Why landlords must get themselves in gear for Right to Rent

Your minds may be awash with all things Christmas, but post-festivities, one of the biggest things that will be on landlords' minds will be ensuring that they are ready for the Right to Rent scheme.

Part of the Immigration Act 2014, the Right to Rent scheme – which requires landlords or their agents to check the immigration status of prospective tenants – was originally implemented across the West Midlands.

After this initial pilot project, the government announced in October that the scheme will be rolled out nationwide, meaning landlords in southern UK locations such as Portsmouth and Southampton, which estate and letting agent Chimneypots Estate Agents operate in, will have to comply.

Right to Rent requires landlords or their letting agents to check the immigration status of any adult who is about to or is currently living in one of the landlord’s rental properties.

The purpose of the scheme is to ensure that all tenants are authorised to rent in the UK. Ways of checking the tenants vary, but a passport, birth certificate or an identity card are likely to be the most common identification documents used.

This new law is set to come into force on February 1^st, and applies to all residential tenancies. It’s important for landlords to be aware not only of the adults living in the property, but to be wary of any children who could be about to turn 18 and therefore become classed as an adult living in the property. 

At the moment, February 1st may seem way off. However, landlords are being advised that checks begin to be completed 28 days before the February deadline to allow for any hiccups.

Therefore, ensuring you implement the checks into your routine within good time should be your number one New Year's resolution. Getting the right documents and making sure that they are verified and that you have copies takes time, so get cracking!

Failure to complete these crucial checks won’t just lead to a slap on the wrist, either. There will be serious consequences for landlords that don’t comply. Any offending landlords could receive a fine of up to £3,000 per illegal tenant living in their property. For repeat offenders, criminal action may also be taken.

When letting a property is done well, it’s a highly profitable venture; so ensure you don’t lose out by failing to complete these checks accurately.

A lot of responsibility now lies with landlords, and if this sounds like a lot of extra work then don’t fear. Landlords are able to hand the responsibility of the Right to Rent checks over to their local letting agent such as Chimneypots.

If this is something that interests you, it’s crucial that a written agreement is constructed between the two parties so that the area of responsibility is crystal clear.

At Chimneypots, we’re a team of property experts who are skilled in obtaining this kind of data quickly and accurately. If you would like us to take charge of this part of the rental process, then get in touch with us today.

If you have any questions regarding any part of the letting process, then we’re also on-hand to help.

We also offer landlords the chance to find out just how much rent they could earn from their property with our free instant online valuation, try it today! 

http://chimneypotsestateagent.co.uk/why-landlords-must-get-themselves-in-gear-for-right-to-rent/

What does the Autumn Statement mean for property sellers in Southampton and Portsmouth?

Last month’s Autumn Statement contained a number of revelations, not least for the property industry. Just like last year, stamp duty took centre stage from a property perspective with Chancellor George Osborne announcing that there would be a 3% increase in stamp duty for buy-to-let investors and second home buyers.

This comes hot on the heels of Osborne’s announcement in July’s Budget that buy-to-let investors would be hit with higher taxes. These changes to buy-to-let mortgage interest relief are set to be phased in over the next few years, with this additional increase in stamp duty implemented from April 2016.

The Chancellor insists that the new system will contribute approximately £1 billion to the Treasury by 2021. The money will be subsequently reinvested into the government’s plans to build hundreds of thousands of new homes as well as its proposals to extend Right to Buy to housing association tenants.

The other main property-related news to come from the Autumn Statement was confirmation of the government’s extensive housebuilding programme. Some £4 billion will be ploughed into 135,000 new Help to Buy: Shared Ownership homes, in a continuation of the government’s flagship scheme from their first term.

In addition, £2 billion will be directed towards property developers to help fund the Starter Homes programme. This initiative will see the creation of new homes specifically for first-time buyers, who will be granted a 20% price discount against current market rates.   

Lastly, the government says it will put £200 million towards the funding of 10,000 new homes, homes that tenants will be able to live in for up to five years paying sub-market rents. These tenants will then have first dibs on buying the property in future.

But what do all these changes mean for sellers? With investors and second home buyers thinking twice about buying because of higher stamp duty, first and second time buyers may be more encouraged by their prospects of purchasing in a less crowded market. Also, with an emphasis on starter homes and affordability, first-time buyers are one demographic that is being heavily targeted by the government.

As a seller in Southampton or Portsmouth, you could potentially take advantage of this fact by tailoring your home towards first and second time buyers.

Furthermore, investors will be eager to push through transactions before the higher stamp duty charges come into play on April 1 next year. This, again, is positive news for sellers. Buyers who are looking to force through sales quickly are a dream for sellers, because they’re less likely to stall and play hardball on negotiations. This means house sales going through much more quickly and the chances of you achieving your asking price or above much higher.

