Our award-winning* Lettings and Management team have just launched an irresistible offer for new portfolio landlords (with a minimum of three property rentals).

We are offering 6 months No Management Fees**

For landlords with less than 3 properties we are offering 3 months No Management Fees.

This fantastic offer is also open to existing let-only portfolio landlords who upgrade to Perry Bishop’s full management service. Enjoy the freedom and complete peace of mind that our classic management service delivers, with no need to worry about any future changes in lettings legislation.

To benefit from great savings and great service call your local branch  of Perry Bishop and Chambers for further details.

 

* Featured in Best Estate Agent Guide 2021, compiled by The Property Academny in conjunction with Rightmove and named Best Letting agents in Stroud by the British Property Awards 2021.

** Terms and Conditions apply

So how will the new national lockdown, starting on Thursday, affect the housing market in Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire?

The housing market is to remain open in the four week lockdown in England, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has confirmed. The news came some hours after Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed the lockdown until 2nd December.

“The process of searching for and moving into a new home is different because property agents, conveyancers and other professionals have modified how they work to reduce the risk from COVID-19. These changes could include doing more online, such as offering virtual viewings; vacating your current property during viewings; and ensuring your property is thoroughly cleaned before someone else moves in.

“We encourage all parties involved to be as flexible as possible and to be prepared to delay moves, for example if one of those involved becomes ill with COVID-19 during the moving process or has to self-isolate. It may become necessary to pause all home moves locally or nationally for a short period of time to manage the spread of coronavirus. We will let you know if this needs to happen.

“If you are about to enter into a legally binding contract, you should discuss the possible implications of COVID-19 with your legal professional and consider making contractual provisions to manage these risks. You should not expect to immediately be able to move into any home where people have COVID-19 or are self-isolating.

“Those renting a property, letting agents and landlords should be aware of and follow the government guidance on coronavirus and renting which contains further advice that may also be applicable such as on possession proceedings, repairs, maintenance and health and safety.”

For members of the public – prospective buyers and tenants, as well as vendors and landlords – the same government guidance note says: “You are free to move home. However, you may find the process of searching for and moving into a new home is different, as property agents, conveyancers and other professionals have modified how they work to reduce the risk from COVID-19.

“Initial viewings should be done virtually wherever possible. Property agents should be able to help you with this.

“Members of the public who are visiting an agent’s office or viewing a property should wear a suitable face covering as described in government guidance unless they are exempt from this requirement. This should be confirmed with the agent before arrival. Anyone with concerns should contact the agent in advance of their visit to discuss appropriate measures. The agent may require you to arrange an appointment before visiting the premises.

“All physical viewings where prospective buyers or renters will be entering the property should involve no more than 2 households inside the property at any one time. This includes any agent accompanying either party. Anyone in a support bubble with either household, however, will count as part of that household.

“Please read the latest guidance on indoor gatherings and support bubbles.
Where prospective buyers who are currently from separate households wish to view the property on the same occasion, we advise that one household leaves the property to allow the other to enter. This allows for both households to view the property and ensures social distancing.

“Viewings should be arranged by appointment only and ‘open house’ viewings should not take place. When viewing properties in person, you should avoid touching surfaces wherever possible, wash your hands regularly and/or use hand sanitiser. If you need to be accompanied by small children, you should try to keep them from touching surfaces and ensure they wash their hands regularly. If people are being shown around your home, you should open all internal doors and ensure surfaces, such as door handles, are cleaned after each viewing with standard household cleaning products.

“We recommend that you vacate your property while viewings are taking place in order to minimise unnecessary contact.

“Anyone involved in any aspect of the home-moving process should practice social distancing in line with public health advice.

“When moving between properties, you and those in your household should try to do as much of the packing yourself as you can. Where this is not possible, you should speak to removal firms in advance. There is further advice about this below.If you are particularly worried about the risk of infection, then speak to your landlord, estate agent or removers as they may be able to put extra precautionary measures in place.”

If you are an existing Seller, Buyer, Landlord or Tenant or are considering a move and have any questions regarding above, please do not hesitate to get in touch with your local branch of Perry Bishop and Chambers.

As the Coronavirus Pandemic continues, we understand that it may be confusing for home movers and landlords in our region, whether buying, selling or renting.

New measures are being introduced regularly, including the new three-tier system currently being rolled out in an attempt to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

These measures are based on a system aimed at simplifying restrictions and to enable local lockdowns to be put in place depending on Coronavirus infections per region.

New advice released by the Government allows Perry Bishop to remain open and property viewings to take place. However, we encourage virtual viewings, and we have strict bookings, viewings and social distancing guidelines in place for physical viewings, along with the stringent requirement for PPE to be worn to minimise health risks and to ensure the safety of our clients and staff at all times.

Perry Bishop is currently in Tier 1.

How do the three tiers apply to you if you are moving home?

