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Frequently Asked Questions
If you cannot find the answer to your question below then please
use the form on our 'Contact Us' page. All emails will be answered promptly
| Q |
How does Landlords Alert Work?
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| A |
We provide a range of services for Estate Agents, Social & Private Landlords and Guests. Landlords will now be able to store relevant information against their tenants with consent. The purpose is to keep a log of your tenant as they move from Landlord to Landlord all in one place (Landlords Alert Register). 1st Registered Members will need to carry out two basic steps: 1st Download (Step 1) Landlords Requirements during initial interview stage Next (Step 2) Landlords Promise at the acceptance stage, which is signed by the landlord and a copy is given to the tenant for assurance. Once both steps have been carried out tenant registration takes place and Landlords Alert will send both parties a statement of confirmation outlining both contractual obligations. It is always advisable to carry out a credit check via our recommended credit reference agency, in your members area. This cost £9.95 which will give you instant results.
For non members wishing to carry out checks on themselves click on 'Verifications' on the green panel and fill out the registration form and await the results which can take up to 48hours. This cost £20
Once you have followed the two basic steps and registered your tenant, you the 'Landlord' must update the register to ensure statements made by you are up to date and accurate. The information will create Landlord Reports or ‘Tenant Alerts’ which can be positive or negative. These reports will show historical information on tenant(s) and their Previous Address or Addresses,Rent Arrears, Utility Bills, Other Debts. There is no limit on how many times you visit your members area and update records such as your property adverts or your tenant details. All information stored is vetted daily by Landlords Alert staff to prevent abuse of the information stored.
This service is invaluable and for a small fee could save you thousands of pounds, which would otherwise go towards legal costs. In order to sustain 'Accredited Tenants' into today's society landlords themselves need to become 'Accredited Landlords'. To find out more about becoming an 'Accredited Landlord' please contact us.
We offer a legal service for registered members wanting to recover rent arrears and other debts associate to the property which a tenant is responsible for. This is paid for by you the claimant.
We also have the following service: Community for Advertising Notices, FREE of charge. Full paid up members will have access to all services on the database and benefit from advertising properties for sale or to rent with up to six photos. Manage Tenants and find a Prospective Tenant on the database with ease, also you will have the benefit of our Reposession Notice, Rental documents with photo Id, and other useful forms FREE of charge. We also have a Flatshare section if you wish to find a Flatmate or Rent a room. This is suitable for students. For more information click on Services. |
| Q |
Data security and encryption? |
| A |
The security of your information, transactions, and money is the core of our business and our top priority at WorldPay.
WorldPay automatically encrypts your confidential information in transit from your computer to ours using the Secure Sockets Layer protocol (SSL) with an encryption key length of 128-bits (the highest level commercially available). Before you even register or log in to our site, our server checks that you're using an approved browser - one that uses SSL 3.0 or higher.
Once your information reaches us, it resides on a server that is heavily guarded both physically and electronically. Our servers sit behind an electronic firewall and are not directly connected to the Internet, so your private information is available only to authorised computers. |
| Q |
As a landlord what forms of ID do I need from my tenant? |
| A |
Generally as much as possible as this will be necessary when carrying out checks on your tenant. National insurance number and D.O.B. are complusory, along with a minimum of two items of security information:
- Valid Passport
- National Insurance Number
- Driving Licence (photo ID card)
- Home Office (photo ID card)
- Student ID card
- New ID cards
- DSS Benefit Book Number
- Birth Certificate
Additionally you can submit the following information:
- Tenant Photo for tenancy agreement or consent form
- Bank statement (not less than 3 months old)
- Tenant email address.
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| Q |
Why do I need to obtain consent from my tenant? |
| A |
To comply with Data Protection Act 1998, Human Rights Act 1998 and Landlords Alert terms and conditions. |
| Q |
How can I obtain consent from my tenant? |
| A |
If you are a full paid up member you can download a tenancy agreement at the start of a new tenancy period or a consent form in the interim. |
| Q |
Why do I need a photo of my tenant? |
| A |
To appear on the database, consent form or tenancy agreement. Also this enables you to identify the tenant and verify that the tenant is who he says he is when carrying out checks. |
| Q |
What are tenant alerts? |
| A |
These are reports built into the database by Landlords during or shorly after the term of a tenancy. These reports will consist of histoical information on tenants as well as their previous addresse(s) and previous landlords contact details. The reports will show a detailed list of debts, or if a breach had been committed and any court orders against the tenant during the term of the tenancy. It will also show reports where a tenant has not defaulted on his/her tenancy obligations. Such reports can be used by the tenant as a reference to other landlords or agents.
