Lifestyle

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Buyers on the property market have incomes ranging from small to… pretty big. No matter the amout of money the earn each month, they shouldn’t be deprived of their desire to have a home.

However, low earners must look for the most affordable options when it comes to city home. Or, the most affordable city…?

Latest research names Glasgow as the best option for low earners. It is the most affordable city in the UK, according to reallymoving.com, and it is followed by Manchester.

More details about who enters the low earns category and the UK cities’ ranking in this article on Property Reporter:

Where is the most affordable city in the UK for low earners to buy a home?

London and Birmingham are together named the most un-affordable in the UK.

The research is based on a comparison between average house prices and the typical earnings.

But don’t be put of by this ranking. There are still great sales or lettings on the property market in London. Just keep your eyes open!

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Starting a new life in a new home is something every young couple dreams for. And Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan are nothing not very far away from this dream also.

They’re starting their life as husband and wife a bit further from the Queen’s place- actually, 90 minutes away from London. US Weekly says they chose the Great Tew Estate in Cotswalds by signing a two-years lease.

Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Apparently Leased A New Weekend Home

In their new home, the couple will be enjoying the simple life of a refurbished old cottage and the company of some very VIP neighbors.

 

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Unless you’re an experienced renter, moving can actually get you in a spot of bother unless you follow the correct protocol. A wrong move can result in unexpected fees, fines and even a driving penalty. Here’s our checklist to help you avoid the worst when moving out of a rental flat.

Photo source: https://bit.ly/2IGxL8P

Inform the right people

There is a long list of institutions to tell that you’re moving, including your employer, your bank, your credit card providers, utility providers and the council.

And then there’s the DVLA, which can often be the forgetful one. Whilst you’re not changing cars, you are changing address, so if you get an unfortunate driving offence, the DVLA will write to your old address and if they don’t get receive a timely response, it can get bad quickly.

Change your postal address

It may be worth investing in the mail redirection service from Royal Mail – charges begin from £33.99 for three months and it takes just 5 days to organise. You can apply online or at your local post office from 3 months before to 6 months after you move.

Don’t forget to clean

According to the Deposit Protection Scheme (DPS), poor cleaning makes up over half the deductions from tenants’ deposits.

The best way to avoid this from happening is to pay for a good end-of-tenancy clean. This may even be a requirement in your contract so be sure to double check.

And when they’ve finished, take plenty of clear photos of their work so if issues do arise, it’ll be easier to dispute it with the cleaning company instead of letting it affect your deposit. If you can, send the same photos to your landlord. Remember that your aim is to return the flat how you found it.

Worried about being charged for pre-existing issues? Resend your check-in photos to your landlord to remind them of the properties condition when you first moved in.

Know about wear and tear

Landlords aren’t allowed to subtract money for ‘reasonable wear and tear’. Examples include worn carpeting, loose wallpaper and faded curtains or drapes.

Also, if you’ve lived in a property for several years, the landlord should expect the property to be more worn than one that’s been occupied for a short period of time (six months and under).

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60 Leytonstone Road is a brand new luxury development of stunningly stylish apartments set in the ever growingly popular setting of Stratford City; providing excellent transport links with Maryland and Stratford part of the Cross rail line opening in late 2018. With stunning city views of London.

Stratford is London’s fastest growing business and leisure district, and a major contributor to the capital’s economic growth, with 125,000 jobs forecast to be created in East London by 2030.

60 Leytonstone Road occupies a prominent corner position fronting Leytonstone Road to the West and Buxton Road to the North, with a small car park located to the East of the property.

Influenced by the creativity, the history and the magic that resonate throughout the neighbouring streets, 60 Leytonstone Road is a new landmark for this cherished heart of London that continues to stimulate and surprise. A spectacular collection of luxurious and limited edition apartments, each with a unique and exceptional design.

The layout of each residence has been individually crafted. Each apartment is finished with a number of fabulous features, such as generous balconies, open plan living spaces and exceptional detailing throughout. Rarely does one find such magnificent living space in the very heart of one of London’s most popular and historical neighborhoods.

The immediate surroundings comprise a mix of both residential and commercial uses, with a number of shops and amenities available on Leytonstone Road. Westfield Stratford shopping centre is located approximately 1.1 miles from the property; the nearest station is Maryland which provides regular services to Central London.

Maryland Station will also operate Cross rail/Elizabeth Line services with Heathrow only 45 minutes away, the West End 17 minutes and Canary Wharf only ten minutes away. Morrison’s, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose are only moments away, making your shopping experience a lot shorter. Close to the property is also Stratford shopping Centre and Westfield Stratford City to enjoy them shop till you drop days. There are a variety of restaurants, cafes and pubs in the area so you are constantly spoilt for choice!

