Category: Chamberlains Updates

And just like that, it’s the summer holidays again. Six painful weeks of keeping the kids entertained, and the house in one piece. Oh, and to add to this woeful mix, you’ve forgotten to renew your passport and got no sun-drenched holiday planned.

If that sounds like your situation, keep reading, because it’s an ideal time to book a staycation. No passport needed, possibly a bit of sun, and plenty to keep the entire family amused.

While we’re all familiar with the big tourist spots around the UK (yes, we are very spoilt here in Devon!), what about some of our lesser-known attractions?

In this quick guide, we’ve pulled together a whistle-stop tour of some of the UK’s most unique holiday locations.

• High Force, Durham, England

Despite being one of the most impressive waterfalls (yes, the UK has waterfalls, who knew?) in the country, this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is often overlooked by staycationers.

The waterfall is approximately 21m high and genuinely breathtaking. Enjoy guided walks, luxury accommodation nearby and lots of places to visit in the local area.

• Loch Awe, Argyll and Bute, Scotland

Forget the Lake District, everyone goes there. How about visiting the longest lake in Scotland instead? At 24 miles, you might spot the occasional fisherman but that’ll be about it. It’s a stunning location for a family holiday surrounded by a rugged landscape and teeming with wildlife.

• Tyneham, Dorset, England

Fancy a spooky summer break? This historical village is home to… absolutely no one, it’s completely deserted. Enjoy eerily quiet walks around crumbling buildings and empty houses. Perfect if you’re looking to get away from the crowds. And for something a bit different, the next day, why not jump in the car and visit one of Dorset’s many seaside towns? In less than an hour, you can be in busy Bournemouth for a completely different holiday experience.

• Pembrokeshire, Wales

There are so many beautiful Welsh beaches to visit along this stretch of coast, picking just one was impossible. In fact, Pembrokeshire has a whopping 10 Blue Flag beaches (basically the best of the best). Soft sand, miles and miles of blue sea, rockpools, luxury accommodation… there’s just too much to ooh and ahh about.

If you’re looking for an experience rather than an actual area, how about searching for quirky accommodation? A few nights in a treehouse, lighthouse or shepherd’s hut could be great fun for everyone.

From all of us at Chamberlains, we hope you have an excellent summer and enjoy a well-deserved break.

 

If you or a loved one need to move into a care home or require home care, you might be considering selling your property to pay for the costs. This is a difficult decision, and there’s a lot to consider.

It’s important to go through all the proper steps when considering long-term costs, and this article is not a definitive guide on what you should do.

Instead, in this three-minute read, we offer some helpful advice about the process and what to do.

Understanding assessments 

In the first instance, you need to contact your local authority to see how they can help. You (or a loved one) may have already had a care assessment which sets out what sort of care is required.

The next step is a means test. This is a detailed financial assessment which decides whether the council will pay for all or some of the care required. It examines your income from benefits and pensions and your capital (investments and savings). If you’re a homeowner, the value of your property may also be included.

If you or a loved one live with a partner, their financial situation is not assessed.

If you have the funds to pay for care, then a shorter assessment will take place.

Selling your assets 

You may decide to sell valuable items or assets (such as your property) to reduce the cost of care. However, the council’s financial assessment can include your past income and capital. So, this may not be a helpful route to take. The council may still require you to pay fees, as selling assets before an assessment could be deemed as a ‘deliberate deprivation of assets’.

Things to avoid

Even if the need for care is urgent, avoid turning to ‘quick sale’ companies who promise to buy your property for cash. Often, you’ll be left with far less than if you went through the normal sales process. Instead, sign up to a local estate agency so you can meet with an experienced and reputable agent. They will have helped many people in your situation and are best placed to get you a good market price.

The need for care is a sign of change, and you may want to delay the process for as long as possible. However, by facing up to the situation and getting things moving with an estate agent, you can start a new chapter without the need for panic or undue stress.

Get the property ready for sale

A lifetime of memories can be hard to pack away, but it will also allow you to give value to what’s important now and in the future.

Start by packing away your most precious items, such as family photos or antiques. Ask your agent if any glaring repairs need to be made and use a trusted tradesperson to help get issues sorted.

For more assistance, contact Age UK Advice Line or Money Helper.

If you’re ready to sell your home, contact us, Chamberlains, on 01626 365055.

In our post-pandemic world, working from home (WFH) has become the new norm for many people. But as a landlord, you need to make sure your tenants are working in a way that doesn’t impact you negatively.

Most of us think of WFH as sitting in front of a laptop or doing Zoom meetings wearing a shirt and tie with pyjama bottoms. However, there’s been a boom of small businesses cropping up, many of them based in flats and houses all over the country.

