UK Landlord Forum / Life

My agents seem to be bundling a load of new charges. all include VAT. Thanks for any advice

Is this opportunism or are these things really needed? 
Do the prices look ok or are they sticking it to me? 

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Compliance Certificate: £19.99
EICR: £225.00
PAT: £115.00
Legionella Risk Assessment: £99.90
Gas Safety Record: £89.00

I have never had a Legionella test done.I was offered one for £75 a few years back,but it is a real con trick.You can check the tank yourself,and empty the system if you have had a longterm void.Likewise,you just have to make sure you have smoke alarms in working order when tenants move in. I stopped providing microwaves,Hoovers etc,years ago,because of PAT testing.I think I was paying around £15 per item. You do need the gas certificate and the EICR,and those fees seem pretty typical.   

Basically as HEAVYKARMA said.

EICR & GSC are mandatory. PAT and legionnella depends on how risk adverse you are, and possibly whether your property is an HMO and local HMO rules. You are required to do a legionnella risk assessment and control the risk accordingly, but not necessarily by paying for somebody to do it. You are required to ensure your electrics are safe, if something happens will be down to you to show you've taken reasonable steps.

I don't know what the smoke and CO compliance certificate is going to show, that the alarms exists where required, or that the alarms exist and they were all in proper working order on the 1st day of the tenancy? If the earlier, that's completely useless as you can just keep your own evidence that they exist and were installed where. The latter may be useful to some, though paying someone £20 for pressing a few test buttons when you're possibly already paying them for check-in seems a little bit opportunistic.

Hang on... you're not new, are you? Have you been letting property without a GSC to date?

Thanks guys, for the replies.

Regarding the last post by Hippogrief, no I'm not new. I moved to California with my job and our home has been rented out since 1997. I've used the same agent all through. There have been bumps in the road but it's generally been a good experience.

However, in the past 3 years their rates have doubled, the service has got worse and part of me wonders if they are just thinking of new and clever things to charge for or has legislation moved on so that these things are all legal requirements for which there are hard costs. 

So I understand now that Gas Safety and the EICR are required and I appreciate the feedback that the rates are reasonable. I'll ask a few questions on the other things though before I allow them easy access to my wallet

Quote from: Spiny Norman on February 27, 2021, 03:26:02 AM
However, in the past 3 years their rates have doubled, the service has got worse and part of me wonders if they are just thinking of new and clever things to charge for or has legislation moved on so that these things are all legal requirements for which there are hard costs. 

Both. The rates doubled because they're now banned from charging tenants fees, so they're charging the landlord more.

If you are that far removed then you need an Agent you can really trust to look after your own interests... make you compliant, as you are going to be about as "hands off" as you could be. Communication is always going to be key here... you say the Agent is bundling stuff up... but there's no indication they're tried to convince you as to whether they're mandatory or not. Go back to them, showing that you understand the state of play and reset their position, gently, so they know to present you with options that are real options, not options potentially dressed-up as necessities. Once that gentle reset has taken place you should be good to go.

Both. The rates doubled because they're now banned from charging tenants fees, so they're charging the landlord more.
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Hha yes

I'd only install carbon monoxide detectors in any room that includes coal or wood burning fires and stoves. ...

EICR ... £225 pulling your pants down

PAT  self explanatory "Portable Appliance Test. Do you have any portable appliances in the property.

Legionella Risk If it's domestic with a normal turnover of water directly from the main with no storage & instantaneous heat from a boiler it's very low risk, the shower head would be the main risk.

GST I pay £50 per boiler.