Tag: website

So, what’s happening?

As part of the Government’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to Net Zero by 2050, it has announced plans to encourage households to replace gas boilers with low carbon heating options, including heat pumps. At present in the UK, 22 million homes are heated by natural gas. However, the Government has set 2035 as the time after which it wants no new gas boilers to be sold and they are introducing a scheme to incentivise people to replace their boilers. So, what does this mean for you? In this article, we explain the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and how it will work.

What is the scheme?

The proposal is that a £5,000 grant will be offered from April 2022 to those living in England and Wales as part of the £450 million Boiler Upgrade Scheme. The Prime Minister Boris Johnson has enthusiastically stated that the new grants will help homeowners make the switch from gas boilers to low carbon heating options sooner, without costing extra, making ‘Going Green’ a better choice when a boiler needs upgrading. Information regarding how to apply for the £5000 grant will be given by the Government closer to when the scheme begins in April 2022. This grant will cover any energy efficient heating system, including heat pumps.

What is a Heat Pump? How Do They Work?

A heat pump is an electric device that extracts warmth from the air outside, a water source or the ground and then transfers it to our homes at a higher temperature. This produces heat that can then be used to heat our homes and water. At its most basic, it is a reverse air conditioning unit, which is mainly used to cool.

how heat pumps work

Pumps that extract warmth from the air – ‘air source heat pumps’ – are similar in appearance to air-conditioning units and are installed outside of a property. The size of the pump will depend on how much heat is needed to be generated for the size of your home.

Heat pumps that extract warmth from the ground – ‘ground source heat pumps’ – will need enough outside space so that shallow trenches or boreholes can be dug to accommodate them.

Are Heat Pumps Energy Efficient?

Heat pumps require electricity to run, but their energy-efficiency credentials come from the fact that they don’t burn fuel to generate heat. A heat pump will be most effective in well-insulated properties. In addition, the electricity network is undergoing large decarbonisation projects making it more environmentally friendly.

Are there Alternatives to a Heat Pump?

With many different types of properties in the UK, there will need to be differing types of new, low-carbon heating solutions, including hydrogen-ready boilers. Hydrogen-ready boilers are like gas boilers but can burn both natural gas and hydrogen. Linking one to the central heating system would mean a significant reduction to the carbon emissions from a residential property.

Are Heat Pumps Expensive to Buy?

In short, yes. Presently, a heat pump reportedly costs anywhere between £5,000 to £18,000. The cost all depends on the type of pump and size of your property. With the cost of living steadily rising, this figure seems alarming. The good news is that the Government expects prices to fall at a significant rate by 2025. As an example of this, renewable energy group, Octopus Energy have reported on their website that they believe that they can reduce the cost of heat pumps to be in line with the cost of natural gas boilers by April 2022 when bought with funds from the government grant.

The government is committed to decarbonising our homes and the boiler upgrade scheme is one of the initiatives to facilitate this goal. Do your research but a £5,000 grant is significant and could help you get started on your property’s green journey.

Get in touch with us.

switch properties are your local property experts in the South and Central Leeds areas.

Get in touch for a chat on 0113 345 3031 or email info@switchproperties.co.uk.

Check out the Direct Hub for a whole bunch of useful information, such as our pricing structure and our process.

So, what’s happening?

What is the scheme?

What is a Heat Pump? How Do They Work?

how heat pumps work

Heat pumps that extract warmth from the ground – ‘ground source heat pumps’ – will need enough outside space so that shallow trenches or boreholes can be dug to accommodate them.

Are Heat Pumps Energy Efficient?

Are there Alternatives to a Heat Pump?

Are Heat Pumps Expensive to Buy?

Get in touch with us.

switch properties are your local property experts in the South and Central Leeds areas.

Get in touch for a chat on 0113 345 3031 or email info@switchproperties.co.uk.

Check out the Direct Hub for a whole bunch of useful information, such as our pricing structure and our process.

Tag: website

properties can be let either unfurnished, part furnished or furnished. In this article we will focus on what a landlord should provide in an unfurnished property in the UK. Before we get into too much detail, let’s describe what these “furnishing” terms mean.

As of right now there is no clear definition in UK law as to what each category really means and what should be provided by a landlord for each instance. This can be confusing and makes it a little hit and miss. Landlords don’t always know what should be provided and tenants can be uncertain about what to expect. Below we describe the generally accepted understandings for each term.

What Does Unfurnished Mean?

A privately rented unfurnished property essentially means that the tenant is to provide the furnishings for the property, therefore the landlord does not supply any furniture for the tenant. That does not however mean that the property is let completely empty of items, more on this further in the article.

What Does Part Furnished Mean?

A part furnished property is one where the landlord supplies just the basic items required to live in the property. Necessary furniture like beds and a sofa.

What Does Fully Furnished Mean?

A fully furnished property, as the name suggests, means that items like sofas, beds, wardrobes, drawers, tables, chairs and often smaller electrical appliances can be provided by the landlord.

Remember, there is no legal definition for each of these three terms and part furnished and fully furnished rental properties will often include different items as a part of the let. However, when it comes to furnishings, Landlords need to be aware that certain items of furniture will need to conform to British Fire Safety Standards.

Whether the property is let, furnished, unfurnished or part furnished, there are still expectations held by tenants with regards to “fittings”. Fittings should not be confused with furnishings.

What Should A Landlord Provide In An Unfurnished Property?

Whilst an unfurnished property does not include furnishings, it should still include fittings and will often also include White Goods. We can guess your next question:

What Fittings Are Included In An Unfurnished Property?

Fittings is the general term that applies to items that are fitted or fixed in a property. Things like sanitary-ware (bath, shower, sink and toilets), kitchen cupboards, worktops and the sink, integrated appliances, carpeting or flooring, light fittings, internal and external doors, and the heating and hot water systems. These should all be included in an unfurnished property rental.

Renting An Unfurnished Property – Frequently Asked Questions

We are often asked for clarifications by both tenants and landlords as to what should be included in an unfurnished property. Here we share a couple of the most frequently asked questions we receive and their answers:

Does Unfurnished Mean No White Goods?

