Blog: Lettings

Welcome to our first blog of the year! The new year is always a chance to look ahead to what may be in store and what we can expect in the property market in 2023. Since the start of the year we have seen several tenants looking...

Our operations director, James Tiller has been reflecting on some of the EPC regulations that will be affecting landlords from 2025 when the minimum rating for rented properties will be increased to C band - "Despite best efforts...

Since the Tenant Fee Ban that came into effect in June 2019, we have noted that May has seen less activity than would have been traditionally expected in terms of lettings when many tenants held off moving to avoid having to pay...

We met with Peter Bywater from Ridgewater Energy to offer help on some potential solutions on the pressing matter of rented properties meeting Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards. We have covered this topic before through our...

As a buyer, seller or landlord you will no doubt of come across leases on properties. A lease is a ‘contract’ between the freeholder and leaseholder of a property. For example, a block of flats may be owned by a freeholder who...

Do you know your rental property's EPC rating? If not you probably should find out as from 2025, the minimum EPC rating for rental properties will change from E to C which in some cases can be quite a jump. The last significant...

Following on from Gas Safety Week earlier this month awareness about the importance of gas safety in the home is a priority all year round. As a landlord you have a legal requirement to uphold your responsibilities, if you don't...

And just like that the summer seems to be drawing to a close......after the brilliant boost the England football team gave us at the Euros in June the warm and pleasant September has seemed to keep summer hanging on for a few more...

Under the current law in England, letting agents and landlords must check that all prospective tenants aged 18 and over can legally rent a residential property before starting a new tenancy. Citizens from the EU, EEA and...

We delighted to announce that the company is now NAEA Propertymark accredited as the company continues to develop by specialising in Landlord-to-Landlord sales. The new accreditation builds on our long-standing ARLA Propertymark...

As we look towards the autumn and winter trading months, our video below we discusses how busy the local lettings market has been, as well as our current operational situation with Covid-19. Our industry body Propertymark ( ARLA )...

To say estate agents are busy would be an understatement. The unprecedented uplift in buyer demand over the past three months certainly bucks any notion of pandemic paralysis. Rightmove tells us that buyer enquiries are up 14%...

The Government announced a temporary cut to stamp duty in the summer statement, meaning that from 8 July 2020, anyone purchasing a property in England and Northern Ireland will find that the threshold for paying Stamp Duty Land...

The sun is shining outside (or at least was earlier in the week!), and after a very unusual last few months we are now back in our office as opposed to working from our bedrooms or gardens! The whole team at Christopher Shaw...

We are asked about landlord insurance all the time - it is huge area with lots of different types of cover available. This makes it hard for us to be able to tell you exactly what type you will need as it will depend entirely on...

It might be tempting to believe that the pandemic has been destructive and all-consuming on all fronts, especially in relation to the property market, which virtually ground to a halt a few weeks ago. We British are a resilient...

When letting your property, you naturally want your property to look its best, but how far should you go in terms of presentation? Firstly, aim to understand how your property “sits” within the market. Not all tenants have the...

It has been just over a month since the UK was largely 'locked down' - this has affected all industries and markets, and we thought we would share some thoughts on the experiences we have had so far, how we see the market, what...

What a difference a month can make! Our March Market Comment was very positive and full of the joys of spring. Indeed, the Halifax subsequently reported that house prices were 2.1% higher at the end of March than they had been at...

Building on the increase in January activity we reported last month, the local market has been just as frenetic during February with intense buyer activity continuing to play “catch-up” following years of mild depression....

Many properties in the Bournemouth, and Poole area are as unique and distinctive as the people who buy them. So, when selling yours, it is most important that your estate agent has a thorough understanding not only of your...

Higher rents and fewer people buying have led to increasing numbers of people, not just students and couples, choosing to share the cost of rental accommodation. From a landlord’s perspective this should be welcomed–two or...

Increasing numbers of people, and not just students and couples, are choosing to share the cost of renting, for good reason – house-sharing lowers your rent per person, increases the number of potential properties available to...

The archetypal multi-property “professional” landlord probably only accounts for about half of all landlords. The rest come in all shapes and sizes. Which of the following are you? The Accidental landlord This is a homeowner...

If you are looking to rent a property, you may find yourself in a competitive environment, with a limited selection of properties from which to choose. It is therefore important to make it easy for a landlord or their agent to...

The Government has laid The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020. What does this mean? Subject to approval by both Houses of Parliament, landlords will need to ensure electrical...

Over the years the kitchen has evolved from a utilitarian workspace to a fundamental heart of the home. It often enhances open plan living areas so that couples and families can interact between preparing food, working at a desk...

January Market Comment Happy New Year to you all! We hope you enjoyed your festive period. Yet another year has passed, in particular 2019 was a challenging year for all in many aspects, extra legislation, reduction in rent due to...

Although a good letting agent will of course expect to accompany prospective tenants who want to view your investment, and are trained to maximise the opportunity, there is a lot to be said for you meeting your tenants before they...

There are landlords and there are landlords. Some are what we call “accidental” landlords, who decided to let their property as an alternative to selling. Others are somewhat inadequately regarded as “amateur” landlords,...

As the Brexit debacle continues to be drawn out, so the evenings are drawing in. Home, as a place of warmth and sanctuary, becomes particularly significant at this time of year. It is interesting to note that a recent survey by...

Finding a Tenant - The Need for Speed According to the Nottingham Building Society, about 21% of Buy to Let landlords do not secure a paying tenant within four months of completing their investment purchase. 53% waited for two...