BUMBLEBEE

Pet Let Jul 22 , 2020

The Labour Party recently unveiled a draft animal welfare policy, including the legal right for tenants to keep a pet in their rented property. With over 12 million pet owners in the UK, this is possibly an opportunity that landlords should have grasped sooner, as there are several benefits to letting a property to a pet-loving tenant: 1. A pet owner

Summer Rental Push Jul 15 , 2020

The end of the holiday season usually prompts great activity in the rental market and landlords should not only be prepared for this, but also take advantage of it. The summer holiday not only marks the end of the school year, but also the end of a time of employment, with many people handing in their notice immediately before leaving for their

July 2020 Market Comment Jul 09 , 2020

Finally, after the pent-up frustrations of lockdown, we have some very good news to report: Firstly, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, has announced a substantial boost for the housing market with the raising of the SDLT (Stamp Duty) threshold from £125,000 to £500,000. This really is quite incredible and will save buyers

Kitchens for Tenants Jul 08 , 2020

Over the years the kitchen has evolved from a utilitarian workspace to a fundamental heart of the home. It often enhances open plan living areas so that couples and families can interact between preparing food, working at a desk or watching TV. And just as homebuyers are impressed by a good kitchen, so are tenants too, with a recent survey sugg

Protection your Rent... and your Investment Jul 01 , 2020

Following the prosecution of a number of unscrupulous letting agents who mysteriously ceased trading holding many thousands of pounds in client monies, it is now a legal requirement that letting agents subscribe to a Client Money Protection Scheme. For the protection of our clients, we subscribed to such a scheme long before it was a legal requirement.

Tenant Decoration Jun 24 , 2020

Tenants often ask if their landlord will allow them to redecorate the property. On the surface, this is a reasonable question and should generally not send alarm bells ringing in the landlord’s ear. Firstly, if the tenant wishes to redecorate, this suggests that they possibly have a long-term outlook. As rentals become a mainstream form of

Clean is Good Jun 17 , 2020

According to the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS), cleaning accounts for 56% of deposit disputes and there has recently been a sharp rise in the number of properties that require professional cleaning services at check-out. Pat Barber, Chair of the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks commented that "there is a general lack of respect for property

Tenants Help Us! Jun 10 , 2020

Letting agents love the challenge of helping you find your ideal home. Sometimes however, it can be more of a challenge than need be. So if you are looking to rent a property, here are a few guidelines that will really help us to help you: Turn up for viewings at the agreed time. We use our knowledge and experience to calculate how long a viewing tak

June 2020 Market Comment Jun 09 , 2020

It might be tempting to believe that the pandemic has been destructive and all-consuming on all fronts, especially in relation to the property market, which virtually ground to a halt a few weeks ago. But we British are a resilient lot! Our compliant “keep calm and carry on” mentality has meant that we have/continue to

The Critical Importance of Referencing Jun 03 , 2020

In an ideal world, once a tenant has been found, it would be good to think that you, as a landlord, can simply sit back and watch your investment deliver the anticipated return on investment without further involvement. Indeed, this is one of the reasons why some letting agents only offer a tenant finding service. Simple really – or is it? Experience is

Smoke Alarm Advice May 27 , 2020

Responsible landlords have always ensured the safety of their tenants. However, did you know that under The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 it is a legal requirement for most tenanted properties to have a smoke alarm fitted in any room used wholly or partly as living accommodation? Landlords can be fined up to £5,000 for non-

Regulation Overload May 20 , 2020

A residential buy-to-let property investment has long been regarded as a tax efficient and lucrative method of wealth creation. Anyone who was credit-worthy and had a reasonable deposit could become a landlord. Simple. But things have changed. While property remains an excellent investment, usually yielding both respectable annual profits and ca

Open For Business May 19 , 2020

The housing market has been an obvious casualty of the Coronavirus lockdown. Yet the desire to move, once the decision has been made, is strong. Indeed, as soon as the government announced that people could once again move house, Rightmove buyer and let enquiries doubled within 24 hours. They were even 4% higher than the same day last year! The problem

Meeting your tenant May 13 , 2020

Although a good letting agent will of course expect to accompany prospective tenants who want to view your investment, and are trained to maximise the opportunity, there is a lot to be said for you being there too! For example, a tenant who has met the landlord is much less likely to pay their rent late or default as there is some degree of social a