Most often, unfurnished properties are let with some White Goods. “White Goods” is the collective term used to describe kitchen appliances such as a cooker, fridge, freezer, dishwasher and washing machine. However, it is not mandatory for a landlord to provide any or all of these items, so it is best to check exactly what is included in the unfurnished property prior to signing an agreement. As with furnishings, landlords have a legal responsibility to ensure that the electrical appliances they provide are clean and safe to use.

Are Curtains Included In Unfurnished Rental Properties?

Landlords of unfurnished properties are not required to provide window coverings. This is one of those grey areas whereby some landlords do provide curtains or blinds and others do not. This is down to the individual landlord. If you are in any way concerned about whether curtains are included in an unfurnished rental it is best to ask for clarification. Please do not presume that any window coverings present at the time of viewing will remain as these may belong to the tenant in situ at the time of the viewing.

Renting An Unfurnished Property

There are pros and cons to weigh up when deciding to rent an unfurnished property and they will be different for each individual. For tenants the decision to rent an unfurnished property will largely be governed by your own personal circumstances, if you have a houseful of furnishings for example, then this option is probably the right one for you. Otherwise, you will need to consider how you will store your surplus personal belongings. For those just starting out, then it might be better for your circumstances to consider a furnished or part furnished property, especially if you have a tight budget.

If you are a landlord deciding whether to let your property unfurnished and would like specific advice about the options available to you, then have a chat to one of our local property experts. They will be more than happy to share their wealth of experience gleaned from working with a variety of different landlords as well as their knowledge of the local property market. They will listen to your thoughts and views and discuss with you the many options available to you.

Get in touch with us.

switch properties are your local property experts in the South and Central Leeds areas.

Get in touch for a chat on 0113 345 3031 or email info@switchproperties.co.uk.

Check out the Direct Hub for a whole bunch of useful information, such as our pricing structure and our process.

properties can be let either unfurnished, part furnished or furnished. In this article we will focus on what a landlord should provide in an unfurnished property in the UK. Before we get into too much detail, let’s describe what these “furnishing” terms mean.

As of right now there is no clear definition in UK law as to what each category really means and what should be provided by a landlord for each instance. This can be confusing and makes it a little hit and miss. Landlords don’t always know what should be provided and tenants can be uncertain about what to expect. Below we describe the generally accepted understandings for each term.

What Does Unfurnished Mean?

A privately rented unfurnished property essentially means that the tenant is to provide the furnishings for the property, therefore the landlord does not supply any furniture for the tenant. That does not however mean that the property is let completely empty of items, more on this further in the article.

What Does Part Furnished Mean?

A part furnished property is one where the landlord supplies just the basic items required to live in the property. Necessary furniture like beds and a sofa.

What Does Fully Furnished Mean?

A fully furnished property, as the name suggests, means that items like sofas, beds, wardrobes, drawers, tables, chairs and often smaller electrical appliances can be provided by the landlord.

Remember, there is no legal definition for each of these three terms and part furnished and fully furnished rental properties will often include different items as a part of the let. However, when it comes to furnishings, Landlords need to be aware that certain items of furniture will need to conform to British Fire Safety Standards.

Whether the property is let, furnished, unfurnished or part furnished, there are still expectations held by tenants with regards to “fittings”. Fittings should not be confused with furnishings.

What Should A Landlord Provide In An Unfurnished Property?

Whilst an unfurnished property does not include furnishings, it should still include fittings and will often also include White Goods. We can guess your next question:

What Fittings Are Included In An Unfurnished Property?

Fittings is the general term that applies to items that are fitted or fixed in a property. Things like sanitary-ware (bath, shower, sink and toilets), kitchen cupboards, worktops and the sink, integrated appliances, carpeting or flooring, light fittings, internal and external doors, and the heating and hot water systems. These should all be included in an unfurnished property rental.

Renting An Unfurnished Property – Frequently Asked Questions

We are often asked for clarifications by both tenants and landlords as to what should be included in an unfurnished property. Here we share a couple of the most frequently asked questions we receive and their answers:

Does Unfurnished Mean No White Goods?

Most often, unfurnished properties are let with some White Goods. “White Goods” is the collective term used to describe kitchen appliances such as a cooker, fridge, freezer, dishwasher and washing machine. However, it is not mandatory for a landlord to provide any or all of these items, so it is best to check exactly what is included in the unfurnished property prior to signing an agreement. As with furnishings, landlords have a legal responsibility to ensure that the electrical appliances they provide are clean and safe to use.

Are Curtains Included In Unfurnished Rental Properties?

Landlords of unfurnished properties are not required to provide window coverings. This is one of those grey areas whereby some landlords do provide curtains or blinds and others do not. This is down to the individual landlord. If you are in any way concerned about whether curtains are included in an unfurnished rental it is best to ask for clarification. Please do not presume that any window coverings present at the time of viewing will remain as these may belong to the tenant in situ at the time of the viewing.

Renting An Unfurnished Property

There are pros and cons to weigh up when deciding to rent an unfurnished property and they will be different for each individual. For tenants the decision to rent an unfurnished property will largely be governed by your own personal circumstances, if you have a houseful of furnishings for example, then this option is probably the right one for you. Otherwise, you will need to consider how you will store your surplus personal belongings. For those just starting out, then it might be better for your circumstances to consider a furnished or part furnished property, especially if you have a tight budget.

If you are a landlord deciding whether to let your property unfurnished and would like specific advice about the options available to you, then have a chat to one of our local property experts. They will be more than happy to share their wealth of experience gleaned from working with a variety of different landlords as well as their knowledge of the local property market. They will listen to your thoughts and views and discuss with you the many options available to you.

Get in touch with us.

switch properties are your local property experts in the South and Central Leeds areas.

Get in touch for a chat on 0113 345 3031 or email info@switchproperties.co.uk.

Check out the Direct Hub for a whole bunch of useful information, such as our pricing structure and our process.

Tag: website

Eco friendly

At switch properties, we took the opportunity to pick today to be the day that we go fully paperless alongside a 50% reduction in the usage of plastics. We have a great deal of respect for the worlds wildlife and care deeply about how we contribute to the environment. That’s why we have decided as a company to take this step.

Starting march 3rd, all documents we send out including Tenancy agreements, Tenancy Application forms, Holding deposit agreements and Key return and collection forms will be digitally sent out via E-mail. For forms that require signatures, an E-signature will be required instead.

