Three Nightmarish Buy-to-Let Scenarios and How to Avoid Them

You’ll see plenty of ghosts and ghouls trick-or-treating tonight, but here are three frightening scenarios that haunt landlords all year round.

Being a landlord can sometimes be unpredictable – but the experience is much less scary if you have a good letting agent on your side. Read on to find out why.

Late night emergency
Picture this: It’s past midnight, a full moon is in the sky, and you’re safe and warm in your bed. Then the phone rings. And your cosy evening … Continue Reading…

Top Tips to Avoid a DIY Disaster at Home

Will your next home improvement project end in success or a desperate call to the DIY SOS team? Here are five tips to avoid bungling the job.

Repairing and refurbing your own home can be immensely satisfying – and save you lots of money. But not every DIY task finishes well. One in eight ends in a mishap, while half of all DIYers confess to calling in a professional to rectify a mistake. *

From crooked countertops and fudged fireplaces to botched … Continue Reading…

How to Spot a Fake Landlord and Avoid Getting Scammed

Don’t let fraudsters swindle you out of your hard-earned money. Read on to discover what the ‘fake landlord’ scam is and how to protect yourself.

The fake landlord ruse has been around for years, but current market conditions mean that some renters are particularly vulnerable to this con right now.

 Here’s how it works

A fraudster posts a property for rent online, complete with photos (usually stolen from a legit website). Often, they advertise on online community noticeboards so they can take advantage … Continue Reading…

Six DIY Tips That Will Save You Money on Your Energy Bills

With winter around the corner, there’s still time to make changes at home to minimise your energy usage and save on your bills.

There’s no getting around it: we’ll all be paying more for our energy this winter. But by making a few simple changes at home, you can trim back your energy usage.

While much of the energy-saving advice that has been dished out so far relates to behavioural change – things like using your boiler less and turning off the … Continue Reading…

Finding A Good Property Lawyer – Six Tips

To prevent your property deal from progressing at a snail’s pace – or falling through altogether – you’ll need a good lawyer. Here’s how to find one.

Once you’ve agreed a deal to sell or buy a property, the next step is to instruct a lawyer to handle all the relevant searches, paperwork and enquiries.

It can be tempting to go with the cheapest lawyer you can find or the first one you come across on the high street, but it’s worth … Continue Reading…

Are You Putting Your Rental Investment at Risk?

There’s a lot to think about when you are a landlord.

You’ve got the ever-changing rules around rental property to consider.

Then there’s ensuring your property is well maintained and your tenants are happy.

Add to that the cost of living crisis, pressures on the economy and political instability, and you could be forgiven for thinking, ‘what’s the point?’.

But before you sell up, let’s look at your alternatives.

We believe that the best way a landlord in East Northants can run successful rental property portfolios … Continue Reading…

Five Facts Chocoholics Need to Know

Once you’ve read these five facts, you won’t feel quite so guilty about indulging in chocolate again. A two-minute read.

Humans have enjoyed the delights of chocolate for thousands of years, starting with the Mayans, who drank it as a hot liquid (and even used it in wedding and baptism ceremonies).

Fast forward to today, and chocolate is a 120-billion-pound global industry. The Germans are the top chocolate consumers per capita, followed by the Swiss, Estonians and Brits.

But there’s no getting around it, … Continue Reading…

Why Going Cheap is Costing Home Movers Thousands of £££s

The last two years have been hectic for the East Northamptonshire property market.

But now, the market is slowing down, and homes are not selling as fast as they once were.

It’s also becoming harder to sell a home for a premium price.

Add to that the cost-of-living crisis and other global events hitting us in our collective pockets.

The good news is it’s still possible to achieve an excellent price for your home if the estate agent working with you knows how.

As the … Continue Reading…

How to Stop Condensation Becoming a BIG Problem

This two-minute read looks at some simple steps landlords and tenants can take to reduce the risk of condensation causing mould, damp and disputes. 

What causes condensation?

When moist air is cooled by contact with cold surfaces such as walls, windows or mirrors, the moisture condenses into water droplets, AKA: condensation.

This can often cause unsightly mould and, in extreme cases, be unhealthy. Not just in terms of physical health but because it’s a common breeding ground for disputes between landlords and tenants.

Why … Continue Reading…

World Smile Day: Why Grinning is Winning

They say the best things in life are free, so here’s a quick and easy way to brighten someone’s day that won’t cost you a penny – but will make you feel good.

He may have been known as ‘Cranky Franky’, but crooner Frank Sinatra is responsible for popularising a very cheery message that has stood the test of time.

Sixty years ago, he enjoyed a hit with When You’re Smiling, a tune best known for the catchy lyrics “When you’re smiling, the … Continue Reading…