Merry Christmas!

It’s Christmas Day! Merry Christmas Readers!

We thought, seeing as today is Christmas Day, we’d give our readers a little present in a list of some of our favourite Lit up houses from around the world. Have a Merry Christmas, enjoy the list and let us know how you’re Christmas went!

The Census and Housing

Last week saw the statistics of the 2011 Census revealed to the general public. The census covers almost every facet of life in modern Britain and, taken every ten years, provides key insights into the way the countries that make up the UK are evolving as time passes by. Housing is a part of the variety of topics covered by the Census, and so we thought we’d use this blog as an opportunity to share some of the findings concerning the UK rental market.

The Census finally put some figures alongside the ‘Generation Rent’  label, as it was revealed that the proportion of households renting privately has almost doubled from 1.9 million in 2001 to 3.6 million in 2011. The number of households with a mortgage has dropped from 8.4 million to 7.6 million, and overall home ownership also fell from 69% to 64%. Renting was especially popular in inner London where more households rented privately than had mortgages.

Housing continues to be one of the key issues in the collective consciousness of the UK. The sector is amidst turbulent times and keeping up with the latest developments can be tricky. We always try and bring you the latest key issues here at our blog but if you would like more information please feel to get in touch with us at:

http://www.lettsliving.com/

Preparing for Winter

Winter has really begun to make it’s presence known now. It’s getting very cold and it probably won’t be long until snow starts falling across the country, grinding everything to a halt as usual. We thought we’d take this opportunity to brief our landlords on the potential damage that can be caused to properties in Winter.

Empty Properties and the Cold
If your tenants are going to be away for the Christmas holidays make sure that the heating is set up to deal with the cold. Freezing weather can lead to burst pipes, a devastating side effect of the cold water in the pipes expanding as it freezes. Draining the entire system removes any chance of frozen water but can be time consuming. Placing the heating on to a ‘frost’ setting ensures water remains circulating within the pipes enough to avoid freezing. Leaving the heating on as normal can be costly but can eliminate the risk of water freezing and mould forming.

Strong Winds and Snow
Strong winds will almost certainly be sweeping across the UK at some point this winter, and to an unprepared household they can present a major threat. Tiles can be blown away leading to leaky roofs. Snow can settle in uncleared gutters, and left to sit, can place a great deal of stress on the guttering.

There can be no guarantee that your property will not be damaged by winter weather, but taking heed of these precautions will significantly decrease the likelihood of damage. For more information on ensuring your property is ready for the winter weather please feel free to contact us at the following address: http://www.lettsliving.com/contact_details.php

Housing and the Autumn Statement

Tomorrow The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne will announce his plans for the UK economy, in his autumn statement. The statement, an annual fixture in the political calendar, will allow the chancellor to share the most recent economic forecasts and plans for the UK with the public.

The statement will cover all sectors of the UK economy including housing. The housing sector is certainly a high priority fixture in the UK economy and it is highly likely that it will be addressed in tomorrow’s statement.  Recently the Guardian’s Housing Network Blog covered what housing can expect from the autumn statement, and we thought we’d share some of their predictions with our readers.

The report is expected to follow up on the £10bn of guarantees to support investment in both new affordable and private rented homes. Universal credit, housing investment, reduced spending on welfare and measures to tackle rising homelessness are all also likely to be included.

Gavin Smart, writer of the blog claims “the key test will be the degree to which government can hit two competing targets simultaneously. The first: the need to put in place the necessary reforms to see the fundamental reform of our dysfunctional housing system. The second: to find measures that can have an impact now on our failing housing system.”

Here at Letts Living we are always sure to keep up to date with the latest housing developments to ensure we provide you with an up to date and informed service. For more information on the services we provide please see visit our website: http://www.lettsliving.com/

National Housing Federation's Autumn Statement

Ahead of the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne’s Autumn Statement, the National Housing Federation (NHF) has created a five point plan for economic growth through housing.

The autumn statement, due December 5th, outlines the state of public finances and details the government’s plans to stimulate economic growth. The National Housing Federation believes that housing has the potential to stimulate growth within the UK economy. Because of this belief in the potential of housing, the NHF has developed a five point plan for growth that they are currently lobbying Ministers to back.