How will this make an impact?

Well, our company all on its lonesome might not be able to impact global waste and harm reduction to wildlife. We believe that as a collective we’ll be able to make a significant dent in this quite often neglected realm. And to act as a collective, someone needs to make an effort first, so why not us!

switch properties is all about making a good impact, no matter the size, from doing small acts of charity to our local mosques and churches to holding food banks and conducting community events, it’s something that is simply within our nature.

Future plans

We are always seeking new and innovative ways in which we can help contribute positively to our local community and our environment. We welcome any suggestions you as a reader may have for us in order for us to reach this coveted goal of ours.

We have plans to initiate a program to plant 10 trees for the start of every 1 tenancy and 1 tree for a 5 star review on google maps. last year we had near to 750 tenancies, if we manage to hit a similar figure or more this year, then we could be potentially looking at an extra 7500-8000 trees planted!

Get in touch with us.

switch properties are your local property experts in the Central and South Leeds areas.

Get in touch for a chat on 0113 345 3031 or email info@switchproperties.co.uk.

Check out the Direct Hub for a whole bunch of useful information, such as our pricing structure and our process.

Eco friendly

At switch properties, we took the opportunity to pick today to be the day that we go fully paperless alongside a 50% reduction in the usage of plastics. We have a great deal of respect for the worlds wildlife and care deeply about how we contribute to the environment. That’s why we have decided as a company to take this step.

Starting march 3rd, all documents we send out including Tenancy agreements, Tenancy Application forms, Holding deposit agreements and Key return and collection forms will be digitally sent out via E-mail. For forms that require signatures, an E-signature will be required instead.

How will this make an impact?

Well, our company all on its lonesome might not be able to impact global waste and harm reduction to wildlife. We believe that as a collective we’ll be able to make a significant dent in this quite often neglected realm. And to act as a collective, someone needs to make an effort first, so why not us!

switch properties is all about making a good impact, no matter the size, from doing small acts of charity to our local mosques and churches to holding food banks and conducting community events, it’s something that is simply within our nature.

Future plans

We are always seeking new and innovative ways in which we can help contribute positively to our local community and our environment. We welcome any suggestions you as a reader may have for us in order for us to reach this coveted goal of ours.

We have plans to initiate a program to plant 10 trees for the start of every 1 tenancy and 1 tree for a 5 star review on google maps. last year we had near to 750 tenancies, if we manage to hit a similar figure or more this year, then we could be potentially looking at an extra 7500-8000 trees planted!

Get in touch with us.

switch properties are your local property experts in the Central and South Leeds areas.

Get in touch for a chat on 0113 345 3031 or email info@switchproperties.co.uk.

Check out the Direct Hub for a whole bunch of useful information, such as our pricing structure and our process.

Tag: website

London’s choice

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has stated that he supports the seizure of Russian property held by the allies of Vladimir Putin in London, Transparency international estimates that there are 100 Properties owned by elites linked to the Kremlin worth £1.1 billion.

Khan, who was critical of the governments previous course of action with regards to foreign property in London, Is asking for the government to press further than simply taking these Kremlin owned properties. Khan wants to see more pressure put on Russia.

Firstly he wants a register of all overseas property owners. A seizure of all properties owned by allies of and by President Vladimir Putin. Raising the amount of money that overseas owners have to pay for leaving their properties empty by increasing the council, tax this is called the ’empty homes premium’, raising capital gains tax on overseas buyers from 28% to 40%. And finally by increasing the taxes paid by overseas companies investing in property by increasing the yearly tax on enveloped dwellings.

Khan claims, that in addition to the initial seizure of £1.1 billion, this could generate up to £370 million a year. Which would then be used to either build more council homes or diverted towards social services and healthcare.

What does this mean?

Lets break down and analyse each point. We’ll start with the first action to be taken, that being the seizure of foreign property assets and what this means for the UK. The properties being seized are a total of £1.1 billion in value, this is a sizable chunk of the London property market which may now find its way into the hands of UK based investors at base rate rather than at profit. Which may lead to a slight dip in property prices overall, including rental prices. (It should also be mentioned that Khan also would like to see his suggested measures be applied to all properties across the UK, not just London.)
This dip would however be temporary as the demand for property especially in large cities such as London, will always remain high due to being large financial and industrial sectors.

Secondly, the measures that khan suggested bringing in such as higher capital gains tax on overseas buyers and higher ’empty homes premiums’ are quite clearly designed to be anti-foreign investment measures. A restriction in the number of buyers will mean less demand for properties, meaning a dip in property prices.

It is however predicted that such measures would only be targeted towards Russian citizens despite demands for these measures to target all foreign investors as is currently being proposed. However, the mere possibility of such restrictions being thrust onto the market Is likely to send some investors into a panic and decide to sell.
This is why we predict that the property prices will take a slight downturn before beginning their usual inexorable rise.

Though the chances are likely quite low, given that some options are always required to be left on the table in terms of sanctions, If all that is being suggested were to be put into effect, including the triple threat of seizing properties and selling them to UK investors at base rate, Unfavorable conditions for foreign property investors and the building of council houses. It is quite likely, we may experience a 2008 style property market collapse.

In summary

Russian properties are to be seized by the UK government, this property seizure means there are more properties on the market. The mayor of London proposed restricting the number of foreign buyers by the measures mentioned above, this means there’s now more properties on the market and less buyers on the market. According to supply and demand, this means the property prices must come down. But due to the nature of the property market in the UK, expect prices to rise to prior levels soon after the drop.

This however is purely speculative at this point in time as the facts on the ground are constantly in flux, we aim to provide accurate and up to date information regarding the property market to the best of our ability, however there may be times such as now where the information coming in is at a rapid pace, what may be relevant and correct for 1 day may be totally unfeasible the next.

Get in touch with us.

switch properties are your local property experts in the Central and South Leeds areas.

Get in touch for a chat on 0113 345 3031 or email info@switchproperties.co.uk.

Check out the Direct Hub for a whole bunch of useful information, such as our pricing structure and our process.

London’s choice

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has stated that he supports the seizure of Russian property held by the allies of Vladimir Putin in London, Transparency international estimates that there are 100 Properties owned by elites linked to the Kremlin worth £1.1 billion.

