At this time of year our charities are working harder than ever, with the festive period being a difficult time for some and also with the extreme cold weather conditions making life so much harder for those in need, so we are pleased to have been able to make more...
This month saw the highest rise in interest rates for 14 years as the Bank of England hiked them to 3%, with further increases expected next year. What’s more, of course, we’re all facing higher food, fuel and energy bills as prices and incomes struggle to keep pace....
We’re not that far beyond Halloween, Bonfire Night and Remembrance Sunday, so even thinking about Christmas may seem a little premature. But the reality is that the festive season kicks off in earnest next month, and if you have a place to rent out and want tenants to...
This Months Donations We have had another good month here at Oakfield with more completions taking place where the Vendors have signed up to our Community Pledge incentive, meaning we were able to make more donations on behalf of our Vendors. This month we paid:...
In a top location, below-par listings photos may still be able to draw some people through the door. But the best pictures will bag viewings in any area. And with the majority of house-hunters now beginning their property search online, having photos that sell your...
Before they can move in to a rental property, tenants typically have to pay a first month’s rent up front, plus a tenancy deposit. As a landlord, if you let out a home on an assured shorthold tenancy (AST) which began after 6 April 2007, you are legally obliged to...
In June this year we set up our Community Pledge where we choose 6 local charities who we could build strong relationships with to really help make a difference within our community. Making Moving Matter One of the ways we do this is for every property we sell, on...
Anyone who has bought or sold a property will have come across stamp duty land tax (SDLT), levied in England and Northern Ireland on house purchases above a certain value and based on the price of the home being bought. The new chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, in his mini...
When we started researching local charities, we hadn’t come across the Aspens Roebuck Enterprises Centre before, but the aim of our Community Pledge was to support organisations that specifically help within our community, and we felt that this organisation does...
When deciding on the local charities that we would support, Raystede was a firm favourite for the team, with many of us having either visited their centre and even some of us adopting our much-loved family pets from them. This wonderful charity was set up 70 years ago...
The Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 came into force this summer on June 30, aimed at ‘making home ownership fairer and more transparent for millions of future leaseholders’. It tackles what the government calls ‘onerous and escalating ground rents’, offering...
It’s hardly news that the UK is facing a cost of living crisis, with fuel, energy and food all among the daily essentials which are increasing in price as inflation rises to a four-decade high of just over 10%. And, at the time of writing, industry regulator Ofgem was...
If you thought selling property at auction was only for run-down places, or that it didn’t offer value for money, you might want to think again. Methods have moved on considerably in recent times, meaning modern auctions are flexible, secure and can lead to a swift...
Once you’ve invested in your buy-to-let property, it’s time to decide who will run the place or places. Some landlords do this themselves, and manage perfectly well. Others may be tempted to try and cut corners by doing so. However, there are numerous good reasons why...
Five years on from the Grenfell tragedy, the government’s new Building Safety Act is now law, although different elements of it will come into force at different times, some potentially many months into the future. It brings with it some significant changes to the...
More than half a million UK homes are currently sold subject to contract, according to figures from the property portal Rightmove. This has created a logjam for conveyancing, or the process of transferring the legal title of a house from one owner to another,...
From the start of October, under new rules, landlords must provide a carbon monoxide alarm in rental homes in rooms tenants use as living accommodation where there is a fixed combustion appliance, like a boiler or gas heater – although not a gas cooker – in place....
A message from Neil Newstead, founder and CEO At Oakfield Estate Agents, we’re marking a quarter-century in business with a major rebrand as we celebrate our success with our eyes firmly fixed on the future. I launched the business back in 1996, together with my...
When it comes to buying or selling a home, the words freehold and leasehold will be bandied around plenty – but you might not always be clear on what exactly they mean. Does one model of ownership have advantages over another? And are you likely to find it more...
As we enter the colder winter months, the sales market continues to boom even after the ending of the stamp duty holiday. Thanks to the success of vaccine rollout, it seems highly unlikely that there will be another lockdown this winter, which should make viewing...
Buy-to-let landlords have faced a host of challenges over the past 18 months, from changes to Right to Rent and the uncertainty around the eviction process, to the end of the stamp duty holiday, not to mention a global pandemic. Yet many of those who invest in the...
The leasehold scandal has been a hugely contentious issue in recent years because of the expensive, escalating ground rents leaseholders have been subjected to, among other issues including cladding, rising service charges and misselling. What could be...
It’s a question that sellers will have asked themselves many times down the years, but what is the best position to take when it comes to this chicken and egg-esque query? Should a seller find a suitable house to buy first before listing their property, or should a...
