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 17th April 2013 by Bushells
According to the latest research from the National Landlords Association (NLA), void periods in private-residential property have fallen to their lowest level in over a year, helped by strong and consistent tenant demand. Ac... read more  17th April 2013 by Bushells
The tenancy agreement should clearly outline what utility and household bills you will be responsible for, and if there is any uncertainty, be sure to clarify this with the landlord. Buy-to-let investors who have sold up and... read more  17th April 2013 by Bushells
Tenants are now staying in rental properties for significantly longer periods, according to the latest research from the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA). An upward trend has been firmly established with the ave... read more  17th April 2013 by Bushells
The latest research from BDRC Continental’s Landlords’ Panel survey reveals that despite the hidden costs of being a private landlord in London, the Capital is still profitable for landlords. In spite of these costs, it is c... read more  17th April 2013 by Bushells
From April 2017, state pension is set to decrease. The new weekly payment will be a maximum of £144 plus inflation rising to a predicted £155-160. One viable alternative is to consider investing in residential property which... read more  5th February 2013 by Bushells
In response to calls by Labour leader Ed Miliband, lenders may have to rethink their attitudes towards standard tenancies and change their terms and conditions on buy-to-let mortgages. The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) w... read more  5th February 2013 by Bushells
An upward trend in landlord investment over the past 12 months has emerged according to date from the Association of Residential Lettings Agents (ARLA). The average number of buy-to-let properties owned by landlords peaked ... read more  5th February 2013 by Bushells
Landlords are warned to not ignore the Green Deal according to advice from The National Landlords Association (NLA). NLA is reminding all private residential landlords to familiarise themselves with the Green Deal and begin ... read more  5th February 2013 by Bushells
Private landlords and second-home owners are not to be blamed when it comes to empty homes in London, according to property fund London Central Portfolio (LCP). Instead, LCP believe local councils are to blame, saying that t... read more  5th February 2013 by Bushells
The economic uncertainty isn’t stopping landlords from increasing their portfolios and some are even prepared to increase their risk by remortgaging to raise the capital. The proportion of landlords refinancing Houses in Mu... read more  19th December 2012 by Bushells
The latest research from BDRC Continental’s independent Landlords’ Panel survey reveals that four fifths of Britain’s private landlords say their properties are their pensions. 61% plan to live off the rental income 20% w... read more  19th December 2012 by Bushells
It is said time and time again that tenant referencing checks should not be seen as an ‘optional extra’ but rather a necessary requirement for landlords when renting out their properties. However, figures released by Total Land... read more  19th December 2012 by Bushells
New research from the UK’s Association of Independent Inventory Clerks (AIIC) reveals that novice landlords are at risk of deposit disputes as many are failing to prepare all the correct paperwork. The AIIC believes that lan... read more  19th December 2012 by Bushells
A UK rental property tax evasion campaign has been launched by a taskforce who is set to tackle tax cheats Launched by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), the group will specifically look at the rental property sector in the South ... read more  19th December 2012 by Bushells
Latest figures confirm that the UK buy to let mortgage market is in recovery with the value of buy to let mortgages taken out in the third quarter of 2012 totaling £4.2 billion, an increase of 8% over the £3.9 billion advanced ... read more  14th November 2012 by Bushells
Years of not building enough homes have led to rising rental and house prices in the UK, leaving millions of families struggling to pay for their accommodation, according to the National Housing Federation (NHF). In a new re... read more  14th November 2012 by Bushells
In light of the recent energy price rises, the National Landlords Association (NLA) urges landlords to take advantage of new energy efficiency initiatives. Energy company British Gas has joined SSE, which trades as Scottish ... read more  14th November 2012 by Bushells
Historically low interest rates, record rents and falling house prices, continue to encourage landlords to expand their buy-to-let portfolios and new investors to enter the market. However, in today’s climate every investment c... read more  14th November 2012 by Bushells
The private rental sector looks likely to be affected if reforms go ahead next spring to change the way the Local Housing Allowance is paid according to the Government’s spending watchdog, the National Audit Office. The fear... read more  14th November 2012 by Bushells
With the dark weather and longer nights, residents living in either their own houses or renting properties are warned to be extra vigilant at this time of year. With the additional cold and dark weather, many residents may b... read more  24th October 2012 by Bushells
After a few months of extensive refurbishment work, Edmund Cude and Bushells have long last settled into their new home at Grand Union House, Camden. The new 5000 square foot hub will centralise the back office functions making... read more  19th October 2012 by Bushells
With events such as Electrical Fire Safety Week, the National Landlords Association (NLA) is reminding all landlords to carry out thorough fire risk assessments and to ensure their properties present a low fire risk. Fire ha... read more  19th October 2012 by Bushells
