By Admin Deposit Protection 0 Comments

Letting Agent Or Landlord Responsible For Securing Deposit Into A Tenancy Deposit Protection Scheme?

So, who is really responsible for securing the Tenant’s deposit into the deposit protection scheme? Is it the responsibility of the Landlord or the letting agent? The answer should really depend on whether the Landlord trusts the letting agent. Of course, it should be taken into consideration if the Landlord is using a letting agent. In case there is no letting agent involved the responsibility of protecting the deposit automatically falls into the Landlord’s hands.

Making Sure that the Deposit is Secured

Do you trust your letting agent? Are you certain that they are doing what they are supposed to be doing? Do you think that your agent is securing the deposits into the lawful tenancy deposit protections scheme?Tenant-Deposit-uk

Do you know what will happen in case your letting agent fails to secure the deposit? Do you have any idea that you could be involved in a heated argument once your Tenant has discovered that their deposit is not properly protected?

If you, as the landlord, has no common sense to make sure or check that your tenant’s deposit has been properly secured, then you have failed to do your job. It does not matter if the letting agent was bad enough to ignore securing the deposit. In the end, it is your fault as a landlord that the deposit has not been secured.

So, basically, whether you use a letting agent or not, failure to secure the deposit means big trouble for you. How do you avoid that bad result? By being smart enough to check the contract between you and the letting agent.

If the contract states that the letting agent is not tasked to protect the Tenant’s deposit, then you have full responsibility to secure the deposit. This means that the letting agent should pass the deposit over to you so that you can secure it within the allowed 30 days after they received it from the Tenants. You have to understand that it is your responsibility to make sure that the agent passes the deposit to you.

If in case the contract between you and the letting agent specifies that the letting agent has full responsibility of securing the Tenant’s deposit, then all liabilities fall into the hands of the agent if they fail to protect the deposit.

If you suspect that your agent failed to secure the deposit, then you must act fast. Your Tenant could pursue you and then you will have to face complaints. Of course, you should also pursue your letting agent.

It is always better to avoid getting into those complicated complaints and cases. The best way to do that is to be vigilant with your transactions. Always check with your letting agent so that you know if the deposit has been secured.

You have the responsibility to protect that deposit even if the task is supposed to be done by the letting agent. You answer to your Tenant and your letting agent answer to you. Do not let anything to go wrong, or else you will be facing a case while pursuing your letting agent.

By Admin Timer Repairs UK 0 Comments

Timer repairs – Extending the life of your washing machine timer

When it comes to household appliances that have to be built sturdily, and built to last, it simply cannot be denied that washing machines are, for the most part at least, some of the most durable and hardwearing machines in the entire world, which is why washing machine timer repairs are so essential.

When you stop and think about just how much use a washing machine gets, it really is pretty amazing that they last as long as they do. Each day your washing machine will be used, possibly even multiple times, and so to say it can take a bit of a beating, would be a vast understatement. When it comes to using your washing machine however, ensuring that the timer works correctly is absolutely essential, for so many reasons. Some people for example, will set the timer for their washing machines so that they switch themselves on during the night, when energy and electricity tariffs are much cheaper. Timer-Repairs Boiler UK

A faulty timer can also interfere with various washing cycles, so again, timer repairs are absolutely essential. If your washing machine time is indeed faulty, or ready to throw in the towel, you should always hire the professionals to take care of the timer repairs for you. If you are desperate and capable however, there are things you can do to extend the life of your washing machine timer. Take a look at this handy step by step guide, and see what you think.

Begin by removing the control knob – To begin with, the first thing you are going to have to do is to remove the control knob. Simply push the knob in like you would when switching the device off, and then turn it counter clock-wise until it begins to unscrew. Behind it there should be a circular indicator plate, which you should also remove.

Gain access to the timer – Next up, behind the control panel you should find the timer. In order to gain access, there should be some form of plastic covering, which will have been designed to be removed by hand. Grasp the end caps and give it a firm pull forwards. One each side of the control panel, you should find two separate screws, which will need to be removed via a screwdriver. Once all screws have been carefully removed, put them somewhere safe, and then disconnect the wiring harness from the device. You should now be able to remove the timer.

Dismantle it and look inside – Now that you have the timer, it’s time, pardon the pun, to dismantle it and take a look inside to see what’s going on. Most timers will simply be plastic wheels with cams on them, along with a motor, and a brass comb complete with numerous contact arms. All of the aforementioned components will be mounted upon a metal frame made from sheet metal. It should all be held together with three metal bent tabs, which will need to carefully be straightened out so that they can easily slide through the slots found below them.

