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If you own a flat, letting your lease drop too low wipes its value quicker than dodgy stone-cladding. Yet in England and Wales, powerful laws let you extend leases for a fair price. This guide looks at whether you should extend, how it works and has a free Lease Extension Calculator to give an instant…

Ever wondered what the correct terms are for the different parts of a house are? Well read on…. Click on image to make it bigger 1 STOP END (TO GUTTER) 2 VERGE 3 GABLE/GABLE END 4 CEILING JOIST 5 COLLAR 6 STRUT 7 PURLIN 8 RIDGE BOARD 9 EAVES PLATE/WALL PLATE 10 SOFFIT BOARD 11…

Any gas appliance that the landlord owns and provides for the tenant’s use is included in the landlord’s legal duties. If a tenant has their own gas appliance that the landlord has not provided, then the landlord has responsibilities for parts of the associated installation and pipework but not for the actual appliance. There are…

Part 1 of the article can be found here The Solution One of the main reasons I wrote this article was that I heard many tales from people how difficult they are to get rid of. I believe that in many cases, this is because the infestation has not been treated fully or properly. In…

The Common Clothes Moth (Tineola biselliella) or carpet moth as it is commonly known, has become a major pest in our area over the past few years. I have read many articles, both in print and on the internet and have been amazed at the amount of contradictory, conflicting and wrong information that is out…

It seems that few landlords understand what their obligations are for copying Right to Rent documents. So what exactly does the law and associated guidance state? read on to find out… Landlords must make a clear copy of each document in a format which cannot later be altered, and retain the copy securely: electronically or…

Changing the rent day for a tenancy very often causes confusion for parties to the agreement so here is a quick guide to explain how it works. The day rent falls due, commonly referred to as the rent day, is part of the tenancy agreement. For a typical Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) the agreement will…

Declared Value The total cost to rebuild the property including: * Foundations * Walls * Roof * Partitions * Doors and windows * Any applied finishes and decorations * Built-in fittings including fitted wardrobes and kitchens * The installation for heating, hot and cold water, gas, electricity, lighting (excluding decorative light fittings), ventilation, sanitation and…

It is not possible for an infant (minor) (a person under 18 years of age) to hold an estate in land [s.1(6) Law of Property Act 1925]. By virtue of paragraph 1(1) of Schedule 1 to the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 any purported grant of a legal estate to a…

Letting is as much an art as a science and there is no scientific answer to ‘How long will it take to let my property?’ One thing is certain and that is an empty property is earning you £0 and costing you to maintain (Council Tax etc.). If your property is sitting lonely and unloved…