In Southampton and Portsmouth, we frequently see buyers who are priced out of the city heading for the South Coast for more affordable housing. This doesn’t look like changing, despite the measures announced in the Autumn Statement, so sellers in these areas should be confident of continued high demand.

Buy-to-let investors in this part of the world will be looking to act early as well, so sellers should make sure they are well prepared in terms of their sales strategy, their marketing material and the presentation of their homes as attractive, clean, homely and welcoming.

At ChimneyPots we’ll do all we can to help you get your property sold. Check out our tips on selling a home for more info on how we can do that.   

If you would like to get in contact with us, please call 01489 584298. To find out how much your property could be worth in the current marketplace, check out our free instant online valuation tool.

http://chimneypotsestateagent.co.uk/what-does-the-autumn-statement-mean-for-property-sellers-in-southampton-and-portsmouth/ 

Common mistakes to avoid when selling your property in Portsmouth or Southampton

Putting your property on the market can seem like a complicated procedure, and without the right guidance, things can go very wrong.

There are a few mistakes which sellers tend to make time and again, so we thought here at Chimneypots Estate Agents we would bring these selling pitfalls to your attention and give you are advice on how best to avoid them.

Listen to your agent

In a recent study, estate agents were asked what they felt were the biggest mistakes that sellers made when putting their property up for sale. Perhaps an unsurprising result in a survey of agents, the number one – with 70% of the vote – was that sellers are not listening to their agents’ advice when it comes to price.

As the homeowner, you know your property better than anybody, but ignoring an agent’s advice could mean that you price your property too low; forcing you to lose out on some cash, or price it too high, meaning no-one is interested in your property.

A good agent, like those working here at Southampton and Portsmouth-based Chimneypots have unrivalled knowledge not only of property market, but also of the local area.

In the past year alone, property values in Southampton and Portsmouth have increased significantly, so we would take these, and any other market changes into consideration when giving your home a full market appraisal.

Keep it tidy

The second most prevalent mistake that sellers are making is that they are failing to adequately tidy up their property before the all-important viewing. Buyers want to visualise living in a property, and this can be troublesome if you can’t even see the floor!

Although the house doesn’t have to look immaculate for every single viewing (buyers will understand that the home has to be lived in) we advise that the floor is clear, any unwanted clutter removed, and the appropriate lighting is being used, especially in these winter months where the afternoon brings darkness.

Be flexible

Another common trap that silly sellers fall into is not being available for viewings. It’s likely that the majority of your buyers will be full-time workers, or have children to look after, therefore finding the time to squeeze in a property viewing could be difficult, especially if you have a seller who doesn’t ever seem to be free.

Ultimately, you want to sell your property in the quickest time for the best possible price, so to ensure the process doesn’t take forever and a day you must ensure you’re available. What would you prefer, a hectic social life or a sold property? We're open seven days a week, so we advise that your property is too!

Be a friendly face

Surprisingly, rudeness while views are taking place was also named as one of the top mistakes that property sellers are making. This is most certainly an error as you want your property to feel like a home, and being unapproachable and unfriendly is unlikely to give off that vibe.

Instead, ensure that both you and your home appear attractive to the buyer. Create a cosy, homely atmosphere by whacking up the heat in the coming winter months and perhaps provide viewers with biscuits and drinks on arrival.

Don’t, however, be pushy and enforce the property's plus points on the potential buyers at every opportunity. You don’t want to appear overbearing, so allow buyers to roam freely.

Have you ever made any of these common errors when selling a home? If you’re thinking of placing your property on the market and would like some further tips and advice to ensure it all goes plain sailing, then why not get in touch with Portsmouth and Southampton’s favourite estate agent Chimneypots?

Alternatively, if you would like to discover how much your property is worth then we have a free, instant online valuation tool.

http://chimneypotsestateagent.co.uk/common-mistakes-to-avoid-when-selling-your-property-in-portsmouth-or-southampton/

How to keep a Southampton or Portsmouth rental property in check this winter

With winter nearly here, it’s more important than ever for landlords to keep their rental properties in check. Homes that are in good condition make for happy tenants, which is what every landlord is striving for.

After all, satisfied tenants are more likely to stay for the long-term, ensuring that those dreaded void periods can be swerved.

  

Keeping your property in tip-top condition can become more difficult when winter strikes, though. The temperature drops a few degrees, the average rainfall increases and the likelihood of adverse weather conditions is much higher.

Below, using our experience as estate agents working in Southampton, Portsmouth and across the south of England, we outline some of the things you can do to keep any issues at bay.

Prevent any clogs

At this time of the year, drains and gutters are much more susceptible to becoming clogged by leaves or other items. They might also be weakened by heavy rain, so it’s important to act early to prevent more costly work having to be carried out at a later date.

Make your home look fresh

Winter can have an effect on outside paintwork, which could give off an unsightly battered and bruised look to your rental property. Tenants want to be house-proud, something that is less likely if the outside of the place they call home doesn’t look up to scratch.

