Posts with tag: Christmas

Peace of Mind and Goodwill to All Men

Published On: December 11, 2015 at 12:11 pm

Author:

Categories: Landlord News

Tags: ,,,,

Peace of Mind and Goodwill to All Men

Peace of Mind and Goodwill to All Men

If you are a private landlord, you are always at risk of your tenant defaulting on rent. In fact, Just Landlords states that 33% of landlords will have a problem with rent arrears at some point. And with Christmas on the way, it is vital that you protect your business.

You may have thorough checks in place and reliable references may have been conducted, but you can never predict that your tenant will go through financial difficulty. What would you do if your tenant couldn’t or wouldn’t pay the rent?

Landlords, ask yourself whether you would be able to cover your costs over a prolonged period of time if your tenant stopped paying rent.

This is where Rent Guarantee Insurance comes in. This peace of mind policy will cover you when your tenant defaults on rent, taking away some of the stress associated with recovering arrears, which is a difficult and expensive process.

Just Landlords offers not only Rent Guarantee, but also Legal Expenses Insurance, which covers the cost of evicting your tenant. Additionally, if your property requires any work when the tenant has left, Just Landlords will cover 50% of the rent for three months once the property is vacated.

Its policy follows the Housing Act 2004, meaning that you must serve the correct notices when evicting your tenants. If you do not know whether to use a section 8 or a section 21, you can call the 24-hour legal helpline to ensure you stick to the law.

You must also conduct thorough checks, including an employer reference (you can take a Department for Work and Pensions reference if they are unemployed), licensed credit check, a past letting agent or landlord reference, take copies of two types of ID, have a detailed tenancy agreement in place and compile a complete inventory. This will ensure that your back is covered if your tenant stops paying. It is also advised that you make regular checks (the rule of thumb is for two checks every six months or so) to your property.

So how does Just Landlords compare? The firm’s Samantha Miles explains that other insurance providers can have “harsh rules” in place surrounding this type of cover, such as “an excess, maximum rent and a no payment period of up to 90 days”.

Just Landlords’ Rent Guarantee Insurance is also “open to all tenant types”, meaning that you are covered even if your tenant is on benefits.

For more information and for much-needed peace of mind this festive season, take a look at the policy here: http://www.justlandlords.co.uk/rent-guarantee-insurance.php

Britain’s Most Festive Home?

Published On: December 10, 2015 at 3:07 pm

Author:

Categories: Property News

Tags: ,,,,,

It could be in any town or city around the UK, but this Christmas lights switch-on is held at a family home in Bristol.

Hundreds of people gathered to watch as more than 50,000 lights illuminated an end-of-terrace house in the suburb of Brentry.

Lee and Paul Brailsford have been decorating their mother Rosemary’s home since 1994, raising thousands of pounds for charity along the way. They have donated more than £30,000 to The Grand Appeal over the years, the charity for Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.

The £10,000 display takes six weeks to put up and three days to take down. It features a huge 70 light-up figures, including Santas and snowmen.

The lights are turned on for six hours a day for 31 days over the festive season.

Visitors may not notice the 200,000 metres of cabling, but are sure to spot the largest attraction – a rare life-sized nativity set from the USA.

Lee explains how it began: “We started decorating the house more than 20 years ago and each year it’s got bigger and bigger.

“We wanted to raise money for The Grand Appeal as Paul and I both have young children and we realised how lucky we are to have such a fantastic hospital right on our doorstep if ever we needed it.

“We raised more than £8,000 last year alone and would love to do even better this Christmas.”

He continues: “The switch-on is a lot of work, but it’s also really exciting. All our friends and family come along to help and the whole community turns out to see the lights go on.

“The reaction when we press the button for the first time makes it all worthwhile.

“We are really proud that it has become such an important part of people’s Christmases, as well as having raised so much money for such a brilliant cause.”1

The family’s first decoration was a small light-up Christmas tree, but their collection now includes 15 Santas, ten reindeer and ten snowmen.

Additionally, there are 30 sets of rope lights, ten sets of twinkling icicles, 50 rope-light shapes, trains, elves, soldiers and the nativity set on a purpose-built stage.

Most of the lights are supplied by local businesses, with the pair stocking up in the January sales every year.

Last year, the display raised £8,100 for The Grand Appeal – its most successful year so far.

This year, after Bristol was named as the European Green Capital, the brothers began converting all of the 50,000 bulbs to LEDs.

The display costs around £600 to run, and 19 local firms have sponsored this year’s spectacle to help cover costs and provide equipment for the switch-on.

Director of The Grand Appeal, Nicola Masters, says: “The Brailsford family has been supporting The Grand Appeal with their amazing lights display for many years and we’re so grateful for their incredible support.

“The switch-on has become something people from all over the region really look forward to and the event that really gets people into the Christmas spirit.

“As well as bringing so much Christmas spirit to the community, the money raised has helped our charity to support countless sick children at Bristol Children’s Hospital and their families.