Flats and terraced houses are the most popular types of rental properties for UK landlords according to research from specialist buy to let lender Paragon Mortgages Of those landlords surveyed in the lender's quarterly PRS T... read more  19th October 2012 by Bushells
The National Insulation Association (NIA) is advising householders to act now and insulate their properties and take advantage of the current grants and subsidies available towards the cost of insulation before the current Carb... read more  19th October 2012 by Bushells
Landlords’ confidence in buy-to-let has been bolstered by strong tenant demand according to a new survey. In the past six months, 44% of landlords have seen a rise in tenant demand, while just 1% have seen a decrease in demand.... read more  19th October 2012 by Bushells
The homeless charity Shelter is calling for new renting contracts, which would last five years with the aim of giving greater stability to the growing numbers of people who rent privately. Its new report says the new Stable ... read more  20th September 2012 by Bushells
Over a third of all households in the UK are now renting but new research shows they missing out on cheaper household energy bills. Just 38% have switched to a cheaper supplier while over a quarter pay little or no interest ... read more  7th September 2012 by Bushells
London’s oldest lettings agency, Edmund Cude has completed a merger with London-based agent, Bushells. The deal sees Edmund Cude take all of Bushells’ existing branches, bringing their total number of offices to 11 and thei... read more  23rd July 2012 by Estate Agent Today
Clear signs are emerging of greater competition opening up amongst lenders, as Santander becomes the second within days to offer a record-breaking five-year fix at 2.99% – but so far, richer borrowers are the clear winners. Like... read more  10th July 2012 by Young London
An extremely useful guide was written by our friends at Young London and is a great idea for the consumer. Instead of pinching it - we share it with credit where its due! Follow their extrem... read more  8th June 2012 by Bushells
Landlords and property investors who cheat on their tax are under scrutiny from special HM Revenue & Customs task forces. The teams in London and the North West have been so successful that HMRC has set up a third team of investiga... read more  7th June 2012 by Bushells
For many months, some agents and elements of the media were predicting a gold rush - not for medals, but hard cash generated through ludicrous and unrealistic prophecies of stratospheric rents achievable during the Olympics. Many b... read more  17th May 2012 by Estate Agent Today
The majority of the inventories presented to deposit scheme adjudicators are not worth the paper they are written on, leading to landlords losing deposit cases, says the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks (AIIC). Bush... read more  17th May 2012 by Eric Walker
SAFEagent launched its consumer week with a reception at the House of Commons Bushells is delighted to be a founder member and part of the Steering Group. Citizens Advice included SAFEagent information in ... read more  10th May 2012 by Eric Walker
WHAT IS SAFEAGENT AWARENESS WEEK? Since its launch last year the SAFEagent campaign has made giant strides in promoting the importance to landlords and ten... read more  24th April 2012 by Bushells
One of the biggest problems is the road to hell being paved with good intentions. At this time of economic austerity, developers are struggling to finance new schemes and face uncertainty over the fortunes of a precarious, unpredic... read more  20th April 2012 by Estate Agent Today
Both Zoopla and Digital are continuing to act as competitors, despite the OFT having given the go-ahead for their merger this week. However, while the merger is likely to complete shortly, the integration of the two sites is not... read more  10th April 2012 by Eric Walker
Agents who have been told that, since last Friday, they must attach the front page of the EPC to all their property particulars, have been left scratching their heads in frustration. It has proved impossible to extract the required... read more  10th April 2012 by Eric Walker
As of 6th April, important changes to the way deposits are protected came into force. The biggest difference is that if a tenants deposit in not protected within 30 days of receipt of deposit monies, a Landlord WILL have committed ... read more  28th March 2012 by Eric Walker
The TDS advise that Landlords and agents should not be lulled into a sense of false security just because the new legal requirements for deposit protection allow a 30 day period to supply proof of deposit registration to the tenant... read more  2nd March 2012 by Eric Walker
London is not a big city, rather a collection of villages each with their own identity and personality. All have their merits and idiosyncrasies, but few places in the world evoke as much passion as London residents show about the ... read more  2nd February 2012 by MyIntroducer.com
Consumer confidence in the UK housing market returned in abundance at the start of 2012 according to the latest figures from the Agency Express Property Activity Index. Month on month data for January 2012 shows that new ‘For Sa... read more  16th January 2012 by Bushells
The huge News International site in Wapping went up for sale last week. Rupert Murdoch is seeking £200 million old home of the Sun and The Times. Last year, James Murdoch suggested that they would develop the site when the economy ... read more  16th January 2012 by Bushells
A prospective vendor called me this morning and told me that whilst he was very impressed with the valuation and the attitude of the staff, he had decided to use ‘an online agent’ as he felt he would save money. Oddly, he added tha... read more  13th January 2012 by Estate Agent Today
The proposed merger between Zoopla and Digital Property Group (Primelocation, Findaproperty) – in a bid to do battle with the supremacy of Rightmove – is being held up while it is studied by the Office of Fair Trading.
