Category: Chamberlains Updates

In this two-minute read, we look at four New Year’s resolutions landlords in South Devon can make to earn more money, have less hassle, and maximise their rental investments.

It’s 2022. A new year, new hopes, and a new focus on getting rid of old ways of doing things that are holding us back.

And landlords are not immune to wanting a fresh start. January always sees us have plenty of enquiries from landlords keen to improve the way they do things.

Below are four resolutions we can help landlords make, but more importantly, keep.

To make more money

This one is a balancing act. You want to be profitable without being mercenary. A popular way to improve your bottom line is to review your buy-to-let mortgage rates (when was the last time you did this?). You can also look at all your other costs, including insurance and maintenance plans and see if any savings can be made.

To have less stress

Being a landlord is a fantastic way to build a passive income and lay solid financial foundations for your future. But it can be stressful if certain things aren’t in place. You have plenty of responsibilities, and these can all add up over time. Working with an experienced letting agent can help you overcome any challenges and make your life easier.

To get better tenants

This goes hand in hand with our thoughts on having less stress. A bad tenancy is a nightmare. The good news is when you work with an experienced letting agency, the risks of these are massively reduced. Rigorous referencing and cross-checking of prospective tenants are perhaps the most crucial tasks that need to be done, professionally, if you’re to get a better standard of tenant.

To stay safe and legal

We’ve mentioned that mountain of rules and responsibilities all landlords face. Falling foul of these are costly, stressful, and in worst-case scenarios, can put you behind bars. Unfortunately, ignorance isn’t a defence when it comes to rental property law. By working with a letting agency that knows their stuff regarding the legal side of things, you are protecting yourself, your tenants, and your investment.

If improving the way your rental properties perform in 2022 is a resolution you’re making, get in contact with us today, and we’ll help you stick to it.

 

 

 

This two-minute read looks at how to trim down your energy bills.

Householders were hit with budget-busting energy price hikes in 2021 – a trend that looks set to continue well into the new year.

Here are some ways to claw back some cash on your heating bills and help the environment at the same time.

Small steps

Individually these measures offer modest gains but put them together, and you’ll notice the benefits.

• Use energy-efficient light bulbs.
• Switch off appliances at the socket when you’re not using them.
• Turn your boiler down by a few degrees.
• Wash your clothes on a cold-water cycle or use a quick wash or eco mode. 
• Use draught excluders (like the ones your granny used to have) to stop warm air from escaping under doors.
• Clean your tumble dryer filter to ensure it’s working efficiently.

Big-ticket measures

To see real bang for your buck, invest in making your home more energy efficient. You’ll incur some costs upfront but reap long-term returns.

Smart thermostats

These clever gadgets give you more precision over how and when you heat your home.

While traditional boiler controls are blunt instruments (allowing you to turn all the radiators on or off), smart thermostats allow you to heat specific rooms (handy if you work from home and only need one room to be toasty).

Most are operated via an app, so you can adjust your heating when you’re out, which is great if you forget to turn it off before you leave home.

Insulation

If your home isn’t insulated, what are you waiting for? Loft insulation is one of the most cost-effective ways to cut your fuel bills.

If your insulation is several decades old, consider upgrading it. Older-style loft insulation is often far thinner, and therefore less effective than modern-day insulation.

Install double-glazing

Ill-fitting single-pane windows let the heat escape – and cost you money. Double-glazing will cut your heating bills and add value to your home.

Upgrade your appliances

Consumer champions Which? say installing an energy-efficient dishwasher could save you £32 a year, while a new model fridge could save you £76 annually.

This three-minute read looks at the property-related issues that arise after a relationship breaks down.

A survey of 2,000 Brits found that there’s only one thing more stressful than getting divorced – and that’s moving home.*

Spare a thought then for people who sell their home when their long-term relationship ends. They find themselves dealing with two of life’s most challenging moments at the same time.

Here are some property-related tips to help people navigate such a scenario.

Get good advice

Seek good, independent legal advice. Many factors can influence how assets are divided, such as the length of the relationship, each party’s income and responsibilities, and if children are involved.

Consider your options carefully 

Could you buy your ex’s share of the property (or vice versa)? Or would it be best to sell up altogether? If you and your former partner can’t agree, a court will decide for you (and you’ll have to abide by the decision).

