New online property magazine for the over 50s, Retiremove.co.uk launches

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom

A new free-to-use property and lifestyle website called Retiremove.co.uk has been launched for the over 50s.

Jane Slade, the former property editor of the Sunday Express, founded the site as a result of struggling to find up-to-date information and well-researched advice for her mother when she was seeking to downsize from her home on the south coast last year.
Jane also found that many of her time-poor friends were in the same position with older parents looking for quality accommodation that would see them through the third stage of their lives; but having nowhere to go to for impartial advice.
It is for them and her own parents that she established www.retiremove.co.uk as a free-to-access helpful haven offering information and case-study based articles on all aspects of retirement living including retirement villages, second homes, moving overseas, choosing a care home and investment property.
Retiremove is also for influencers like doctors, lawyers and religious preachers who want to offer well-informed advice to their clients, patients and parishioners.
“As we are an aging population it is more important than ever that we are well-informed about our options when it comes to how and where we want to live when we retire,” says Retiremove editor Jane Slade.
“Retiremove can be a huge benefit to people as it provides so much useful information in one place accessed by the click of a mouse; and while the special subject is property it covers many other related subjects too.
“I know from helping my own parents that there are so many issues and complexities involved as people get older and that it can be a very depressing exercise trying to fathom what to do. The process can also be incredibly emotional. When I was researching nursing homes for my father after he had become immobile through Parkinson’s Disease I nearly gave up until I found one that had a library, conservatory and a bar where he could entertain his friends – I literally cried with joy.”
Retiremove.co.uk helps to cut a swathe through some of the psychological problems older people face too such as loneliness, disability and finding love in later life. But it is also for people who want to grow old disgracefully and to discover that ageing is not all downhill;  the Mick Jagger generation is now 70 plus and there are all those baby boomers who want a different retirement from their parents. And with more and more silver surfers discovering the joys of the Internet an easy-to-navigate website means it is accessible to everyone 24 hours a day.
Retiremove is updated daily so users are the first to know about new property launches, exclusive deals and analysis from industry experts. Retiremove employs top-flight journalists and experts to provide up-to-the-minute information, exclusive tips and lots more photographic imagery than newspapers and magazines can provide. As well as property issues a wide spectrum of lifestyle issues are also featured including finance, gardening, travel and technology – not to mention a What’s On page of upcoming events and free ticket offers.
For more information about the site or to arrange an interview with the Editor contact Jane Slade on jane.slade@retiremove.co.uk.

It’s out with the old and in with the New England style at Millgate’s latest luxury development

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom

Known for being the best in British house building for 25 years, award-winning developers Millgate have taken their quintessential English home design one step further at their latest luxury collection in Surrey.

 

Friendly, warm and timeless, the six stunning 5 bedroom detached homes at Regency Place located in the picturesque village of Walton-on-the-Hill, Surrey exemplify the way we really want to live with fresh New England style interiors courtesy of Alexander James Interior Design.

Classic design and relaxed living can go hand-in-hand as Regency Place proves with New England interiors being perfect for lovers of old Americana, taking inspiration from both colonial times and typical English style traits.
The warm and relaxed mood together with personalised details, all contribute to the look that makes Millgate homes so special. Combining wood furniture with natural fabrics is a must, but what are the most important features of these luxurious family homes that characterise this fashionable New England style?
Stacey Sibley, Creative Director of Alexander James Interior Design for Millgate explains;
“New England style is very much a relaxed natural look based on textures, mixing linens with cottons, sisal carpets on wood floors, light simple window treatments, distressed wood furniture mixed with industrial style pieces. It´s all about comfort, being able to kick back and relax.
“The basic idea behind the New England look is a cleanliness of lines, married with a taste for quality of design and natural materials. Nature, in New England terms, is pervasively beautiful and rich, providing inspiration for the house´s colour palette and decorations such as flowers and small branches – fresh or dried – shells, sand and pebbles. Materials are rigorously natural from the floors to the upholstery fabrics, stone-like granite and slate both for flooring and countertops, indoors and outdoors.
“Following the same principle, upholstery designs and prints are inspired by natural forms, such as stylised flowers and plant motives, or monogrammed linens and simple stripes. Woodwork in general is kept stylish but never over the top, often painted traditional white and in cream tones for everyday elegance.”
 Whether you yearn for the weathered charm of a Nantucket beach house or the rustic simplicity of a traditional farm house with country style accents, Regency Place boasts an interior to die for and a homely environment for the whole family to feel comfortable and at ease.
For those looking for laid back luxury nestled in a highly desirable location with generous accommodation priced from £1.45 million, contact Richard Saunders selling agents now for further information or arrange a viewing on 01737 363333 or visit http://www.richardsaunders.co.uk/ViewProperty.aspx?adid=MH947R 