All reports are backed up with supporting evidence to protect the tenant. They are not designed to create a tenant blacklist but to promote 'Accredited Tenants' who have carried out their tenancy obligations throughout the term of their tenancy period. |
| Q |
Who can access Landlords reports? |
| A |
Landlords who you have already provided your ID documents which you would have issued during (Step 1 and Step 2) upon taking up a new tenancy. |
| Q |
What are Landlords Trade Recommendations? |
| A |
Due to the demands by Landlords wanting to find good workmen they have used to carry out repairs on their property felt it necessary to inform others. This process eliminates the cowboy builders who often leave you frustrated and angry from the effects of their poor workmanship. Landlords recognise the need for ‘working in partnership’ which is the very essence of our business protocol. |
| Q |
I’ve forgotten my password, what should I do? |
| A |
Click on ‘I forgot my password’ field and follow the procedure. |
| Q |
You don’t appear to have my region/area listed? |
| A |
I’m sorry! Although we have tried to include all region and areas we are only human and occasionally you may find missing fields. We will endeavour to update this for you. Just click on contact us and send us an email with your request. |
| Q |
Can I change my advert in the future? |
| A |
Yes you can! One of the great benefits about our site is its flexibility. At any time of the day or night you can log into your personal account and edit details relating to your tenant or property adverts.
We reccommend that you take photos of your property adverts to encourage the prospective buyer to see it before making a decision to view it in the first instance. |
| Q |
Can I obtain details held on my file made by my landlord? |
| A |
Yes! You will need to contact us with your request and send proof of your ID and reference numbers which is situated on your statement letter which we sent to you when your landlord registered you on our register, together with £5 to cover administration cost. We will then send you your report. |
| Q |
Can anyone see my (tenant) sensitive information such eg: phone no. or ID? |
| A |
No! Only landlords who would have asked you for a copy of your ID when taking up a new tenancy with you for the purpose of carrying out reference checks.
Landlord information is totally secure and no other personal can see their personal details. |
| Q |
What can I do if comments made about me are untrue? |
| A |
If you feel that statements made about you are untrue you will need to send us supporting evidence to refute this. We will then contact the Landlord responsible directly to investigate and update the records. |
| Q |
Can tenants benefit from using the site? |
| A |
Yes! You can request a Landlords report (Tenant Alert) which can can be used as a useful reference tool to show your good character which can support your tenancy application especially if it is a positive report showing minor or no outstanding debts and no breach had taken place during the term of your tenancy.
You can advertise yourself as a prospective tenant and make specific property request for all Agents & Landlords to view. When a property match is made the Landlord or Agent will contact you directly. I think you will agree that this will increase your chances of obtaining the property of your dreams and saves you looking around via conventional methods. The best part of this service is that its absolutely (FREE) of charge.
If you're well organised why not save the Landlord or Agent time by doing your own verification check using our recommended credit reference agency, just click on the link called ‘Verifications’ and register your details in order to receive the results online.
You can also use the community section which is full of exciting sections such as ‘find a friend, travel, swap items, classified advertising to name but a few….and it's absolutely FREE of charge. |
| Q |
How long will tenant records be held on Landlords Alert register? |
| A |
Minimum period of twelve years. |
| Q |
How will I be notified of holiday-let booking enquiries? |
| A |
You will be contacted directly by the holiday let provider. |
| Q |
How do I add my photos? |
| A |
To add photographs to your property advert is a relatively simple process. If you have photos stored in a digital format on your computer you can the simple steps just click on the “add photo” link and you will be asked to select the relevant photograph on your computer and then to click the “upload” button to send the photo to landlordsalert.com. The database is designed to automatically reduce large photo uploads to fit in photo frame. |
| Q |
How do I create my property advert? |
| A |
In your members area click on “manage property” to create and view your property advert. This can be accessed through your own, password protected area, where you can create and manage all your property adverts. From here you can create new property ads, modify existing ones, add tenant to property, add new photos, update price. you can take the property off the market (from public viewing) when it no longer vacant, and when your ready to place the same ad at a later stage you simply click on (Yes to display in the public) in your members area, tab manage property.
You can create sample ads and practise until you're happy with your efforts and only then, when you're good and ready, request it to be added to the live site. Basic text details are added first, after which photographs and availability can be added.
If your property details have changed in any way, just go back and edit them at any time. |
| Q |
How many photos can I add? |
| A |
You can add up to (six) five detailed photographs of your property and one summary photo, which appears on the summary results page. We recommend the summary photo is an outside view of the property taken on a nice sunny day as first impressions last. People often use the same summary photo as one of the detailed shots too. If you are an Estate Agent you might like to add your company logo in the last photo upload box as an option. |
| Q |
Can I put descriptions next to the photos? |
| A |
Yes! This is your chance to really sell your advert to attract attention. We suggest you say as much as you can in detail which you want the recipient to read and respond too. |
| Q |
Once I have finished my advert, how long will it take to become live? |
| A |
Your property will often be approved within the hour, although at weekends this may take a little longer. The aim is to approve all suitable material within 24 hours. If for some reason your property has not been approved after this time, please contact Customer Services who will be happy to investigate for you. |
| Q |
How do I pay for advertising? |
| A |
There are two different ways in which you can pay for your advertising on landlordsalert.com.
a) Online – At any time you will be able to pay online using a credit or debit card. This is a fully automated, real time payment where your card is authorised and processed online. The advantage of this method being that it ensures your property remains on the landlordsalert.com site at all times. Assuming the property details have been previously approved, it will go directly to "paid" status and remain live for the period for which you have paid for. This is a fully secure, encrypted service.