Inspect the brass comb contact points – More often than not, in the case of a faulty timer, it is usually the brass comb contact points that are at fault. You can usually help to identify the problem by noting how your washer behaves. For example, if all of the cycles apart from the spin cycle are working, this could be a fault with the contact point relevant for the spin cycle. If you notice that all contact points apart from one, look fine, the one that does not look right I.E damaged, burnt, etc, will almost certainly represent the spin cycle.

Repairing the contact point – Now, this is where things get tricky, which is why, when it does come to timer repairs, you should leave things to the experts. By getting this far you’ve already saved money because it’s less work for the repair man to do, so you may wish to hand it over to them. If however, you feel confident, you could tackle the repair yourself. You could try using a soldering iron and building the contact point up ever so slightly, using just one drop or two of solder, to help repair the contact.

Reassembling – Now that you have identified the problem, depending on whether or not you chose to try to perform the repair yourself, you may wish to reassemble your timer. Put everything back together, and try your washing machine once again. If it was the spin cycle that wasn’t working, try using it on that cycle and see whether or not your repair worked. Remember however, this is only a temporary fix, and you should still leave the timer repairs to an expert, but if you are confident in your abilities, your repair may buy you a few extra days until an expert can get out to take a look at what is going on.

By Admin UK Estate Agents 0 Comments

Which Estate Agent? How to find a good Estate Agent?

If you are marketing your property, it is essential to have the help of an estate agent, but of course, it is more important to find a reliable estate agent. Having the right agent can really make a big difference in the whole process; not just when it comes to the price, but also when it comes with the entire experience.

Advantages of a Good Agent

A good estate agent who truly understands the property market is an asset when selling properties. For an ordinary citizen who wants to sell his home, the process may seem easy; advertise the sale and then get buyers, but that only happens is you are very lucky. Luck has nothing to do with finding the right buyer that will pay the price that you really want. This is where estate agents come in. These professionals know how to find buyers and handle the deal effectively. They are in existence for the very simple reason that buying and selling properties are complicated processes.find a good Estate Agent

The list of the things that can easily go wrong is long; offers can be easily withdrawn, contracts can be delayed, and valuations may fail. For a smoother ride, there should be a third party involved, the agent. If you can find a reliable agent, you can be assured that your property will attract more potential buyers and the sale can be steered smoothly along. Agents are good at what they do. They always have the right words to say and have clever marketing strategies.

Unfortunately though, there are agents that are considered unscrupulous. It is essential to avoid doing business with such people. But how are you to know if the estate agent you are currently considering is someone you can trust or not?

Finding a good Estate Agent

If you are to read the recent surveys about estate agents, chances are you are not going to trust anyone of them. The problem is that no matter what your opinion is of them, you are still going to need their services if you want your property out of your hands in a flash.

Some people simple have no faith in estate agents. There are those who think that their estate agents are ripping them off. Others have their mind set that the fees they have to pay for the agents are very high. Such complaints are actually understandable as there are indeed agents who are not reliable. But, if there are bad apples, there are also good ones. The trick here is filtering the bad apples so that only the good ones remain.

So what do you need to do? Research. Do your homework. Go online and search for trusted agents. Visit their websites and look for testimonials. Call the agents and do a thorough telephone interview.

Alternatively a good way of finding a good estate agent is by recommendation/word of mouth. So if you have family and friends who have recently sold properties, you should ask them what agent they used, and if they were satisfied with their agents.

By Admin UK Fridge Installations 0 Comments

Fridge installation tips to make your fridge more efficient

When it comes to household appliances, it simply cannot be denied that kitchen appliances and electrical items in general, are amongst some of the most crucial items in your entire home, and what’s more, in order to save yourself a great deal of time, effort, and money in the future, you need to ensure that you purchase the best quality products you can afford on your budget.

As far as vital kitchen appliances go, your fridge/freezer is arguably the most important appliance you’ll ever need, and rightfully so. A fridge/freezer is essential as it will store your foods and drinks for prolonged periods of time, keeping them safe and fresh.

This isn’t just important in terms of taste, it is also important in terms of health and safety, as there are many strains of bacteria that can thrive on foods at room temperature, which, when ingested, could potentially be fatal in some cases. As far as fridge installation goes, once your fridge is installed, in order to make it more efficient and to help keep it functioning at its highest potential, there are a number of different things we can do. Fridge installation tips

Here’s a look at a few helpful fridge installation and maintenance tips that will ensure your fridge functions to the best of its abilities.

