Landlords may want to ensure they carry out preventative maintenance on their properties to ensure they are prepared for cold weather.

The AA urged homeowners to think back to the freezing temperatures experienced last winter and consider how they can avoid making an insurance claim.

Figures reveal the average claim not covered by a policy in 2010 was £596, with the most common problem plumbing related and usually involving burst pipes or leaks.

As a result, individuals were advised to ensure pipes in their lofts or in exposed areas were sufficiently insulated and to turn off the water supply if the property is to be left unattended for an extended period.

Tom Stringer, of AA Home Emergency Response, said: “As many of us enjoy unseasonably mild weather there is a serious danger that we will forget the extremely cold winters of the last few years.”

Other tips included clearing drains and checking guttering and replacing any missing roof tiles.

Source: http://www.rman.co.uk

Greene & Co. predict a shortage of family homes in 2012 in London’s most popular family-friendly areas following a surge of registrations in the £1million price bracket. Demand for these properties around Crouch End, West Hampstead and Maida Vale, has increased by in the last three months of 2011 as families opt to stay in the capital to avoid escalating commuter costs.

David Pollock, Managing Director of Greene & Co. comments: “Homeowners who previously would have moved out of London with a young family are now remaining in the capital and this is creating a shortage of family homes. Buyers are looking for a permanent base which incorporates good schools and green spaces but also has a London village community feel with a host of decent restaurants, shops and quick commuter links to the capital.

Greene & Co. reports that many potential buyers have been forced to rent in the area until the right property comes up, leading to mortgage-ready applicants and chain free sales. Buyers are also happy to carry out modernisation and extend properties to suit their particular needs.

David continues: “We are hopeful that the start of 2012 will bring much needed family homes to the market. Sellers, many of whom will be downsizing after living in the area for some years, can expect a speedy and often chain-free sale. Such is the demand that we have been selling these homes at above the asking prices in the later part of 2011.”

Greene & Co. was awarded as Best Small Estate Agency at The Estate Agency of the Year Awards in association with The Sunday Times and The Times and sponsored by Zoopla.co.uk.

On Thursday 8th December, over 500 leading estate agents and conveyancing lawyers descended upon The Lancaster London Hotel opposite Hyde Park for The Estate Agency of The Year Awards ceremony. The winners received their awards from celebrity guest, Ben Fogle who charmed the audience with some inspiring tales of his adventures.

The awards ceremony was the culminating event of a rigorous and thorough judging process carried out over a four month period by a panel of industry experts who assessed initial entry submissions before conducting an extensive review of the entrants which included hundreds of telephone interviews and mystery shopping exercises. The whole judging process was overseen by The Property Ombudsman; Christopher Hamer.

For the past nine years, the awards have become increasingly competitive with the standard of entries rising ever higher. These awards are firmly established as the most sought-after and difficult to win in estate agency. Over 5,000 offices were represented this year, but only the very best of the best were crowned as winners.

Greene & Co., winners of the Best Small Estate Agency were delighted to receive the award.

A website listing all the winning companies with comments from the judges as to why they won can be found at www.estateagencyoftheyear.com

Peter Knight, Chairman of the event organisers Estate Agency Events commented “At a time when the property market throughout much of the UK continues to struggle, choosing the right estate agent has never been more pertinent. The winners of these awards represent the top 10% of an industry where standards are hugely variable. Consumers should have confidence that a firm displaying a winner’s medal from these awards are a cut above the rest.”

The main awards were sponsored by Zoopla.co.uk, the UK’s most comprehensive property website whilst the specialist categories were sponsored by some of the industry’s leading suppliers including Audio Agent, ARPM, Clear Conveyancing, FWBS, Key Agent, Law Firm Services, Moneypenny, Mortgage Talk, MoveWithUs, MyHomeMove, Ravensworth, Reapit, Roomservice by CORT and WhatHouse.co.uk

For further information, please contact marketing@greene.co.uk.

From next year, agents and landlords will have 30 days in which to protect a tenant’s deposit, rather than the current 14.

The change is part of ‘tweaks’ made to tenancy deposit protection in the new Localism Act 2011.

These were made following court cases over the rights of a tenant to sue for a breach of the deposit protection legislation or when deposit money was not protected within 14 days, but by the time of a court hearing.

The revised legislation also does away with mandatory penalties of three times the deposit if the deposit is not correctly registered and the ‘prescribed information’ not properly given.

Instead, courts will be allowed to use their discretion to hand out penalties worth between one and three times the value of an unprotected deposit.

The current legislation has had a number of challenges within the courts, which have issued varying rulings – some in favour of tenants and others in favour of landlords.

Welcoming the changes, the chief executive of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, Steve Harriott, said: “I am pleased the housing minister managed to find the parliamentary time to get these amendments to the legislation through.

“The recent court decisions were causing confusion about tenancy deposit protection regulations. These amendments make it clear that tenancy deposit protection is here to stay.”

Full details of the changes are available in new guidance notes issued by the Tenancy Deposit Scheme which can be seen on www.tds.gb.com

Source: http://www.lettingagenttoday.co.uk