Khan, who was critical of the governments previous course of action with regards to foreign property in London, Is asking for the government to press further than simply taking these Kremlin owned properties. Khan wants to see more pressure put on Russia.

Firstly he wants a register of all overseas property owners. A seizure of all properties owned by allies of and by President Vladimir Putin. Raising the amount of money that overseas owners have to pay for leaving their properties empty by increasing the council, tax this is called the ’empty homes premium’, raising capital gains tax on overseas buyers from 28% to 40%. And finally by increasing the taxes paid by overseas companies investing in property by increasing the yearly tax on enveloped dwellings.

Khan claims, that in addition to the initial seizure of £1.1 billion, this could generate up to £370 million a year. Which would then be used to either build more council homes or diverted towards social services and healthcare.

What does this mean?

Lets break down and analyse each point. We’ll start with the first action to be taken, that being the seizure of foreign property assets and what this means for the UK. The properties being seized are a total of £1.1 billion in value, this is a sizable chunk of the London property market which may now find its way into the hands of UK based investors at base rate rather than at profit. Which may lead to a slight dip in property prices overall, including rental prices. (It should also be mentioned that Khan also would like to see his suggested measures be applied to all properties across the UK, not just London.)
This dip would however be temporary as the demand for property especially in large cities such as London, will always remain high due to being large financial and industrial sectors.

Secondly, the measures that khan suggested bringing in such as higher capital gains tax on overseas buyers and higher ’empty homes premiums’ are quite clearly designed to be anti-foreign investment measures. A restriction in the number of buyers will mean less demand for properties, meaning a dip in property prices.

It is however predicted that such measures would only be targeted towards Russian citizens despite demands for these measures to target all foreign investors as is currently being proposed. However, the mere possibility of such restrictions being thrust onto the market Is likely to send some investors into a panic and decide to sell.
This is why we predict that the property prices will take a slight downturn before beginning their usual inexorable rise.

Though the chances are likely quite low, given that some options are always required to be left on the table in terms of sanctions, If all that is being suggested were to be put into effect, including the triple threat of seizing properties and selling them to UK investors at base rate, Unfavorable conditions for foreign property investors and the building of council houses. It is quite likely, we may experience a 2008 style property market collapse.

In summary

Russian properties are to be seized by the UK government, this property seizure means there are more properties on the market. The mayor of London proposed restricting the number of foreign buyers by the measures mentioned above, this means there’s now more properties on the market and less buyers on the market. According to supply and demand, this means the property prices must come down. But due to the nature of the property market in the UK, expect prices to rise to prior levels soon after the drop.

This however is purely speculative at this point in time as the facts on the ground are constantly in flux, we aim to provide accurate and up to date information regarding the property market to the best of our ability, however there may be times such as now where the information coming in is at a rapid pace, what may be relevant and correct for 1 day may be totally unfeasible the next.

Get in touch with us.

switch properties are your local property experts in the Central and South Leeds areas.

Get in touch for a chat on 0113 345 3031 or email info@switchproperties.co.uk.

Check out the Direct Hub for a whole bunch of useful information, such as our pricing structure and our process.

Tag: website

Leeds city council comes down heavy on non-compliant properties

Ms Rashid, of Wetherby Road pled guilty to five charges under the Environmental Protection Act and was forced to pay £2,799 in costs and fines at Kirklees Magistrates court. Ms Rashid ended up in court after ignoring a £100 Fixed Penalty Notice issued by a council environmental action officer and continually failing to engage with council officers.

Enforcement officers intervened following complaints and having issued the necessary warning letters, they proceeded to issue a Community Protection Notice to compel Ms Rashid to take appropriate action and clear up the waste. Council officers had to step in and clear the dangerous waste from the properties front yard, despite continued efforts to engage with the property owner.

Community Protection Notices direct people to stop causing a problem that is having a detrimental impact on the quality of life of people in their neighbourhood. As the legal notice was ignored, Ms Rashid was issued with the £100 Fixed Penalty Notice. The penalty notice remained unpaid, so Ms Rashid was prosecuted through the courts to impose a fine and recover the costs of removing the waste

Wetherby Road Property

Compliancy is not something that can be ignored, especially within the property industry.

Ms. Rashid appeared to have been a private landlord that was not utilising an agency, had she been using an agency, the issues at the property would not have reached this point. As agencies such as switch properties are obligated to conduct multiple inspections on the property throughout the tenancy and report any issues to the landlord.

Had Ms. Rashid been kept in the loop as to what was happening, and that what she was doing at the property was incorrect and needed to be resolved immediately, it is possible that she would not be having the £2799 fine served to her.

Source: Leeds City Council

Get in touch with us.

switch properties are your local property experts in the South and Central Leeds areas.

Get in touch for a chat on 0113 345 3031 or email info@switchproperties.co.uk.

Check out the Direct Hub for a whole bunch of useful information, such as our pricing structure and our process.

Leeds city council comes down heavy on non-compliant properties

Wetherby Road Property

Compliancy is not something that can be ignored, especially within the property industry.

Source: Leeds City Council

Get in touch with us.

switch properties are your local property experts in the South and Central Leeds areas.

Get in touch for a chat on 0113 345 3031 or email info@switchproperties.co.uk.

Check out the Direct Hub for a whole bunch of useful information, such as our pricing structure and our process.

Tag: website

one month wonder

Property prices across the UK have increased by an average of a record shattering £8,000 according to data from RightMove.
The reason this figure is so significant is because it is the single largest increase in property prices that has ever been recorded by RightMove since it began collecting data 20 years ago.

What is the situation looking like?

RightMove says that the average asking prices for properties are 9.5% higher than the year before with signs that indicate both buyers and sellers have a “fear of missing out” on the housing market before prices increase yet further and the property ladder lifts itself out of reach for those not on it.

It has also become clear that the average listing price of a property has £40,000 to £348,804 in 2 years since the beginning of the pandemic compared to a £9000 rise in the 2 years prior to the pandemic. Many pundits predicted that prices would infact fall with the advent of the pandemic as the supply would increase due to offices being converted to flats. However as the situation has progressed it has started to become increasingly visible that the trend in this prediction was deeply flawed. It failed to assume that people would be moving to rural areas or to larger properties within the cities and that large service sector companies banked on the pandemic ending soon and held onto their office spaces / adapted a form of hybrid working.

