General news
Latest General news
Renters 'may encounter difficulty'
People thinking of renting property in the months ahead may encounter a number of challenges, it has been claimed. That is the opinion of Katy John, press officer for PricedOut, the national campaign for affordable house prices , who said it is not cheap to either buy or rent at the moment. She explained that limited options are available to those who do not have a big ...
2nd Sep 2011
Mortgage rates 'not as good as expected'
Current rates on UK mortgages are not as good as some people expect, according to one expert on the subject. Ben Wilkie, editor at What Mortgage, said that tracker mortgages are likely to be the most popular option in the coming months, though the problem is that if UK property owners had taken out a tracker three or four years ago, then they would be on an "absolutely ...
31st Aug 2011
General news archive
High rental costs 'not due to landlord greed'
The high costs associated with renting property at the moment cannot be blamed on landlords being greedy, one expert has claimed. That is the opinion of UK property industry analyst James Davis, who said that, despite the increase in the number of people having to rent a property due to the high cost of buying a home, landlords are not simply taking advantage of tenants. ...
23rd Aug 2011
Confidence 'will return' to Scottish property market
The Scottish property market will continue to recover as confidence returns to the sector in the months ahead, one expert has predicted. That is the opinion of Dianne Paterson, residential property partner at legal firm Russel + Aitken, who said the country's housing market is experiencing the same highs and lows as the UK at the moment, but stability will eventually ...
23rd Aug 2011
FTBs 'exploring every option'
First-time buyers (FTBs) are increasingly exploring every option available to them in a bid to gain access to the property ladder, one expert has stated. That is the opinion of Helen Adams, managing director at the advice organisation FirstRungNow, who said that people can and will do whatever they can in order to become a homeowner. Though many people are content with ...
22nd Aug 2011
Draft proofing 'the best form of home improvement'
The best way in which people can improve their property is through draft proofing, according to one expert. Andrew Leech, director of the National Home Improvement Council, said that draft proofing is not only the most efficient way of improving a home, but also the most cost effective. His comments followed the publication of a report by npower, which revealed that the ...
19th Aug 2011
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
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
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