While clearance of the deal ... read more
 6th January 2012 by Eric Walker
Well, the New Year is but a few days old and we are extremely busy. I was confident that January would start well, but my expectations have been surpassed. Whilst the press continue their focus on unearthing any negative tit bi... read more  7th December 2011 by Bushells
We are delighted to announce that work is soon to commence on our exciting new Docklands Office. Our friends at KL Contracts have excelled themselves with a stunning desig... read more  6th December 2011 by Letting Agent Today
The SAFEagent scheme is to step up another gear this week with a meeting of heavyweight consumer groups. The meeting will be chaired by Lord Best, and its agenda is to discuss how the SAFEagent consumer mark can best be promoted... read more  1st December 2011 by Bushells
We receive numerous enquiries from potential Landlords looking to cash in on the shortage of accommodation for the Olympics. In reality, it’s not just about accommodation – it’s about convenience and proximity to the London venues.... read more  24th November 2011 by Letting Agent Today
Bushells was one of a group of leading agents who launched the SAFEagent initiative and we are extremely proud of what has been achieved by competitors who put aside their battle for market share in order to do something to raise s... read more  21st November 2011 by Bushells
All agents get calls from prospective buyers seeking bargains and many expressly ask whether we have any repossessions available in the belief they are cheap. They are not. Repossession sales are ones we dislike the most for ma... read more  19th November 2011 by Bushells
Bushells is delighted to announce the appointment of John Charcol as our Mortgage Advisers. We have searched hard to find the very best service providers in the business and no one could match the service, commitment and enthusiasm... read more  18th November 2011 by Eric Walker
Thursday saw the Q3 winners enjoying a well deserved day out on home soil in London. An immensely enjoyable day started at Skinkers in London Bridge where a couple of drinks fortified the nerves before our visit toread more  14th November 2011 by Eric Walker
There is an increase in websites copying the Trip Advisor review concept and see a trend which neither helps the agent nor the customer. Many of us read the Trip Advisor reviews of somewhere we have stayed and found comments unreco... read more  14th November 2011 by From Independent Online
 27th October 2011 by Eric Walker
I wont hide from this article, but feel it is profoundly unfair as a blanket accusation. This is what they said: "Estate agents are profiting from debit and credit card surcharges, according to new Which? Money research. T... read more  15th October 2011 by Bushells
Bushells recently featured in the hit BBC One show Spooks! Quite by chance, our office was identified as being perfectly located for a role as MI5's 'pet Estate Agent' in an exciting episode of this final series. The amount of emai... read more  10th October 2011 by Eric Walker
We haven’t always been at the edge of technological foresight – in fact its safe to say, We have never been at the edge of technical foresight – this is the guy who was an acclaimed expert at programming Betamax. But things change... read more  4th October 2011 by Letting Agent Today
A row has broken out over a leaflet promoting ARLA licensed agents to consumers.
The leaflet fails to mention both ARLA members who are not licensed, and NAEA members who also handle lettings.
It also says that using any agent other than an ARL... read more
 26th September 2011 by Jacqui Hornbuckle, Accounts Manager
We are delighted that our on-line payment facility is now up and running! This is a great feature which has many benefits and has been on our wish list for a while. We looked hard at find... read more  3rd September 2011 by SAFEagent
In a move designed to strengthen tenants' and landlords' awareness of their rights and responsibilities, Housing Minister Grant Shapps has today published helpful advice aimed at those letting or renting a property. Mr Shapps sa... read more  18th August 2011 by Bushells Tour Officer
Those staff who topped the sales and lettings league tables joined the operational directors for a day out in Brussels. We met at St Pancras at 7am (well, most of us were there by then). A very enjoyable trip on the wonderful E... read more  16th August 2011 by Eric Walker, MD
Well, after all these years of trading, we find ourselves facing a hearing at West London Magistrates Court . Considering my views on boards, this is particularly difficult - no, it's embarrassing. Are we guilty? Yes. Is a Court ca... read more  3rd August 2011 by Negotiator Magazine
Lambeth Borough Council is to enforce hefty fines and court action on estate agents who leave boards up illegally. Lambeth Liberal Democrat councillor, Steve Bradley, is demanding that the councill take action on agents found gu... read more  12th July 2011 by Estate Agency Today
An undercover BBC investigation has shown letting agents apparently prepared to flout laws.
The probe follows last week’s C4 Landlords from Hell programme, and shows one rental manager who was secretly filmed explaining he could harass problematic... read more
 1st July 2011 by Eric Walker
It’s difficult for consumers to appreciate the myriad of accreditation in what is an unregulated industry. In fact, there are only 5 providers of client money protection insurance (CMP) in the UK. These are the Law Society, Nation... read more  25th June 2011 by SAFEagent & Estate Agency Today
Registration for the new SAFEagent scheme is out-performing expectations. Officially launched two weeks ago, the new SAFEagent kitemark scheme has already generated over 500 registrations from agents. The SAFEagent initiati... read more  24th May 2011 by Eric Walker, MD
Traditionally, boards are the benchmark of success and dear to the hearts of all agents. I am, however, astonished how much we seem to spend on them; not only the cost of putting them up and taking them down, but the cost of replac... read more  18th May 2011 by Estate Agency Today
Undeterred by reports of falling house prices, optimistic sellers have pushed their asking prices up this month to the highest level for nearly three years.