These factors combined together formed a powerful driving force that led to the increase in property prices.
Potential buyers sent 16 per cent more messages to estate agents than they did this time last year.

Clear skies or the eye of the storm?

The number of sellers putting up their properties for sale increased by a sizable 11 percent compared to one year ago, while the number of buyers requesting a home valuation rose by a similar percentage. Many see this as a possible end to the price rises we are currently experiencing, while others argue that this is simply a speed-bump and will not affect the overall direction of the market.

While the argument for this recent development leading to a price dip is a compelling one, when we look back at this data provided by Nationwide depicting house prices from 1975-2019. The trend is as clear as day, prices are increasing and will continue increasing. As long as there is a large population and a small supply of properties, the basic law of supply and demand will apply.

What should I do?

The answer to that is simple and the evidence behind it is overwhelming. You should buy a property, as soon as you can, do not put it off until an imaginary dip in the market otherwise someone else will take your options and leave you 1 rung down on the property ladder and in a market which is ever increasing in price, this is most certainly not a place you want to be in.

Get in touch with us.

switch properties are your local property experts in the Central and South Leeds areas.

Get in touch for a chat on 0113 345 3031 or email info@switchproperties.co.uk.

Check out the Direct Hub for a whole bunch of useful information, such as our pricing structure and our process.

one month wonder

Property prices across the UK have increased by an average of a record shattering £8,000 according to data from RightMove.
The reason this figure is so significant is because it is the single largest increase in property prices that has ever been recorded by RightMove since it began collecting data 20 years ago.

What is the situation looking like?

RightMove says that the average asking prices for properties are 9.5% higher than the year before with signs that indicate both buyers and sellers have a “fear of missing out” on the housing market before prices increase yet further and the property ladder lifts itself out of reach for those not on it.

It has also become clear that the average listing price of a property has £40,000 to £348,804 in 2 years since the beginning of the pandemic compared to a £9000 rise in the 2 years prior to the pandemic. Many pundits predicted that prices would infact fall with the advent of the pandemic as the supply would increase due to offices being converted to flats. However as the situation has progressed it has started to become increasingly visible that the trend in this prediction was deeply flawed. It failed to assume that people would be moving to rural areas or to larger properties within the cities and that large service sector companies banked on the pandemic ending soon and held onto their office spaces / adapted a form of hybrid working.

These factors combined together formed a powerful driving force that led to the increase in property prices.
Potential buyers sent 16 per cent more messages to estate agents than they did this time last year.

Clear skies or the eye of the storm?

The number of sellers putting up their properties for sale increased by a sizable 11 percent compared to one year ago, while the number of buyers requesting a home valuation rose by a similar percentage. Many see this as a possible end to the price rises we are currently experiencing, while others argue that this is simply a speed-bump and will not affect the overall direction of the market.

While the argument for this recent development leading to a price dip is a compelling one, when we look back at this data provided by Nationwide depicting house prices from 1975-2019. The trend is as clear as day, prices are increasing and will continue increasing. As long as there is a large population and a small supply of properties, the basic law of supply and demand will apply.

What should I do?

The answer to that is simple and the evidence behind it is overwhelming. You should buy a property, as soon as you can, do not put it off until an imaginary dip in the market otherwise someone else will take your options and leave you 1 rung down on the property ladder and in a market which is ever increasing in price, this is most certainly not a place you want to be in.

Get in touch with us.

switch properties are your local property experts in the Central and South Leeds areas.

Get in touch for a chat on 0113 345 3031 or email info@switchproperties.co.uk.

Check out the Direct Hub for a whole bunch of useful information, such as our pricing structure and our process.

Tag: website

Supply disruption due to Ukraine-Russia crisis

While the industry is still in flux and things are changing very rapidly, the current situation is looking quite dire indeed. The price of Brent crude oil has now reached a 7 year high of £73 per barrel. The RAC warned that the crisis may propel petrol prices further beyond the 149.12p record high which was reached on Sunday 19th February. Russia has sent forward troops into the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk and Donetsk known for their hydrocarbon production (Oil, Natural gas and coal),this is set to cause a significant disruption in the supply chain as it is.

However, this is not the only factor that worries the RAC, it is the fact that Russia is one of Europe’s largest exporters of Hydrocarbons. A war on the doorstep of Europe is undoubtedly not going to affect just oil prices, but indeed energy prices which are already in a bad situation currently.

Exacerbated energy crisis

Following escalation of tensions with Ukraine by Russia, many political analysts are suggesting that Russia will begin a possible deadly full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Many in the EU and NATO have expressed that they will go ahead and deliver severe sanctions on Russia if the scenario comes to fruition.

How this will affect the energy industry (and by extension the property industry) is due to the nature of the sanctions that are on the table some of which may have been utilised at the time of writing this article, a banning of Russia from ‘SWIFT’ the world banking system as well as a shut down of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and decreased trade relations overall with Russia. A shortage of natural gas will lead to increased energy prices across Europe.

Predictions of the property market

Due to the rise in energy prices, this will add to the cost of living crisis in the UK, Many, though not all landlords often hold properties through a Buy-to-let mortgage, the effect of higher energy costs/running costs of their properties will lead them to list the properties at greater rental prices in order to make up the shortfall.

This means increased prices across the board, with higher rental prices the value of the property itself is bound to increase. Many in the media claim that the opposite is true, that due to the increased cost of living, people will simply be unable to afford a wider selection of properties to stay in. This claim however, falls on its face as the demand for property will still be the same, if not higher, a likely outcome is that people will simply take on more debt in order to stay in/purchase properties.

Taking all this information into account, we advise our readers to purchase any property that dips in price due to panic selling to maximise short term profits, alternatively buy what properties you can at this moment in time to maximise long term profits, as there is no telling exactly when the price will skyrocket, however we can be certain that it will.

Get in touch with us.

switch properties are your local property experts in the Central and South Leeds areas.

Get in touch for a chat on 0113 345 3031 or email info@switchproperties.co.uk.

Check out the Direct Hub for a whole bunch of useful information, such as our pricing structure and our process.