“Every penny raised will help Bristol Children’s Hospital to continue to provide them with the very best care and make their Christmas that little bit brighter.”1 

1 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/12028373/Britains-most-festive-house-50000-Christmas-lights-illuminate-Bristol-home.html

How have house prices changed since last White Christmas?

Published On: December 10, 2015 at 9:00 am

Author:

Categories: Property News

Tags: ,,

Come on, admit it. We’ve all got at touch of the Bing Crosby’s when it comes to throwing back the curtains on Christmas morning.

However, despite dreams of a blanket of snow, the chances of the white stuff coming on Christmas Day are realistically very slim.

This said, for those who fancy a flutter on a flutter, bets are being taken for just a single snowflake to fall in the 24 hours of December 25th at a specified location.

Previously, the location was the Met Office building in central London. Now, due to a surge in betting activity on the weather for the big day, the number of locations has increased. One bookmaker is taking bets on snow falling on Buckingham Palace, the Millennium Stadium and even Coronation Street!

According to official weather folk, the last 5 official White Christmases took place in:

  • 2000
  • 2001
  • 2004
  • 2009
  • 2010
How have house prices changed since last White Christmas?

How have house prices changed since last White Christmas?

At the time of the last White Christmas back in 2010, the average price of a property was £162,971, according to the Nationwide. In the present day, this value has risen to £196,807, meaning the average house value has risen by £33,836 in the past five years.

The building society has also looked at how property prices have risen over the period:

  • 2000-£81,628
  • 2001-£92,533
  • 2004-£152,464
  • 2009-£162,116
  • 2010-£186,466

Despite not being as predictable as a tragedy in Eastenders, White Christmases seemingly do happen. So go on, put your money where your mouth is. If we all invest a pound, it might just come true.

 

Property employees not angels at Christmas party!

Published On: December 9, 2015 at 9:00 am

Author:

Categories: Property News

Tags: ,,,

Tis the season to be merry…and for many of us, we save our greatest glad tidings until the annual work’s do.

With party season in full swing, new research has revealed how Britain’s workers across many sectors REALLY behave when outside of the office.

The (fully impartial) research suggests that those in the property sector are most likely to cause a snowball following their antics at the Christmas bash.

Ho ho..oh no

8% of property sector employees have admitted to being ‘sacked’ following too much fun under the mistletoe. One in ten said that they ended up on Santa’s naughty list when back in the office.

The rise of Facebook has been snow-joke for many of us property folk, with 1 in 5 employees facing a frosty reception with their other halves following an inappropriate picture or status from the party.

However, one in four of us look at the Christmas do as an excuse to use the romantic element of the festive season and tell a colleague that they fancy sharing a mince pie with them.

30% said that they have learned lessons from last year and as a result, will be less crackers!

Property employees not angels at Christmas party!

Property employees not angels at Christmas party!

Sector shenanigans

But before the property industry gets too much of a bad reputation, other sectors were also found not to be full of angels!

Travel

Those in the travel sector were found to be most amorous spirit, with a whopping 42% saying they have kissed a colleague at an office party, with one in four wished they could get on a plane the next day!

10% said that they were planning on getting lost in the snow this year as they couldn’t trust themselves!

Energy and utilities

14% of energy and utility workers made property professionals look like good little boys and girls, saying they had been dumped by their partner after one too many sherrys and misbehaviour at the bash. Another 14% are planning on using the Christmas party to tell another colleague that they don’t like them. Well, at least it saves on Christmas cards…

Marketing and Advertising

At least the marketing and advertising sector contains some wise men (and women), with 36% saying that they would drink much less year to avoid embarrassing themselves.

Christmas cheer

As a whole, the research revealed:

  • 26% have kissed a colleague at the Christmas do
  • 21% expect to do something embarrassing this year
  • 1 in 10 plan to tell someone they like them at the party
  • 26% said that they will drink less in order to behave themselves!

So there we have it. Property professionals should behave like those in the Marketing industry. Or maybe…just one more drink…

Cheers!

Protect Your Property This Winter

Published On: December 7, 2015 at 4:50 pm

Author:

Categories: Property News

Tags: ,,,

This weekend sees Christmas upon us once a month, but Storm Barbara is threatening to take away the festive cheer for many. With this in mind, ensure you protect your properties this Christmas to avoid any damage.

Winter weather, particularly flooding, can cause real and structural damage to a property. Not only will your tenants be forced out of their home, but you will have to claim on your landlord insurance. You may find that if your actions or inactions caused the issue, you could be liable for some, or all, of the repairs.

If you know that your tenants will be away over the holiday season, it is vital that you protect your property to avoid any winter-related damage.

With this in mind, follow these tips and arrange an inspection with your tenants, before it’s too late!

  1. Check the lagging in your loft

Head up to the loft and check the lagging around the water pipes and cold water storage tank. Even small gaps could let in cold air and freeze the pipes, or even the water in the tank. If there are pipes in the attic, eaves and cupboards, they are typically more exposed and are prone to freezing.

  1. Leave the central heating on permanently
Protect Your Property This Winter

Protect Your Property This Winter

This is something that you should advise your tenants to do – leave the central heating on at a minimum temperature of 15°C to protect against damp and condensation. Fitting thermostatic valves to the radiators will allow you (and your tenants) to set the valves so that the radiator comes on when the temperature falls below a certain level. This enables the heating to be kept on low without having to heat the entire house all of the time.