Local property entrepreneur goes back to his roots to deliver top quality student accommodation

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom

 

·         Sheffield lad, Robert Gavin of Property Horizons, launches new student accommodation

·         Luxury development in the heart of Sheffield where students are the happiest in Britain

·         30,000 extra students predicted to attend UK universities in 2013/14 say UCAS

Sheffield has long been a leading university city, hosting over 57,000 domestic and overseas students. Not only that but the National Student Survey 2012 and the Student Barometer Survey have together confirmed that the University of Sheffield is officially home to the UK’s happiest students!

A leading research university, the University of Sheffield is 13th in the UK according to the 2012-13 Times Higher Education World University Rankings. It won acclaim as the Times Higher Education University of the Year in 2011 and its Students’ Union was voted best in Britain in the National Student Survey 2012. Its latest accolade is having been ranked at the top of the Student Barometer Survey for student satisfaction in 2012 – for the second year running.

Born and bred Sheffield entrepreneur Robert Gavin, Founding Partner and Director of unique worldwide property investment company Property Horizons, welcomed the news,

“As my hometown, Sheffield has always been close to my heart. The University of Sheffield is already one of the UK’s highest ranking universities and it’s wonderful to see it given the recognition it deserves. With so many students, both domestic and international, clamouring to attend such acclaimed universities in the UK (an overall rise of 30,000 students is predicted for the 2013/14 academic year according to UCAS) this is inevitably putting pressure on existing housing stocks in cities including Sheffield.

“Given the observation in the recent Knight Frank survey that the student property sector is currently the UK’s highest yielding investment opportunity, I am really excited that Property Horizons is able to offer a wonderful new opportunity in Sheffield, allowing me to give something back to both my investors and hometown.”

Property Horizons is leading the field in tackling Sheffield’s student accommodation demands and raising the bar for quality with its stunning new development just minutes from the city’s universities and colleges.

The purpose-built accommodation, available for investment exclusively through Property Horizons, places an emphasis on high quality design and construction. With carefully planned interiors, the accommodation will feature solid wooden floors, a large gym and beautiful communal areas, as well as bedrooms and bathrooms that maximise use of space through cutting edge design.

Property Horizons’ unique approach sees the company investing its own funds into all of its investment opportunities and this Sheffield development showcases the perfect hands-off, hassle-free property investment. The opportunity features a 10% NET rental guarantee for two years, 125% developer buyback at the end of year four and a projected 66.5% return on investment in just four years. With investment from just £54,950 and only a limited number of units available, savvy investors will need to move fast to take advantage of this outstanding opportunity to give something back to the UK’s next generation of leading graduates.

Property Horizons will be at the Property Investor Show at ExCeL London on 19 and 20 April 2013, where Robert Gavin will be speaking at the seminars. If you can’t wait until then, more information can be obtained by calling Property Horizons on +44 (0) 1908 888 999, visiting www.propertyhorizons.co.uk or contacting the team on info@propertyhorizons.co.uk.

Rising London property prices spell good news for Belgravia based developer, Oakvest

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom

Developers in London are continuing to reap the rewards of on-going increases in the Capital’s property prices with latest data from Land Registry recording a 7.1% rise for 2012. Indeed predictions that house prices would ease off after a booming Olympic and Diamond Jubilee filled 2012 have faded with homes values in London far outstripping the 1% nominal growth seen in the rest of England & Wales.  Little surprise perhaps that this week, reported in the Wall Street Journal, Christies International Real Estate released new figures showing London in pole position of international luxury property markets. The report found that top-tier properties achieved record prices globally in 2012 with international buyers driving the sales.

