Blog
The Tenant Fee Ban – Did the Government Really Have no Alternative?
The ban on letting agents charging tenants’ fees is something I’ve mulled over for a while now and I see the blanket ban that’s been put forward as a mistake... Read more...
Landlord Jailed –Take your responsibilities seriously
The vast majority of landlords want nothing more than to be fairly rewarded for providing comfortable and safe accommodation to their tenants... Read more...
GOVERNMENT AGREES TO MANDATORY CLIENT MONEY PROTECTION
It’s been just over a fortnight since the Government announced it would be bringing in legislation to protect tenant’s deposits... Read more...
EPC changes will hit unprepared landlords
Everyone knows the saying ‘how time flies’... Read more...
How a good letting agent protects their landlords from new regulation pains
I read an article recently which claimed many landlords were unaware of several current and incoming regulations which could affect their property portfolio... Read more...
Why short term gain can lead to long term pain for landlords
I read an article last week which featured a letting agency encouraging its London landlords to avoid rent increases and instead focus on keeping tenants over the long term... Read more...
Why we don’t use To Let boards to promote our properties for rent
For many estate agents getting to put a To Let or For Sale board outside a property is just as good as winning an instruction to market it... Read more...
Landlords - Will your property meet new energy standards by 2018?
A new report has claimed that almost one in every ten properties on the rental market at the moment could be unrentable by 2018 when new legislation kicks in... Read more...
The future is brighter than landlords might be currently thinking
With tax hikes, relentless regulations and a Government which seems to have landlords in their cross hairs it can be easy to feel negative about property investing... Read more...
Is the Autumn Statement Bad News for Tenants, Landlords AND Letting Agents?
So the Chancellor Philip Hammond has declared a ban on letting agents charging fees to tenants... Read more...
Black Friday and why you should be wary of cheap letting agents
On November 25 the phenomena that is Black Friday will sweep the USA and more increasingly than ever – the UK and indeed many other parts of the globe... Read more...
Property Still Proving a Popular Investment – Especially in West London
There’s not much left during 2016 that can leave us stunned... Read more...
Bad Landlords Be Warned
All landlords fear bad tenants... Read more...
Landlords Need to Get Prepared Now for Energy Changes
April 2018 sees changes to the way Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) are awarded... Read more...
How to avoid deposit disputes
I read a very interesting and somewhat alarming article this week about tenancy deposit disputes hitting an all time high... Read more...
Keeping your tenants safe is your number one priority
Monday 19 September saw the start of Gas Safety Week across the UK... Read more...
Green is Good for Landlords AND Tenants
Although it might not be at the top of every landlord’s must have list an increasing number of property investors are coming round to the idea that going ‘green’ is good... Read more...
Seven Super Tips for People Looking to Rent Property in West London
The Office of National Statistics states that 36% of households in England and Wales were rented rather than owner-occupied in 2011... Read more...
A Supreme Result for Landlords?
Landlords across the country will be welcoming a recent decision by the Supreme Court which until now has had huge repercussions for the lettings industry... Read more...
Landlords – Don’t get caught out by changes to energy rules
A change in the law could hit landlords with some large unexpected expenses if they’re not prepared... Read more...
Looking back on 28 years as a letting agent
In this blog I look back at my 28 years in the lettings industry and how a short stint as a window cleaner helped me gain valuable knowledge which to this day still benefits my landlord clients... Read more...
How we find the best builders to work on behalf of our landlords in West London
In this article I’ll show you the criteria I use to ensure my landlords choose the best builders to carry out any necessary work on their rental properties saving them time, hassle and often money... Read more...
Letting agents, it’s about help not hype
I take great pride in being as helpful as possible within my role as a letting agent... Read more...
Do we really need ‘real’ letting agents in this internet age?
If you believed all you heard from many online letting agents you’d probably think us ‘traditional’ agents are a dying breed... Read more...
Five Ways to Protect Yourself from a Terrible Tenancy
I’ve written a lot about how landlords can reduce the risk of potentially troublesome tenants... Read more...
Landlords’ Questions Answered – Smoking
Last week I was called by a new landlord asking for advice... Read more...
