March 2025

Is Your Home Really Child-Proof?

Ensure young children are safe and secure in your home by following these simple measures. Young children can be curious and unpredictable, which is why you can never be too careful when it comes to safety around the home. Let’s look at three key areas where you can make simple but potentially life-saving changes at your property. In the kitchen Install child-proof locks and latches on...

Quarterly Update: News from the Property Market

What’s happening in the housing market, and what’s on the horizon for the rest of 2025? Let’s look at the latest property news. Base rate decision The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee took a steady-as-she-goes approach to interest rates when it met last month. The committee held the base rate at 4.5%. Bank Governor Andrew Bailey said he still thinks “interest rates are on a...

Landlords’ Redecoration Responsibilities: What Are They?

Redecorating your rental helps protect your investment and keeps your tenants on side. Here, we’ll look at how often you should refresh your buy-to-let.   The law on rental redecoration   There are no specific rules on how often you must redecorate a rental property.   The law says that a rental property must be fit to live in, safe and free from hazards. So it is something that...

Three Ways to Do Something Great for Your Local Environment

Spring is a great time to get outdoors and help your local environment. Here are three ways you could join in.   1.Join (or start) a clean-up group The idea of local clean-up groups is to help the environment by doing all those small jobs that local councils often don’t manage to do. Clean-up groups typically meet once a month. You can give as much or as little time as you like. Jobs done...

Is Artificial Intelligence About to Replace Estate Agents?

AI is technology that enables computers to simulate human intelligence. It can gather information, learn from it and even make decisions. You may already use AI in your daily life. For example, Alexa can tell you what’s in the news today. And if you ask ChatGPT for, say, a Victoria sponge recipe it will find you one instantly.   Can AI take the hard work out of finding a home?  To...

How to Cultivate Good Relations with Your Tenants and Avoid Garden Disputes

Ensure everything stays rosy with your tenants by following these simple garden maintenance strategies. A garden can be a real drawcard at a rental property, helping to attract and keep good quality tenants. But garden maintenance can be a thorny subject and consistently ranks among the top five causes of end-of-tenancy deposit disputes*. So what triggers garden disagreements, and how can...

Frugal February is Here – Tips to Tighten Your Belt

As this month is Frugal February, now’s the time to take charge of your finances. Here are three tips to help you save and prosper. 1. If it’s a takeaway – walk away Steer clear of anything that’s a takeaway – whether it’s a coffee, sandwich or full meal. You can usually enjoy the same thing (maybe something even nicer) by making it yourself. February is a good month to...

So You’ve Had an Offer Accepted, What Now?

Congratulations – you’ve had an offer on your future new home accepted. But don’t rush out to buy curtains just yet. Here’s some important information about what happens next. First, the sale agreement is drawn up The seller’s estate agent will probably draw up a sale agreement – sometimes known as a memorandum of sale – and give a copy to all parties. This agreement...

The Psychology of Successful Tenancies

How can you encourage tenants to settle long-term in your rental? A report compiled by consumer psychologists claims to have the answers. A report on the psychology of buying and renting includes some helpful advice for landlords. The Bricks to Belonging report* was compiled by the psychological and behavioural science firm IB. It examines what drives renters to become first-time...

Rental Fraud Affects 5,000 People in a Year – New Report

New Home Office figures show there were 5,000 reported cases of rental fraud last year, alongside losses of £9 million. Here’s how tenants and landlords can protect themselves. With new figures revealing the scale of rental fraud in the UK, the Home Office has provided an insight into how scammers work and who they target. Types of rental fraud A common fraud, says the Home Office, is where...

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