Tier 1: Medium Alert

• Property viewings can continue as long as Covid-19 safety measures are in place, and there are no more than six people in a property at any one time.
• Safety measures include wearing face coverings, hand washing, opening doors and windows for adequate ventilation during viewings.
• Only two prospective buyers from the same household may enter the property at a time.
• Open house viewings are not allowed.
• If any member of either the household being viewed or the household viewing, displays symptoms of Coronavirus or is self-isolating, then an in-person viewing should not go ahead.

Tier 2: High Alert

Tier Two rules are the same as Tier One, with the following additional rule:

• Those living in Tier two areas must not meet with anybody outside of their household or support bubble in any indoor setting, including their home or in a public location.
• It’s important to note that in-person property viewings can still go ahead, with the appropriate precautions in place.

Tier 3: Very High Alert

Tier Three is for areas where the transmission rates of Covid-19 are very concerning.

• People living in these areas are not allowed to meet anybody outside their household or support bubble in an indoor or outdoor setting, apart from open public spaces, where the rule of six will still apply.
• Travel in and out of these areas is not advised, other than for work, education, youth services or caring responsibilities.
• Government guidelines have not banned property viewings in Tier Three regions. However, home movers will likely choose not to view properties while restrictions are in place.

We will be strictly adhering to all Government guidelines relevant to our region and the safety of our clients and staff is paramount. This means that you can still place your property on the market or for rent with us and look for properties you want to move to.

Viewings, Valuations, Inspections, Surveys and Removals

• We can visit your home to take photos, and videos and prospective buyers or tenants can view your property.
• We will always adhere to social distancing measures, and we ask that you notify us and postpone any physical viewing appointments if anyone is self-isolating or showing symptoms of Coronavirus.
• Tradespeople can carry out inspections and surveys by appointment, and only one person will be in the property at a time where possible.
• No tradespeople will enter a property where a member of the household is showing signs of coronavirus symptoms or self-isolating.
• Removal firms can operate to Government guidelines.

As the Covid-19 situation continues to evolve, our foremost concern is to keep clients and staff safe.

Please talk to staff in any of our local branches or email phillipbishop@perrybishop.co.uk if you have any questions or concerns about our operating practices.

We are here to help and support all our clients, and we hope you, your friends and family remain safe and healthy for the duration of COVID-19.

Thank you for your patience, support and understanding during this challenging time.

Rightmove’s monthly House Price Index gives a national picture of house prices and activity over the past few weeks. Here are the main take-outs from their latest report, published yesterday:

• New national record for average price of property coming to market, with a 1.1% (+£3,534) monthly rise
• Prices now 5.5% (+£16,818) higher than a year ago, the biggest rate of increase for over four years, with Rightmove now forecasting annual growth rate to peak at circa 7% by December
• Activity levels also hit three new records in September, though there are now some signs of this extraordinary momentum easing off in October:
• Average time to sell of 50 days is quicker than ever before, leaving agents with more properties marked as sold than available for sale for the first time ever
• Highest number of sales ever agreed in a month, up 70% on September last year
• Traffic to Rightmove up almost 50% on September 2019, the biggest annual jump since 2006
• Number of active buyers 66% higher than a year ago, down marginally from 67% July peak
• Pace of growth easing but sales agreed for October so far still up 58% on same period last year

Here at Perry Bishop and Chambers activity throughout September mirrors the trends identified in Rightmove’s latest report. Our teams across Gloucestershire and The Vale of the White Horse have been exceptionally busy – listing, selling and most importantly helping people find and move into their first, next or forever home.

Applications are now open for Green Homes Grant Scheme

On 30th September the UK Government opened applications for the Green Homes Grant Scheme, which allows landlords and homeowners to apply for a grant of up to £10,000 towards the cost of making homes more energy efficient.

The Green Homes Grant Scheme

Under the scheme landlords and homeowners in England can apply for a voucher to fund at least two-thirds of the cost of hiring tradespeople to upgrade the energy performance of their homes, up to a maximum contribution of £5,000 or up to £10,000 for lower-income households.

The aim of the Green Home Grant is to upgrade over 600,000 homes across England, with the UK Government saying that this will save households hundreds of pounds per year on their energy bills.

Eligibility

You may be eligible if you live in England and:

• You own your own home (including long-leaseholders and shared ownership)
• You own your own park home on a residential site (including Gypsy and Traveller sites)
• You’re a residential landlord in the private or social rented sector (including local authorities and housing associations)

You cannot get the Green Homes Grant for newly built homes which have not been previously occupied.

The scheme is now open for applications.

Click here to apply for a Green Homes Grant.

Tammy and her team were delighted to learn this week that they have won a prestigious award – BEST LETTING AGENT IN STROUD – and that they they have now been shortlisted, alongside other area winners, to win a coveted national award.

THE BRITISH PROPERTY AWARDS are one of the most inclusive estate agency awards providers as they do not charge to enter. This has enabled their award to be structured in a manner that ensures maximum participation, on average judging over 90% of agents that meet their minimum criteria on a local level.

The team personally mystery shops every estate agent against a set of 25 criteria to obtain a balanced overview of their customer service levels. The judging criteria is both comprehensive and detailed exploring different mediums, scenarios and time periods to ensure that agents have been rigorously and fairly judged.