Notify your lender

Discuss the situation with your lender; they’ll have seen this type of thing before and will be able to advise you. Remember, if you and your ex-partner have a joint mortgage, you’re both liable for any missed payments – even if one of you has moved into alternative accommodation.

Don’t short-change yourself

Beware of home-buying companies that swoop in and purchase properties at lightning speed from people in tricky situations. In return for a quick sale, these operators will hammer you on price. (You’ll kick yourself later for accepting a measly sum.) The more you make from the sale of your home, the more you’ll have to put towards starting the next chapter in your life.

Get an independent valuation

Whether you’re doing a deal with your ex or selling on the open market, always get an independent valuation from an experienced estate agent. Never rely on a figure given to you by a quick-buy company or your former partner.

Be realistic about future costs

If you plan to buy a new home post-divorce, you’ll need to budget for a removal firm, stamp duty, and legal fees (all good reasons to maximise the price you get for your home).

Communication

If possible (and we accept that in some circumstances, it’s just not), try to keep the lines of communication with your former partner open. If you can work together to present your home at its best, you can achieve the maximum price. 

Work with an experienced agent 

Choose an agent with a good track record. They’ll streamline the process as much as possible and minimise stress and disruption.

For confidential advice about selling your home, get in touch with us here at Chamberlains.  We’ve got a free guide to help, for download. 

 

*Survey conducted by Yopa in 2019.

 

In this two-minute read, we look at what are the most popular New Year’s resolutions and, more importantly, how to stick to the ones you make.

According to data analytics firm YouGov, at the end of 2020, around a fifth of the adult population in the UK made New Year’s resolutions.

And this year promises to be no different as some of us vow to make a positive change to our lives in 2022.

YouGov states that women (23%) are more likely to make New Year’s resolutions than men (15%).

The ten most popular things people want to tackle are, in no particular order:

Losing weight

Saving more money

Exercising more

Improving their diet

Spending less time on social media

Decorating or renovating their home

Taking up a new hobby

Changing career

Volunteering

Cutting down drinking alcohol

How to stick to your resolutions

Making resolutions is one thing, but what are the best ways to make sure you stick to them? Especially when you consider that 66% of resolutions are broken within one month, and just 12% of us feel the resolutions we made were a success.

Here are five ways to keep those positive promises to yourself, as recommended by several leading life coaches, including Tony Robbins.

• Focus on one resolution.
• Take time to create an action plan.
• Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
• One failure isn’t fatal. Keep going.
• Enlist the help of friends and family.

A common call we take in January is from people looking to move to a new home in the new year.

And while we can’t help you get fitter, more fulfilled or wealthier, we can help you find a new property.

So, if you want to stick to a resolution to move in 2022, give us a call.

And to all our clients, colleagues, and community we wish you a Happy New Year.

 

 

 

In this two-minute read, we give you our best ideas for unloading your unwanted socks, smellies, toys or slippers.

Now we’ve all eaten our weight in turkey, pulled some crackers, and snoozed in front of the TV, it’s time for the great post-Christmas tidy-up.

The first place to start (once all that wrapping paper has been cleared away) is with your unwanted presents. Don’t just shove them under the bed or at the back of a cupboard. Get savvy, get rid, and get a little richer.

Donate them to a good cause

The guilt-free option for getting rid of something you know you’re never going to use. Charity shops benefit from new and unopened items, and you can feel happy in the knowledge your unwanted pressie is doing some good in the world.

Regift them to someone

You may feel a bit cheeky doing this, but in the grand scheme of things you’re actually doing your bit to help save the planet, avoid waste, and bag yourself some pennies.

Swap shop

Get online and swap your presents. Sites such as Preloved or Swapz let you find items of a similar value and arrange a swap. No money, no clutter – win-win. Alternatively, if you fancy hosting a little get-together, organise a post-holiday swap party where everyone brings an unwanted gift and swaps it for another guest’s present.

Sell online

There are so many online selling sites to choose from, your granny will never know you sold her gift of embroidered handkerchiefs, we promise. Obviously, there’s eBay, but check out other sites such as Facebook Marketplace, Amazon Marketplace, or Gumtree.

Return them

Now this is easy if you’ve got a gift receipt, but there’s hope even if you don’t. Most retailers have a returns policy that allows an exchange or will offer a credit note but there’s no law that forces a retailer to accept non-faulty items. Remember, in most cases you’ve only got 28 days to return something in store.