Also, if you are trying to occupy your home with tenants, then giving the outside of your home a quick lick of paint could be very beneficial. Other small things, like trimming the hedge or making sure the driveway looks ship-shape, could also help your cause.

Keep damp away

Damp can be a major problem in the colder months. Not only does it look unsightly, it can also cause longer-term problems that will cost landlords more over time. Preventative maintenance, to make sure damp doesn’t become a longer-term issue, would be a wise move.

This can include things like asking your tenants to turn on the bathroom fan when they have a shower, as well as opening the window for a while after. You can also ask them to cover boiling liquids in the kitchen and dry clothes outdoors, weather permitting.

Making sure your walls are properly insulated, increasing ventilation in your property (not so easy in the colder months, granted, but it will help to limit moisture from spreading other areas of the house) and heating your property effectively are other ways of keeping damp at bay.

Stop pipes from freezing

A cold snap can massively increase the chances of pipes bursting or freezing. Keeping the heating on, running cold water regularly and draining outside taps where possible will all help to prevent this nightmare scenario from occurring. This is particularly important if your property is unoccupied over the winter months. If you don’t have tenants in place, make sure you do all you can to prevent frozen or burst pipes. It’s not worth taking a risk in this case.

If you want more info about keeping your rental property in check this winter, please get in contact with ChimneyPots on 01489 584298. Additionally, you can find out how much rent you could be charging in the current marketplace by checking out our free instant online valuation tool. 

http://chimneypotsestateagent.co.uk/how-to-keep-a-southampton-or-portsmouth-rental-property-in-check-this-winter/

Why Portsmouth and Southampton are the perfect locations to sell property

In recent months, Southampton, Portsmouth and the surrounding areas have been experiencing incredibly high property demand from buyers. This is primarily due to the spiralling rate of London house prices, which only look set to increase further.

London’s housing market carries on at full speed ahead, with both buyers and renters are struggling to keep up. Current house prices in the capital are more than 46% higher than what they were at the pre-financial crisis peak, with the average house price standing at a massive £525,000.

Many potential buyers can’t afford to purchase properties in the capital, and with the commuter belt widening, even properties outside public transport Zone’s 1 and 2 are proving difficult to afford.

On the other hand, this is fantastic news for sellers in southern locations such as Southampton and Portsmouth, as ex-London residents are now choosing to bed down further afield to get a foot on the housing ladder and get more property for their money.

Not only do Southampton and Portsmouth present opportunities to live in a location where you can get better value for money in terms of property, but they also rival the capital’s social scene.

One of London’s main draws is its varied social scene, but as coastal locations such as Brighton have demonstrated, you don’t have to live in the capital to have a variety of things to keep you occupied.

Cities such as Southampton and Portsmouth are now buzzing epicentres of activity, with a handful of universities between them, dozens of galleries and music venues and great ports.

For those who are considering making the move down south, but still wish to commute to the capital, this is also still possible, taking just 90 minutes. This provides the best of both worlds for buyers as they can set up home in a more affordable property, yet not be too far from the capital.

These rising house prices in the capital have really done southern locations a favour. Higher prices in the capital mean an increased influx of people are choosing to buy property in Southampton and Portsmouth, areas where we cover as leading estate and letting agents. This high buyer demand in these areas means that property can be priced slightly higher than before, something every seller wants to hear when placing their property on the market.

This increasing demand means that well-presented properties in Portsmouth and Southampton are selling like hot cakes. Sellers in Southampton and Portsmouth can benefit from quick selling times too, as on average they’re likely to sell in 67 and 70 days respectively.

Here at Chimneypots, we’re experienced in all things property-wise and are skilled in selling your home. Need proof? Well in August this year, a month typically recognised for being slow in the property market, we sold 23 properties, quite impressive by anyone’s standards!

Choose us to sell your home and we’ll ensure we attract those buyers which are flooding to southern locations such as Portsmouth and Southampton in their thousands.

If you're looking for an estate agent in Portsmouth and Southampton and would like further advice or property selling tips, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team today. Alternatively, if you would like to find out how much your property is worth in the current market, and be in with a chance of selling your home for free, check out our free, online valuation tool.

http://chimneypotsestateagent.co.uk/why-portsmouth-and-southampton-are-the-perfect-locations-to-sell-property/  

Welcome to autumn – the perfect season for selling your home

Autumn is the season of vibrant, multi-coloured leaves, nights drawing in, cosy nights in front of the fire and hearty stews to set us up for winter. It’s also a fantastic season in which to sell property. The kids are back at school, Christmas is still a few months away, and temperatures tend to be relatively mild.

People are keen to be settled in their new home before the weather starts to bite and the festivities get into full swing. As a seller, you can take advantage of this fact.

