If you are a landlord of a rental property, you hold important responsibilities and legal obligations which you need to be aware of. Renting a furnished property means that the furniture provided must meet the Furniture and Furnishings Fire Safety Regulations 1988, with 1993 amendments which became effective in January 1997.
The Furniture and Furnishings Fire Safety Regulations apply to the supply, hire or lending of upholstered furniture in the course of business. The regulations apply to armchairs, sofas, beds, futons, mattresses, divans, pillows and even garden furniture. Landlords who are renting furnished properties need to be fully aware of these important regulations.
Any furniture manufactured before 1950 are excluded from the Furniture and Furnishings Fire Safety Regulations, as well as bed clothes, sleeping bags, pillowcases, curtains and carpets. But just because items are legal or acceptable it doesn’t mean they are ethical – If you think any of these items in your rental property pose a fire or other type of risk, do not include them in the furniture you provide with your buy to let property.
Furniture included with the rental property should carry a manufacturer’s label which is permanent in order to comply with the regulations. Upholstered furniture must have fire resistant filling, and they must have passed match resistance and cigarette tests.
While the rent available for a buy to let property may be inflated if it is furnished, it is the landlords responsibility to ensure that any furniture provided complies with current safety regulations. Coupled with the time, effort and investment involved in fully furnishing a property, it may lead many to conclude that it is better to rent a property unfurnished. For many landlords it is easier to rent a property part furnished without any soft furnishings apart from carpets and curtains.
Buying new is the best option for landlords as these are always regulation-compliant. Second hand furniture can be dangerous, particularly if they do not have discernible labels establishing its materials and its fire resistance. Failing to do so could lead to prosecution and put tenants in a dangerous environment.
Failing in these obligations as a landlord of a buy to let property, could put you in hot water both legally and ethically. Ensuring that furniture provided as part of a furnished rental property meets safety standards expected is essential. Be sure to protect your tenants and uphold your legal obligations as a landlord.
Buy to Let Furnishings, Rental Property Furniture Specialist who offer a complete range of furnishing solutions for rented or buy to let investment property.
[tags]buy to let furniture, landlord furniture, furnish a buy to let property[/tags]
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