There are three OFSTED rated “good” or “outstanding” schools within 400 metres.

Whether relaxing or entertaining, these spectacular apartments beautifully combine convenience with elegance. This heightened sense of comfort continues where you can unwind, entertain or just watch the world go by.

Set against a backdrop of beautiful neutral colour choices enhanced by integral mood lighting, these apartments have perfectly combined the use of some of the finest materials; creating the perfect blend of public and private spaces rich in luxurious ambiance.

Relax from the outside world in lustrous bedrooms with bespoke fitted wardrobes where there is plenty of storage for your belongings. All bedrooms are fitted with luxury ‘soft touch’ carpets. Also benefits from T.V outlets and Virgin, Sky and BT Broadband outlets to the living room.

This apartment has various benefits like Bicycle storage, lifts to all floors. The video entry system will allow your guests to enter the building at the buzz of a button, ensuring that any unwanted visitors stay on the outside.

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Planning to move to London? Relocating is hard, and London is not the easiest city to adapt to.

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Getting yourself mentally prepared is the first step and we found a good article about things to consider before moving to London on Property Division. We dived them into ‘pluses’ vs. ‘minuses’ so you can do the math:

– higher rents

+ more available jobs and different types of careers to choose from

+/ – housemates (it’s a + or a – considering the type of person you are)

+ meeting interesting people

– high costs for transportation

– pricey pubs

+ lots of new things to see

+++ everything’s open late!

Things Northerners Should Consider When Relocating to London

Now what do you choose? Being a tourist or a Londoner?

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Unlike most other student based cities London is the exception in the fact that students are not locked into their contracts early. Take the University of Southampton for example, Southampton being the student-dominated city it is; the search for a property for the next academic year starts in November and most of the good properties go by February. This forces students and Fresher’s especially, to seek a property and housemates right as the start of the academic year, whilst Fresher’s are establishing who their friends are. Also, it forces students to pay full summer rent although they are not in the property during the break due to the high demand for properties.  But London being the bustling city it is this problem doesn’t occur.

Below are our 5 top tips for students at London universities seeking tenancies.

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  1. Do not rush to enquire.

Our policy, like most other agencies, is not to advertise properties until a month before the current tenancy is about to end. If you want to move in September, start enquiring in August. This ensures you do not waste your own time or the time of the agency. It also ensures that you aren’t made to pay rent over the summer unnecessarily if you are not staying in London during the holidays; this will save you untold amounts of money.

 

  1. Know your requirements.

How long do you want the property for? When are you looking to move? What is your preferred location? What is your maximum budget per calendar month? Are you willing to share facilities with other tenants? Make sure you know your requirements before you enquire so that the agent is best able to help you.

 

  1. Know what the agency requires.

For full time students, except those completing a PHD, agency and landlords require you to have a guarantor. A guarantor is someone, often a family member or loved one, who is willing to agree to pay your rent if you default payment and your rent becomes in arrears. Your guarantor can be international, though some countries are harder to reference.

 

  1. Be prompt with your referencing.

Referencing students for the property is a little more complicated as we have to verify your guarantor too. Make sure you promptly fill out your referencing forms, send over all necessary documentation and that of your Guarantors, especially if you have a holiday planned just before you move-in.

 

  1. What to know when you move-in. 

 

An inventory check-in is often mandatory on the day of your move-in. You are required to attend and the inventory clerk will go through and note any damages to the property left by the previous tenant, this is for your benefit so you are not unfairly charged at the end of your tenancy. We would advise you to take your own pictures as evidence and store this one a backed up memory drive.

 

Your Deposit. All landlords and estate agents are legally required to register your deposits 30 days after receiving it. Make sure you are provided with evidence of its registration. If your landlord fails to register your deposit he may be liable to pay you 3 times the deposit amount and is prohibited to issuing a section 21, an eviction notice.

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7 Feng Shui steps to a harmonious home

Getting started with feng shui for your house and home can be easy when you start with the house basics and gradually move on to the more complex feng shui levels. To help you get started with good feng shui in your home, here are some helpful feng shui house steps for beginners.

Clear your clutter for good Feng Shui

Get rid of everything you do not love in your house. Clutter clearing is a time-and-energy-consuming process that will feel like therapy, but it will help you “lighten up the load,” so to speak. Do not skip this step, as it is an essential one in creating harmonious house feng shui energy.