Rightmove reported this morning that asking prices for property new to the market now aver... read more
 11th May 2011 by Eric Walker, MD
Well, despite the doom and gloom many would have us believe London has been good to us. It truly is an immense city. Sales were up 42% and letters 16% against last year. Staff have beaten the predictions and deserve to be rewar... read more  9th May 2011 by Bushells
In this morning’s post, I received notice of a local estate agent’s bankruptcy leaving debts of over £1.3m. It is very sad as I know the company in question and they were indeed a well respected agency with over 20 years local expe... read more  11th April 2011 by Bushells
The simple answer is NO. This is not me trying to lull myself into a false sense of security. I have heard this warning for years and whilst the business has changed to meet this challenge, many agents are expanding the number of o... read more  31st March 2011 by Eric Walker
Dear Mr Bolton King Forgive this informal email, but I just wanted to express my concerns over licensing directly. So concerned was I that I formed part of the SAFEagent initiative as I sincerely believe that the consumer is the... read more  29th March 2011 by Bushells
financemarkets.co.uk website reports good news for the housing market. The Bank of England has today revealed mortgage approvals rose in February. According to t... read more  25th March 2011 by Estate Agency Today
The Firstbuy Direct scheme announced in the Budget has come under fire in Parliament. Intended to help first-time buyers get on the property ladder, economists told the Treasury Select Committee that it would actually make thing... read more  23rd March 2011 by Eric Walker
In principle, the FTB initiative is encouraging as anything which stimulates the market is a good thing. Nevertheless on closer examination of the substance, it is really an admission that the mortgage market and housing market is ... read more  22nd March 2011 by Bushells
Hesitant support is better than none. Estate Agent Today reports: NFoPP ch... read more  16th March 2011 by SAFEagent
Bushells is pleased to part of this initiative. The latest release from the group who launched this is below. The concept has gained momentum and gained support from a number of bodies and initial reaction as been incredibly po... read more  15th March 2011 by Estate Agency Today
Estate Agency Today Reports: The National Approved Letting Scheme has become the first organisation to welcome the SAFE kitemark inititiative spearheaded by a group of agents. Under SAFE, agents who have client money protect... read more  10th March 2011 by Estate Agency Today
Reported in Estate Agency Today - Rosalind Renshaw writes: As the fallout continues over NFoPP's hike in client money protection rates, a group of letting agents has seized the initiative in launching a kitema... read more  9th March 2011 by NALS
AGENTS LAUNCH KITEMARK TO RAISE CONSUMER AWARENESS OF FINANCIAL RISKS OF USING “UNINSURED” AGENTS A group of the country’s leading agents have launched a kitemark to raise consumer awareness of the financial risk of using ‘unins... read more  7th March 2011 by Source - TPOS.co.uk
The Property Ombudsman scheme has approached the Office of Fair Trading about the behaviour of two estate agencies, one of which was fined £3,120 last week for 26 offences, including displaying TPO logos when it was not a member an... read more  1st March 2011 by Eric Walker
It is interesting to read the latest from the Nationwide confirming that the market is not as bad as many predicted with a modest increase confirmed in February. It is of course just a matter of time before another lender offers a ... read more  25th February 2011 by National Approved Letting Scheme
The National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS) has announced that it is opening its doors to all solicitors operating in lettings and management, with the support of the Law Society. Caroline Pickering, Chair of the National Appro... read more  14th February 2011 by Bushells
Professional Advice Doesn't Get Better! Getting a good deal on your mortgage is a specialist task which can cost thousands if you get it wrong. You need to have someone searching the market and getting you the best possible dea... read more  7th February 2011 by Bushells
We are delighted to have received the Best Estate Agent award at the London weekly awards after months of voting by the general public. It was an honour to be one of the 5 companies short-listed, but to win was an immense honour an... read more  31st January 2011 by Bushells
The residential sales market has been the subject of much media speculation as it makes for interesting reading. It is always an agents practise to compare year on year figures as it's the best indication of what is happening i... read more  26th January 2011 by Eric Walker
The last week of January has yet again brought the age old problem affecting a market such as this. A shortage on instructions has allowed bad practise to rear its ugly head, helping no-one. Forget reports of doom and gloom, it... read more  17th January 2011 by Estate Agency Today
A scarcity of new properties on the market meant that asking prices have edged up slightly, Rightmove reports this morning. With sellers staying away from the market, this month asking prices of properties newly on sale rose by ... read more  12th January 2011 by Land & New Homes
The press at the moment are full of comment about surplus stock and properties not selling, yet on the other hand, the Government amongst others describe a huge shortage of new homes to meet the increasing demand.