The Airbnb Problem May 06 , 2020

Most landlords aim is to maximise their return on investment with minimal hands-on involvement. Security and a predictable income from well-referenced and reliable tenants are usually high on the agenda. Running a guest house is a different matter, yet some tenants are using temporary accommodation platforms such as Airbnb to profit from a property a

Portfolio Landlords Apr 29 , 2020

There are landlords and there are landlords. Some are what we call “accidental” landlords, who decided to let their property as an alternative to selling. Others are somewhat inadequately regarded as “amateur” landlords, who have a single investment property. However, it is “portfolio” landlords who make up the majority of our c

Why Landlords Should Embrace the Smart Home Apr 22 , 2020

Homeowners are rapidly becoming hooked up to “the internet of things” by linking everything from their lighting, fridge, doorbell, central heating, sound system, and more, at the touch of a button, or indeed voice command. “Ask Alexa” is clearly here to stay and she is set to enable us to control more of our lives. But what is the opportunity for

Upbeat Rentals Apr 15 , 2020

Superficially, lettings could be seen as relatively straightforward, and some firms do indeed regard themselves as a simple broking operation. However, if your investment is going to provide you with peace of mind as well as a great return on investment, then you will want to know that the property is being managed by people who really care. Our respo

April 2020 Market Comment Apr 08 , 2020

What difference a month can make! Our March Market Comment was very positive and full of the joys of spring. Indeed, the Halifax subsequently reported that house prices were 2.1% higher at the end of March than they had been at the end of December 2019. The “Boris Bounce” was very much in evidence, but who’d have thought that Boris would no

Energy Performance Landlords Apr 01 , 2020

As part of the lettings process, landlords are required to ensure that their property has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) available to all prospective tenants (including existing tenants renewing their tenancy) with a minimum performance rating of “E”. This will extend to existing tenancies on 1st April 2020. An EPC is a certif

What about my Deposit? Mar 25 , 2020

One of the greatest areas of dispute in lettings is the issue of deposits and the fair return of money at the end of a tenancy. An unscrupulous landlord could claim that minor damages justify the non-return of the deposit, which usually amounts to between four and six weeks’ rent. However, tenancy deposit protection legislation means that a

Touching Up Mar 18 , 2020

When letting your property, you naturally want your property to look its best, but how far should you go in terms of presentation? Firstly, aim to understand how your property “sits” within the market. Not all tenants have the same criteria, so walk through the house with your letting agent to identify your property’s strengths

Our Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic Mar 12 , 2020

As the country is part of what can only be deemed a pandemic, what are the implications for home movers and how are we, as estate agents, rising to our responsibilities? The property market is currently enjoying renewed strength following years of Brexit doldrums, during which it proved highly resilient. Is it also immune to Coronavirus? P

Avoid the Void Mar 11 , 2020

One of the worries that many landlords understandably experience is the possibility that a month or more will pass between lets when their investment property remains unoccupied. This can be a serious problem that can adversely affect the short-term cash-flow you so meticulously planned as a route to longer term investment success. Even wors

What is an inventory? Mar 04 , 2020

All residential tenancy deposits must by law be protected by being lodged in a government-recognised scheme, such as the Deposit Protection Service (DPS), which is evidence based. This means that the decision to either return or withhold a deposit at the end of a tenancy is made by considering any differences between the condition of the property at the begi

March 2020 Market Comment Mar 03 , 2020

Building on the increase in January activity we reported last month, the local market has been just as frenetic during February with intense buyer activity continuing to play “catch-up” following years of mild depression. According to the National Association of Estate Agents, there has been a 25% year-on-year rise in the number of active buyers,

Important Changes for Landlords Feb 26 , 2020

There is clearly a balance to be had between profitability and compliance for landlords, who are again coming under increasing pressure from legislative changes. Here are our top four current issues that you really should know about: 1: Mortgage Applications for Landlords. New lending criteria for landlords mean that lenders are now obliged

Successful Tenancy Application Feb 19 , 2020

If you are looking to rent a property, you may find yourself in a competitive environment, with a limited selection of properties from which to choose. It is therefore important to make it easy for a landlord or their agent to regard you as their number one choice of tenant in order to smooth your move. Here’s how: 1. Application form: We have a

Pet Let Jan 01 , 1970

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