Notice periods changing on October 1 – what do landlords need to know? It’s been a momentous few years for landlords, riddled with new legislation, various deadlines and changing regulations – all while the property market attempts to navigate a post-Covid world as...
The past year was an undeniably difficult time for the property market, and we’re still feeling the effects of a persistent global pandemic. However, while house sales were expected to cease during the multiple lockdowns and Covid restrictions, the opposite seemed to...
Since the onset of the pandemic, letting agents and landlords have been able to conduct Right to Rent checks via video calls, with the temporary measure ceasing on August 31 2021. Now that the grace period for the UK’s EU Settlement Scheme has ended, the future of the...
As a landlord, your two main focuses are likely to be providing a quality, habitable home for your tenants and generating a steady stream of rental income, leading to strong yields each year. The latter is much more likely if you’re charging the right level of market...
Despite the ever-expanding size and complexity of the private rented sector – and the increasing amount of regulation, red tape and legislation that landlords must adhere to – many landlords still don’t use an agent or don’t use an agent’s full service, preferring to...
In estate agency, reputation, trust, good relations, recommendations and high levels of customer service are all vitally important – and have arguably become even more important since the start of the pandemic, given the booming nature of the market and the sheer...
Whether you are the freeholder of a building or a leaseholder (who may have a share of the freehold), it’s important that you work with the best block management agency in your area. Managing blocks of purpose-built properties is a complex process which has...
Preparing a property to let – how can landlords benefit from high tenant demand? It’s a great time to let a property as demand from prospective tenants continues to soar and stock levels of available rental homes remain low. In areas such as Hastings, Eastbourne...
In recent years, a number of tax disincentives have been introduced to make the life of landlords much harder, and potentially much less profitable. The phasing out of mortgage interest tax relief, which reached 0% from April last year, was one measure brought in to...
PRS regulation – what are the key dates for East Sussex landlords in 2021? Now 2021 is underway, it remains clear that the 12 months ahead will be a challenge for landlords. On top of dealing with the ongoing impact of the pandemic, there are various legislation...
One of the most significant consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic for landlords has been a rise in rent arrears. With many tenants put on furlough or made redundant, the impact on personal finances means many have struggled to pay rent. When renters fall behind with...
Neil Newstead Founder and CEO of Oakfield Estate Agents is delighted to announce the acquisition of Andrews Estate Agents (Hastings, Bexhill and Eastbourne). Andrews Hastings Branch was first opened in 1973, over this time Andrews have built an amazing reputation and...
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a financial impact on a large portion of the population due to enforced business closures, struggling market sectors and redundancies. Many people who have struggled financially are private residential tenants who may have been unable to...
As a landlord, you can’t legally allow someone to live in a rental property as their sole or main residence under a tenancy agreement unless they’re a UK citizen, from Switzerland or the European Economic Area (EEA), or have what’s called a Right to Rent in this...
Any landlord needs to be sure their rental property is a viable investment, and, from time to time, it may be necessary to increase the rent charged to guarantee a level of income and to stay in line with what is being charged for similar properties in an area. You...
Terms like ‘Managing Agent’ and ‘Leasehold’ are regularly bandied about, but what do they actually mean? To start by explaining what Leasehold is, it applies to virtually all flats across England and Wales, as well as some houses. If you have one, technically you...
Especially if you’re new to letting out property, you may, understandably, be feeling slightly nervous. After all, you’re allowing relative strangers to live in a house or flat you own, knowing that you depend on their rent for at least part of your income. The...
If you’re living in a flat as the leaseholder, one thing which can often seem unclear is where responsibilities lie in your building, and who should be taking care of what. Here, we try and clarify some of the key areas, so read on if this situation applies to you....
A new law is set to allow homeowners to add up to a couple of storeys to their properties without the need to apply for planning permission in the usual way. This ‘fast-track’ system is aimed at allowing families to extend their homes to accommodate growing numbers of...
The reopening of the property market following weeks of lockdown has spurred numerous people on to looking into moving house. Equally, the reopening of pubs has seen many of us heading out in search of a pint or other refreshment, and perhaps the chance to catch up...
For anyone taking on a new tenancy, deposits have traditionally been the greatest source of headaches. Typically, tenants are asked for four to six weeks’ rent as down payment, while also having to pay for a month’s rent upfront at the same time. Especially if you’re...
The media may be full of the dire economic effects of Covid-19, but one area where the news is distinctly less gloomy is when it comes to being a buy-to-let (BTL) landlord, i.e. purchasing properties purely for the purpose of letting them out. The sector still offers...
From July 1, the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 come into force. It may sound a bit of a mouthful, but, in a nutshell, it means: All fixed electrical installations in privately rented homes need testing and...