·         Average house prices in London rose 7.1 % in 2012 (Land Registry) 
·         Out-stripping everywhere else in England & Wales where nominal growth averaged 1%
·         London homes set to rise further, costing on average £500,000 by 2020 (CEBR)
·         London topped a new list of world-wide luxury property markets this week.
Looking ahead to 2013, prime property developers Oakvest, located in Belgravia, should also be optimistic with the average London home set to reach the half a million pound mark (£500,000) by the end of the decade according to think tank, the Centre for Economics and Business Research.
Mark Holyoake, Founder of Oakvest, comments:
 
“The outlook for London remains positive even in spite of the recent Moody’s UK downgrade and concerns over a proposed Mansion Tax in the next budget. The Capital is simply one of, if not the most sought after real estate market in the world and prime locations such as Belgravia, where our latest development Grosvenor Gardens House is based, will always attract buyers be they from the UK or overseas.”
With over 700 properties changing hands in SW1 in the last year and the average price tag being £1,556,781, this is far from the cheap end of the London property market. A one bed flat in Belgravia is likely to set you back £750,000 versus £360,000 for the same pad in much loved Fulham, a mere 4 miles away. Further up the ladder, a four bed house in SW1 will be in the region of £5,500,000 compared to £1,500,000 in trendy Clapham.
Holyoake gives his view on this pricing discrepancy,
“For our buyers, having serious money means having a serious address. Postcodes equal prestige and having the right letters and digits on your address is often a consideration when choosing an investment property. They have a direct impact on the value of the home and indeed, as many international buyers have found, the prospective rental yields.”
And affording such a salubrious postcode is Grosvenor Gardens House, SW1. Currently comprising 70,000 sq ft of serviced office and commercial space, the 18th century Grade II listed property will be transformed in the Spring 2014 into 40+ freehold luxury apartments ranging from one to four bedrooms. 
In addition to the high specification apartments, the prestigious development will offer a wellness centre and spa, concierge, business meeting areas, a cinema room and underground parking. The scheme will also provide for an expansive retail & restaurant space and includes a £1 million restoration of the public gardens in front of the property as well a complete overhaul of Eaton Lane behind.
For more information on Oakvest’s planned restoration of this iconic building in London Victoria, call today on 0207 811 3855 or visit www.oakvest.co.uk.    

Unsung, undeveloped and eminently affordable, Albania has all the attractions of its Balkan brothers – without the crowds and considerable expense!

by Charlotte Ashton Uncategorized

As soon as you cross the historic boundary of the Iron Curtain, prices (and crowd levels) drop dramatically. Compared to the millions who descend upon London, Paris and Rome each year, a mere fraction make it to the glorious interior, villages and beaches of Albania leaving it wide open for discovery.

 

For decades it was the hidden gem of the Balkans but now tourism levels are on the rise. Indeed travel across Eastern Europe as a whole is on the up with occupancy rates increasing more than 7.5% in 2012 according to the European Travel Commission. 
 
 
Today’s Albania offers young, lively cities, incredibly beautiful natural scenery and extremely open and friendly people eager to show off their country, all at a price that can’t be found elsewhere on the continent. What’s more, Albania remains one of the few undiscovered paradises in Europe, seemingly unaffected by the eurozone crisis. 
 
 
Peter Walshe, Marketing Director of Lalzit Bay Resort and Spa located on Albania’s Adriatic coast comments,
 
 
“Albania joined NATO in 2009 and has its eye on EU membership. The official currency here today is the Lek and the exchange rate between it and other major world currencies alone should be enough to draw international tourists to Albania.
 
“Real estate is also now a new chapter for Albania as more and more foreigners realise the Albanian property market’s potential with its opportunities for growth and rental return or purely as an affordable alternative for a fantastic holiday home.”
 