Taking extra care of your property
I like to think we give clients a level of flexibility other lettings agents can’t or won’t... Read more...
Why we won’t just work with any or every landlord
The ability to have the freedom to have and make choices is one of the most taken for granted aspects of our society... Read more...
A client for more than 28 years
Ashvin Bhabuta has been a landlord with Mark since 1988... Read more...
How to avoid deposit despair in a few easy to follow steps
I take great pride in the way we treat both landlords and tenants... Read more...
Spring 2016 Update on the Lettings Market in Chiswick and West London
Earlier this month (March) I was asked by the estate agency’s leading magazine, The Negotiator, to share my opinion and insights into the property market in Chiswick and West London... Read more...
Eight easy ways for landlords to save money.
We’ve had more than a week now to digest the Chancellor’s budget... Read more...
Are landlords the Government’s Public Enemy Number One?
You wouldn’t have to be the ace detective Columbo to work out the Government has landlords fixed in its cross hairs... Read more...
‘Professional, Knowledgeable and Honest’ From a delighted client
I take great pride in the amount of positive feedback we get from our clients... Read more...
28 years of Letting Agency Experience, and Counting...
When I took my first steps as a letting agent Margaret Thatcher ruled the roost, Liverpool were the dominant football team in England and a youthful Kylie Minogue was singing about ‘being so lucky’... Read more...
Landlords Insurance – A waste of money?
There are plenty of things in life that turn out to be a waste of money... Read more...
Small is Beautiful when it comes to looking after landlords
I’m always looking for ways to improve my service to landlords and tenants... Read more...
Renting out property – It’s a business not a love affair
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and our minds (well some of us) turning to thoughts of love, relationships and romance... Read more...
The Good News for Landlords about Right to Rent
Monday not only heralded the start of a new month but also introduced the Government’s Right to Rent scheme... Read more...
A Taxing Time of Year for Landlords
For many people the end of January can mean a frantic rush to get their tax returns completed and sent off to HMRC... Read more...
The Truth about Legionella, Lettings and Landlords
Legionella is a fairly hot topic in the lettings industry at the moment and a subject many landlords will be anxiously Googling for more information about... Read more...
Why it pays to choose a Licensed Letting Agent
I’m proud to be a member of several organisations which represent the property lettings and management industry... Read more...
How do you know if you are getting a ‘good’ tenant?
When letting a property a landlord has two really big decisions to make... Read more...
Could your ‘best tenant’ become your worst nightmare?
Like any walk of life the business of being a letting agent in West London has its fair share of misconceptions and even a few myths... Read more...
How to Avoid a Property Crisis at Christmas
It’s the call every landlord dreads... Read more...
Big national chain V small local independent – the TWO Main Differences
I was having dinner with a friend last week when he asked me what the difference in terms of service is between a ‘big’ national chain and a small, local independent letting agent... Read more...
A Stamp of Approval – Reaction to the Autumn Statement
It’s just over a week since the Chancellor, George Osborne, surprised many in the property industry by increasing Stamp Duty on Buy to Lets (BTL) and second homes from April 2016... Read more...
​Stamp duty land tax (SDLT): additional properties
Following the first Autumn Statement and Spending Review of this Parliament, which took place on Wednesday 25 November, if you're thinking of buying additional residential property doing so before 1 April 2016 might save you 3% of stamp duty... Read more...
Capital Taxes - something important to be aware of
Landlords should be aware of the change to the payment window for Capital Gains Tax (CGT)... Read more...
Don’t get caught out by changes to energy rules
We are proud of being experts on the local property market in Chiswick and West London... Read more...
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms
From 1 October 2015 landlords have to ensure that a smoke alarm is fitted on every floor (this includes ground floor entrances stairwells) of their property where there is a room used wholly or partly as living accommodation... Read more...
Interest relief to be restricted to basic rate
Landlords with large, highly geared portfolios may have to rethink their financing arrangements, or face substantial increases in their tax costs... Read more...
End of 10% wear and tear allowance
If you are planning to replace items such as furnishings and carpets in residential let properties, it might be worth waiting until after 6 April 2016... Read more...
Choosing your letting agent
One of the most important things a landlord does when renting their property is to choose their letting agent... Read more...