Supply disruption due to Ukraine-Russia crisis

While the industry is still in flux and things are changing very rapidly, the current situation is looking quite dire indeed. The price of Brent crude oil has now reached a 7 year high of £73 per barrel. The RAC warned that the crisis may propel petrol prices further beyond the 149.12p record high which was reached on Sunday 19th February. Russia has sent forward troops into the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk and Donetsk known for their hydrocarbon production (Oil, Natural gas and coal),this is set to cause a significant disruption in the supply chain as it is.

However, this is not the only factor that worries the RAC, it is the fact that Russia is one of Europe’s largest exporters of Hydrocarbons. A war on the doorstep of Europe is undoubtedly not going to affect just oil prices, but indeed energy prices which are already in a bad situation currently.

Exacerbated energy crisis

Following escalation of tensions with Ukraine by Russia, many political analysts are suggesting that Russia will begin a possible deadly full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Many in the EU and NATO have expressed that they will go ahead and deliver severe sanctions on Russia if the scenario comes to fruition.

How this will affect the energy industry (and by extension the property industry) is due to the nature of the sanctions that are on the table some of which may have been utilised at the time of writing this article, a banning of Russia from ‘SWIFT’ the world banking system as well as a shut down of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and decreased trade relations overall with Russia. A shortage of natural gas will lead to increased energy prices across Europe.

Predictions of the property market

Due to the rise in energy prices, this will add to the cost of living crisis in the UK, Many, though not all landlords often hold properties through a Buy-to-let mortgage, the effect of higher energy costs/running costs of their properties will lead them to list the properties at greater rental prices in order to make up the shortfall.

This means increased prices across the board, with higher rental prices the value of the property itself is bound to increase. Many in the media claim that the opposite is true, that due to the increased cost of living, people will simply be unable to afford a wider selection of properties to stay in. This claim however, falls on its face as the demand for property will still be the same, if not higher, a likely outcome is that people will simply take on more debt in order to stay in/purchase properties.

Taking all this information into account, we advise our readers to purchase any property that dips in price due to panic selling to maximise short term profits, alternatively buy what properties you can at this moment in time to maximise long term profits, as there is no telling exactly when the price will skyrocket, however we can be certain that it will.

Get in touch with us.

switch properties are your local property experts in the Central and South Leeds areas.

Get in touch for a chat on 0113 345 3031 or email info@switchproperties.co.uk.

Check out the Direct Hub for a whole bunch of useful information, such as our pricing structure and our process.

Tag: website

Connecting Leeds

The government has announced its infrastructure initiative for Leeds dubbed “Connecting Leeds”, this initiative seeks to improve on the current infrastructure we have as well as add brand new mega projects to all areas of Leeds. Starting with Armley gyratory and then slowly moving its way across to boar lane and crown point road in the winter of 2022.

Leeds residents can breathe a sigh of relief as the issues with traffic are now finally within the crosshairs of the government. An incredible £100m has been invested into this project, this will aid not only motorists, but cyclists, pedestrians and users of public transport, all in time for the year of culture 2023.

Leeds City Council’s approach to re-route traffic away from the city centre on to the more appropriate Inner Ring Road and the M621 orbital route following the closure of City Square, will enable public transport, walking, cycling and public realm plans to be realised in the city.

Although still subject to programme changes, the construction timetable covers these affected areas:

Winter 2022

Armley Gyratory starting with off-highways, then on-highways
Boar Lane
Crown Point Road
Neville Street / Meadow Road
Bishopgate Street – works for diverting utilities

Spring 2022

Great Wilson Street
Aire Street, King Street and Wellington Street
Lady Lane

Summer 2022

East Parade bus gate and Calverley Street
Bishopgate Street and Dark Neville Street
Quebec Street
Late summer – the final closure of vehicular access to City Square

This spring will also see works complete around the Corn Exchange gateway scheme, Leeds bus station, A647 Leeds to Bradford route, the A61 south towards Stourton, Regent Street flyover, and the extension to Temple Green park and ride. This follows schemes completed in 2021, despite the disruption of the Covid pandemic, like the UK’s first solar powered park and ride at Stourton, the Headrow Gateway scheme, Cookridge Street, Park Row, and Infirmary Street.

infrastructure

Large strides

Over the past three years the council has made big progress in the delivery of people-first infrastructure and public spaces across the city centre. There has been around £200 million invested in improving Leeds City Centre, including the Leeds Public Transport Improvement Programme (LPTIP) Connecting Leeds works delivered in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, with major investments enabling support of the 3.5-hectare green City Park, and the delivery of the Our Spaces schemes.

The works have been delivered at the same time as one another, and at unprecedented pace to meet the deadlines of government funding. Our transport conversation findings in 2016 made it clear the public wished for improvements to be made as quickly as possible.

More work to be done

These plans are on top of the already large number of temporary road closures and street works to facilitate works by utilities companies, private building developers, contractors acting on its behalf and its own in-house contracting team. And despite of these challenges, plus Covid-19 approximately 900 road closures and 30,000 street works have been overseen by the council in the last 12 months.

Councillor Helen Hayden, executive member for infrastructure and climate said:

“This year marks another major step in meeting our ambition to be carbon neutral by 2030, as well as our preparation for the 2023 Year of Culture.

“These works will transform the city centre, with the changes to City Square and the train station helping cement Leeds a first-class city to live in or visit. The new and improved public space that will great arrivals to the city centre is something that everyone can enjoy, regardless of the reason for their trip and is a real show of our dedication to better space for people, rather than cars.

“Reallocating road space in favour of public transport, walking and cycling is a trend we are carrying out across our city, helping work towards the council’s vision of a city where you don’t need a car. We are working on greater and improved connectivity and with more appealing public space to make that vision a reality.

“The necessary works at Armley Gyratory and Regent Street flyover will move vehicles on to the inner ring road where they can travel more efficiently and, in the case of Armley, will be delivered alongside cycling and pedestrian improvements.

Whispers of whats to come

With regards to the property market, this is excellent news, Infrastructure spending leads to both more jobs and a greater “velocity of money” in the local economy, Where spending increases, the market will adjust and a property price rise becomes almost inevitable.

This singular decision to build local infrastructure will likely trigger a chain of events that lead to the price rise. The Best time to invest, is now.

Get in touch with us.

switch properties are your local property experts in the South and Central Leeds areas.

