Zoopla property news (August 2011)
Latest property news
Cleaning costs 'the main reason' for withholding deposits
The main reason why the country's landlords withhold deposits from outgoing tenants is cleaning costs associated with sprucing up the accommodation, a new report has revealed. Research carried out by mydeposits shows that cleaning costs, followed by unpaid rent, are the major reasons why deposit money is not given back. In a poll of landlords who kept hold of a deposit, ...
17th Aug 2011
New homes market 'has encouraging signs'
There are currently encouraging signs in the new homes market which point to an increase in the number of UK properties being constructed in the months ahead. That is according to new homes expert Steve Lees, who said that recently-published figures which point to a rise in the number of properties being erected in the UK in recent times are definitely encouraging. He was ...
17th Aug 2011
Property news archive
Adding a conservatory 'needs consideration'
People considering adding a conservatory to their property need to bear many things in mind before going head with the upgrade, one specialist has recommended. That is the advice issued by Giles Willson, deputy chief executive officer for the Glass and Glazing Federation, said, who noted that adding an extension to a home is a major move, so it is vital to get it right. He ...
16th Aug 2011
Checks 'essential' before employing tradesmen
It is vital that property owners carry out the necessary checks before employing tradesmen to carry out work on their property, it has been claimed. That is the opinion of Stuart Carter, head of PR and marketing at TrustMark, said there are ways for homeowners to avoid disputes with the builders, advocating the old adage that prevention is always better than the cure. He ...
16th Aug 2011
Lenders 'must be vigilant' to mortgage fraud
Mortgage fraud is something that lenders need to be on the hunt for possible fraudulent applications to ensure that genuine applicants are not impacted in the long run, according to one industry body. That is the advice being issued by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) which said that unscrupulous mortgage applicants are damaging the market and their activity needs to ...
15th Aug 2011
Homeowners 'exploring different selling methods'
Different means of selling properties are being explored by the UK's homeowners at the moment, one specialist has observed. According to property industry expert Nick Marr, there has been a rising number of sellers seeking different ways to try and sell their homes, including looking at rent-to-buy options. His comments follow figures published by the Council of ...
12th Aug 2011
Rental property investment 'a sure bet'
People who purchase buy to let property will find that this method of investment is far safer than other ways of boosting their wealth, it has been claimed. That is the opinion of Chris Horne, editor of landlord advice site Property Hawk, who said that, in the current economic climate, where hardly any investment is safe, property provides people with a certain degree of ...
11th Aug 2011
Required deposits 'still too high'
The size of the deposits required to purchase a UK property at the moment are still too high, according to one expert. Paul Hearnden, a director at MyMortgageDirect, said the deposit that first-time buyers need to put down is "too big", mainly due to banks protecting their balance sheets. His comments follow the publication of a report by the Council of ...
10th Aug 2011
Conservatories 'can boost house prices'
Many people think twice about having conservatories built to provide an extension to their home, but one expert has said that the improvement can help to boost house prices in the long run. According to Giles Willson, deputy chief executive officer for the Glass and Glazing Federation, conservatories are a wise choice for people who are thinking about how their home's ...
10th Aug 2011
Landlord insurance 'needs to be carefully considered'
Buy to let property owners need to speak to specialists in order to guarantee that their insurance covers them appropriately, according to one expert. Daniel Jewell, senior sales manager at the Business Octopus, said there are a few good ways for landlords to ensure that their insurance policy covers them for any future eventualities. He advised: "Make sure that you ...
8th Aug 2011