There are a number of things you can do increase your chances of selling in autumn. Below, using our experience as estate agents working across the south of England, we outline what some of these are.

Give your home an autumnal glow

If you have a garden or outside space, shine a light on it. It might not be the time of year for entertaining outside or barbecues, but your garden is never going to look more beautiful than it does in autumn. The front garden (assuming you have one) could also play a key role, welcoming would-be buyers in with a display of seasonal flowers and a well-kept lawn. If you have a driveway instead, spruce it up and add a few plant pots to make things look more attractive.

Clear those leaves out

A simple but very important task, clearing away fallen leaves from your gutter and drains will show would-be buyers that you care about the appearance of your home – even the outside part of it. This sets the right tone for a house viewing. In windier weather, litter could also be blown into your front garden or driveway. This is not a great look, so should be swept up as soon as possible. These little touches will really help to improve your sales pitch.

Put the heating on

Use your judgement here. Sometimes, as we’ve been seeing in the last few weeks, the weather can be very pleasant in September and October. If the weather is warm enough for the heating to be kept off, keep it off. If, however, the viewing takes place during a cold snap, whack the heating on to ensure your house is both warm and inviting. If you happen to have a fire, get it roaring if the weather outside is a tad on the Arctic side. Nothing says cosy family home quite like a roaring fire!

Let there be light

As the nights draw in, there is a danger that your house could look a bit dark and gloomy if you don’t use light well enough. Natural light will be harder to come by, but clever use of lamps and other lights will help to show off your property’s best attributes.

Give your coats a home

Temperatures might not be as cold as they are in winter, but the thermometer does tend to dip a little during autumn. As a result, we all start to wear thicker coats, thicker jumpers and sturdier footwear. If the weather really starts to turn, the scarves, gloves and woolly hats could be making an early appearance. But where do all these items go? Hanging on the back of a door or the bannister? On a coat stand? When it comes to a viewing, having these personal items on show is unlikely to help your cause. Find a place to store them, out of the way and hidden, so buyers can imagine themselves living in your home.

If you would like more advice about selling your home in the autumn, please get in contact with ChimneyPots on 01489 584298. To find out how much your property could be worth in the current marketplace, check out our free instant online valuation tool.

http://chimneypotsestateagent.co.uk/welcome-to-autumn-the-perfect-season-for-selling-your-home/

Top time-saving tips for landlords in Portsmouth and Southampton

It can be difficult being a landlord. Some claim it’s a sure-fire way to gain a few extra pounds, but it’s not always as easy, or as simple as it sounds.  There can be multiple problems that you can be up against, but we’re here to provide you with a selection of top tips to help you save time, and de-stress in the process.

Don’t settle for less

We get it, when looking to let your property, you want to find a tenant in the quickest time possible to avoid any void periods. However, although finding tenants quickly will save you time in the short-term, it may end in chaos if you don’t check them out before letting your property. 

Ensuring you search for the right tenant to match your property will save you time in the long term. As a landlord you must ensure that you carry out all the correct checks. Tenant referencing is vital, and can tell you more about a tenant’s credit history, their background and their employment status. If you fail to carry this out correctly it can lead to a landlord’s worst nightmare, a long-winded eviction process. Here at Chimneypots we can help save you time as we can carry out tenant referencing for you, and can get a response back to the landlord within just 48 hours!

Nip it in the bud

Landlords are busy people, and are often dealing with multiple properties at any one time. However, a sure-fire way to save time is to act on any maintenance issues that occur in the property as they happen. Letting a problem fester to save money is a big mistake. The job is not only likely to cost more, but it’s also likely to be a longer job too!

Don’t let them go

One of the key ways to save time if you’re a landlord is to keep hold of any tenants and ensure they renew their tenancy. If you have managed to build up a solid relationship with your tenant and have kept on top of any outstanding maintenance issues then this shouldn’t be a problem.

Keeping hold of your tenants will not only minimise void periods, ensuring you maintain a steady income, but will also save you time. Finding new tenants, arranging property viewings and completing tenant referencing can be a long and arduous task.

Leave the marketing to the professionals

One of the simplest time-saving solutions for landlords is to hand over part, or all of the work to your local letting agents. That way, you’ll know your property is in the safest of hands and it will ensure that you’re left stress-free!

Here at Chimneypots, we manage a range of landlord’s properties in Southampton, Portsmouth and Hampshire on a daily basis, and there’s nothing we don’t know about finding and managing tenants. We also understand that every landlords needs are different, and we endeavour to tailor a property management package to suit your needs, so it’s you who remains in control.

If you would like further information or advice in letting your property across the south of England, get in touch with the team today. Alternatively, why not find out how much rent you could obtain from your property with our free instant, online valuation tool.

http://chimneypotsestateagent.co.uk/top-time-saving-tips-for-landlords-in-portsmouth-and-southampton/ 

Why your spare room could increase the value of your home

It’s often overlooked and neglected, but the much unloved spare room can actually be a key part of your property sales pitch.