 
Indeed statistics show that Albania attracted over 4 million visitors last year and with arrivals up by 277,000 in the first nine months of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011, expectations are running high for the nation’s tourism market in 2013. 
 
 
Peter adds,
 
 
"More and more tourists are arriving in Albania with numbers steadily increasing each year. Now is an exciting time for the country both in terms of tourism and its economy; it’s now being given the recognition it deserves by tourists and the international press alike and has recently been voted a top value destination by the reputable Frommers.”
 
 
Lalzit Bay Resort and Spa is responding to this increased demand by offering individuals the opportunity to become a part of this growth economy. Investors can purchase studios, one or two bedroom apartments or villas in a divine Adriatic location from as little as €35,000, a fraction of the cost of buying a home in one of the more established European resorts. Owners also have the benefit of a fabulous holiday resort to enjoy with family and friends or to rent out to holiday makers.
 
 
Splendid natural scenery, the lowest property prices on the European continent and of course, Albanian hospitality which is second to none, makes this jewel of the Balkan an affordable luxury not to be missed. For more information contact Lalzit Bay on 0845 125 8600 or visit www.lalzitbay.com. 

Dominican Republic looks East to hit 10 million annual visitor goal

by Charlotte Ashton Dominican Republic

Not content with already being the top tourism destination in the Caribbean with 4.6 million visitors in 2012, the President of the Dominican Republic has set an ambitious goal of attracting 10 million visitors annually by 2022 and is looking east to China to realize it.

•4.6 million people visited the Dominican Republic in 2012, 6.6% increase on 2011

•President sets goal of 10 million visitors by 2022 

•Chinese travellers targeted in aggressive marketing campaign 

Keen to tap into the 80 million Chinese who travel the world today, the Dominican Republic’s Tourism department has set out on an aggressive marketing campaign to make the idyllic Caribbean paradise into one of the Far East’s favourite destination.
Leading by example, President Danilo Medina personally welcomed two high profile Chinese families who were holidaying on the island to the National Palace recently as well instructing the production of an Asian orientated infomercial and fashion magazine spread.
Commenting on the island’s tourism successes and future plans, Robert Gavin, Director and Founding Partner of unique worldwide investment company Property Horizons, says,
“The Dominican Republic is a prime example of how, even in the midst of an economic downturn, it is possible to drive tourist growth. Promoting every diverse attraction the island has to offer, the Dominican Republic has worked hard to outpace not only global tourism growth (4%) but the Caribbean too (4.8%) recording the highest regional growth at 6.6% for the second year consecutively in 2012. And that’s not an easy feat!
“Carefully chosen as the location of our new ultimate lifestyle investment, the 5* Eco Beach Resort & Spa, the Dominican Republic is already highly popular tourism destination with US, Canadian and European visitors alike but now the word is spreading that it’s not only the perfect vacation but also property investment destination with buyers welcomed from near (Venezuela) and far (China).”
With an average annual temperature of 25 degrees, sun kissed beaches, a lush mountainous interior to explore as well a rich history, welcoming people and some of the most affordable real estate in the world, the Dominican Republic can indeed live up to its claim to ‘have it all’. An attractive Spring Break destination for North American snowbirds as well as a popular second home location for Europeans and Asian buyers, the island’s rental market is buoyant and properties are selling fast.
One resort development receiving plenty of interest is the 5* Eco Resort & Spa available through Property Horizons. Located on the north coast, the resort lies only 45 minutes from Gregorio Luperon International Airport Puerta Plata, with daily direct flights from the UK, Europe, Canada and the US.
The development has full town hall planning for 320 luxury properties (phase 1), ranging from luxury apartment suites to 5 bedroom bespoke detached villas. Solar power generation, recycling and fresh spring-fed water supply are some of the features that will contribute to the resorts eco credentials.
Amenities include restaurants, Champagne Bar, Spa Kitchen, 24-hour in-villa dining and service, Spa, Swimming Pools, Gym – fitness, steam rooms, saunas and Jacuzzis, tennis centre, horse riding, water sport centre with diving, wind surfing, sailing, entertainment centre and Helipad.
These luxury properties are available on a whole ownership or fractional ownership basis from USD $199,950. There is currently a 20% pre-launch discount, up to 9% annual returns during the construction phase, up to 10% rental guarantee for 2 years and a 50% revenue share at projected thereafter.
Property Horizons will be at the Property Investor Show at ExCeL London on 19 and 20 April 2013, where Robert Gavin will be speaking at the seminars. If you can’t wait until then, more information can be obtained by calling Property Horizons on +44 (0) 1908 888 999, visiting www.propertyhorizons.co.uk or contacting the team on info@propertyhorizons.co.uk.