We always like to keep up to date with the big developments in the housing world and so
we thought we’d share with our readers the five point plan of the NHF.

1. Rapid release of small sites for development
2. Provide certainty on its long-term plans for supporting social housing by extending the current formula for social rent until 2020
3. Reduce the VAT rate to 5% for services provided to housing associations for the renovation of social housing
4. Supporting local investment for the development of new homes by raising the local authority debt cap
5. Welfare reform that supports new development

Don’t forget to check back here for the latest housing news and leave a comment with your thoughts on the plan.

Rouge Letting Agents Operating Under Fake ARLA Certifications

The Association of Residential Landlords has recently issued warnings to tenants to be on the alert for rogue letting agents.

The ARLA promotes a set of standards amongst the landlords that have joined the association. The official website of the association claims that “Membership is achieved only by agents who demonstrate that they have a thorough knowledge of their profession and that they conduct their business according to current best management practice.”

Unfortunately for those who are legitimate members of ARLA there are landlords operating under false certifications. Would be tenants are warned of fake or near meaningless logos and professional credentials being touted by rogue landlords. ARLA further advises prospective tenants to be wary of agents who refuse full viewing and inspection of the property they are offering.

Here at Letts Living, not only are we answerable to the ARLA, we also answer to both the NAEA (National Association of Estate Agents); and the OEA (Ombudsman for Estate Agents). We believe that being answerable to all the main bodies governing residential estate agency provides our customers with absolute peace of mind. To learn more about our beliefs and service visit us here: http://lettsliving.com/SITEUPGRADE/ep6.php

Going Green with Letts Living

Going ‘Green’ is now embedded into the UK consciousness, both in business and in everyday life and amongst this the housing sector is no exception. We believe that going green is something that everyone in the housing industry should be considering. With the aid of government incentives it is not only something that should be considered, it is an opportunity that should not be passed down.

At Letts Living we are always up to date with the latest developments in the world of housing. As a result we appreciate the advantages that going green can offer to a landlord.

One reason for going green is actually legislative. From April 2018 as part of the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s ‘Green Deal’ all properties within the private rented sector need to be up to a minimum energy efficiency standard rating. Future-proofing your property now with the aid of the many financial incentives available is certainly something to do sooner than later.

A second reason to bring your property into the green future is the added financial and comfort value the property will provide to your tenants. An energy efficient home requires less money to be spent on utilities and as a result fuel poverty becomes a much less likely development. An environmentally sound home may also provide an added incentive to those looking to rent a property that matches their environmental ethos

At Letts Living we are committed to providing a personal and friendly service and insist on employing staff with only the highest skill sets and industry knowledge. Consequently we are always willing and able to provide you with all the help and information you need to turn your property ‘Green’. Please contact us here to discuss: http://lettsliving.com/SITEUPGRADE/contact_details.php

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Letting through Landlords

Letts Living are pleased to announce the launch of their property management and lettings services across London. The service aims to provide landlords a clear and simple approach to letting free of confusing superfluous information.   

Letts Living are accredited landlords with years of first hand experience in dealing with the high street letting agencies. The company, who are answerable to all main bodies  governing residential estate agency, prides itself on their extensive experience within the property market.

When discussing this new agency with managing director, Umar Hasan he said, “My team and I have a great deal of experience in managing properties, buying properties, and renting properties for both ourselves and others. We are committed to providing a service which puts our landlords first. We provide landlords with a great deal of resources and support such as online documentation and free valuations which ensure that each of our landlords is content and satisfied with us managing their property or properties”

Umar and his team cover properties around central, north and east London. They already have qualified tenants, waiting to be placed in properties in these areas, and guarantee the rental of any residential property within 72 hours. The tenants are City Professionals or Corporate Companies eager to find accommodation for their employees.

The team at Letts Living also have experience with the Government’s new Green Deal initiative and can arrange, manage and implement ecological measures for rented accommodation under this new scheme.

Letts Living launched their new website on 12 October 2012 and as an introductory offer Letts Living are providing free property management for 6 months for the first 100 callers.

For further information please visit http://www.lettsliving.com/SITEUPGRADE/

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