These two stances are seemingly ... read more
 6th January 2011 by Eric Walker
Well, the New Year is but a few days old and we are extremely busy. I was confident that January would start well, but my expectations have been surpassed. Whilst the press continue their focus on unearthing any negative tit bi... read more  14th December 2010 by Eric Walker
Here we go again. Another seemingly suicidal, generalised missive from the RICS reported by the BBC devoid of context. Apparently, the housing market is being supressed by a lack of first-time buyers and conc... read more  12th December 2010 by Bushells
We hear many vendors and landlords saying that they want to wait until the New Year before putting their property on the market. At Bushells, we understand the reasons why people want to get Christmas out of the way. Neverthele... read more  9th December 2010 by Bushells
Bushells is delighted to have been short-listed in the Best Estate Agent Category in the THE LONDON WEEKLY AWARDS 2010 (Consumer Choice) The London Weekly Awards, is London's first ever consumer choice awards ce... read more  7th December 2010 by Housing News
Radical new planning reforms have been announced to hand powers down from Whitehall bureaucrats and down from Town Hall officials to communities so local people shape the character of the very neighbourhood in which they live. B... read more  22nd November 2010 by Amanda Belchamber
At the start of the month, Bushells launched their new website which is as huge step forward from the successful site which had served us well for two years. We decided that our focus would be on enhancing content and functiona... read more  18th November 2010 by Estate Agency Today
The NAEA has launched its licensing scheme for estate agents - something Bushells has been campaigning for. The scheme, which will be open to NAEA members, was launched at the House of Commons, and hailed by housing minister Gr... read more  12th November 2010 by National Approved Lettings Scheme
Letting agent fraud is at an all time high – it has never been more important for landlords and tenants in the Private Rented Sector (PRS) to make sure that their rents and deposits are safe by only using agents that have client mo... read more  1st November 2010 by Bushells
The BBC reports that House prices dropped in October compared with the previous month as the property market saw an autumn fall, according to the Nationwide. The building society said that prices were down 0.7% compared with Septem... read more  13th October 2010 by Eric Walker, MD
Housing minister Grant Shapps has called for a period of house price stability to prevent generations being priced out of home ownership. Speaking at the Housing Market Intelligence conference in London, Shapps argued that buying a... read more  6th October 2010 by Eric Walker
It is one of the hardest issues agents have to face. A tenant appearing in the office, distraught because they have returned home to find locks changed and a notice of repossession by the mortgagees. In some cases, possessions have... read more  5th October 2010 by Eric Walker
Well, the figures are in and analysed and simply, I feel I need to be pinched as September was a dream as much as it was a nightmare.
The month started with a frenzy of activity in the West of the company, yet to the East, it was relatively slow.... read more
 21st September 2010 by Richard Long, Lettings Director
Bushells Managing Director, Eric Walker, joined with other leading agents to discuss licensing and regulation of lettings agents. Bizarrely, the Government wants the industry to regulate itself which of course means that only profe... read more  15th September 2010 by Eric Walker
This month has brought with it the RICS’s latest poll of surveyors, which appeared under the BBC headline “Surveyors expect prices to fall.” The detail explains some 38% more of those asked in the survey expected prices to fall rat... read more  12th September 2010 by Eric Walker
Housing minister Grant Shapps has urged prospective tenants to use only agents who belong to accreditation schemes reports Estate Agency Today. His comments follow a report by Shelter which found that a number of landlords trea... read more 10th September 2010
PRICES FROM £250,000 Leasehold!
Arona House is a stunning development of 24 luxury two bedroom apartments built to high specification in a sought after suburb of London's largest borough, Bromley. Ready for immediate occupation!!... read more
24th August 2010 by Eric Walker
August is always a strange month. Holidays affect the market as many buyers and sellers choose to wait until September before starting to focus on moving. It has always been that way. This August has been a little different due to the myriad of press... read more
13th August 2010 by Eric Walker
More reports and predictions relating to house prices over the past couple of weeks are really irritating. Averages across the country are no indicative of the extremes they represent and are formed from data which is essentially old news. Everyone ... read more
3rd August 2010
HOUSE prices are set to soar by almost 20 per cent in the next four years, according to experts. This will lift thousands of households out of negative equity, with the average family home gaining more than £30,000 in value. Th... read more 14th July 2010 by Eric Walker
There are a number of mixed messages regarding the state of the housing market. A word of polite advice - ignore them. The problem is that such statistics are national averages and not necessarily indicative of the area in which your property is loca... read more
7th July 2010
When choosing a Letting Agent, it is extremely important to ensure they are ARLA accredited. You may be offered cheaper fees elsewhere, but that can prove a costly decision. Recently a London Agent went into administration and Tena... read more 30th June 2010 by Estate Agency Today & Bushells
The climate of low house sale transactions is continuing, the Land Registry has reported. Separately, this morning Nationwide reported an influx of properties on to the market as a result of the abolition of HIPs, and said that prices in June went up... read more
30th June 2010 by From the Internet
House prices rose again in June but only by 0.1%, according to the Nationwide building society.
