All posts by : Letting People

The Letting People was delighted to receive an invitation to join a delegation of construction-related firms to raise current issues at The Houses of Parliament.

Caroline Kempster, co-owner and Marketing Director joined delegates from across the county, with the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, as they visited Westminster.  They raised key issues with Nuneaton MP Marcus Jones, the Prime Ministers' small business ambassador for the Midlands; Stratford MP Nadhm Zahawi, a member of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills select committee; and Sajid Javid, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury.

Caroline was also delighted to have the opportunity to sit in the House of Lords and hear the 2nd reading of the Immigration Bill where she heard the live debate.  This was of particular interest as Lord Best spoke of the  "daunting" and "adverse" effects this Bill could have on the private rented sector. He highlighted some of the logistics of the Bill and particularly the effects in regard to the onerous immigration checks that landlords, and their agents, might have to carry out on their tenants and their families, if the Bill became law.  Lord Best recommended that a pilot scheme would be the best way forward to test the possible effects of the Bill.

We all know how important it is to make sure that your vehicle is prepared for winter, but what about your property? While we’re spending money on winter tyres, windscreen de-icer, and oil checks, who’s focusing on reducing condensation, insulation, or boiler maintenance?

For residents, the cold snap expected in the coming months can be problematic but for landlords who are not prepared, especially those with multiple properties, these glitches can be extremely costly; The Letting People is encouraging landlords to prepare their houses and flats as soon as possible.   

Every winter we see some landlords struggling with problems which could easily have been avoided if more thought was put into making their properties ‘winter-ready’.  It’s that old adage – prevention is better than cure.

Tenants too can often avoid problems of condensation by ensuring that wardrobes and other furnishings are kept away from cold walls, and windows are regularly opened and/or condensation is regularly wiped off surfaces or extracted.  This will ensure that all moisture is kept to a minimum inside the property from washing, cooking, and drying clothes, etc.

It’s bad enough for home-owners who experience trouble with their boiler, or find damp patches in the corners of their rooms; but for tenants, maintenance issues can take much longer as the landlord must be involved in the decision before any necessary repairs can be made.

The Letting People in Leamington Spa and in Milton Keynes works with reliable local contractors such as gas engineers, plumbers, electricians, and roofers, to help each landlord to be prepared for the winter, and to prevent future costly problems.

Putting the needed provisions in place may seem like an unnecessary expense at this time of year but when you’re trying to relax over the festive break, you’ll be pleased that you took precautions.

In recent years, the Government’s Rent a Room scheme has become more popular than ever before. The scheme, which lets landlords earn up to £4,250 a year, can provide a tax-free benefit for private landlords looking to let out a single room or an entire floor within their property.

We’ve noticed a trend towards resident landlords who continue to live in their property while letting a room, or several rooms, to a tenant or lodger. With times being as they are, money is often tight and many tenants are beginning to see the benefit of taking on an inclusive rent package such as this, which more often than not will include heating, electricity and other amenities such as Wi-Fi and TV licence.

Here at The Letting People we’ve been approached by several home-owners looking to take on a tenant with most looking to put together an inclusive package for lodgers, designed to include the cost of gas, electric, water, and other items.  It seems that both landlords and tenants get the best from this alternative living arrangement. Landlords are content in the fact that they can put a spare room to work and gain tax free income, while tenants enjoy having their landlord close by to deal with any household problems which may arise.

If you are looking to become a resident landlord, you need to consider several factors before taking on a tenant. And it’s important to take into account your needs, as well as theirs. As a live-in landlord you’ll be living in close proximity, so compatibility is essential.

It’s also a good idea to think about the communal provisions which will need to be in place. As well as utility bills, you’ll need to think about laundry facilities, parking, use of an additional television or even rules about occasional guests – for both yourself and your tenant.

We offer our landlords full referencing of their prospective tenant using an insurance company, and preparation of a specialist tenancy agreement.  For more information about becoming a resident landlord, talk to your local branch of The Letting People.

The last week was very exciting – with three prizes won at The Letting People!

The week started on a high note with Nick Holmes www.grumpychicken.co.uk/ setting up a professional photo shoot at the new offices in Regent Street, Leamington Spa. The superb new photos of all the team will soon appear in all the new publicity and promotional items – so watch this space!

Nick’s time was bid for and won by The Letting People at a fundraising auction of promises for The Willows Project www.thewillowsproject.org.uk/ which recently raised over £7,000 at the Radford Semele Community Hall. Caroline Kempster, Marketing Director attended the auction and auctioned a promise of a training session on Twitter!