  1. Lag the pipes

Alongside leaving the central heating on low permanently, lagging the pipes will prevent them freezing.

  1. Check the property when it is empty

If your tenants will be away over Christmas, check the property when they are out. The main cause of a burst pipe is if they have frozen, and if this isn’t noticed early enough, water damage to the fabric of the property could occur due to leaks, causing significant damage.

  1. Seal holes in walls

Wherever a cable or phone line comes through the exterior wall, check to ensure the hole is sufficiently sealed to stop cold air getting in or warm air escaping.

  1. Leave cold taps dripping

If the property will be unoccupied for a period of time, leave at least one cold tap dripping slightly on each floor. Even the slightest of drips can reduce the risk of water freezing significantly inside the pipes, but only leave taps on if you have a cold water storage tank and are not draining down the water system.

  1. Leave cupboard doors open

If the home is going to be empty, it is a good idea to leave any cabinet or cupboard doors open in the kitchen and bathroom, to allow warm air to reach any hidden pipes.

  1. Leave doors open

If your tenants are going away, suggest they leave the doors within the house open, to enable heat to circulate around the property. Also, leaving the loft hatch open will aid this.

  1. Know where the water stop clock is

If you don’t know already, find out where the water stop clock is and ensure it is easy to turn off and is accessible. Also, make sure your tenants are aware of this too. In an emergency, it is important that it is easy to turn off. If it isn’t, have it checked by a qualified plumber.

  1. Drain the water system

If your tenants will be away for long periods, drain the water system. The water storage tanks (hot and cold) should be drained, as well as the radiators and central heating pipes.

  1. Insulate the overflow pipe from the boiler

Condensing boilers are known for their efficiency, but in the winter, there is a risk of their overflow pipes freezing and causing damage to the property. Avoid this by getting a boiler with a Siphon trap, which releases the water in one amount. Other ways to guard against a frozen overflow pipe is to insulate the pipe or simply shorten it, so there is not as much of the pipe exposed to the outside.

  1. Check your insurance policy

Ensure that your landlord insurance covers you for winter-related damage. If there is an emergency that must be repaired before causing further damage to the property, your policy must cover this so that work can be completed as soon as possible. If the home becomes uninhabitable, make sure your policy covers loss of rent so that you don’t miss out on payments.

Have a Cosy Christmas in One of These Comfy Cottages

Published On: December 4, 2015 at 3:21 pm

Author:

Categories: Property News

Tags: ,,,

Maybe you can’t decide which family member’s home to spend Christmas at, or perhaps you’d like to change things up and go away for the festive season. If you’d like something a bit different this year, take a look at these holiday cottages for some inspiration!

Whether you find a last-minute booking or get organised for next year, make sure you have a cosy, warm and comfortable Christmas.

Have a Cosy Christmas in One of These Comfy Cottages

Have a Cosy Christmas in One of These Comfy Cottages

Perfect for the whole family

If you have a large family and enjoy spending the holidays all together, this Victorian manor house is the perfect place for you to celebrate. Sea Valley Regent House sits within 55 acres of beautiful Cornish countryside. It is close to Looe and sleeps 18 people. But don’t worry; you’ll all have plenty of space within its 7 bedrooms. The spacious property has sea views and an indoor heated swimming pool for the whole family to enjoy.

A romantic retreat

If something a little more low-key is what you’re after this Christmas, why not head to Beudy Bach in Lampeter, Wales to enjoy some peace and quiet at this converted 18th century cowshed? The cosy retreat has everything you’ll need – from an AGA for rustling up some hearty grub to a TV and DVD player for snuggling up and watching a festive film. And as if this isn’t romantic enough, guests can also enjoy the wood-fired hot tub – wow!

Something a little different 

If you’ve done the whole Christmas cottage thing before, then why not embark on a family adventure to Edinburgh? Spend your holidays at the Belle Boatique, which is permanently moored at the Lochrin Basin. The houseboat has two bedrooms and sleeps four, so why not enjoy a festive trip up to Scotland with your partner and children?

Fairytale Christmas

Christmas always looks better on films – no stress, no cramming members into your home, no clearing up to do – so why not treat this year like a fairytale in this quirky home? The Old Palace Apartment was once part of the great hall at the Old Duchy Palace in Lostwithiel, Cornwall. A grand, but still cosy and pretty property, head here as a family (the apartment sleeps 6) or with a group of friends and forget about the world outside.

The traditional escape 

If the idea of curling up in a fur throw in a wooden lodge is your idea of the perfect Christmas, fear not – you do not need to head to Scandinavia to enjoy a traditional holiday! Check out Wonham Waters in Dulverton, Devon. This charming log cabin sleeps five and sits within 100 acres of untouched woodland – it doesn’t get more cosy than this.

Are you heading away for the holidays? Or maybe you would like to rent out your property for Christmas? Look at these festive homes for inspiration – which is your favourite?