The rise follows a 0.5% increase in May, with the average property in the UK now costing more than £170,000.
Prices have risen by 3% since the start... read more
16th June 2010 by Richard Long, Lettings Director
Increasingly we find that both landlords and tenants have become victims of at best bad practice and at worst, dishonesty. Simply, many agents simply don't understand the changing legislation and the affect it may have when things ... read more 16th June 2010 by Eric Walker
As from 1st October 2010, the threshold for Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs) will change resulting in many tenancies which were outside the 1988 Housing Act together with 2004 Housing Act falling under the legislation. Previo... read more 7th June 2010 by Eric Walker
May was a very strange month indeed. First we had the run up to the election followed by uncertainty caused by the coalition negotiations. My the middle of the month Liberal Democrats and Conservatives published their coalition agr... read more 24th May 2010 by Eric Walker
So finally after days of procrastination, the Government announced the end of HIPs effective midnight Thursday, 20th May.
On Friday 21st May, we were instructed on 11 properties and had 14 offers submitted. Since then the valuations have been flo... read more
20th May 2010 by Eric Walker
IT'S OFFICIAL: The government has suspended the use of Home Information Packs (HIPs) by home sellers.
HIPs were introduced in 2007 in England and Wales.
The aim was to speed up the house selling process by obliging sellers to ... read more
19th May 2010 by Estate Agency Today
As the waiting game drags on as to exactly when the axe will fall on Home Information Packs, AHIPP is understood to have held an emergency meeting yesterday.
A spokeswoman at Communities and Local Government had earlier told EAT that the minister ... read more
17th May 2010 by Estate Agent Today - Rosalind Renshaw
An order to suspend HIPs has been signed, with the announcement of a suspension due this week as Parliament convenes.
According to well-placed sources, the order was signed on Friday morning.
The HIP industry is anxiously awaiting developments,... read more
14th May 2010 by Eric Walker
Grant Shapps was duly appointed Housing Minister as predicted, and in our opinion is a good choice. Nevertheless, we need some direction and clarity over the issue of Home Information Packs. Both Conservatives and Liberal Democrats pledged to abolish... read more
11th May 2010 by BBC News
The UK's property market is benefiting from its normal spring pick up, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) said.
Its latest monthly survey of 245 members who work as estate agents suggests that prices are still going up.
In Apri... read more
11th May 2010 by Eric Walker
Well, the HIP's Industry must be very worried. A coalition now exists with many differences where two differing parties have had to compromise on may issues. One thing they agree on is that Home Information Packs will go.
I have been told by many... read more
11th May 2010 by Eric Walker
Bushells does not have political views or bias - we just sell and rent property. Nevertheless, we believe this election has been fascinating and the talk of many a customer.
Whilst we have no view on Coalition or minority Government there is one ... read more
11th May 2010 by Eric Walker
Home Information Packs are definitely to be killed off, says the Coalition Policy which has just been released.
The document stipulates that Energy Performance Certificates will be retained.
The announcement ends months of speculation but will ... read more
5th May 2010 by Ed Ogden, Sales Director
UK House prices will grow 5% this year and average mortgage rates will fall from 4% to 3% by December, according to a new report.
The Centre for Economics and Business Research also forecasts sluggish economic growth between 2011 and 2014 as the i... read more
26th April 2010 by Estate Agent Today - Rosalind Renshaw
If HIPs are scrapped, estate agents could be left with a £75m hole in their collective income, an industry expert has warned.
Michael Day said: “I have one single-office agency client who is currently generating around £30,000 per annum from the p... read more
14th April 2010 by Eric Walker
There have been changes to tenancies with a rental value over £25,000 and under £100,000 in that they will automatically become Assured Shorthold Tenancies on 1st October 2010 There are four main practical effects. •... read more 14th April 2010 by Eric Walker
Statutory Instrument 653 means that any property from now onwards which the owners want to convert from a single house into a small shared property may well require planning permission. The Government anticipates that as a result o... read more 7th April 2010 by Eric Walker
In short - no. The fact is that many voters may wait to discover the outcome, but many wont know what they are waiting for. Yes, there will be new policies and changes to legislation, but as with the Conservatives promise to abolish HIPs, this will a... read more
25th March 2010 by Eric Walker
So, as predicted, in his last Budget, Mr Darling has made changes to Stamp Duty Land Tax. First time buyers purchasing below the new threshold of £250,000 wont pay anything. That affects less than 5% of our sales. ... read more 18th March 2010 by Liz Marshall, Manager, Dulwich Office
As we near the end of Q1, the results have perhaps surprised even us. We still struggle to secure enough instructions to meet demand, but it is clear that despite the doom mongers, the market is strong and stable. Our figures show ... read more 15th March 2010 by Estate Agent Today - Rosalind Renshaw
Thousands of higher-rent tenancies will pile into the tenancy deposit protection schemes over the next six months, set to put yet more pressure on them.
