When you rent out your property, it is important that you are be aware that, unlike with a sale, you do not relinquish your obligations Unlike when selling, you do not relinquish your obligations when you sign the contract. On the On the contrary, this is where many obligations begin. But what are these?
One of your most important duties as a landlord is the maintenance of the property. If you are not on site yourself to to take care of wear and tear or defective technology, it is advisable to it is advisable to hire a caretaker. In the contract you can also that your tenant must take care of minor cosmetic repairs himself. yourself. However, this only applies to furnishings, such as door and window handles, lights, etc. such as door and window handles, light switches or door frames, and only if they are not and only if they are not typical signs of wear and tear. Damage to and pipes as well as damage due to construction defects, however, are always the always the responsibility of the landlord. They are also responsible for ensuring that the radiators in your property are working. If there are any If there are any failures, you must arrange for a replacement or repair.
Furthermore, you must provide your tenant with rubbish bins and provide a gritting service in winter. and provide a gritting service in the event of slippery conditions in winter. However, you can also contractually contractually outsource this duty to the tenants. However, you are to check whether the tenant actually complies with his duty. complies with his duty.
Costs such as waste disposal or a gritting service are included in the ancillary costs. Landlords usually take a monthly lump sum as an advance payment for these. monthly lump sum as an advance payment. Once a year you have to payments with the actual costs incurred and provide your tenant with a detailed and present your tenant with a detailed service charge statement. Depending Depending on whether the costs are higher or lower than the payments made the tenant receives a refund or has to make an additional payment. make an additional payment. You must prepare the statement no later than 12 months after the end of the settlement period. of the settlement period.
When your tenant moves in, you are also obliged to give him or her a a confirmation that the tenant is the landlord. This certificate is required tenants since 01.11.2015 when registering their residence. The The tenancy agreement alone is no longer sufficient. The tenant must prove that he or she has actually moved into the flat. In the confirmation must contain your name and address, the tenant's move-in date tenant's move-in date, as well as his or her name and the address of the flat. You can often find forms for this on the internet. You must submit the issue the certificate no later than two weeks after your tenant moves in. after your tenant has moved in. If you fail to do so, you will be fined.
Before you decide to rent out your flat, it is important that you important that you carefully consider your responsibilities as a landlord and, if necessary and, if necessary, get help from a professional, in order not to be overwhelmed with the tasks afterwards.