The majority of households have one but it is regularly seen as a room that is just there, an unnecessary add-on, a room with no proper function. This needn’t be the case. Granted, the spare room is often the smallest room in most properties, but by being creative and clever with space it can be converted into anything you want.

Below, using our experience as estate agents working across the South of England, we highlight a few possible options…

Extra bedroom

The most obvious choice but also the one that makes the most sense, even more so since George Osborne announced in his most recent Budget that the tax-free Rent-a-Room limit has been raised from £4,250 to £7,500. It doesn’t take much time, effort or money to turn the spare room into a bedroom – a quick lick of paint, a bed, a chest of drawers, a desk and office chair, etc. These can be sourced second hand, through up-cycling or by asking friends and families if they have any of these items that they don’t need anymore.

When the buyer views your home, be sure to mention to them that letting out the spare room as a bedroom could bring them in a useful second income.

Home office

Probably the most popular use for many spare rooms, transforming it into an office space is a cost-effective and shrewd idea. Office chairs and desks can be purchased for reasonable prices if you shop around a bit, while a shelf for books and files won’t take too much time or money to put up. If you are selling to buyers who are planning to work from home – an increasingly popular choice in this day and age – then a home office will have significant appeal. As well as that, it’s a place for kids to do their homework and students to complete their studies.

Creating a relaxed and comfortable working environment won’t cost the earth and it will definitely add to the strength of your sales pitch.

Home gym

Fitness is big business these days and home gyms are becoming more and more popular. Young professionals, more than any other demographic, are eager to keep trim and might find the prospect of a home gymnasium the most appealing. That’s not to say that you have to fit your spare room out with expensive, state-of-the-art equipment –a bit of research and clever spending can help you to give the room identity without crushing your bank balance. An exercise mat and dumbbells are cheap and easy to get hold of, while second hand exercise bikes and other pieces of gym equipment can be sourced for reasonable price.

You don’t even necessarily have to have these things in place; you just have to show would-be buyers how your spare room could quite easily be turned into a home gym. Help them to visualise by giving the room a stripped-back, minimalist vibe.

There are other ways to utilise your spare room – a kids playroom, for example – but the key thing is to utilise it. Don’t ignore it, don’t be ashamed of it, don’t hide it away. It might not be your property’s main selling point, but it’s still a selling point. Making the most of every room in your property won’t do your sales pitch any harm.

For more information about selling and letting property in Southampton, Portsmouth and Winchester, contact ChimneyPots on 08448 099931. We also provide an instant online valuation tool to give you an accurate idea of how much your property is worth in the current marketplace.

http://chimneypotsestateagent.co.uk/why-your-spare-room-could-increase-the-value-of-your-home/ 

Make your online property advert stand out from the crowd

It is common knowledge that most property searches now start online via major portals like Rightmove and Zoopla. So it’s more important than ever that people have a considerable online presence when it comes to selling their home. This means you need to know how to market your property effectively so it stands out from the crowd in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Here at ChimneyPots, we appreciate the importance of excellent online visibility and we do all we can to help you with this. In particular, your property advert is the first thing that would-be buyers will see. If you don’t catch their attention immediately, chances are they’ll look elsewhere.

There are a few things you can do to make your online property advert the crème de la crème. As we said before, the sellers’ market is a dog-eat-dog world these days – second-rate ads just won’t do the business anymore.

More than anything, your online advert needs to be visually appealing. The saying ‘a picture paints a thousand words’ is never truer where property is involved. Whet the buyer’s appetite with high-quality, professionally taken photographs that effortlessly highlight your home’s best attributes. This is something we can help you with at ChimneyPots, as well as coloured floorplans to give prospective buyers a clear idea of the property you are trying to sell.

Photographs should be chosen carefully and kept to a maximum of six – too many might be off-putting or give would-be buyers the impression they don’t need to view the house in the flesh because they’ve already seen it all. You want to entice and tease them, but you don’t want to give away everything.

The front shot is absolutely crucial. This should be a photo of the room you are most proud of, because it’ll be sitting front and centre of your online ad. The kitchen is often referred to as the most important room in the house, but a stylish master bedroom or a recently refurbished dining room could also encourage admiring glances.

In addition, tailor your photos on a seasonal basis. There is no point having a lush, spacious garden as your main picture if you’re looking to sell in winter. By the same token, a photograph of a cosy living room with a roaring fire is not appropriate if you’re selling in the height of summer.

Aside from the visual elements of your online property advert, the next most important thing is content. A punchy, engaging description will help your house stand out from the crowd. Keep it short, keep it light-hearted, try and make it witty if you can, but don’t be too effusive when it comes to praising your house as buyers are likely to see straight through this.