Get in touch for a chat on 0113 345 3031 or email info@switchproperties.co.uk.

Check out the Direct Hub for a whole bunch of useful information, such as our pricing structure and our process.

Connecting Leeds

The government has announced its infrastructure initiative for Leeds dubbed “Connecting Leeds”, this initiative seeks to improve on the current infrastructure we have as well as add brand new mega projects to all areas of Leeds. Starting with Armley gyratory and then slowly moving its way across to boar lane and crown point road in the winter of 2022.

Leeds residents can breathe a sigh of relief as the issues with traffic are now finally within the crosshairs of the government. An incredible £100m has been invested into this project, this will aid not only motorists, but cyclists, pedestrians and users of public transport, all in time for the year of culture 2023.

Leeds City Council’s approach to re-route traffic away from the city centre on to the more appropriate Inner Ring Road and the M621 orbital route following the closure of City Square, will enable public transport, walking, cycling and public realm plans to be realised in the city.

Although still subject to programme changes, the construction timetable covers these affected areas:

Winter 2022

Armley Gyratory starting with off-highways, then on-highways
Boar Lane
Crown Point Road
Neville Street / Meadow Road
Bishopgate Street – works for diverting utilities

Spring 2022

Great Wilson Street
Aire Street, King Street and Wellington Street
Lady Lane

Summer 2022

East Parade bus gate and Calverley Street
Bishopgate Street and Dark Neville Street
Quebec Street
Late summer – the final closure of vehicular access to City Square

This spring will also see works complete around the Corn Exchange gateway scheme, Leeds bus station, A647 Leeds to Bradford route, the A61 south towards Stourton, Regent Street flyover, and the extension to Temple Green park and ride. This follows schemes completed in 2021, despite the disruption of the Covid pandemic, like the UK’s first solar powered park and ride at Stourton, the Headrow Gateway scheme, Cookridge Street, Park Row, and Infirmary Street.

infrastructure

Large strides

Over the past three years the council has made big progress in the delivery of people-first infrastructure and public spaces across the city centre. There has been around £200 million invested in improving Leeds City Centre, including the Leeds Public Transport Improvement Programme (LPTIP) Connecting Leeds works delivered in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, with major investments enabling support of the 3.5-hectare green City Park, and the delivery of the Our Spaces schemes.

The works have been delivered at the same time as one another, and at unprecedented pace to meet the deadlines of government funding. Our transport conversation findings in 2016 made it clear the public wished for improvements to be made as quickly as possible.

More work to be done

These plans are on top of the already large number of temporary road closures and street works to facilitate works by utilities companies, private building developers, contractors acting on its behalf and its own in-house contracting team. And despite of these challenges, plus Covid-19 approximately 900 road closures and 30,000 street works have been overseen by the council in the last 12 months.

Councillor Helen Hayden, executive member for infrastructure and climate said:

“This year marks another major step in meeting our ambition to be carbon neutral by 2030, as well as our preparation for the 2023 Year of Culture.

“These works will transform the city centre, with the changes to City Square and the train station helping cement Leeds a first-class city to live in or visit. The new and improved public space that will great arrivals to the city centre is something that everyone can enjoy, regardless of the reason for their trip and is a real show of our dedication to better space for people, rather than cars.

“Reallocating road space in favour of public transport, walking and cycling is a trend we are carrying out across our city, helping work towards the council’s vision of a city where you don’t need a car. We are working on greater and improved connectivity and with more appealing public space to make that vision a reality.

“The necessary works at Armley Gyratory and Regent Street flyover will move vehicles on to the inner ring road where they can travel more efficiently and, in the case of Armley, will be delivered alongside cycling and pedestrian improvements.

Whispers of whats to come

With regards to the property market, this is excellent news, Infrastructure spending leads to both more jobs and a greater “velocity of money” in the local economy, Where spending increases, the market will adjust and a property price rise becomes almost inevitable.

This singular decision to build local infrastructure will likely trigger a chain of events that lead to the price rise. The Best time to invest, is now.

Get in touch with us.

switch properties are your local property experts in the South and Central Leeds areas.

Get in touch for a chat on 0113 345 3031 or email info@switchproperties.co.uk.

Check out the Direct Hub for a whole bunch of useful information, such as our pricing structure and our process.

Tag: website

Get them before they’re gone!

If you were wondering whether you should secure a property for the year now or in a couple months time, our suggestion is to stop thinking on it and act before other students and professionals snap up all the properties in the area you are looking to stay.

Here’s a few of our incredible properties that you can get to viewing right away!

1 bedroom Properties

Hyde Park Road

Hyde Park Road Is one of the Go-to places for student and professional letting in the entirety of the Hyde park area. Due to its proximity to all essential stores and the University of Leeds. Near to the Leeds business school and Law school.

Currently there are just 5 rooms available priced at only £433 per calendar month including all bills, that’s a bargain.

Hyde Park Road, Basement Flat

Our Hyde Park Road basement flat is another property that is always popular for students and professionals, A stunning modern 1 bedroom flat, on the market for just £700 pcm.

3 bedroom Properties

Quarry Mount

Quarry Mount is yet another beautiful property that we have the pleasure of managing. It is ideal for a group of students or young professionals looking for easy access to the city center.

Willow close

we have another Ideal property located on willow close suitable for families or groups of students/professionals. This property includes a small garden and is near multiple primary schools, whilst also being nearby the city center, local stores and the university. A great all-rounder.

Woodsley Road

Finally for this months hot-properties list we have the wonderful property located on woodsley road, this property has always been one of our most popular student accommodation buildings. It’s located nearby the Leeds law school and business school, located on a street well known for good quality and decently priced food products.

Get in touch with us.

switch properties are your local property experts in the South and Central Leeds areas.

Get in touch for a chat on 0113 345 3031 or email info@switchproperties.co.uk.

Check out the Direct Hub for a whole bunch of useful information, such as our pricing structure and our process.

Get them before they’re gone!

If you were wondering whether you should secure a property for the year now or in a couple months time, our suggestion is to stop thinking on it and act before other students and professionals snap up all the properties in the area you are looking to stay.

Here’s a few of our incredible properties that you can get to viewing right away!

