This Week’s Hottest Property News 17.02.2017


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Landlords baffled by EPC changes and Right to Rent scheme – Property Industry Eye

Landlords are seriously confused by the onslaught of new legislation implemented by the government and are failing to keep abreast of what they are now held responsible for under new regulations. 

Landlords are unaware of several current and incoming regulations that could affect their portfolio, an online letting agent has claimed.

Urban.co.uk surveyed more than 4,000 landlords to assess knowledge of forthcoming regulations such as new Energy Performance Certificate rules as well as current schemes such as Right to Rent and rules on tenancy agreements.

Just 52% of respondents knew it would be illegal to let properties with an EPC rating of F or G from April 2018, while 17% weren’t aware of the changes. However, another 31% thought the rules came in this June or December.

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Tenants face rent rises of 30% warns ex-Bank of England chief – Letting Agent Today

Scary predictions for tenants as landlords are coming under increased pressure from renting reform bills imposed by the government. 

Tenants face potential rent increases of between 20 and 30 per cent as a result of tax rises hitting landlords, says a former independent member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee.

David Miles, now Professor of Financial Economics at Imperial College London, says he wants the current three per cent stamp duty surcharge and the imminent start of the phased reduction of landlords’ mortgage interest tax relief to be abandoned.

Miles says “rents would need to rise between 20 and 30 per cent” to offset the impact of the government’s measures.

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The London boroughs where house prices have risen by £1.5 million in two decades (earning owners £200 a day) – The Daily Mail Online

We are all aware that the house price bubble in the capital has been growing and growing, but which are the areas where the most money can be made? 

Everyone knows how house prices in London have soared above the rest of the country, but the true extent of the widening gap has been laid bare, with one area of the capital showing values up £1.5million in two decades.

Research by Lloyds Bank highlighted how house prices in the exclusive borough of Kensington and Chelsea have shot up an eye-watering 648 per cent during the past 20 years.

Today, a typical value of a home in the area is £1,857,287, up from £297,768 in 1996. It is the equivalent of £6,498 per month or around £200 a day.

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Should I use an online estate agent to sell my home? – London Property Magazine

This question is asked time again from vendors looking to save themselves some money, Alasdair Carpenter gives his two cents worth as to which way is the best option. Remember that you can list your home for free on TheHouseShop.com 

As the owner of a high street estate agency remaining impartial on this issue will not be without its challenges. However, I will be as balanced and fair as I can.

Technology has been revolutionising the housing market for nearly two decades, and without any doubt, a vast majority of buyers find their new home online. Therefore, it would be remise of me to dismiss online agents as having no real impact or credibility.

Online estate agents are gaining traction in the UK housing market and frankly, the offering from most of them is becoming more attractive. They are beginning to offer a more comprehensive service, both in terms of the level of service and the quality of the marketing they undertake.

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Borrowing by first time buyers hits record high – Estate Agent Today

Encouraging results from a survey of first-time-buyer mortgage applications in December 2016, show that more than ever before have been approved to get their feet on the property ladder. 

First-time buyers borrowed £5.1 billion from mortgage companies in December, far above the same month in 2015, and the highest December figure since the CML’s records began in 1974.

There were some 32,000 first time buyer loans, up seven per cent month-on-month and up eight per cent year-on-year.

There were more mixed results in other demographic sectors, however.

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Six extraordinary English homes that have been passed down for dozens of generations – Country Life

The ultimate guide to ancestral properties that are still owned by their original families, a feat becoming increasingly rare in this day and age. 

Never mind armorial silver, an ancestral house is one of the most meaningful (and challenging) of inheritances.

Home to the original Dicky and Daffy (Country Life’s Annie Tempest grew up at Broughton), the Tempest family has been here since 1097, although the current hall was built in 1597.

Today, Broughton presides over perhaps the world’s most beautiful business park; the family still lives in the hall, but the 3,000-acre estate houses more than 50 companies, employing some 600 people, in a variety of converted coach houses, stables, barns and other buildings. There are also conferences, weddings and other events, plus holiday cottages and the Avalon spa is set to open this year.
(www.broughtonhall.co.uk)

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 How to splash out on a statement bathroom – The Telegraph

Many people would love to add extra value to their homes by doing up their bathrooms and this article explains how you can do just that in luxurious fashion. 

Minimalist bathrooms may be relaxing in their simplicity, but they can also feel clinical and devoid of charisma. The latest looks are decorative rather than spartan, using pattern, colour and mixed materials together to give the space a sense of individuality.

This approach allows bathrooms to flow better visually within the home. “You don’t want your bathroom to look like it’s been dropped in a container,” says Barbara Sallick, co-founder of Waterworks. “It should have design continuity with the adjacent rooms.”

Technical developments – from daringly patterned waterproof wall coverings to glamorous lighting that can still meet safety standards – can help forge this softer, more domestic look.

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