Things that can’t be returned include perishable items such as food and personalised items.

Give them away

It might not be a good idea to stand outside your house offering strangers a pair of brand-new flannel pyjamas, but where there’s a will, there’s a way. Make use of sites such as Freecycle, Freegle, and Trash Nothing to offload your unwanted gifts.

Whatever you decide to do with those extra presents, we at Chamberlains hope you’ve had a great festive period.

 

 

This two-minute read explains the benefits of having a letting agent on duty over the festive season.

Being a landlord is not a nine-to-five job. You can’t just switch on your out-of-office and mute your WhatsApp messages because you fancy a break.

Well actually, you can – if you have a good letting agent working for you.

Here are four ways an agent can help you through the silly season.

• Stress-free holidays

As a landlord, you have a duty of care to your tenant. This means you never know if a trip away to see family or friends or to catch some sun will be interrupted by an urgent call from your tenant.

With a letting agent, you can go away safe in the knowledge that you’re meeting your legal obligations and that any crisis will be dealt with by an experienced professional.

• Good contacts

Even the most laid-back tenant can be short of patience during the festive season.

If, say, the boiler stops working while the mother-in-law is in town, don’t expect to rest until it’s sorted.

Thankfully, a good agent has an extensive collection of electricians, plumbers, and gas engineers in their contacts list.

If something goes wrong, an agent can get someone out to your property – even on public holidays.

• Deal with tenant disputes

Sadly, long-standing issues between couples often come to a head during the holiday period, as people spend more time cooped up together.

As a result, landlords can find themselves dealing with two people who are in a joint tenancy but are very much at odds with each other.

This kind of situation can be tough to navigate and requires careful handling. Many landlords are relieved to leave it to an expert.

• Handle neighbourhood complaints

Neighbourhood rows about loud music, parking, and who put what in the recycling bin can flare up during the festive season.

You may have the skills to deal with these kinds of issues, the question is: do you want to spend your precious time brokering neighbourhood peace? If you don’t, get a letting agent.

To learn more about how we can make your life a lot easier, get in touch with Chamberlains.

 

In this two-minute read, we say a big thank you to those in South Devon who are working or volunteering during the Christmas period.

It’s the night before Christmas, and excitement is reaching fever pitch among children (and adults, some of our team included).

But let’s also spare a thought and share some gratitude for the people, around one million of them across the UK, who work on December 25^th.

While you’re tucking into the turkey or munching away on your seasonal veg, it can be easy to forget that it’s another working day for some of our neighbours.

Emergency services, hospital staff, carers, traffic officers, HGV drivers, and hospitality workers all come to mind as people who will be putting in shifts across South Devon while many of us are having fun.

There are also scores of volunteers who give up their time on Christmas Day.

From helpline call handlers to those who organise lunches on December 25^th for lonely or vulnerable people in the community.

These superstars are giving the most precious present anyone can – their time and attention.

So, to all those hardworking and community-spirited folks, we salute you.

You are local heroes, and we are grateful to you. And we hope you get some quality downtime to enjoy the festive season.

At Chamberlains, we’ll be taking a well-earned break to prepare ourselves for what promises to be a very busy 2022 for the South Devon property market.

Our opening hours over the festive period are:

Thursday 23rd December – 09:00 to 17:30

Friday 24th December – Closed

Saturday 25th December – Closed

Monday 27th December – Closed

Tuesday 28th December – Closed

Wednesday 29th December – 10:00 to 15:00

Thursday 30th December – 10:00 – 15:00

Friday 31st December – 10:00 to 15:00

Saturday 1st January – Closed

Monday 3rd January – Closed

Tuesday 4th January – 09:00 – 17:30

All of us at Chamberlains would like to wish everyone in South Devon a happy, healthy, and very Merry Christmas.

 

 

In this three-minute read, we explore the growing trend of multigenerational living.

Remember when you were younger and you couldn’t wait to move out of your parents’ house, rent your own place and live independently? Well, times are a-changin’, and being an adult with your own bills, mortgage payments, and countless other expenses has lost its charm for many.

In fact, more and more people are going back to their roots, moving in with their parents, in-laws, or other family members to cut down costs and maximise space.

For many cultures, multigenerational living is the norm. It’s not uncommon for three or even four generations to live in one household, but this was a rarity in most UK households, until now. The Office for National Statistics has found that since 2001, households containing three generations is on the up.