It doesn’t need to be a literary masterpiece; it just needs to convey your property’s best features in as concise a way as possible. It’s your first chance to put across your sales pitch so it’s an important step to get right.

All this, of course, is of no use if your advert isn’t placed on the right portals or seen by the widest range of people. We’ll advertise your property on Rightmove, Zoopla, Find a Property, Need a Property, PrimeLocation and many more platforms. The reach of the major portals is phenomenal and unrivalled, making it the perfect location for ultimate exposure.

Essentially, your online ad is there to sell your home. If it’s not up to scratch, the likelihood of that happening diminishes quite considerably. If you get it right, the number of viewings you secure will increase and the chances of an offer being placed are dramatically raised.

For more advice on selling property in Southampton, Portsmouth and the surrounding areas, please contact us on 08448 099931. Additionally, our instant online valuation tool gives you an accurate idea of what your property is worth in the current market.

http://chimneypotsestateagent.co.uk/make-your-online-property-advert-stand-out-from-the-crowd/ 

ChimneyPots ready to expand its business

At ChimneyPots we are delighted to say we are expanding our team after a successful year helping those across the South of England sell, buy and let property.

As we know, the majority of property searches are now started online, and we have sought to capitalise on that by giving our clients a considerable internet presence. At the same time, we always retain our personal touch and high levels of customer service that are the foundations of the company we’ve built.

The market being as buoyant as it has been in recent years has helped contribute to our success, but none of it would have been possible without the diligence, commitment and passion of our team. If you have a fantastic team on board, it stands to reason that your chances of being successful greatly increase.

We take particular pride in the marketing side of our business. Through our integrated marketing package with Angels Media, we provide an instant online valuation tool which allows sellers/landlords to assess the current market value of their properties. We have also enhanced our Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) to improve the user journey on our website. In addition, we have rolled out various ad campaigns to get the name of ChimneyPots out to as many people as possible.

Social media, too, has enabled us to improve our online visibility by giving us a presence on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and Blogger.com. The immediacy, interactivity and engagement opportunities offered by these platforms helps to build relationships and acts as a great way for us to update existing/would-be clients about our recent activity.


Being a family-run business, we place great importance on building strong relationships with the people who use our services. We provide the same service as a high street agent but without the costly overheads, which means we can pass these savings onto you – the customer. We have three different pricing options to suit your personal requirements – Option 1 is a complete marketing package, with £375 paid upfront and £375 payable on completion; Option 2 is a comprehensive agency service, with £500 paid upfront and £500 payable on completion; and Option 3 also provides a comprehensive agency service but with 0.7% commission payable upon completion (much cheaper than many high street-agents).

We believe in flexibility and adaptability, so we aim to facilitate the demands of our clients as much as possible. As we said before, we recognise the huge importance of customer service when it comes to gaining and retaining clients.

A criticism often made about hybrid agents is that we are faceless, anonymous machines, holed up in some poky little room doing very little for the money we charge. This is not something we recognise. We don’t merely get your property exposure on all the main portals, we also devise a marketing strategy (including high-quality photographs, For Sale boards, coloured floor plans and virtual tours), we conduct a home visit with one of our trained valuers, and we take a dynamic and pro-active approach to make sure unnecessary delays and stumbling blocks aren’t put in your way.

Plus, of course, we don’t operate on a standard Monday to Friday/9-5 basis. We’re much more flexible than that. We’re open 7 days a week for added convenience, something many traditional agents don’t provide.

More than anything, the determination, hard work and skill of our staff have helped put us in the position where expansion of the business is both possible and credible.

For more information about selling and letting in Southampton, Portsmouth, Winchester and many other areas in the South of England, contact us on 08448 099931.

http://chimneypotsestateagent.co.uk/chimneypots-ready-to-expand-its-business/ 

ChimneyPots’ to-do list for new landlords

Letting your property out for the first time can seem like an intimidating prospect. But as any landlord who’s been doing it for a while will tell you, the rewards can be great.

Using our experience as letting agents in Southampton, Portsmouth and other areas in the South of England, we have come up with a list of the top considerations new landlords should be making.

Swot up beforehand

You’ll want to know what you’re getting into before you become a landlord, so it seems sensible to read around the subject a bit. The Private Rented Sector (PRS) and buy-to-let are terms you’ll hear lots, and there is plenty of good information out there to help you think like a landlord. There are a number of excellent books, online resources and blogs (including ours!) to help you on your way.

Start searching for tenants

Once you have decided that a landlord’s life is the one for you, it’s time to get some tenants into your property so you can start earning some regular rental income. You will need to advertise your property in the right places to ensure it is being seen by as many would-be tenants as possible.
Nowadays, major portals like Rightmove and Zoopla rule the roost, so your ad needs to be web-friendly. Local newspapers and magazines are still great ways of getting extra exposure, too, so this avenue should also be explored thoroughly.

