Retrofitting homes in London is a pipe dream without proper support

October 6th, 2021 HIP-Consultant.co.uk Posted in Home Improvements, Housing Policy, Landlords, Property Developers | Comments Off on Retrofitting homes in London is a pipe dream without proper support

The Mayor of London has an ambitious target to make London a zero carbon city by 2030. One of the ways to meet this goal is to decarbonise all of London’s 3.5 million homes by upgrading and retrofitting – improving existing homes for high energy efficiency.

The London Assembly Housing Committee has been investigating the operational, financial and physical challenges of retrofitting in London. The Committee has also investigated the energy efficiency initiatives already established by the Mayor.

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Beginners guide on growing plants in a small pond

July 26th, 2021 HIP-Consultant.co.uk Posted in Gardens, Home Improvements | Comments Off on Beginners guide on growing plants in a small pond

Plants are an integral part of our lives. Houseplants are common and much known. However, for people who have some extra feet in your house, you can plan to build a small pond to grow plants. This will aesthetically add to your home’s beauty and provide potential health benefits.

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Property conveyancing and legal process – Part 2

June 3rd, 2021 HIP-Consultant.co.uk Posted in Guest Articles, Land Registry, Property Conveyancing, Property Market | 4 Comments »

In part 2 of our property conveyancing guide we look at what is involved in the closing stages of the home buying and selling process. You may wish to read Part 1 of the Property Conveyancing Guide here.

Signing the contract

signing contractOnce your lawyer is satisfied that all of his enquiries have been dealt with; he has seen satisfactory search results and he is in possession of his copy of the formal offer of mortgage you will be invited to sign the contract and various other papers. This will either be in person or through the post. You should also receive a report, often called a “property report” at this stage which will set out any salient points arising from the searches and enquiries.

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Property conveyancing and legal process – Part 1

June 1st, 2021 HIP-Consultant.co.uk Posted in Guest Articles, Land Registry, Property Conveyancing, Property Market | 5 Comments »

What is “conveyancing”? – Simply, it is the legal process of transferring ownership of land and property.

Instructing a lawyer

Once you have decided on a property, made an offer and had that offer accepted it’s time to instruct a lawyer. This can be either a solicitor or a licensed conveyancer. You should try not to pay over the odds for property conveyancing work. When obtaining a quote you should be given a fixed fee but ask for a list of any additional fees charged for different aspects of the transaction.

Instructing a lawyerSome firms might charge an extra fee for completing the SDLT1 form for example, even though this will not need to be done in every case. These additional fees can really push up the final bill. An average bill for professional fees only (i.e not including addtional search fees, land registry fees etc) would probably be around £300-£400 at the moment.

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Top tips to help secure your end of tenancy deposit

October 26th, 2020 HIP-Consultant.co.uk Posted in Home Improvements, Landlords, Tenants | Comments Off on Top tips to help secure your end of tenancy deposit

The number one reason for landlord and tenant deposit disputes is cleaning. Currys PC World asked Lynsey Crombie aka the ‘Queen of Clean’ for her top cleaning tips that could help you secure getting that end of tenancy deposit back that no one wants to lose out on.

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Save money on your spring renovation

March 3rd, 2020 HIP-Consultant.co.uk Posted in Home Improvements, Home Maintenace, Property Market | Comments Off on Save money on your spring renovation

Are you planning to fix up your home this springtime? It’s a great time to do it as you can open the windows without freezing the place but the temperatures are also not too hot to work in. The trouble is that when a lot of people want to renovate at once, prices of materials can be higher. How can you make your renovation more affordable?

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Tips on How Landlords Can Manage Their Expenses

January 20th, 2020 HIP-Consultant.co.uk Posted in Financial Products, Landlords, Property Market | Comments Off on Tips on How Landlords Can Manage Their Expenses

To the uninitiated, buying property with a view to letting it out can seem like a very easy way to make money, but like most things in life, when you take a closer look it is rather more complicated.  Being a landlord is an excellent way to generate a regular income and has the bonus that the rental property will always increase in value, however, it is not money for nothing. 

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What are the Conservative’s plans for stamp duty?

December 21st, 2019 HIP-Consultant.co.uk Posted in Housing Policy, Property Conveyancing, Property Market | Comments Off on What are the Conservative’s plans for stamp duty?

With a brand-new majority government, the Conservative Party now has the mandate to carry out some sweeping reforms and this could well include an overhaul of stamp duty.

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Which Type of Flooring is Right for You?

December 9th, 2019 HIP-Consultant.co.uk Posted in Flooring, Home Improvements | Comments Off on Which Type of Flooring is Right for You?

Changing the flooring in the home can really help to transform the space. However, with so many different types of flooring available today, it can be difficult knowing which type to invest in.

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Do you know what you’re covered for? 5 Things to check when buying home insurance

September 22nd, 2019 HIP-Consultant.co.uk Posted in Financial Products, Insurance, Top Tips | Comments Off on Do you know what you’re covered for? 5 Things to check when buying home insurance

With the costs of cancelling a policy set by most insurance companies, you need to get it right first time round and make sure you select the cover that is right for you. Luckily, these days we have comparison sites to brush us up on our insurance knowledge by asking all the relevant questions. In case you’re still lost in the world of home insurance, here are five things to look out for.
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10 Essential Planning Tips For A Garden Rooms

July 16th, 2019 HIP-Consultant.co.uk Posted in Extensions, Home Improvements, Property Market | Comments Off on 10 Essential Planning Tips For A Garden Rooms

Are you considering a new garden room in your back garden – many people are.

If you are in the search for a new garden room, then check out these 10 tips to plan ahead. Read the rest of this entry »