UK renters can now get a fairer deal with The Upad Tenant Guarantee

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom
  • 3.8 million UK households now rent privately, up from 1.9 million in 2001
  • Complaints about lettings agents have more than doubled in the last 5 years (The Property Ombudsman)
  • UK renters can now get a fairer deal with The Upad Tenant Guarantee

 

The UK´s 3.8 million privately renting tenants can look forward to getting a fairer deal in 2013.

 

Tenants will no longer have to put up with rogue traders and excessive agency fees: a new amendment has been introduced by the House of Lords giving better protection to tenants, and many industry organisations ( including RICS, The Property Ombudsman, Which? and ARLA) have started campaigning in earnest for the regulation of lettings agents.

 

To reflect their ambition to give tenants a fairer deal and transform the sector, Upad have published their Tenant Guarantee – a five point practice that creates a transparent lettings process for tenants.


The Upad Tenant Guarantee

 

1. We do not charge tenants “administration” fees for the property letting

The rental price (and deposit) is the only charge the tenant has to pay Upad for letting the propert

 

2.   If the landlord chooses to comprehensively reference their prospective tenants through Upad, we charge tenants (and any guarantors) £50 +VAT each

This is an additional service available to landlords. It includes a previous landlord reference, employer reference, affordability check and credit score.

 

3.       Upad tenants have a direct relationship with their landlord

This usually starts with the viewing meaning the tenant (and the landlord) can have all of their questions answered. A Upad survey showed 91% of tenants would like to meet the landlord when looking for a property

 

4.       When a tenant enquires about a property they are sent the landlord´s details by text and email to arrange a viewing.

If permission is given, the landlord is also provided with the tenant´s details

The Upad Tenant Line (0333 240 1210) is also open 7 days a week, 8-8 Monday toFriday and 9-4 at weekends. This allows us to connect tenants with the landlord as soon as possible

 

5.       We actively encourage our landlords to treat their tenants as valuable customers

Upad believes landlords should run their properties as a business. We provide weekly information and a Landlord Guide to all of our registered landlords

 

Commenting on the new Tenant Guarantee, Upad CEO James Davis says,

 

“Tenants have frequently been on the receiving end of high agency fees or fees that have been hidden from view. The Upad Tenant Guarantee shows tenants exactly how they will experience Upad, including their direct relationship with the landlord and the low fees they will pay.

 

With the rental sector continuing to grow it is important that tenants are treated as valued customers entering into a professional relationship with the landlord. The Upad Tenant Guarantee will aim to do just this.”

 

For more information on the Upad Tenant Guarantee please visit the Upad facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/upadUK which provides a tenant guide and the opportunity to ask our Tenant Team any questions you may have.

Say no to extortionate letting agent fees, save £614 and maximise yields by becoming a Upad landlord

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom

With an ever growing pool of renters and inflation beating yields which averaged 6.3% in 2012 (Paragon Mortgages) it´s no wonder that buy-to-let property investment is so popular in the current economic climate. But unlike owning the home within which you live, landlords, be they professional or accidental, must treat their properties as income generators and this means minimising costs to maximise yields.

