14368 PSL Landlords News AW.qxp_A4

WINTER
2014
PSL news
The newsletter for Link Private Sector Leasing landlords
Inside:
• Complete our online
survey for a chance to
win £50 in vouchers
• Annual Landlord forum
11 December 2014 see
inside for details
www.linkhousing.org.uk
Have your say
Welcome
Complete our online landlord satisfaction survey for a
chance to win a £50 Marks and Spencer voucher.
We welcome all feedback and the annual survey for all PSL landlords
is now available to complete here:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LINKPSL2014
Welcome to the winter
edition of Link PSL’s landlord
newsletter.
The survey will take just a few minutes to complete and your
feedback will influence how we develop our service to help meet your
needs. Please complete your response by 5 January 2015 for your
chance to win a £50 voucher.
In this issue, you will find out
what has been happening
within our sector, Link and the
City of Edinburgh Council.
Thank you for your continued
support and feedback as we
use this to influence how we
deliver our business.
June Brown
PSL Manager
REMITTANCE
ADVICE NOTES
PROPERTY CONDITION
PLEASE REMEMBER to keep
all your remittance advice
notes and copy invoices for
your own accounting
purposes. If you require any
duplicates we may not be
able to complete your
request within a short
timescale as we have to
reproduce these documents
manually. We are not able to
provide any tax or accounting
advice so if you need help
you should seek information
from another source such as
your accountant.
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We continue to review the condition of all stock in the
PSL scheme.
Items listed in the original inventory of each property are subject
to depreciation over the length of the lease, due to fair wear and
tear. Where the decorative condition or condition of furniture/
fittings in a property has depreciated to a poor condition, we
require Landlords to decorate the property or replace items of
furniture or fittings.
This is in accordance with the terms of each lease and our ethical
letting policy, a copy of which was provided to all Landlords in
October 2012. Where possible, we try and give as much notice as
possible regarding the need for any repairs or replacements
required. We can also arrange for a quotation from approved
contractors for any work identified.
Private Sector Leasing (PSL) – 0330 3030 087
Gas and Electric
Compliance Certification
We work with all of our landlords to
make sure that properties meet
safety requirements.
We have over 1700 properties in the PSL scheme,
of which 84% have gas central heating (an increase
from 78% when Link took over the contract). We
work with existing landlords to have gas central
heating installed in properties. This is an increase
of over 6% since Link became management agent
for the City of Edinburgh Council. In addition to
this, over 50 properties have also been retrofitted
with wet electric heating systems by landlords
which are more economical for the tenant to run.
Link has to demonstrate its compliance with
legislation by holding a valid landlord Gas Safety
Certificate. This means we can show that gas
appliances have been tested and serviced on or
before the anniversary of the previous certificate.
Link can provide a ‘certificate only’ service for
landlords for £91.20 (including VAT). It may be
more economical to purchase an annual safety
plan where the company provides a certificate for
safety and service each year along with cover for
parts and labour in case of breakdown or repair.
You should make sure you are covered by
contacting your service provider and please let us
know if there are any changes.
Whilst Link cannot recommend a particular
contractor, we use Saltire facilities management for
all our gas servicing and safety work. You can
contact them on 0845 671 5500 for a quote and
see if your property meets their criteria. In terms of
electrical safety, you as a landlord must have a
valid Electrical Installation Condition Report (EIRC)
and a Portable Appliance Test (PAT) certificate.
An EIRC is usually valid for three or five years
depending on the age and condition of the
installation. The report looks at various
components in your property such as light
pendants, sockets and hard wired installations.
The PAT certificate is required annually and is
valid for 12 months. This certificate covers
electrical items supplied by you as the landlord
such as a washing machine, fridge freezer and
vacuum cleaner.
We write to all landlords when these certificates are
due for renewal and can arrange to undertake the
works on your behalf. If you would like Link to do
this it is £72 (including VAT) for a PAT certificate for
10 items and £120 (including VAT) for a PIR for a
two bedroom property –there is an additional
charge of £30 (including VAT) for each additional
room. There may be further costs where remedial
works are required. Landlords can of course opt to
carry out the works themselves. We hold PIR and
PAT certificates electronically and will be happy to
send you a copy upon request.
www.linkhousing.org.uk
3
Improve your property and fight fuel poverty
Making your property more
energy efficient can do more
than improve your Energy
Performance Certificate (EPC)
rating, it could make gas and
electricity bills more affordable
for tenants.