 

Get good quality air and light

These two elements are essential for good feng shui energy (called Chi) in your home. Open the windows often, introduce feng shui air-purifying plants or use an air purifier. Allow as much natural light as possible into your home and consider using full-spectrum lights.

 

Define your energy map

Define the Bagua, or the feng shui energy map of your house, by using one of the two main feng shui methods: the classical school Bagua or the BTB grid. Once you define the Bagua, you will know which areas of your home are connected to specific areas of your life. For example, in traditional feng shui, the Southeast feng shui area of your home is connected to the flow of money energy in your life.

 

Get the basics of 5 Feng Shui elements

Get the basics of five feng shui elements in order to create balance and vibrant energy in all areas of your home. For example, if you are working on attracting more prosperity, you will introduce the feng shui elements of Wood and Water in the Southeast area of your house. If you need to improve your health, you will place lush plants representing the Wood feng shui element or pieces of wood furniture in the East area of your home.

 

Always be mindful of the quality of energy in your home

Always be mindful of the energy in your home and how its energy influences your well-being. Make a habit of paying close attention to the so-called feng shui “trinity” that is deeply connected to your health: your bedroom, your bathroom, and your kitchen. Nothing is static in the world of energy, so be wise and keep your home healthy and happy.

 

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The Government is set to take a closer look to the regulations concerning carbon monoxide alarms.

Main topics to be reviewed are:

-> if the alarms should be mandatory for all types of heating installations (including gas and oil).

-> if the installation rates for these alarms are raised by the cost of the alarm itself.

The campaign to review the regulations for carbon monoxide alarms was launched by Eddie Hughes MP and was agreed by Housing Minister Dominic Raab.

Reviewing the regulations will start from the number of carbon monoxide poisonings because, as Dominic Raab said:

“Carbon monoxide can be a silent killer and my top priority is to ensure people remain safe and protected in their own homes.”

Main symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning:

  • Dull headache.
  • Weakness.
  • Dizziness.
  • Nausea or vomiting.
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Confusion.
  • Blurred vision.
  • Loss of consciousness.

There are around 8 million alarms for carbon monoxide all across the UK, many being installed after 2010 when they became mandatory for appliances based on solid fuel. Moreover, in 2015 private rented sector landlords have been obliged to install these alarms wherever they offer accommodation that has a solid fuel installation.

Source: Press release

Government to launch review into carbon monoxide alarms

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Animal lovers change habits on the lettings market. Since this is a growing characteristic of tenants that choose long-term solutions, landlords are starting to be more flexible.

Latest study suggest that ‘Lets with Pets are the Homes of the Future’, how Property Reporter puts it.

And it’s easy to see why people are more considerate and loving towards animals. Any animal lover/ owner knows the first-hand benefit of pets: lowering the stress level. Dogs, cats, or fish – name your animal friend, have the power to make us feel more relaxed after work. Knowing we’ll find them at home when we arrive, practically makes the home more welcoming.

If your landlord doesn’t want to be as flexible as the new-age landlords you have two solutions:

  1. Choose one that allows pets.
  2. Try to make him change his mind.

You can start with the argument above, and find more inspiration to be persuasive in the following article:

How to Convince Your Landlord to Allow Pets

Are you an animal owner? How did you convince your landlords to rent their houses?

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Spring is a good moment for renewal. Your home might need an entire new look, maybe a bit of modernizing. Before you start to make a seriously out-of-your-budget renovation plan, we advise you to start with the details.

Classy and modern are concepts that start with the little things. For example, windows. You might have not known what are the trends for windows this year.

Photo source: Builder Online https://bit.ly/2BEIaLA

We searched for inspiration and we really liked these top 7 window trends for 2018 in this article on Builder Online:

  • Black hues. Because nothing says ‘minimalism’ better that a clean white-black combo.
  • Clean lines.
  • Squares over arches. Unless you’re living in a castle.
  • Expansive glass. More light and outdoor inside your living space improves the quality of the time spent inside.
  • Pass-through windows.
  • Energy efficient windows.
  • High-end woods.

We agree with high-end woods even more since we found this DIY trick to make your windows look high-end. It doesn’t seem too much of a hustle and is guaranteed to make your windows be trendy this year.

How To Fake Expensive Windows

This trick will give your windows a high-end look, without the huge price tag!

Posted by DIY with Hometalk on Monday, 23 April 2018

The basic rule for 2018’s windows is simple: the more light… the lighter! Sorry… the modern-er. 🙂

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