Permitted Occupier status – what is it and how can you make sure you and your property are protected?

Advent has begun, Christmas is around the corner, Hannukah is on the imminent horizon and then there’s New Year’s Eve in just a few weeks – the holiday season is really in full swing.  In the spirit of all things festive, we thought we’d take a look at our favourite holiday styling tips for modern families

Over 50% of private renters are now using Housing Benefit or Universal Credit to help them pay their rent. And 20% of families don’t receive enough support from the Government to pay their rent in full, so they need to make up this shortfall themselves.

It’s Lockdown 2.0 day today and many people may be feeling anxious about what this means for the housing market, whether they are buying or selling, or a landlord or a tenant.  So, what DOES Lockdown 2.0 mean for the housing market? 

The colder weather is here and the nights are drawing in – but that just gives us an excuse for styling up our home for cosy Autumn evenings in (lockdown or not!).  We’ve picked some of our favourite Autumn styling choices for you to try at home...

We take a look at some of our favourite Hertfordshire attractions and places to visit - all socially distanced, of course!  

Getting Winter-ready is important when the cold weather is on the way. But what can you do to make your properties better prepared for cold, windy and wet weather coming soon? Turns out, plenty! Here are our top recommendations to help prepare your properties for the Autumn and Winter in our handy-dandy checklist…

Renting is on the rise. That much is clear. But as the Summer Boom continues on, are we likely to see a Super Boom occur?

With more movers than ever, you might be worried about your properties being vacant, even for a short while. What can you do about it? Turns out, quite a lot!

Exciting new changes to Planning Permission were announced last week, but what were they and how might they affect landlords across the country?

One common area for tenant-landlord disputes is garden maintenance, that’s because many tenancy agreements do not cover garden maintenance or even mention the garden at all!  But, with lockdown ending and more households able to meet in back gardens, the rise of the Great British BBQ is back with a vengeance! So, how can you make sure this doesn’t end in disaster for you, your tenants and your neighbours?

As the housing market is steadily improving, estate agents and property owners are looking for new ways to manage the impact of Coronavirus on their livelihoods. And one such way is the use of VR/360 technology as well as virtual tours.

According to a recent survey reported by the BBC, 49% of renters have changed their priorities for searching for new properties, and it’s even more changed for buyers. So, what is it that renters and buyers are now looking for?

The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, has just announced that stricter social distancing measures could be introduced in specific areas around the UK, in the future, to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. But what could that mean for your tenants?

Boris Johnson has announced his measures for releasing lockdown, but how can an industry built on personal house viewings move through this phased back-to-normality process?

In the 2015 Budget, then-Chancellor, George Osbourne, announced changes to the Income Tax relief options available for landlords in the UK. These came into effect from 6th April 2020...

Temporary changes have been made to the Right To Rent checks process as a result of Coronavirus measures. What does this mean?

Last week we were pleased to hear that John Healey, the Shadow Housing Secretary, had promised a ban on evictions during the Coronavirus outbreak. But, the released legislation actually shows that the evictions are not “banned” but, instead, the notice period has been extended from 2 months to 3 months.

Landlords around the country are today, understandably, worried about the financial impact of COVID-19 (or Coronavirus) on them and their tenants as we make our way through this difficult time of uncertainty. As the number of cases of Coronavirus rises daily, we address some of the concerns and steps you can take as a landlord at this time.

Many contracts state that “fair wear and tear” on the property is acceptable in terms of the dilapidations process (the process by which a tenant exits the property and receives back their deposit), but what does “fair” mean in relation to wear and tear, and why do we need to be aware of it?