As well as the range of support
available to private sector
landlords, the Scottish
government funds measures
under the Energy Assistance
Scheme to help make homes
warmer and cheaper to heat.
Homes with a poor energy rating
and tenants who are over 60 with
no central heating, or in receipt
of qualifying benefits, may be
eligible for a grant of up to
£4000. This grant covers work
such as installing or repairing a
central heating system or boiler,
installing an air source heat
pump, draught proofing, wall or
loft insulation, provision of room
thermostats and heating controls
and/or the insulation of hot and
cold water tanks and pipes.
In some areas at particular risk of
fuel poverty, external wall
insulation and other measures
are available under the Home
Energy Efficiency Programmes –
Area Based Schemes.
Free impartial advice on the
funding and financial incentives
available is provided by Home
Energy Scotland, which is
funded by the Scottish
Government to help private
sector landlords, tenants and
homeowners across Scotland to
become more energy efficient.
In Edinburgh and South East
Scotland, Home Energy
Scotland’s local Technical
Advisor, Kenneth Fraser, offers
private sector landlords one-toone support in identifying the
schemes which match the
landlord’s and their tenant’s
circumstances.
He can also arrange to review
your property portfolio using your
EPCs and advise on various
other schemes including Green
Homes Cash-back, small
business loans designed to
improve the energy efficiency of
properties, the Gas Infill Loan
and Green Deal.
For more information call
Home Energy Scotland free
on 0808 808 2282.
Landlord registration requirements
We would like to remind all landlords of their responsibility to ensure their landlord
registration status is active and that all details held relating to your property are correct
(including noting Link as managing agents). Please review and update the registration details
shown at the end of this letter. Please check, sign and return the enclosed completed sheet to
assist us with ensuring that all PSL landlords are compliant with this requirement. If you are unsure
about your registration status or would like clarification on your responsibilities with regard to
registration, please contact the Landlord Registration Team at the City of Edinburgh Council on
0131 469 5293 who will be able to provide you with further advice and support.
The possible consequences of failure to comply with your registration requirements include:
l A late application fee of £110 being applied to your registration
l A Rent Penalty Notice being served which means that no rent is payable on the property
l A report to the Procurator Fiscal may also be considered and upon summary conviction you may
be liable for a fine not exceeding £50,000
l You will be in breach of your PSL lease with the City of Edinburgh Council
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Private Sector Leasing (PSL) – 0330 3030 087
MANAGING
YOUR
PROPERTY
Over the last year we
have completed over
1100 tenancy inspections.
Ethical Letting
In September 2012, we launched an ethical letting
information booklet. The leaflet lets landlords know how
the terms of their lease agreement are managed in the
event of hand-back of a property or what happens if
property components need repaired, replaced or
upgraded (if they are considered at the end of their
useful lifespan).
Although we cannot give
landlords an update on the
tenancy throughout the lease,
we can arrange for an
accompanied inspection at
your property once a year to
discuss any concerns you
may have.
The average number of
anti-social behaviour
complaints we manage
each month is only 1.4%
of our overall stock.
As part of our review of service provision we introduced an
administration charge of £20 when we have to arrange any works
which are considered the responsibility of the landlord. The majority
of our landlords arrange works identified as their responsibility
themselves. On this basis, we need to address the costs in
managing the process for other landlords who ask Link to fulfil
their repairs.
If you would like a copy of the ethical lettings leaflet, please
call us on 0330 303 0087 and we can send you an
electronic copy.
Property Improvement Programme
We will be contacting landlords of properties who have been in
the PSL scheme for more than three years to agree any works
required to continue the lease of the property. This will happen
particularly at the void stage (i.e. between leases) when works
such as painting or new flooring is required in order to keep the
property in a lettable standard.
www.linkhousing.org.uk
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Why should you
place your property
with Link PSL?
We are currently looking for more landlords who wish to
place their property in the PSL scheme.