Regularly check the seals on the doors – When it comes to fridge maintenance, one of the easiest things you can do when it comes to making sure your fridge is functioning as it should be, is to regularly examine and check the seals on the doors. If a fridge isn’t staying as cool as it should be, or if the temperature keep fluctuating on a regular basis, this could be down to the fact that the seals on the fridge won’t be airtight, which in turn, will mean that cold air is escaping, and warm air is creeping in. Again, this can be dangerous because if the internal temperature of the fridge becomes too high, bacteria can breed on the food contained inside it. Not only that, but your food will spoil and go rotten much quicker, meaning that it goes to waste, and none of us want to waste any money, now do we?

Always have it installed by a professional – Fridge installation is not to be taken lightly, and it isn’t just something that anybody can do. Most of the time, people will purchase fridges and freezers, and will attempt to save money by installing them themselves. What generally happens here is that, if they’re lucky, the fridge just looks out of place and makes the kitchen look untidy, but more often than not, incorrect fridge installation can lead to internal issues with the fridge, which again, could be a health hazard. Rather than trying to do it yourself, always leave the installation to professionals who know what they’re doing.

Make sure you set the temperature correctly – Another very common mistake that people make with fridge/freezers, is trying to set the temperature too cold, as they think that will make the food fresher. In actual fact, is the temperature is too cold, the food can spoil and may suffer freezer burn, even if it is stored in the fridge. Just for reference, your freezer temp should be at 0 F, whereas your internal fridge temperature should be set between 37 and 40 F. The best way of monitoring the temperature of your fridge, is to invest in a food probe or thermometer, and to place it inside the fridge for 10 minutes or so, until it gives an accurate reading.

Make sure it is well stocked – As if we needed an excuse to fill our fridges full of food, it turns out that, in actual fact, well stocked fridges function far more efficiently than fridges that are under-stocked. The reason for this is that fridges require what is known as “thermal mass” which actually helps the temperature to stay cool. You see, the more cool items there are in the fridge, the lower the temperature becomes, and the more stable it becomes. If the fridge is empty, cold air circulates far easier, and the fridge can, ironically, overheat and stop working efficiently. Not only that, but every time you open the door, the more cool items there are in the fridge, the more items there are that are able to absorb this warm air and get the temperature down much quicker.

Don’t open the door unnecessarily – Although you may think that leaving the fridge door open is no big deal, in reality, every second the door is open, the more warm air there is that will flood inside. It can take hours to drop just one degree, yet it can take seconds to increase by two, and as you know, warm air and fridges just do not mix. If you need to grab something, grab it quickly, and close the door again, never just leave it open as you do something else. Not only that, check to make sure the door has been closed securely.

By Admin Landlord 0 Comments

Should New Landlords Use A Letting Agent?

Letting agents can be helpful for the Landlords. If you are a new Landlord, the chances are you have been advised to use a letting agent. You have the choice to go for it, but you also can get yourself educated with the whole process of finding Tenants on your own. Marketing your rental property can be an easy task if you know what to do. Once you have gained enough knowledge in the process, you may not have the need to use a letting agent’s service.

Finding Tenants and managing your property can mean a lot of hassles. That is the common reason why Landlords opt to have letting agents do the job, but consideration should be given that you may have to pay a sizeable amount of money for the services.

Letting Agents’ Job

Basically, a letting agent’s job includes finding, interviewing and vetting TenanLandlords use a Letting Agentts. They also do the paperwork, and they take care of the deposit and the rent for the first month. They do these tasks for the payment of 10% of the agreed rent. This kind of letting agent is one that offers the let-only service.

Some agents offer full management services, and this usually means paying then 15% of the rent (or in some cases more). In this service, the agent will be responsible for running the management of the property and the collection of rent. This is the ideal scheme for Landlords whose properties are far from their own residences, or those who are managing too many properties.

New Landlord’s Best Option

For a new Landlord, using a letting agent can be ideal if they want to avoid the hassle of finding and interviewing Tenants. However, if you want to really test the waters, it would be best to just do those tasks on your own.

By doing everything – from advertising the property, to interviewing and accepting the Tenants, to collecting rent and to managing the property – you will get to understand the whole process. The additional benefit is that you get to keep all the incoming payments.

The important thing that a new Landlord should bear in mind is that struggles and problems are always going to be significant parts of the whole rental process. Therefore, you should be ready to deal with all potential dilemmas.

It is recommended that new Landlords do their homework vigilantly if they do not want to fail. Failure is always a possibility. Even seasoned Landlords can fail – whether they are using letting agents or not.

The rental industry is not a very secure sector. No one can ever predict if the Tenants are going to be easygoing. The same thing can be said with the letting agents. Although some can be trusted, you can never expect everyone of them to be reliable.

In conclusion, trust your gut instinct and educate yourself. If you have a good feeling that you know enough, take the plunge and try to do what you think is best.