b) Cheque – We accept cheques in British Pounds drawn on a UK bank. Cheques should be made payable to “Landlords Alert”. You will need to allow five (5) working days for your cheque to clear before your advert appears online. Please send cheques to: Landlords Alert, PO Box 1668, Croydon CR9 1TS with a signed copy of our members agreement form. |
| Q |
What’s a Verification? |
| A |
Landlords Alert recommended Credit Referencing Agency to carry out credit checks on the individuals who wish to see what information is registered against them. This will cost non members £20 per search see 'Verifications' on the green panel, results will take up to 48 hours and emailed to you directly. Members pay £9.95 if selected Equifax link via your personal members area and the results are instant.
The results are treated in the strictest of confidence and is NOT shared or viewed by any third parties.
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| Q |
Will I need training on how to use the system? |
| A |
No not at all. We have designed the database to be user friendly and easy to use. If you can use a word processor, you will be able to use landlordsalert.com services. |
| Q |
What determines the order in which properties are viewed? |
| A |
If no search filters are used, the adverts are shown randomly. This ensures all properties receive equal positioning over a period of time. However, there is one additional criteria which can stack the odds in your favour. Properties which have been updated more recently will be nearer the top of the listing. |
| Q |
I've updated new pictures on my advert but they aren't showing.
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| A |
Try pressing 'Ctrl' and 'F5' when you see the old picture, and ask the page to refresh.
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| Q |
Debt Recovery Service
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| A |
Landlord Action recover rent and property from bad tenants for a fixed fee. www.landlordaction.co.uk
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| Q |
Will I need to retype property details each time? |
| A |
No! You only need to upload each property once and the database will store them until you decide to have them removed permanently. This is particularly useful if you are a letting agent with multiply properties. |
| Q |
How can landlords save money by using this web site? |
| A |
If your a paid up member you can advertise up to 6 properties FREE in any one year and assign each property to your tenant for tenant management purposes.
You can find your own tenant(s) on our database with no extra charge. We have an automatic tenant matching system where tenants can contact you directly and visa versa.
We are not an Estate Agent and there are no hidden charges in addition to your membership fees.
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| Q |
What if I do not have my tenants DOB or NI can I still check if he/she is on the register? |
| A |
In order to comply with the principles of the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Human Rights Act 1998 persons wishing to view personal details about others must first obtain consent in this case by the tenant(s) concerned. If you do not have these two compulsory forms of ID together with at least two more you cannot carry out a Tenant Alert check.
In order to obtain ID from your tenant you will first need to register as a member. Using your unique username and password you will need to log into your members area. From this section you will see a form in red call 'Step 1 which will allow you to obtain consent from your tenant together with various forms of ID in which you should keep copies of to enable you to carry out checks on the register.
If all checks are found to be satisfactory and you wish to take up a tenancy with your prospective tenant you must download Step 2 and give your tenant a copy. |
| Q |
Will there be any repercussion's when I register my tenant? |
| A |
No! as your tenant will be aware of your intentions when he has signed 'Step 1 and you have explained the process and the benefits to him/her. You must also use our tenancy agreement or consent form which, will provide your tenant with the information he/she would expect to see on the 'Tenant Alert' report.
If you fail to inform your tenant of the reason for registering him/her on Landlords Alert website you will be in breach of your duty as a member and will not comply with our terms and conditions.
In order to sustain good tenants, Landlords need to be up front and honest from day one. We have made the two part process for registering tenants very simple and if followered will not have any repercussions to Landlords, Agents or Social Landlords.
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| Q |
As an Estate Agent how can I gain recognition for my properties. |
| A |
In order to gain recognition for your adverts and as part of our commitment we will market your properties via various methods to maximise the exposure to potential buyers or persons wanting to rent. We also recommend you upload your logo in one of the property upload box this will certainly make your adverts stand out amongst the rest.
This can be done via your members area just click 'Manage Properties' and register your properties.
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| Q |
What is a HIP? |
| A |
HIP or (Home Information Packs) are required to help in buying and selling process of properties. It will consist of local searches, Energy Performance Certificates, legal documents which the buyer can view before deciding whether or not to proceed with purchasing the property. |
| Q |
When do I need to have a HIP? |
| A |
From 1st June 2007 all landlords and agents are required to have a HIP not before. If your property is already advertised for sale before 1st June 2007 do not need a HIP until 1st November 2007 |
| Q |
Who is excluded from the required HIP? |
| A |
- Properties in Scotland
- Where the property is not offered to the open market ie: sold to family member
- Buying from the local council on a (RTB) Right to Buy basis
- If the property for sale before 1st June 2007 (but will still require a HIP on 1st November 2007)
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| Q |
Where can I obtain a HIP? |
| A |
You can create a HIP yourself or obtain one from a HIP provider, such as your Local authority Council. The packs can cost anything up to £800 if obtained from a HIP provider. |
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