Older adults are moving back in with their parents, elderly grandparents are moving in with their kids and grandkids, and many 20 – 30 somethings have no choice but to stay put in their childhood homes due to lack of funds. During the pandemic, many families decided to move in together to prevent isolation, provide support, and just be together.

These days, the traditional granny annexe won’t always do, as savvy grandparents want more space. Designs for granny flats (or student studios) are more self-contained, ensuring people have their own private space and retain a sense of independence.

As more down sizers move in with extended family, research from CBRE predicts that multigenerational living is set to increase over the next 20 years

Typical ways families are joining together include:

• Merging finances and buying bigger properties
• Moving out of cities to take advantage of more space in rural areas
• Extending properties to build an annexe
• Adapting properties to create separate entrances and facilities

With the growing trend of multigenerational living, and more than 1.8 million households currently adopting this lifestyle, house builders are also getting in on it. New developments are popping up with ready-made granny flats or studios for multigenerational family set-ups.

Factors to investigate when considering merging households include matters such as council tax, planning permission, wills, and inheritance issues.

If you’re planning on creating a new multigenerational household, talk to us at Chamberlains to see what’s currently available in South Devon.

 

 

This two-minute tale takes inspiration from a classic Christmas poem.

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

That was until Mum and Dad, joint owners of a rental property, received a panicked phone call from their tenant. 

What was the matter?

In a highly charged conversation, the tenant explained that a pipe had burst and was causing severe water damage.

The problem needs to be sorted – ASAP!

Dad, who had been hoping to settle his brain for a long winter’s nap, springs from his bed and hotfoots it over to the property.

Meanwhile, Mum desperately tries to find a plumber who can help (their usual one must be enjoying a few well-earned festive pints as he’s not answering his phone).

After several stressful hours, the leak is fixed, and the tenant is comfortable in a hotel.

Mum and Dad collapse into bed. They grab a few hours of sleep before their children excitedly shake them awake. It’s Christmas Day. But neither of them feels very merry.

It was just bad timing

The whole episode hangs heavy over Christmas Day. But is there anything else Mum and Dad could have done?

They keep their investment flat in good condition. The leak was just bad luck, wasn’t it?

What about a letting agent?

Oh yes. If Mum and Dad had used the services of a letting agent, things would have been different.

The panicked call from the tenant wouldn’t have come through to them at all. The mad search for a plumber and alternative digs for the tenant would have been the agent’s responsibility.

Mum and Dad would have slumbered all snug in their beds through the whole episode.

What happened next?

As they both have busy jobs, and family time is so important to them, Mum and Dad decide to use a letting agent.

That way, they can focus on what they do best professionally and leave the day-to-day realities of property management to an expert.

Best of all, they know that next Christmas – and at any special time of the year – they can completely relax. Now that’s a happily ever after we can raise a glass to.

From the team at Chamberlains, Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

 

This two-minute read might just be your get-out-of-jail-free card if you’ve left it late to buy Christmas gifts.

A conversation among our team recently made us realise that with just over a week to go before Christmas Day, most of us still had people to buy gifts for.

So, if you’re in the same situation and need some late/last-minute present inspiration, check out these 15 ideas.

For Her

To pamper – a spa day at a local beauty salon.

To relax – a luxuriously scented candle (look at Jo Malone if you want to push the boat out).

To savour – a chocolate box subscription (Hotel Chocolat is worth a look for the chocolate connoisseur).

To de-stress – a shiatsu neck and shoulder massaging machine.

To experiment – The Great British Bake Off latest recipe book or maybe Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook.

For Him

The tech lover – a 3-in-1 Apple device charging station.

The early riser – a sunrise wake-up light alarm clock.

The fitness fan – an electric mini-massage tool.

The thrill-seeker – an experience day – hundreds of options out there, including driving around a racetrack, sailing, or parachuting.

The fan – a personalised video message from a sportsperson or celebrity.

For the Home

As estate agents, no last-minute list from us would be complete without five gifts you can buy for people to use in their homes.

A marble desk organiser.

A customised house portrait.

Personalised coasters.

Frame a favourite photo.

Hardback coffee table books – National Geographic’s Destinations of a Lifetime or perhaps one featuring South Devon?.

And remember, when we shop locally in South Devon, we make a big difference to our community.

Where will you be doing your last-minute gift buying?

Thanks for reading and happy shopping.