When deciding whether you’re going to use a letting agent as a tenant or a landlord, it shouldn’t be a difficult decision. It’s estimated that only 20% of all homes in England are privately rented.* This shows how many tenants and landlords choose to use and work with letting agents. We are here to demonstrate the countless advantages you would receive when using a letting agent as a landlord or a tenant.

Benefits of using a letting agent as a landlord

When becoming a landlord, you can face a lot of responsibilities and challenges. You are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of all your properties, inside and out. These responsibilities then begin to consume all your free time, and being a landlord can become more of a burden than you thought.

Hiring a letting agent would create less responsibility for you as a landlord, meaning you’re not required to manage your tenants. This will cause fewer problems and allow you to maintain a healthy relationship with your tenants, as the letting agent will act as the middleman.

Fast turnover between tenants
When trying to discover new tenants for a property, it can be very difficult for a private landlord. Tenants usually go to letting agents to find rental properties on the market. So, to prevent your property from having vacant spaces between tenants, using a letting agent can guarantee more exposure to the public, ensuring your property is filled quickly.

Required regulations
Letting agents are great at establishing a checklist for letting out your property, ensuring you meet all the required regulations and specifications.

These include:

• Gas safety certificate
• Electrical safety certificate
• Energy performance certificate
• Proof of tenancy deposit protection
• Fire safety measures
• HMO licence
• Landlord insurance

After your property has been filled with new tenants, you may think that your letting agent is no longer necessary, but this is where they can become the most beneficial. Letting agents look after your tenants and remaining the middleman keeps the relationship professional.

The only downfall of a letting agent is that they undoubtedly charge a monthly fee. The typical cost can be up to 15% of the total monthly rent.

Benefits of using a letting agent as a tenant

When trying to discover and rent a property in the UK, it can sometimes become one of the most complicated situations, especially if you rent through an independent landlord. We are here to ensure you recognise the simplicity of renting through a letting agent instead of an independent landlord.

Renting through a letting agent will ensure you are choosing the property you desire to rent and not choosing a property because of the better landlord. It allows an element of professionalism in renting a property as they maintain a professional relationship throughout the process.

Stress-free renting

Renting through a letting agent guarantees you will receive high standards and conditions for the rental property, as the letting agent wants to keep a positive reputation within the rental sector. The letting agent also ensures that everything is legally in order. Allowing you to rent stress-free. Agents in England are not required to be registered, so we always recommend looking for agents who are part of NALS (the national approved letting scheme). Agents being registered with the NALS ensures that they are part of the client money protection scheme, ensuring your deposit and monthly rent payments are kept safe and recorded.

 

We highly recommend using a letting agent as a landlord and a tenant. It simplifies both ends of the relationship and creates a smoother process for both.

Whether you're a tenant or a landlord get in touch with us today and discover how to rent the right way

 

Parkers Properties*

It can be challenging to get started as a first-time buyer, but fortunately, there are a number of schemes available that can assist you with the process and help you get on the property ladder. Let’s take a look at five different schemes available to first-time buyers, the main advantages of each of them, and which of them you could be eligible for.

 

The mortgage guarantee scheme

The mortgage guarantee scheme enables first-time buyers to purchase a property with as little as a 5% deposit by encouraging lenders to offer 95% loan-to-value mortgages. This means that 95% of the property’s purchase price can be borrowed. 

The scheme includes a government guarantee, which means that if the buyer defaults on payments, the government will compensate the mortgage lender. It is available to any first-time buyer, as long as the property they are purchasing is worth less than £600,000.

One of the main advantages of the mortgage guarantee scheme is the fact that first-time buyers can enter the market sooner, avoiding years of saving for a deposit. Also, with the government essentially acting as a guarantor, lenders are more willing to offer loans to first-time buyers with smaller deposits, increasing their chances of owning a home.

 

The shared ownership scheme

The shared ownership scheme helps low-income individuals and first-time buyers own a home by enabling them to buy a portion of a property while renting the remaining percentage. Buyers can purchase a share between 10% and 75% and increase their share whenever they are ready to do so.