In this two-minute read, we look at some questions to consider if you’re a landlord with tenants WFH.

Could tenants WFH affect your tenancy agreement?

Broadly, the answer to this question is ‘no’. However, there’s a difference between working from home for a job and running a business from a rented property. The latter used to be frowned upon as it could be seen as a ‘business tenancy’ rather than a residential one. However, changes to the law back in 2015 gave permission for certain ‘home businesses’ that could ‘reasonably’ be run from home.

Currently, the most common tenancy type is an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) which stipulates that a property should only be used as a residence. This stops tenants from using the property as a business address, so you need to let your renters know that this is the case.

Should you ask tenants if they plan to work from your property?

There’s no reason why not. It’s always best to know what’s going on in your rental accommodation. You could get your letting agent to ask prospective tenants their intentions so you can make an informed decision.

Should you always allow tenants to WFH?

Most landlords would argue that their rent won’t be paid if their tenant doesn’t work, so the simple answer to this is ‘yes’. WFH for a couple of days a week shouldn’t pose a problem for most properties.

Difficulties arise when the form of work could cause damage to your property, or impact upon other residents. For example, if your tenant is a mechanic and plans to fix cars in the front garden, this could be a point of contention for neighbours. Similarly, if they’re running an internet sales business and using your property to store goods, you’ll want to make sure they don’t damage the interior.

Red flags to watch out for:

• Is your tenant using the property more for commercial purposes than residential?
• Are neighbours being affected by noise, traffic or anything else caused by the tenant’s business?
• Are customers attending the premises?

If you come across any of the above, you should seek further advice or speak to your tenants.

To find out more about the do’s and don’ts of tenants WFH, speak to our lettings team at Chamberlains!

The cost of living crisis is affecting more people than ever, and sadly, it’s set to get worse, as more and more households are turning to food banks to supplement their supplies.

Research by the Trussell Trust – a support network for food banks across the UK – found that 2.1 million emergency parcels were distributed between April 2021 and March 2022, a 14% rise from the previous year.

With these statistics in mind, what can you do to support your local food bank?

In this quick read, we offer a few ways to help.

Donate mindfully

Donating food and toiletries may sound obvious but giving some thought to what you donate is equally important.

A typical food parcel contains staples such as cereal, soup, tinned vegetables, tinned meat, rice, pasta, lentils/beans, tea/coffee, UHT milk and biscuits. The aim is to provide three days of balanced, nutritional meals for those who need a parcel. So, think about what you’re donating and how it will be used. Keep in mind that some items are stored for long periods, so check use-by dates.

Non-food items such as sanitary products, cleaning products, baby care items and toiletries are always needed.

What not to donate

Some items are just not suitable for donation. For example, anything containing alcohol or alcohol flavoured cannot be used. In addition, baby formula can’t be distributed (however, families can request vouchers for support with buying this instead).

Other things to avoid include:

• Fresh fruit and vegetables
• Opened or used goods
• Items without a use-by date
• Homemade food
• Items without a list of ingredients.

Any items that can’t be used are donated elsewhere by the food bank.

Where to donate

Search your local authority website for listings of local food banks or have a look on the Trussell Trust website here. If you are looking to help in Teignbridge then HITS Foodbank (Homeless in Teignbridge Support) are a fantastic organisation that are always in need, you can check out their website here:

You can donate directly or through collection points which can be found at supermarkets or churches. You could also organise your own collection drive perhaps along your street or at a local school.

Cash donations

Making a one-off cash donation, a regular monthly payment or organising a fundraiser for a local food bank is a great way to provide support.

Volunteer

Food banks rely on volunteers to help put together and distribute food parcels. Just a few hours a month can go a long way. Look for places to volunteer near you here. The Salvation Army also runs food banks throughout the UK so check their local sites, too.

From all of us here at Chamberlains, thanks for reading. We hope this has been helpful and remember, an easy way to support a food bank is to pick up some extra items at your next weekly shop.

 

 

 

Inspections are a key part of managing a tenancy so it’s imperative that landlords get them right. Here are some top tips to ensure landlords don’t miss a thing. A two-minute read.

We’ve all heard the horror stories about nightmare tenants who trash a rental property, leaving the landlord up to their neck in repair bills and legal costs. Or maintenance issues that were left and became problematic.

Thankfully, there are ways landlords can minimise these risks and one key strategy is to conduct regular inspections.