Currently, AST tenancies are those with rents up to £25,000 a year. Anything above that is a c... read more
10th March 2010 by Eric Walker
An overwhelming number of conveyancers still dislike HIPs and regard them as having a negative effect.
According to new research among conveyancers by HIP provider MDA, which cannot have liked the results much, 81% rate HIPs poorly.
A large maj... read more
25th February 2010 by Estate Agent Today - Rosalind Renshaw
The Office of Fair Trading is to write to a number of letting agents, warning them not to break the law, following the Foxtons case over renewals. The OFT says it will “take necessary steps” to ensure compliance.
The OFT is also advising landlords... read more
27th January 2010 by Eric Walker
Communities and Local Government has told Estate Agent Today that it is satisfied with the “consistently high” performance of all three of the approved tenancy deposit schemes.Are they insane? Its rather like Tariq Aziz claiming du... read more 25th January 2010 by Eric Walker
The National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS) has called on the Tenancy Deposit Scheme to issue urgent and unequivocal clarification on its new pricing structure.
As the row continues, one London agent said his fees had shot up to £16,500. Based on ... read more
20th January 2010 by Estate Agent Today - Rosalind Renshaw
The developing scandal of misappropriated tenants’ deposits has exposed landlords to millions of pounds of liability.
Landlords bear the legal responsibility, even though it is letting agents that have spent, lost or vanished with tenants’ deposit... read more
11th January 2010 by Eric Walker
On 4th January, our first day back, we were stunned that the number of hits on our website were up 300% when compared to the first day in 2009! The number of new applicants registering was phenomenal with over 200 new applicants co... read more 16th December 2009 by Eric Walker, Managing Director
Well, the hardest year I remember in 23 years in the business is all but over. Much has been learned and Agents have polarized into those who adapted and those who reacted too slowly. We cut costs, opened new cost centres and reinv... read more 10th December 2009 by Eric Walker, Managing Director
We are delighted to announce a significant expansion to our advertising and marketing program for 2010. We have agreed a deal with Archant whereby we will expand our profile substantially ensuring maximum coverage in our areas. Further, we will be ad... read more
4th December 2009 by Eric Walker, Managing Director
The figures are in from November and I am delighted to report another record month of profit. Sales performed beyond expectation with every office smashing their targets in terms of sales agreed and sales exchanged. In fact, exchan... read more 25th November 2009 by Estate Agency Today
The Conservatives would scrap HIPs “in a matter of weeks” after coming to power, shadow housing minister Grant Shapps has said.
Nothing unusual in that: he has been saying it to the trade press, including EAT, consistently and for some time. Howev... read more
20th November 2009 by Eric Walker
Estate Agency Today reports that referral fees paid to estate agents by conveyancing companies could be outlawed, after a decision by the Law Society to lobby for their ban. Many estate agents typically receive £100 for each referr... read more 16th November 2009 by Eric Walker, Managing Director
Last week brought the sad news that another local agent has called in Insolvency Practioners to deal with their affairs. In doing so, a significant number of Landlord and Tenants have received letters advising that if they have a c... read more 15th November 2009 by Estate Agency Today
Shadow housing minister Grant Shapps has said in no uncertain terms that the Tories will neither repackage nor rename HIPs but simply ditch them. It appears to end the HIP industry’s hopes, in fighting for its jobs, that some ma... read more 6th November 2009 by Estate Agency Today
We hear that it is not all sweetness, sunshine and light behind the scenes at Communities and Local Government when it comes to HIPs.
Apparently, the two Johns – Healey, the housing minister, and Denham, the communities minister – do not agree ove... read more
5th November 2009 by Bushells New Homes
Bushells is delighted to announce that they will soon be releasing the first phase of 24 luxury 2 bedroom apartments in Beckenham.
These spacious apartments are situated in an enviable location within walking distance of the town center and two m... read more
23rd October 2009 by Estate Agency Today
HIP provider told how Packs have damaged market
Most property professionals, including solicitors and agents, agree that HIPs have damaged the housing market.
The not-so-surprising finding emerges in a new survey. But, more surprisingly, the su... read more
14th October 2009 by Eric Walker, Managing Director
I have been asked on a number of occasions recently how I see the Estate Agency industry changing and it is indeed a good question. I had a rare lunch last week with a key figure in the Estate Agency world for whom I have huge ... read more 13th October 2009 by Eric Walker, Managing Director
I have recently come across an unusual situation which appears to be a loophole or flaw in the Tenants Deposit Scheme Regulations.