If you're a first-time buyer with a household income of £80,000 or less (90,000 in London) and can't afford the entire deposit and mortgage payments on a home, you will be considered eligible for shared ownership.

This scheme offers an affordable way for individuals to step onto the property ladder by splitting the cost of purchasing a home, particularly in areas they may otherwise be priced out of. The fact that you can increase your share of ownership by gradually purchasing additional shares in the property allows you to eventually reach full ownership.

 

The lifetime Individual Savings Account (ISA)

A Lifetime ISA helps first-time buyers save for a deposit by topping up their savings account once a year. Buyers can save up to £4,000 per year, and the government adds an additional 25% on top of the amount they save, reducing the amount of time it takes to save up for a first home.

To open a lifetime ISA, you must be aged between 18 and 40, however you can keep topping it up until you’re 50. Help to buy ISA is a very similar scheme to this, but it has been closed to new applicants since 2019. Despite this, anyone who opened a help to buy ISA before this date can continue to use it.

A key benefit of a lifetime ISA is that it’s a tax-free method of growing your savings. It is also a versatile option because the funds can be used to purchase your first home or saved for retirement.

 

The first homes scheme

This scheme offers first-time buyers discounts of 30% to 50% on new-build homes, so long as it is your primary residence. This discount is available on new homes built by a developer and homes that are purchased through an estate agent, which were previously bought through the scheme.

To be eligible for the first homes scheme, you must be aged 18 or over, be a first-time buyer, and be able to secure a mortgage for at least 50% of the home’s value. Like the shared ownership scheme, your household income must be £80,000 or lower (£90,000 in London). Councils may set their own local eligibility criteria, prioritising individuals such as key workers, people who already live in the area, and those on lower incomes.

The main advantage of the first homes scheme is that it gives you the opportunity to purchase a home at a significantly reduced price, which helps with affordability. Also, by prioritising local applicants, some councils ensure individuals can purchase a home in the area they are already familiar with.

 

The help to build equity loan scheme

The help to build equity loan scheme is useful for first-time buyers who are looking to build their own home. This scheme offers a five-year, interest-free loan to supplement a buyer's 5% deposit. The equity loan amount ranges from 5% to 20% of the overall estimated cost.

This scheme is eligible to anyone who is building a home or hiring someone to do so for them. The loan can be used to buy land, convert a commercial property into a residential property, and demolish an existing property to build a new one. It cannot, however, be used to build more than one home, to buy upgrades on your current home, or build a second home.

The help to build equity loan scheme enables buyers to fund their self-build projects while remaining within budget. By building your own home, you have the opportunity to create equity from day one, potentially increasing the value of your property over time.

 

Looking to buy your first home?

 

 

Do you feel that immediate sense of comfort when you walk through your front door?

Does your property truly feel like yours?

Adding personalised touches to your property, big or small, can make an impressive impact on the way a property feels. It can create a sense of comfort and calmness, allowing the property to feel like your home. Whether you rent or own your property, here are some top tips on how to feel at home.

Planning and preparation
Before diving deep into the exciting world of cushions and lampshades, we highly recommend creating a plan. This can range from choosing a certain colour palette to knowing precisely where each piece of décor will be displayed. This will give you a rough idea of how you will add a personal touch to your home.

Furniture
When sprucing up your property with personalised touches, adding unique, funky furniture that stands out can create a whole different atmosphere in a room. Allow the furniture to display your personality and make you feel like you’re in your own home. Are you a relaxed old soul? Discover a vintage cosy sofa to fit your personality. These pieces of furniture can all be enhanced by adding certain accessories.

Accessories
Adding accessories can be the most exciting part; you truly can allow your personality to explode. From the smallest coasters in the kitchen to a large, unique rug under your coffee table, accessories can make a home feel personal and comforting. Vintage stores are a great place to discover cheap but sophisticated, cosy items. The accessories that can make a beautiful, heartening impact on your living space at a low price are featured cushions and throws. There is such a huge variety to choose from, allowing it to become a piece of art within comfort.

Statement pieces
Do you have limited time to spruce up your property? Adding something as simple as walled mirrors or art, even a small cosy library in the corner, can make a large impact. This can even be as simple as a vase with flowers on your table or bedside, creating such a comforting feel. Having statement pieces is especially the best route for renters, as you are making the space yours without having to change the property overall.