Landlords are often diligent with inspections at the start of a tenancy, but things tend to slide over time. This is a big mistake as inspections allow landlords to:

• Spot mould, leaks, damp or blockages before they become major problems.
• Guard against subletting and illegal activities.
• Identify property damage – intentional, neglectful or accidental.
• Protect themselves in the event of a dispute. (Many insurers won’t pay a claim if the landlord hasn’t been vigilant.)
• Avoid end-of-tenancy disputes, as issues are dealt with during the tenancy instead.
• Set the tone of the landlord/tenant relationship. If they know you’re on the ball, tenants are more likely to treat your property with respect.
• Build trust. Tenants will be grateful to you for sorting out minor issues without prompting.

So, we all agree that inspections are critical, but how can landlords ensure they nail them? Here are seven top tips.

• By law, a landlord can’t just turn up unannounced – you must give at least 24 hours’ notice. Be reasonable when arranging inspections; you’re trying to work with the tenant, not against them. There are legal procedures to follow for booking an inspection, entering the property for an emergency or if a tenant constantly avoids an inspection.
• Have a systematic approach. Use a standardised form, and go from room to room, taking photos and notes. Use the check-in inventory as a guide.
• Don’t just look inside; ensure the tenant is maintaining the garden according to the rules set out in the rental agreement. Also, check pipework (inside and out), drains and electrical sockets.
• Test alarms and extraction fans.
• Ask the tenant if there is anything they want to discuss.
• Once you’ve completed your inspection, sign it and share it with the tenant (ask them to sign it, too).
• File the inspection so that you have a paper trail in case of a future dispute.

If you don’t have the time or expertise to conduct regular inspections, contact us here at Chamberlains for more information about our tried and tested inspection processes.

In this two-minute read, we look at what we can all do to play a part in the fight against climate change.

It’s never been more evident in human history that we need to change the way we live if the planet is to have a future.

So, this year’s World Earth Day, which takes place on Friday, 22 April, has never been more important.

The day which has been taking place across the globe for more than 50 years, aims to raise awareness of what we can all do to make a difference.

We’re encouraging people to consider some of the ten tips below to adapt the way we all live to a more sustainable, environmentally friendly way.

1. Cycle or walk where possible.
2. Buy second-hand items – we prefer to call them pre-loved
3. Eat local, seasonal produce
4. Shower instead of bath
5. Wash clothes at 30 degrees or lower
6. Make sure your home is well insulated
7. Consider buying an electric car
8. Use LED bulbs
9. Recycle and upcycle
10. Share these tips

As an agency, we are putting together a sustainability statement to outline all the ways that we are going to do our bit to reduce our carbon footprint. From ensuring we only use FSC paper to looking at our energy suppliers and use, we’ll cover all aspects of our business to make sure we are doing the best we can. More info to follow!

What tips do you have for going green?

Thanks for reading.

 

When they run smoothly, joint tenancies can be a good source of income for landlords. This three-minute read explains how to get the best out of them.

Joint tenancies are a great way for friends or couples to live together and share the rental burden. (Think about best buddies and flatmates Joey and Chandler in Friends, they had a ball, right?)

And joint tenancies can also be good news for landlords, providing steady long-term income and low tenant turnover. (If your tenants are happy and get along like Joey and Chandler, they’ll stay for years.)

But sometimes, the relationship between tenants turns sour and things can get complicated. Before we look at managing tenant relationships, here’s a quick recap on joint tenancies.

• As a general rule*, all tenants in a joint tenancy are liable for the rent. This means that if one tenant falls into arrears, the landlord can ask any or all the other tenants to cover the shortfall.
• The same goes for damage to the property – all tenants are liable. Even if only one tenant (or their guest) caused the damage, any or all tenants could be required to pay for the repairs.
• One person can’t pull the plug on a joint tenancy; the landlord and all tenants must agree to end the tenancy.
• If end-of-tenancy deductions are agreed upon, they’re taken from the overall deposit.

 

Getting the best out of a joint tenancy

• Never rely on one tenant to share important information with other tenants for you (they may fail to do so or may get it wrong).
• If there’s an issue with arrears, notify all the tenants and explain that they’re all liable. Tenants who have paid their share of the rent can be valuable allies and help persuade the tenant who is behind to get back on track.
• Remain professional and don’t get caught up in a melodrama between friends or lovers who have fallen out (they may want you to take sides). Remind all parties of their joint liability and encourage them to sort it out amongst themselves.
• Always notify people who sign up to be the sole guarantor on a joint tenancy that they’re liable for all rent and damages. Often a parent thinks they’re just covering their own child – not all the tenants.

To find out how Chamberlains can help manage your property and avoid tenancy troubles, get in touch.

 

*Always check the terms of your rental agreement and, if in doubt, seek expert advice.