Mighty House - November Newsletter

Shorter days and lower temperatures bring a lot of challenges for Homeowners. In this article we have highlighted this topic, so read on for tips on how to prepare your rental for colder weather, find out what devices are secretly adding up to your bills and whether it's a good time to sell your house this Christmas...

Landlord winter property guide

As we head towards the Winter months, now is the optimum time for landlords to prepare for the potential issues that may arise from the harsher weather. Spending a little time and effort now may well save money further down the line in the event of an accident or repair cost. Here’s our list of essential landlord checks;

Boiler Service
The number one priority for every landlord should be checking that the boiler in your property (or properties) is in good condition, as repair costs can be extremely expensive. Book a boiler service to ensure that everything is working correctly and safely as boilers can break down with the surge in gas consumption that comes in the colder months.

Protect the Pipes
Adding lagging to your pipes (specially designed pipe insulation) is an inexpensive measure which will give you peace of mind knowing that your piping will not burst due to freezing and splitting. Focus on pipes in external areas and lofts which may be subject to the most extreme temperatures and you should avoid any problems as the cold sets in.

Smoke and CO Alarms
In line with regulations from October 2015, a smoke alarm must be installed on each floor of a rental property – now is the perfect time to double check these are in good working order and that your tenants are safe in your property. If your rental property has a fireplace (or solid fuel appliance) then additional carbon monoxide alarms must be fitted in the same room, as the chances of these items being used increase astronomically in winter.

Open Dialogue
One of the key pieces of advice that we can give to protect your property through the winter is to create healthy dialogue with your tenants. As they are living in the property day-to-day, they will be able to advice on any niggles so that you know how to avoid any larger issues. Make sure your tenants know where the stopcock in the property is, where the fuse board is located and who to call in case of emergency, and they could be invaluable in saving you time and money.

Protect the Roof
Chipped, cracked or dislodged tiles on your roof could lead to significant water damage and in cold temperatures this can lead to structural issues with water freezing and expanding. Double-check that your roof is in tip-top condition, and whilst you’re at it take the time to clear out your gutters to avoid blockages when the inevitable rain falls.

6 Energy wasting devices that add up to your bills

As the winter is approaching everybody is expecting higher bills than usual.

To help cope with this, we compiled a list of items in your home that are secretly adding up to your electricity bills.

By making small changes to energy consumption throughout your home, you will be able to reduce your energy bills, live smarter and greener!

Click here to read 6 Energy wasting devices that add up to your bills.

Selling at Christmas - should you think about it?

As the weather gets colder, everyone starts feeling festive.

You might want to wait until all the turkey is gone before calling an agent - but you could be missing the chance of a speedy sale...

Click here to read Selling at Christmas - should you think about it?.

What do home buyers value most in a property?

According to recent research, homebuyers regard traditional features as one of the most important factors in a property when looking for their next home. With the prevalence of first-time buyers in the marketplace, traditionally important factors such as school catchment areas are descending in terms of their importance to buyers.

At the top of the list of considerations for buyers is green space – either private or shared - with almost a third of those surveyed ranking this as the most important factor when looking for a property. For those currently thinking of selling, the garden may take a backseat in terms of priorities over winter; however, in light of this research it may pay dividends to ensure that your outside space remains as pristine as your home over the coming months.

With a focus on green areas, it may come as no surprise that a private car parking space was ranked second with people now prepared to travel a little further to get that all-important green space.
Interestingly, in the capital city good transport links were considered the most important factor, with 31% rating this as priority number one.

Amenities such as shops and restaurants, as well as good transport links, followed in the list of priorities with around 13% of respondents noting the importance of good local facilities.

Michael Stone, Founder and CEO of Stone Real Estate, noted that: “Buyers are now searching for the right lifestyle fit for them and not just the right property and this level of innovation by developers in order to remain competitive and stand out from the crowd has resulted in homebuyers getting much, much more for their money.”