Lighting
Whenever you walk into a room, lighting is one of the first things you recognise. Do you like a warm, cosy, amber feel or a white, crisp light? Investing in a lamp or even several can have a large impact on a room as it sets mood lighting and allows people to feel at ease and relaxed. Using fairy lights can create a beautiful, dynamic atmosphere in a home. If you are wanting a more up-market look in your home, placing a chandelier in the middle can create a profound effect on the feel of the room and can be recognised as a statement piece.

Indoor plants
Having botanicals in your home can create a warm, homely touch, as plants are warm art within themselves. Herb gardens are a great way to create a lovely smell and a homely look in your kitchen. If you think you would struggle to maintain a herb garden with your lifestyle, an alternate would be cacti, as it needs minimal help to grow and develop into a beautiful piece of art. Even a statement piece, if you can keep it alive long enough!

 

When you rent a property, it can be particularly challenging to make four walls feel like your home. Looking for options and inspiration on how to decorate your property without risking your deposit? Look no further, we are here to help you discover ways you can allow your personality to shine in every room of your property.

When decorating a living space, there are many ways to achieve the look you desire. This can range from creating a cosy feel by making large furniture purchases to even buying a bouquet of flowers weekly to create a homey feel.

What does your tenancy agreement allow?
Before renting a property and signing your contract, it’s important to recognise if anything within the property needs improving or decorating. You can then discover if your contract would allow this. There is no point in binding yourself into a rental agreement, and after a month of renting, you realise you can’t even use damage-free wall strips to hang up photos. Sometimes contracts can be restrictive, but most landlords are very lenient with decorating as long as you are improving their current property. So, it’s always important to check your contract ahead of time to ensure you don’t breach it.

Consult your landlord
When renting a property, the contract doesn’t always align with how the landlord may respond to certain questions. We would advise creating a healthy relationship with your landlord, allowing you greater leeway for decorating. Many landlords accept decorating outside of contracts. If you have agreed to this with your landlord, ensure you have a written, signed agreement allowing your deposit to remain safe for when you do vacate the property.

They are far more accommodating when it comes to you adding your own personal touch to the property if your rental agreement is for an extended period, spanning multiple years, until you can purchase your own home and join the property ladder. However, you will most likely be limited to using neutral colour schemes.

Creating life on your walls
Many landlords will accept decorating the walls of the property. It will create a fresh look within the property, even if it’s just ‘eggshell’ paint, as it doesn't ruin the overall aesthetic. To bring life to your walls, it’s good to design feature walls with lots of frames and prints. These can be hung up by using hanging strips, which can be found in most hardware stores.

They do no damage to the walls but still allow you to create a personalised look. Another great way to decorate your walls is by using temporary wall murals. These are art stickers that create a nice dynamic and resemble wallpaper. If you can’t hang or stick anything on your walls, large frames and mirrors look fantastic when leaned up against the walls, creating minimal damage. Mirrors can also give the living space the illusion of a larger room.

Spruce up your floor
When living in a rental property, typically you cannot renovate the flooring. As an excellent alternative, vinyl flooring can be installed over the existing flooring. It can produce a dramatic, customised appearance that truly gives the floor a temporary character of life. Large rugs are also a great option to cover the existing flooring, as they take up most of the floor and can dramatically alter a room's personal feel in a positive, homely manner. Because these particular items are owned by you, having them on your property might also make you feel at home.

Add accessories
The simplest way to add a personal touch without risking your deposit is with accessories. These can be from throws, stacked books, candles, plants, you name it. These small features create a whole different atmosphere and a personalised touch, creating character in each individual room. When placing accessories around the home, they don’t have to involve being hung on the wall causing damage. They can just be placed gently on a piece of furniture or shelf, creating a personalised look.

Final thoughts
Overall, personalising your living space shouldn’t be a chore. Even with the constraints of a rental agreement, your home should be a blank canvas waiting to be filled with your personality and individual touch, creating a home for you.

 

Interested in renting your own home? Contact us today for more information