Only agents who go that extra mile and provide outstanding levels of customer service are rewarded with such an accolade, which acts as a beacon to highlight these attributes to their local marketplace.

“We are thrilled to have won this award, a great testament to the team’s dedication, hard work and exceptional customer service. In just two years we have built up a strong and loyal portfolio of landlords. Fingers crossed for the national awards,” said Tammy Powell, Lettings Manager at Perry Bishop.

Latest figures released from Homelet – The UK’s largest tenant referencing and specialist lettings insurance company – reveal that, for landlords at least, rents are begining to move in the right direction with the third successive monthly rise.

According to the data, the average rent in the UK now stands at £987, up by 0.2% on last month and up 4% from June where it stood at £951. When London is excluded, the average rent in the UK is now £828 – up by 3.9% on last year.

Ten of the twelve regions monitored by HomeLet showed an increase in rental values between September 2019 and September 2020, with the South West seeing an increase of 6.6%.

However, rents in London are down YOY, showing a 2.8% fall between September 2019 and September 2020, the fourth decrease in annual variance in subsequent months. Northern Ireland also shows a yearly decrease, with a 2.4% fall between September 2019 and September 2020.

Seven of the twelve regions monitored showed an increase in rental values between August 2020 and September 2020, with the North East seeing the biggest increase of 2.2%. In September 2020, the average rental value in London of £1,646 was 99% higher than the rest of the UK, excluding London (£828).

Martin Totty, chief executive at HomeLet, comments:

“Whilst it’s undoubtedly the case many landlords are being supportive of their tenants and agreeing on temporary reductions or deferrals, it will be encouraging for them to see rents agreed on new tenancies, in almost all parts of the country, are continuing to hold up and generally edge forward.

“This is likely because tenant demand remains strong whilst supply may be a little more constrained if some landlords are selling into a stronger sales market, even if that could be a short term phenomenon. It also doesn`t help tenants much if, for them, the prospect of securing first-time mortgage finance remains as elusive as ever.

“So, those landlords committed to the sector for the long term and having shown their willingness to confront the multiple headwinds of taxation change; new regulatory requirements; and, in certain circumstances, longer notice periods to gain possession of their properties, may still be rewarded for their flexibility and their perseverance with reasonable returns on their investment risk.”

Article courtesy of Property Reporter.

Phillip Bishop, MD at leading independent estate agents, Perry Bishop and Chambers, shines a light on the current property market across Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire, since the ‘new normal’ has been in place.

In conversation with Tim Thurston at Radio Swindon 105.5, Phillip explains the reasons why the market is currently so buoyant – covering the Chancellor’s announcement of a Stamp Duty Holiday, the exodus from the Capital and other cities and the changing criteria for people looking to buy in and around the Cotswolds.

Listen in full here.

 

If you want to take full advantage of the Stamp Duty Holiday (and save up to £15,000) you need to get a wiggle on, or your agent needs to! To complete your sale by 31st March 2020, you ideally want to accept an offer no later than the end of November this year.

Here are some tips to help you achieve this:

• Make sure your agent has realistically priced your property.
  If they overvalue your property you are not only likely to achieve a lower sale price but you are also likely to spend on average 9 weeks longer on the market.
• A picture paints a thousand words.
  Are your pictures the best they can be?
  Photos are very important to achieving a better price and quicker.
• Employ the services of a solicitor immediately.
  Bringing together the legal paperwork of the property you are selling will save weeks between the sale agreed and completion.
  Anything you can do to get a head start on others can only help your cause.
• Kerb Appeal
  Does the front door need painting? Could a tonne of gravel spruce up your driveway? Maybe adding some hanging baskets and planted pots will help to make a home stand out for the best reasons.

If you would like to chat about selling your home in Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire or Wiltshire, please do not hesitate to call your local branch of Perry Bishop and Chambers.

New regulation recently introduced could see unscrupulous landlords fined up to £30,000 if they do not comply with the rules.

Under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, landlords must now get wiring, light fittings, plug sockets and other electrical installations in renters’ homes checked at least every five years by a “qualified and competent” person.

The new rules are designed to strengthen electrical safety practices and bring in line with those already well-established within gas safety regulations in private residential tenancies have been introduced.

The London Fire Brigade’s deputy assistant commissioner for fire safety, Charlie Pugsley, said: “We are very pleased to see these new regulations come into force, which should be seen as a huge win for tenants who often have to battle with landlords to ensure their homes are safe.

“Most landlords provide well-maintained and safe accommodation for their tenants, but there are those that don’t and put people’s lives at risk. So it’s a positive step that tenants now have protection and the support of local authorities if landlords don’t comply.

“Sadly, we are all too aware of what the devastating consequences of faulty electrics can be and provided detailed data to the working group to shape the guidance.

“As these regulations do not cover electrical appliances, only fixed electrical installations, we would urge people to ensure their appliances are safe and always register them so you can be informed if there is a fault identified.”

If you’re a landlord and would like to take away the stress of keeping abreast of all lettings legislation, talk to Perry Bishop and Chambers Lettings team about our managed property service.

article courtesy of LandlordToday