agreement or disagreement with the condition indicated by the landlord or landlord's agent by placing "Y" (YES) or "N" (NO) in the appropriate column and by making any appropriate comments on the form. The tenant may also comment on the matters under the headings "Health issues", "Communications facilities" and "Water efficiency devices".

Answer:

Introduction:

If the owner does not renew the lease, then for compliance with the law the tenant should follow some rules and regulations which is in the best interest of the owner are described as below-

The landlord should use form 1C for informing the tenant about the termination of tenancy; if the reason of termination is nonpayment of rent, then this form is not to be used. Moreover, for this situation, he should use form 1B or form 1A. Tenant by using form 22 should inform landlord about the termination of tenancy. Minimum notice period time depends on the reason of termination, to ensure that notice is valid; he must give notice within the time.

Along with this tenant should leave the premises in the same condition as it was handover by the owner at the beginning of the tenancy.  He should notify the landlord about all the damages of the premises, or he should not intentionally damage any part of the premises. Moreover, he should return the keys to the owner of the property at the time of leaving the house, and he also ensures that entry in the key register is made at the time of returning the keys.

The format in which key register is kept

Generally, record of the key registered is maintained by two ways. First one is, a number would be assigned to every key which is noted by the agent at the starting page of the register. After this, the register is bifurcated alphabetically A-Z where the proper address is written down by the agent and Key number will be acknowledged by the left-hand column of the page.

Responsibility for maintaining the register and issuing the keys

For protecting and obtaining the key register, property agent should be appointed by the owner.  The agent will maintain control keys for vacated as well as tenanted properties on behalf of the licensee. For following the rules and regulation of professional indemnity standards all keys of rental properties must be recorded, labelled and coded where the reference of the address does not attach and assessing of the keys must be restricted from the public, therefore, it should be kept far from the public.

Procedure for obtaining, using and returning the keys

The key number of each key is listed only in the system of the property manager, therefore only by assessing the software, the key number can be obtained, and key for the property can be traced. By using the unique code of the user, the key can be reserved on behalf of the trade man. Keys should be returned by 5pm on the due date but if it is not returned by 7am of next day morning then an automatically generated message and email is delivered to user to remind them that is keys are overdue, and it is required to return, till the time user returns the keys this reminder is forwarded on daily basis.

Procedure if the key is not returned

If the key is misplaced on the part of tenant’s mistake, then it is the obligation of the tenant to pay the cost of locks which are required to be changed and the new key will be given to both tenant and property manager. Moreover, if the keys are stolen, and this is confirmed by police report number, then it may be covered under the insurance policy taken by the owner.

Even if the management keys are misplaced then also for obtaining the new keys, a barrel of the locks should be changed, but before changing this and bearing the cost of the lock, the property manager must refer the key register for getting the information regarding the person whose keys are lost. For proper maintenance of the keys, the audit must be conducted on a weekly basis by assessing the key register to get to know whether all the keys are accounted. If any key of the property is not managed properly, then it must be returned to the owner or new property manager.

Security for maintenance of key and register

For the security of keys and register of vacant property, prospective tenants are not allowed to access the key by using office keys alone. This will lead to maltreatment of the entitlement to a Letting Fee and leaves the Licensee open to the enormous risk of a Professional Indemnity Claim.

Rented property- if the property is rented then access of property would be more. This may be because of the assessment of the property by the staff, for repairing and maintenance by the traders, and if the keys are not found then, the tenant will also access the property for finding the keys. In key register, many information like date, time, trade person, property, a sign of the trade person, return date with sign must be entered. Along with this if the keys are removed by staff or keys are given to trader then this information should also be noted in the register.