The buoyant rental market has seen rise to an increasing number of private landlords. Whilst many seek help from professional letting and management agencies for assistance with swiftly letting their premises and to relieve themselves of the burden associated with the myriad of tasks that must be completed to ensure tenants are kept happy, others decide to go it alone.

A recent study by the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks (AIIC), suggested that many landlords are still unaware of even basic health and safety rules when letting their property out.

The AIIC reports that as many as one in ten rented properties contain soft furnishings, bedding and furniture that do not carry the necessary fire and furnishings compliance labels.  Finding hazardous substances stored incorrectly in premises such as gas cylinders, chemicals and tubs of paint without lids on are also common.

Experienced letting and property management agent Sutton Kersh, is keen to raise awareness of the responsibilities that come with being a landlord to help support those that are new to the industry and to provide greater protection for tenants. 

Phil Lawton, director at Sutton Kersh comments, "We see practices that are in breach of the law time and time again in rental properties. The responsibility of being a landlord is far more than just finding a tenant and collecting rent. As an ARLA accredited firm, our staff receive regular training to ensure that they are kept up-to-date with industry news and changes to legislation so that we can accurately advise our clients. There are significant penalties associated with falling foul of the legislation and we urge any landlord, new or old, that is not totally up-to-date with industry guidelines and legislation to seek the advice of industry professionals. A landlord can eliminate the stress and the worry of compliance with all of the current legislation by using a reputable, suitably accredited letting agent."