Make your property clean and attractive

Arguably the most important step – prospective tenants won’t be impressed by homes that are dirty and ramshackle. If you don’t fancy cleaning the property from head to toe yourself, you could employ the services of a cleaning company to do a thorough job for you. It might cost a little bit more, but a gleaming house is bound to be more attractive, so it’s worth it in the long-term.

You also need to decide early on what possessions you will be leaving behind for the duration of the tenancy. Take out anything of personal value or anything that won’t be of any use to your tenants. Clutter, too, is always a big turn-off – tenants want to put their own stamp on the place they will call home, they don’t want this job done for them.

Put safety first

Tenant safety is of paramount importance and shouldn’t be jeopardised under any circumstances. A smoke detector will need to be installed and maintained; and it’s recommended that the same is done for a carbon monoxide detector as well.

In addition, all white goods, electrical equipment and plug points must adhere to safety guidelines.

Keep on top of maintenance

When you have tenants in place, that doesn’t mean you should just leave them to their own devices – quite the opposite. While tenants will appreciate privacy and a good degree of trust from their landlord, they won’t appreciate you leaving the property to fall into disrepair. They will want those little DIY jobs and repairs to be carried out as quickly as they can be, they will want to know that their landlord will be on the other end of the phone should emergencies (for example a broken fridge or a faulty boiler) arise.

Maintaining your rental property won’t only give you peace of mind, it will also ensure your tenants’ standard of living is of a high quality. Also, if tenants leave and need to be replaced, you’ll be much less likely to encounter void periods if your property is in good condition.

Provide an EPC

Before they move in tenants should be given an Energy Performance Certificate, giving them a clear idea of how energy-efficient your rental property is.

So, the main question after all that is: do you need a letting agent? As you can see, there is a lot to consider when it comes to being a landlord, so enlisting the help of a professional letting agent can take away much of the stress and hassle from renting out and then running a property. You might not want to relinquish total control to an agent – that’s fine; we’ll work with you to tailor our services accordingly.

For more information about becoming a landlord and the services we offer, contact ChimneyPots on 0844 809 993. We are also able to provide an instant online valuation of your rental property.

http://chimneypotsestateagent.co.uk/chimneypots-to-do-list-for-new-landlords/

Why Hampshire is the perfect location for selling property

We’ve previously written about why Southampton is the best location for buy-to-let investors. Now we take a look at why the county of Hampshire as a whole is the perfect selling location.

When it comes to selling your property, location is likely to be a major factor in your success. Nine times out of ten buyers will be after a house in a safe and welcoming area. Good transport links and local amenities are also vital, while quality of life and green space will probably be other key considerations.

On these measures, Hampshire scores highly. It offers both urban and rural living, both busy seaside cities and isolated villages. In other words, there’s something for everyone. And even in the cities, life tends to be slightly less hectic than in truly massive metropolises like London, Birmingham and Manchester.

Residents of Southampton and Portsmouth can enjoy a good mixture of history, culture and leisure opportunities, as well as a raft of high-quality restaurants and bars – plus, of course, the added bonus of a beach on your doorstep during the summer.

As we’ve written about before, young professionals and families are deserting the capital in their droves, driven out by impossibly high prices and a lack of hope that they’ll ever be able to afford to buy. Hampshire, which is close enough to London for commuters but far away enough to offer a more relaxed, laid-back pace of life, is an obvious destination for would-be buyers to escape to.

Hampshire is very well-connected, with major cities like Southampton and Portsmouth and smaller cities like Winchester all providing relatively fast services to London. You can be at London Waterloo in 1hr 17m from Southampton Central, while Winchester to Waterloo takes just over an hour.

With Southampton being crowned as the ultimate buy-to-let destination by HSBC recently (Portsmouth was also in the top 10), sellers in Hampshire have a large pool of investors to target their property towards. Naturally, when it comes to selling your home, the more people you have to sell to, the better your chances of achieving your asking price (or above).

The county is also a hotbed for universities – meaning, in turn, a significant student population. That means plenty of young people looking for accommodation. As a result, landlords are attracted to stock near to campuses or city centres. If you own a property in these areas, there’s a good chance landlords will be knocking at your door to expand their portfolio.

When carrying out viewings, don’t be afraid to use location as one of your main selling points. Wax lyrical about the area you live in, whether that’s the stunning landscape of the New Forest or the South Downs, the architectural and historic interest of Winchester and Portsmouth, or the various cultural activities on offer in Southampton.

Furthermore, the average property value in Hampshire’s two biggest cities make for good reading for sellers – in Southampton the typical asking price currently stands at around the £250,000 mark, while in Portsmouth it is closer to £235,000. This means that buyers are unlikely to be put off, but it also ensures that you are more likely to be achieving a fair and reasonable price for your property.