Why choose to rent with PSL?
l Guaranteed income with the security of a lease with the City of
Edinburgh Council.
l Rent paid even when the property is void.
l CPI (Consumer Price Index) increment after the first April
anniversary on our three year term lease deal.
l Properties are handed back with any repairs completed (except for
fair wear and tear) – any damaged items will be repaired, replaced
or compensated for.
l No hidden charges such as management fees or advertising fees.
l Free gas safety checks at void stage.
l Support and advice to landlords throughout the lease regarding
repairs, safety requirements etc.
l FREE 24 Hour Emergency Repairs Advice to tenants.
l Professional management service with eight-weekly tenancy visits
to ensure our tenant looks after your property.
l Dedicated housing staff trained and experienced in dealing with
anti-social behaviour and housing management issues in the
social rented sector.
l Full legal service included to recover your property in the event of
non payment of rent or anti social behaviour at no cost to you.
l Tenant liability repairs through neglect or damage are paid for by
Managing Agent.
l Free in-house welfare benefits advice service for tenants.
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LINK
LANDLORD
FORUM
We are pleased to
confirm the annual
landlords’ forum will
be held on Thursday
11 December 2014
from 4pm to 7pm at
Link House, 2c New
Mart Road,
Edinburgh, EH14 1RL.
The forum will provide
various information on how
to access advice and
support on energy
efficiency of your property
and how to access grants
and loans. Our staff will
also be available to answer
any queries that you may
have relating to your lease
responsibilities.
Private Sector Leasing (PSL) – 0330 3030 087
Welfare reform
In our last newsletter, we told you about
the impending “Benefit Cap” as part of
wider welfare reforms. Since it was
introduced in September 2013, it has not
had a significant impact on our tenants.
To date, only 68 tenancies have been
affected with 34 of these households
moving on to alternative accommodation.
Currently, there are only 21 tenancies that
are affected by the “Benefit Cap”. Our staff
have the knowledge and skills to assist
them, providing benefits advice and help
to claim.
The introduction of Universal Credit is likely to
reach Edinburgh in February 2015. This will be
phased in over a number of months and will
initially only affect new single claims for Job
Seekers Allowance (JSA), although people in
temporary accommodation will not be included in
the initial phase.
Any single tenant
under the age of
35 will only qualify
for the shared
accommodation rate
of benefit.
Under Universal Credit regulations our tenants will
be affected by the under-occupancy rules whereby
their entitlement to the housing cost element will be
reduced by 14% of the total rent charge for those
with one spare bedroom and by 25% for those with
two or more spare bedrooms. Any single tenant
under the age of 35 will only qualify for the shared
accommodation rate of benefit. As a direct result of
this, we will continue to reduce the number of 3
and 4 bedroom properties we lease in order to
meet our customers needs.
www.linkhousing.org.uk
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PAYING FOR
REPAIRS
We currently front fund
invoices for repairs where the
liability rests with the
landlord. From 1 December
2014, staff from Link will
contact landlords to take a
card payment in advance of
work being completed.
Any payment taken which
exceeds the final invoice
amount will be returned to the
landlord when the invoice is
processed. Where works
exceed the estimate, staff
will contact landlords as soon
as practicable to arrange
further payment.
What we look for in a new
property for the PSL scheme
Link and the City of Edinburgh Council look to procure
properties or renew leases for:
 Properties that offer value for money to the City of Edinburgh
Council.
 Properties with one or two bedrooms. Properties that meet all
lease requirements, are in an excellent condition with affordable
heating systems, double glazing and modern well maintained
kitchens and bathrooms.
 Landlords who embrace ethical letting principles.
 Landlords who will work with Link and the Council in a
professional manner and effect required repairs within
prescribed timescales.
 Landlords who are realistic about the concept of ‘fair wear and
tear’ to properties throughout the length of a lease.
Alternatively, in line with most
management agents, Link is
happy to hold a float for each
property you have leased
with us of £300 which can be
replenished at each lease
payment. Please get in touch
and let us know if you would
like to set this up. Please call
us on 0330 303 0087.
Link will produce this information on request in Braille,
Audio Tape, Large Print and Community Languages.
To find out more, telephone us on 0330 3030 124.
Contact us
Monday to Thursday 8.30am-5.00pm, Friday 8.30am-4.00pm.
Telephone 0330 303 0087. Email [email protected]
Link PSL is a trading name of Link Housing Association Limited. Link Housing
Association Limited is a company registered in Scotland under the Companies Acts,
Company Number: SC216300, Registered Office: Link House, 2c New Mart Road,
Edinburgh, EH14 1RL. It is registered as a Property Factor Id: PF000355 and
authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, Interim Permissions
Reference Number: 643282. Part of the © Link group 2014.
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Private Sector Leasing (PSL) – 0330 3030 087