We’ve written recently about how pleased we were to report that the UK housing market has reopened for business, albeit with strict social distancing rules still in place. So as we move towards midsummer, we’re sure we’re going to be busy helping people move house, as...
You may be wondering why we’re writing about taking your own professional property photos without expensive kit (which is clearly more possible than ever these days thanks to smartphone technology) right now. After all, at the time of writing, Britain is of course in...
You’re finally moving house and it’s time to let everyone know about it! But who exactly do you need to tell about a change of your address? Moving your residence is never going to be easy, but being well prepared with a checklist can be the key to keep your stress to...
When you have a baby, you don’t have to worry too much about the inside of your house. Eventually they will be able to crawl, but as long as there is nothing at floor level that could be dangerous to them, you don’t have to make too many changes. Once your child...
Let us get to know you! We put you at the centre of our service, and the more we know about your needs, the better the service we can offer you. Please get in touch today for a no obligation chat about what we can do to help you and your building. A dedicated member of our Team will be happy to contact you today!
Book a valuation
Whatever your next move, you’ll need to know the likely selling price of where you live now. We can help. Our property valuation service is professional, realistic, straightforward – and free.
Just curious? If you just want a rough value of your home, get an instant valuation online here. Ping over a few details and we’ll do the rest.
Thinking more seriously about selling? Book a face-to-face property valuation. An in-person visit gives us a much better feel for the property and its setting, so we can make a really accurate valuation. Drop us a few details and we’ll get an appointment sorted.
Book a Viewing
Has this property caught your eye? Thinking about buying or renting it? Book your viewing now.
Just pop in a few simple details and a member of our helpful team will be in touch as soon as possible to discuss and arrange your appointment.
We know you’re busy, and we’ll do everything we can to accommodate you and work around your schedule. So let us know your availability when you send over your details – we offer evening and weekend slots, too.
Booking your viewing couldn’t be easier. Do it and take a step towards your dream home.
How it works
You review your Zero Deposit Guarantee quote online, having been introduced to Zero Deposit by [us/your letting agent/Oakfield].
You make a payment equivalent to one week’s rent, provide your Direct Debit details and then the paperwork is generated, and copies sent to all parties.
Your landlord gets a guarantee for the same amount as a 6-week tenancy deposit and you remain liable for any damage or financial loss due to them.
At the end of the tenancy, the inventory and check-out are completed and if you leave the property in a satisfactory condition with no outstanding rent or bills, there is no further action required.
If there is any damage to the property or any unpaid rent, you will need to reimburse the landlord yourself. If you dispute the landlord’s claim, you and the landlord will be asked for evidence which will then be sent for expert evaluation.
If the expert finds in the landlord’s favour, Zero Deposit settle the claim with your landlord and seek reimbursement from you directly. If you fail to reimburse Zero Deposit at this point, you may be liable for recovery costs and it could impact on your credit history.
Important Information
This Guarantee provides your landlord with protection if you do not pay them directly for the cost of any financial loss or damage due
You remain completely responsible for any financial loss or damage due to the landlord, as you would with a traditional tenancy deposit
The cost of the Zero Deposit Guarantee is not returned to you at the end of your tenancy or offset against any claim by the landlord
If you dispute your landlord’s claim, and our expert evaluation partner finds in your landlord’s favour, Zero Deposit will settle with them and then seek reimbursement from you. Failure to pay Zero Deposit at this stage will result in Zero Deposit passing your debt to a debt collection agency which may incur further costs for you and could affect your credit rating
A Zero Deposit Guarantee is offered to you as a choice, so if you prefer to pay a security deposit, you can. With a traditional deposit your money will be returned to you if there is no financial loss or damage due to the landlord at the end of the tenancy
There is a setup fee of £49 at the point you move in, then an annual admin fee of £17.50 per tenancy collected every year by Direct Debit from the first anniversary of you moving into your new property.
For more information visit zerodeposit.com or call 0333 200 2541
Zero Deposit is a trading name of Global Property Ventures Limited (10328435), which is registered at Business and Technology Centre, Bessemer Drive, Stevenage, SG1 2DX. Global Property Ventures is an insurance intermediary and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. You can find details of this at register.fca.org.uk, by searching for the company name or reference number, which is 797026.
The Zero Deposit Guarantee is underwritten by Great Lakes Insurance SE. Great Lakes Insurance SE is a German insurance company with its headquarters at Königinstraße 107, 80802 Munich. Registered with the commercial register of the local court of Munich under number: HRB 230378 UK Branch office: Plantation Place, 30 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 3AJ. Great Lakes Insurance SE UK Branch is authorised by the Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority. Details about the extent of our regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority are available from us on request.
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