For further advice on selling property in Hampshire, please contact ChimneyPots on 08448 099931. We also provide an instant online valuation tool to give you an accurate idea of how much your property is worth.

http://ow.ly/NHCZm

Landlords: are you protecting your deposits?

As a a landlord, it’s important that you’re aware of the new deposit protection rules that are coming into play shortly. Despite the majority already adhering to these rules, landlords officially have until June 23rd to register with one of the Government’s three deposit schemes or risk paying unlimited fines.

Fines will be calculated at three times the initial deposit taken – usually £3,600 – and will hit landlords who neglect to put tenants’ deposits into an official scheme before the deadline. All tenancy deposits paid by an assured shorthold tenant are required by law to be protected by a landlord in a government-supported scheme. 

Assured shorthold tenancy agreements apply to most buy-to-let investments, with the exception of student halls of residence or in the case of a lodger renting a room in the same house as the landlord.

The three government-backed schemes are the Deposit Protection Service, My|Deposits and theTenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS), with costs ranging between £0 and £24 per deposit. The paid for schemes (TDS and My|Deposits) allow you to keep the money during the tenancy – in order to enable you to earn interest on it. The Deposit Protection Service, which costs nothing, will hold the money until it is returned to the tenant, minus any deductions.

In 2007 deposit protection was implemented as a compulsory scheme to make it easier to resolve landlord/tenant disagreements at the end of tenancies. Originally, when it was first introduced, it wasn’t obvious if landlords with existing tenants would also need to register. However, a court has since decided that all tenants (including those who moved in before 6 April 2007) should have their deposits protected.

This is where landlords who have had the same tenants for several years get caught out. They think they are exempt from the rules, or are unaware that they even exist, when in fact the opposite is true.

Landlords should also be aware that they must still use a tenancy deposit protection scheme even if a tenants’ deposit has come from a third party e.g. parents paying for their children’s accommodation while at university.

At ChimneyPots we provide a comprehensive property management service to take the stress and pressure away from being a landlord. So, whether you have one property or a large, countrywide portfolio, we’ll offer a management service that is both personalised and highly professional.

We have also compiled a FAQ’s for Landlords section, which answers questions on everything from Assured Shorthold Tenancy to what a good inventory/schedule of condition looks like.

We operate in bigger cities such as Southampton, Portsmouth and Bournemouth, as well as smaller areas like Sholing, Woolston, Itchen, Weston, Thornhill, Harefield and Townhill Park.

If you would like more advice and guidance on renting your property please contact us on: 0844 809 993. We also provide an instant online valuation to give you an accurate reflection of your property’s rental value in the current market.

http://ow.ly/N5CKs 

Southampton sellers benefit as asking prices hit highest ever level

Property asking prices have reached a new record high of £286,133, according to Rightmove’s latest House Price Index. This is £4,351 more than the previous high set in June 2014.

Ever-growing demand for houses, underlined by Rightmove recording its busiest ever month for traffic in March, is further good news for sellers in what is an increasingly competitive marketplace.

The property portal saw page visits go up by nearly 20% year-on-year last month, to more than 115 million. This record spring activity suggests that the traditional house price bounce at this time of the year is not being affected by the upcoming election. Demand is higher than ever, even with uncertainty over who will form the next government and what this will mean for housing policy.

The south of the country, in particular, has benefitted most from rising house prices in the five years since the last general election in May 2010. In Greater London, the South East, the east of England and the South West, the average price of property coming to the market has increased by £84,874 (+27.5%) – music to the ears of sellers in southern cities such as Portsmouth, Southampton and Bournemouth.

This south east region – a favourite among commuters as you can be in London in 90 minutes or less – has also witnessed ‘new seller’ asking prices go up by £62,105 (+20.0%) in the last five years. With demand high and supply drastically low, sellers have been placed in a strong bargaining position. There is no need for sellers to panic or undervalue – they can afford to bide their time and not rush into hasty decisions.

With the economy picking up and people feeling more positive about their own finances, the forecasts for the housing market this year are being realigned to indicate something more optimistic. Despite fears over the effect the election would have on prices, Rightmove’s latest data would appear to suggest this hasn't materialised.

Furthermore, as we wrote about in a previous blog, buy-to-let investors are turning their backs on London and seeking higher rental yields in places outside the capital. Of course, more buy-to-let investors looking to snap up properties results in a larger pool of prospective buyers for sellers.

At ChimneyPots we believe exposure through the national portals is the best way of getting your property seen by the widest possible audience. As Rightmove’s latest traffic figures show, heading online is the first port of call for many buyers when they start their property search. The reach and depth of the portals cannot be underestimated.

For more advice and guidance on buying and selling property in Southampton, Portsmouth and the surrounding areas, please contact us on 08448 099931. Additionally, our instant online valuation tool will give you an accurate idea of what your property is worth in the current market.

http://ow.ly/MdsPY