1 bedroom Properties

Hyde Park Road

Hyde Park Road Is one of the Go-to places for student and professional letting in the entirety of the Hyde park area. Due to its proximity to all essential stores and the University of Leeds. Near to the Leeds business school and Law school.

Currently there are just 5 rooms available priced at only £433 per calendar month including all bills, that’s a bargain.

Hyde Park Road, Basement Flat

Our Hyde Park Road basement flat is another property that is always popular for students and professionals, A stunning modern 1 bedroom flat, on the market for just £700 pcm.

3 bedroom Properties

Quarry Mount

Quarry Mount is yet another beautiful property that we have the pleasure of managing. It is ideal for a group of students or young professionals looking for easy access to the city center.

Willow close

we have another Ideal property located on willow close suitable for families or groups of students/professionals. This property includes a small garden and is near multiple primary schools, whilst also being nearby the city center, local stores and the university. A great all-rounder.

Woodsley Road

Finally for this months hot-properties list we have the wonderful property located on woodsley road, this property has always been one of our most popular student accommodation buildings. It’s located nearby the Leeds law school and business school, located on a street well known for good quality and decently priced food products.

Get in touch with us.

switch properties are your local property experts in the South and Central Leeds areas.

Get in touch for a chat on 0113 345 3031 or email info@switchproperties.co.uk.

Check out the Direct Hub for a whole bunch of useful information, such as our pricing structure and our process.

Tag: website

As a responsible landlord, you do everything you can to ensure that your tenants are responsible and behave properly. Unfortunately, this isn’t always successful and on rare occasions there can be issues with tenants. Ordinarily one person wouldn’t be held liable for the actions of someone else and this is also typically true for a landlord’s liability when their tenant misbehaves. It is important to note, though, that this isn’t always the case and, in some instances, a landlord can be held liable for the actions of their tenants.

What is liability?

Just so we are clear on what we are talking about here, liability means to be held legally responsible for something. So, in this case, this means a landlord would be legally responsible for their tenant’s actions and could be prosecuted.

What could landlords be liable for?

If a landlord knows that a tenant is engaging in criminal activity and does nothing about this, then the landlord could be held liable for that criminal activity or at least be prosecuted for facilitating a crime.

Albeit for a commercial property, there is already legal precedent where a landlord knew about the criminal activity of their tenants, carried on accepting rent and did not report it to the authorities.

This landlord was prosecuted and handed a suspended jail sentence. If you, as a landlord are aware of criminal activity by a tenant you should take legal advice and report it to the authorities.

Common areas in a shared property are always complicated. If you own the building and let out individual flats or rooms with common areas, then you are responsible for the common areas.

It is illegal, for example to smoke in communal areas of a property and if a landlord knowingly allows tenants to smoke in communal areas which could cause harm to non-smokers in the property, the landlord could be held legally liable in any claim.

Injuries caused to either tenants or visitors to a premises caused by the property being in a poor state of repair, no matter the reason. It is important to note that a tenant could make modifications to a property or cause damage to a property that could cause injury. As a landlord has an express duty to inspect and maintain their properties, if they do not, even if it is the tenant who has caused the damage, the landlord is liable for any injuries. There was a case in 2012 where a tenant had removed the banisters to the stairs some 20 years before. The landlord had visited the property on many occasions but did nothing to rectify the bannisters. A contractor fell due to the bannisters not being present and injured themselves. The landlord was prosecuted for this injury for failure to prevent the injury.

Clearly, in most circumstances a landlord is not liable for the actions of their tenants, but there are a few instances where a landlord could be held liable and prosecuted. This is a complex area of law and a landlord should take legal advice in any events where they are not sure.

Get in touch with us.

switch properties are your local property experts in the South and Central Leeds areas.

Get in touch for a chat on 0113 345 3031 or email info@switchproperties.co.uk.

Check out the Direct Hub for a whole bunch of useful information, such as our pricing structure and our process.

As a responsible landlord, you do everything you can to ensure that your tenants are responsible and behave properly. Unfortunately, this isn’t always successful and on rare occasions there can be issues with tenants. Ordinarily one person wouldn’t be held liable for the actions of someone else and this is also typically true for a landlord’s liability when their tenant misbehaves. It is important to note, though, that this isn’t always the case and, in some instances, a landlord can be held liable for the actions of their tenants.

What is liability?

Just so we are clear on what we are talking about here, liability means to be held legally responsible for something. So, in this case, this means a landlord would be legally responsible for their tenant’s actions and could be prosecuted.

What could landlords be liable for?

If a landlord knows that a tenant is engaging in criminal activity and does nothing about this, then the landlord could be held liable for that criminal activity or at least be prosecuted for facilitating a crime.

Albeit for a commercial property, there is already legal precedent where a landlord knew about the criminal activity of their tenants, carried on accepting rent and did not report it to the authorities.

This landlord was prosecuted and handed a suspended jail sentence. If you, as a landlord are aware of criminal activity by a tenant you should take legal advice and report it to the authorities.

Common areas in a shared property are always complicated. If you own the building and let out individual flats or rooms with common areas, then you are responsible for the common areas.

It is illegal, for example to smoke in communal areas of a property and if a landlord knowingly allows tenants to smoke in communal areas which could cause harm to non-smokers in the property, the landlord could be held legally liable in any claim.

Injuries caused to either tenants or visitors to a premises caused by the property being in a poor state of repair, no matter the reason. It is important to note that a tenant could make modifications to a property or cause damage to a property that could cause injury. As a landlord has an express duty to inspect and maintain their properties, if they do not, even if it is the tenant who has caused the damage, the landlord is liable for any injuries. There was a case in 2012 where a tenant had removed the banisters to the stairs some 20 years before. The landlord had visited the property on many occasions but did nothing to rectify the bannisters. A contractor fell due to the bannisters not being present and injured themselves. The landlord was prosecuted for this injury for failure to prevent the injury.

Clearly, in most circumstances a landlord is not liable for the actions of their tenants, but there are a few instances where a landlord could be held liable and prosecuted. This is a complex area of law and a landlord should take legal advice in any events where they are not sure.

Get in touch with us.

switch properties are your local property experts in the South and Central Leeds areas.

Get in touch for a chat on 0113 345 3031 or email info@switchproperties.co.uk.

Check out the Direct Hub for a whole bunch of useful information, such as our pricing structure and our process.