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/