The Willows Project provides horticultural, agricultural and nature-based day activities on a working organic farm a few miles from Leamington Spa. They work with a range of excluded groups and individuals, including people with mental health problems, learning disabilities, long-term illnesses, addiction recovery and disaffected young people. Through practical, land-based activity sessions they successfully help people to develop new skills, build confidence and connect with nature.

Caroline and Anthony Kempster also attended Jo Cameron’s Achievers Academy for Women (AAW) awards evening which was raising funds for The Philippine Community Fund (PFC) www.p-c-f.org/ and raised over £500 for this incredible charity aiming to end child labour. PCF’s mission is to improve the quality of life for impoverished Filipino communities, to bring stability and realisable potential through sustainable education, nutrition, health and community advocacy programmes, as well as livelihood training, regardless of religion, race or political boundaries.

Caroline was delighted to win a prize in the PCF fundraising draw of a gift voucher of golf lessons with PGA Professional Julian Mellor at the Julian Mellor Golf School in Warwick www.julianmellorgolfschool.co.uk … so watch out on the fairways of Warwick!

The week ended with a £25 premium bond prize was won by Caroline – what a wonderful week of winning!

A very smooth move is taking place at The Letting People in Leamington Spa – from Euston Place to Regent Street – with new offices being prepared to offer all visitors and staff a much improved lettings experience.  

Most aspects will remain the same – same friendly staff, same email address, and same phone numbers – but the location will be much more central to the town centre and with the new buzz of Regent Street.

Anyone visiting the Leamington Spa office in the past few weeks, might be wondering if The Letting People are still in business behind all the scaffolding! Yes, they are still trading … and will open in the new office from Tuesday 29th October.

The next few weeks will see a lot of new changes, and visitors will gain from a new area to drop off keys and pick up documents, and a new confidential room where documents can be read and meetings can take place to discuss your letting requirements.

The new office address is: 1st Floor, 113 Regent Street, Leamington Spa CV32 4NU

"Many professional tenants, on their first move away from home or student accommodation, may not have enough spare money to buy their own furnishings"

At this time of year, university students are moving into their new accommodation, and expecting to find a prescribed list of furnishings supplied by the landlord in each bedroom – bed, desk, chair, wardrobe, etc.  However, most tenancies are not as straightforward as this and landlords are often left in a dilemma as to what furnishings to provide.

The Letting People have considerable experience of advising landlords on suitable furnishings for properties, as required, to make the property let more easily to the perfect tenant. Some tenants will enjoy choosing new furniture to make a rented house into their home. They may therefore choose a particular unfurnished property because of the size of the rooms – a big enough living room to accommodate a large corner sofa, or perhaps a bedroom that will fit the king-size bed they’ve been dreaming of purchasing. 

Equally, many properties to let will be furnished and a rental decision may be based entirely on the style, period and age of the furnishings. Likewise a flat, without lift access, above the first floor is more likely to let on a furnished basis as no-one is keen to carry (or pay someone else to carry) large furnishings up lots of stairs! Another consideration will be the comfort of soft furnishings such as the bed and/or sofa provided. Some tenants will be anxious to find a home with enough clothes storage space also.

Generally, The Letting People recommend that one-bedroom flats and apartments should be furnished. This is because approximately 90% of the enquiries received for one-bedroom flats, are from tenants requiring furniture. This is frequently because single prospective tenants are looking for an alternative to hotel accommodation or just somewhere to live mid-week. Additionally many professional tenants, on their first move away from home or student accommodation, may not have enough spare money to buy their own furnishings.

Two-bedroom properties with a double and single bedroom, are usually let to single professionals or to couples, who will use the smaller room for an office or storage/dressing room. It is recommended these properties are furnished, except for the smaller bedroom.

There is probably an equal demand for furnished or unfurnished two double-bedroom properties, but a very stylishly furnished property will let more quickly and at a higher rent than its unfurnished counterpart. However, although the same unfurnished property may take longer to let – the tenancy can be for a longer term. This is because it is easier both to move into, and to move out, of a furnished property.

Larger properties of three or more bedrooms are often easier to let unfurnished. These properties are more attractive to families or older couples with their own furnishings and requirements for particular spaces such as room to work from home or for teenage children to have their own space.

The Letting People are always happy to advise property investors and landlords on how to maximise their rental income – whether by including particular furnishings or by other means! 

Following the very successful launch of the new offices in Milton Keynes, The Letting People are delighted to invite current and prospective landlords to join the VIP Founder Landlords’ Group.