One cost which all too often reduces overall yield is the amount charged by high street letting agencies to find and place tenants. At present, despite calls from a wide variety of organisations, there is no regulation of letting agents or the fees they charge. Of course some do act responsibly and charge fair rates but all too often landlords are forced to pay extortionate fees equivalent to one or even two month´s rent to secure tenants.
Times are changing however and continuing on their quest to revolutionise the UK lettings industry Upad are offering a more cost-effective alternative. On average a Upad landlord saves £614 by switching to the 5* online lettings service from a traditional high street agent (Jan 2013).
James Davis, Upad CEO and hands-on landlord for 14 years, explains,
“As a landlord myself I think of each of my properties as a micro-business. Detailing in black and white the costs each property accrues against the income it generates gives me a good idea of the annual yield I can expect. From experience, high agency fees can destroy yields so I always look to reduce these as much as possible with self-management and online tenant finding services such as Upad.”
With nearly half of all UK landlords already self-managing and subscribing to the Upad model of meeting tenants face to face rather than via a third party lettings agency and indeed paying through the nose for the privilege, the tide is turning and for the better.
As one Upad landlord, Vito Cilenti from Leeds comments,
“After using Upad six times in the last 6 months with fantastic results every time, I would never consider using a high street agent again. Upad offer very good value for money, a website that´s easy to use and if your property is displayed properly with good photos, Upad will find you a tenant quickly and efficiently.”
In total, Upad landlords saved £1,890,938 last year by switching from traditional agents and if every UK landlord currently using a letting agent switched to Upad they would save a staggering £700,347,600.
James concludes,
“In comparison with high street letting agents who, as a group, received over 4,000 complaints to the Office of Fair Trading last year, the benefits of being a Upad landlord are significant. Our rates are transparent and one-off, we don´t drip-feed additional charges throughout a tenancy and by operating an online model, our exposure is vast yet overheads are low enabling us to offer fair pricing without comprising on customer service. The fact that 57% of Upad landlords surveyed in January 2013 switched from high street letting agents to our service speaks for itself!”
For further detailed information on being a Upad landlord and price plans which start from £299 + VAT which includes professional photography and a floor plan, a ´To Let´ board erected outside the property and advertising across all major UK lettings sites as well as comprehensive tenant referencing, drawing up of the tenancy agreement, deposit registration and crucially, rent collection call 0333 240 1220 or visit www.upad.co.uk .

Property Inspector: Should letting agents be regulated?

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom

TheMoveChannel.com´s Property Inspector, taking a closer look at global real estate each month.

In February´s podcast, the Inspector investigates the latest calls from the Office of Fair Trading to regulate the lettings market. Analysing 4,000 complaints received by people renting a home, the OFT found 1,557 of them were about fees and charges, while 1,211 were about agents providing a poor service.
They follow similar statements from both The Property Ombudsman and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. With the number of tenants still on the up, the market is now a £1 billion per annum business, handling £14 billion per annum of clients´ money.
At the moment, though, anybody can become a lettings agent. There are around 11,500 letting agents in the country – but the exact number is unclear because there is no single, official register. This system, which opens itself up to loopholes and abuse, sees horror stories from tenants or landlords regularly appearing in the media. Indeed, complaints to The Ombudsman were up by 12pc in 2012 compared to 2011.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has described the rental sector as “the property industry´s Wild West”.
Are they right? Does the sector need a sheriff? Should lettings agents be regulated?
The Property Inspector sits down with James Davis, CEO of the UK´s largest online letting agent, Upad, who argues that the sector needs educating – not regulating.
Click here to listen to the full investigation.
The RICS described the lettings sector as the “property industry’s Wild West”. Is that a fair description? Does it need a sheriff?
“I think the amount of rogue landlords or agents are a very small minority but they tarnish the sector. I think having a sheriff or compulsory licensing of some form would have a disastrous effect in driving rogue agents underground and would make them harder to track. It’s important to keep things above the surface and to make landlords and tenants both aware of the Kitemarks to look out for that relate to best practise and trust.”
Complaints increased last year as more people became tenants. How widespread a problem is this?
“The OFT have had 4,000 complaints and The Ombudsman received around 8,000 complaints. To put that into perspective, those 12,000 complaints in the last year have come about from the 2 to 3 million tenancies that were created last year – well less than 1 per cent of all tenancies. Of course, there are more complaints as the rental market is growing, but we need to keep it in perspective.”
If agents were trained to a certain standard, would that be enough, instead of full regulation and enforcement?
“There are no regulations for landlords to train as such. It could be argued that there should be; the reason for the rising number of complaints is partly because there is no formal training for agents, landlords or tenants. It’s not surprising that there are complaints if all three parties haven’t had formal training.
 “There are voluntary schemes now, such as ARLA [Association of Residential Letting Agents], of which I and Upad are accredited members. What that offers is protection against money laundering, secured deposits, but it also means that they’ve done professional exams, which are the equivalent of an A-Level, so that the person you are dealing with understands what the lettings process all about. But only a minority of letting agents are actually members of ARLA.”
Should there at least be some kind of official, compulsory register, so that we can track agents in the country?
 “What I think makes more sense is to make tenants aware of what to look out for – like whether a landlord is a member of an accreditation scheme or how long they’ve been trading for, and using those Kitemarks that are out there, maybe go on the ARLA website to see what agents are operating in their area, to know that they are moving into a property where that landlord is a professional.
“From a tenant perspective, tenants should look beyond the property and at whom it is being letted by. Is that agent ARLA accredited? Is their landlord a member of the NLA [National Landlords Association] or the RLA [Residential Landlords Association]? Do your own due diligence: “Buyer beware” is the important phrase.
“Landlords have a choice as well. When they want to let their property, they can self-manage through notice boards, like Gumtree, use a traditional high-street agent, or an agency like Upad, where we explain our fees clearly and have a wealth of information online about how to run your property as a business. Whichever you look to use, do you your own due diligence, make sure your letting agent is accredited, or look at other testimonies from landlords.”
Notes to Editors 
Property Inspector image courtesy of Snowshot.
Founded in 1999, TheMoveChannel.com is the leading independent website for international property, with than 400,000 listings in over 100 countries around the world, marketed on behalf of agents, developers and private owners.
The website address is http://www.TheMoveChannel.com and the office address is 45 Lafone Street, Shad Thames, London, SE1 2LX.
Contact Dan Johnson on 0207 952 7650 for further information.