In addition to the professional, specialised lettings services, this group of landlords, limited to a maximum of 20 members, will be entitled to receive a range of free benefits. Please review the branch information page for more details https://www.thelettingpeople.co.uk/portfolio/our-milton-keynes-office 

The VIP Founder Landlords’ Group will be accepting new members up to 31st August 2013, and to be eligible you should have a property to let in Milton Keynes.  (If the property is currently tenanted, you will be eligible to register with your agreement to let your property at a future date with The Letting People, Milton Keynes.)

 To find out if your property is eligible, and to register your interest, please contact The Letting People, Milton Keynes:  01908 713000 or email miltonkeynes@thelettingpeople.co.uk                                            

The Letting People, Milton Keynes celebrated its opening with a successful launch attended by a host of well-known local business professionals including Milton Keynes Council Leader, Andrew Geary. 

Attended by more than 50 invited guests, the launch of The Letting People, held at the agency’s High Street premises in Stony Stratford, introduced the new organisation to potential landlords, tenants and a range of local faces. 

The evening also saw Council Leader Andrew Greary, and David Morris of NatWest Business Banking and Stony Stratford Business Association, deliver speeches on small businesses and the importance of supporting those working in the local community.

Operated by local businessmen Michael Lomax and Philip Rayner, The Letting People specialises in residential lettings and property management. 

Michael said: “We’re extremely pleased with how successful the launch event proved to be; it was great to see so many people turn up to hear more about what we have to offer.  

“Philip and I come from very different backgrounds and were looking for a business venture which would suit both of our skill sets. Philip had a long career in the construction industry, while my experience lies in marketing and design. We researched The Letting People and agreed that it was a perfect fit.”

Established in Leamington Spa in 2002, The Letting People has recently franchised the business which focuses on helping landlords find the perfect tenant, and tenants find the right property – without the hassle.

Caroline Kempster, founder of The Letting People, added: “We’re an agency with a difference because we’re passionate about keeping our systems as uncomplicated as possible while still providing a professional, personal and trustworthy service.

“Michael and Philip have a great deal of experience in their relevant fields and I’m sure they will be the perfect people to introduce The Letting People to Milton Keynes.” 

The Letting People has also shown its support for other organisations in the area, auctioning a bottle of House of Commons wine signed by Prime Minister David Cameron to raise money for local charity, Willen Hospice. The prize, donated by MP for South Milton Keynes Iain Stewart, combined with raffle prizes donated by other local businesses, raised more than £200.

For more information, please call 01908 713 000 or visit Telegraph House, 54 High Street, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes MK19 1AQ.

Exciting News! New franchise branch opening shortly. The Letting People are delighted to be working on a new franchise branch opening,  which is expected to be in June 2013. Further details will be announced soon……..

With the landlord’s permission and the help of our local trade contractors we carry out many property Makeover services – including sourcing great bargains on fixtures, fittings, and furnishings. The Makeover service may include:

• Updating decorating with modern paint colours and with feature wallpapers
•  New flooring with carpets, linos, and wood laminates
•  New plumbing – replacing showers, taps and kitchen and bathroom fittings
•  New electrical fittings to ensure the sub-tenant’s safety
• Replacing curtains/curtain poles, and light fittings and shades with contemporary colours and fittings
• Replacing furnishings with good quality new or ‘pre-loved’ items
• Sourcing upmarket lamps, cushions, throws, prints, pictures, and mirrors to complement different property styles and to encourage the sub-tenant to feel at home
• Replacing or removing old fences, greenhouses and sheds and tidying up neglected gardens
• Cleaning, cleaning and more cleaning!

To complement the Makeover, we introduced our unique ‘Fee Free’ service in 2011.

It means The Letting People agree to become the tenant of a property (and thereby take on all of the responsibilities of the tenancy) on a 2-3 year tenancy agreement with the landlord’s permission to sub-let*.

The ‘Fee Free’ service is proving to be very popular and the benefits to the landlord are:

• An agreed start date and guaranteed rent paid on the 1st day of every month for a 2 or 3 year term – thus avoiding void periods over the agreed fixed term
• No letting fees as The Letting People are the tenant
• No deposit claims to worry about – The Letting People arrange inventories and check-outs at their expense, and make deposit claims with the sub-tenant as necessary
• The property is returned to the landlord in a re-lettable, and usually an improved condition (thanks to a makeover) at the end of the 2-3 year term, or an agreement to renew the tenancy is made

To find out more about the ‘Fee Free’ or Makeover services please contact us to make appointment for us to assess your property.

                     Before   ……………….. and ……………………..  After

*Currently available on most local properties with a rental value assessed at less than £700pcm.