“We’re not stuck, it’s a choice” say 30% of UK tenants who rent rather than buy

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom

High house prices, the need for a hefty deposit and lack of access to mortgage finance have all undeniably contributed to the creation of ‘Generation Rent’ but not everyone is stuck in the trap – 30% of UK tenants choose to rent rather than buy according to the latest data from leading online lettings agent, Upad.

 

Indeed it may well be officially £120 cheaper to own your home today then rent (Halifax, Jan 2012) but bricks and mortar is never a simple numbers game and now nearly a third of UK renters actively choose this path because they don’t want the commitment of buying a property.
A case in point is Charlotte Ashton, 31 from London, who has lived rented accommodation for over 10 years now. She explains,
“Whilst it is my ultimate aspiration to get on the property ladder at some point, I have actively chosen to live in rented accommodation for all of my adult life. The freedom, flexibility and being able to rely on the landlord to repair any problems has been a real draw for me and with house prices in London skyrocketing there is no way I could ever live where I do unless I rented.”
Charlotte has lived happily in her current 5 bedroom property in Shepherd’s Bush, West London since 2009, a trend also seen in the Upad Tenant Survey (Jan 2013) which revealed that 39% of UK tenants expect to rent for 3 years or more.
With the Upad survey also showing that nearly half of all UK tenants lose more than 30% of their salaries to rent, finding the perfect property is essential. 47% of tenants start looking for their next new home 2 months or more before they have to move and expect to see on average 16 properties during their search.
As James Davis, CEO of Upad and hands on landlord for 14 years, comments,
“With rents escalating across the country, tenants are becoming increasingly fussy about the properties they rent and rightly so, living standards should be the same for owners and tenants alike.
“As a landlord I am always asked to provide prospective tenants with photos of the property and indeed this and other advertisement features rank highly in our survey with 93% of UK tenants believing photos to be either very important or essential, 72% stating distance to transport links and 58% a broadband connection.”
For further detailed information on the state of the UK rental market from a tenant’s perspective, contact the experts at Upad who handle 20,000 tenant enquiries per month on 0333 240 1220 or visit www.upad.co.uk .