Simply, when a tenancy commences, the tenants deposit MUST be registered with one of the approved schemes. Both lan... read more
9th October 2009 by Eric Walker, Managing Director
Lets be clear, the Government denies any rumours that it is about to scrap HIPs. Nevertheless, the rumours persist.
These whispers have been circulating within the industry for some time, but recently it has been suggested that the Government is... read more
29th September 2009 by Bushells
Irrespective of the political spin, Home Information Packs are now in their last year of existence - unless Labour win the next general election, and that isn't looking likely at the moment. The opposition have nailed their colours to the mast.
G... read more
25th September 2009 by Eric Walker, Managing Director
Statistics from a leading agent released this week claim that HIPs have speeded up the time between offer and exchange by an average of one week.
The figure comes from Connells. Roger Wilson, their conveyancing services director, was quoted as say... read more
25th September 2009 by Eric Walker, Managing Director
I have heard from a number of sellers that agents claim that there is no point adverting in newspapers and magazines as the world is now on-line crazy. Some have even claimed that paper based advertising is a waste of money! At Bus... read more 23rd September 2009 by Eric Walker
The number of mortgages approved by the major banks in August was up 81% from the same month a year ago when the housing market was in a slump according to The British Bankers' Association (BBA). This rise was significantly distort... read more 22nd September 2009 by Eric Walker
Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman Vince Cable has announced plans to tax owners of homes with a value in excess of £1m, though wouldn't confirm whether this would be permanent or not.
Mr Cable wants a 0.5% annual levy on the most expensive home... read more
20th September 2009 by Eric Walker
According to press reports, a shortage of houses on estate agents books has resulted in asking prices increasing by 0.6 per cent this month.The average property put on the market during the five weeks to September 12 was priced at ... read more 14th September 2009 by Eric Walker, Managing Director
An economic forecasting group has warned that the recent rise in UK house prices is a "false dawn". The Ernst & Young Item Club says property values will not return to their 2007 peak for at least another five years. This of course... read more 5th September 2009 by Bushells Accounts
Another agent has been in the news for the wrong reason. It has been alleged that they have used clients money and are now being investigated by the Police. This wasn't a small independent agent, this was a well known high street name. Instances have... read more
28th August 2009 by Eric Walker
House prices in England and Wales rose by 1.7% in July compared with June - the biggest monthly leap in value since July 2004, the Land Registry said. Every region recorded a monthly rise in prices, with the average home valued at £155,885, the analy... read more
25th August 2009 by Eric Walker
The number of mortgages approved for house purchases by the major High Street banks has risen to a 17-month high, figures show.
The British Bankers' Association (BBA) said approvals in July stood at 38,181, a rise of 7.4% compared with June and 77... read more
19th August 2009 by Eric Walker, Managing Director
Many Vendors are being charged excessive amounts for Home Information Packs (HIPs) according to consumer Watchdog, Which? Some agents charge in excess of £500 for these HIPs and are clearly making a lot of money ou... read more 10th August 2009 by Bushells
Lettings complaints from the UK public have risen significantly over the past twelve months, by around 26% from mid2008 to the current period. This followed an exceptional 200% rise in complaints over lettings du... read more 10th August 2009 by Bushells
The BBC Business page reports that a shortage of homes for sale in the UK propped up property prices in July, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The survey said 8% more surveyors reported seeing price falls than those w... read more
5th August 2009 by Eric Walker
I have recieved a number of letters erroneously claiming that Extension fees are illegal and that payments can be reclaimed. Both statements are incorrect. I fully understand how this mistaken impression has been formed, in no smal... read more 4th August 2009 by Eric Walker, Managing Director
We have been though some very dark days and its a huge credit to the staff that we have done so well in re-organising the business swiftly and efficiently without amassing any debts which so many agents must now address as business... read more 3rd August 2009 by Bushells
Sarah Beeny's new site Tepilo is a site which purports to sell your home without the involvement of an agent in order to save you fees. Really? I know one person who used it, and they asked 3 agents out to establish the value of their home before upl... read more
3rd August 2009 by Webmaster
You can now follow Bushells on Twitter where news articles and comment will be added regularly.
twitter.com/Bushells
Feedback is always welcome!
... read more
31st July 2009 by Eric Walker
House prices in England and Wales have risen month-on-month for the first time since January 2008, according to the Land Registry, with a 2% rise reported in London.
The 0.1% rise in June compared with May brought the value of the average home to... read more
20th July 2009 by Eric Walker, Managing Director
Many keen observers will be aware of the recent case brought by the Office of Fair Trading against Foxtons. Bushells predicted the outcome of this case some months ago and were delighted that Mr Justice Mann came to the same co... read more 8th July 2009 by Eric Walker
Grant Shapps, Shadow Housing Minister, confirmed that the Conservative pledge to scrap HIPs "immediately" would be included in the Conservative Party manifesto. They will keep Energy Performance Certificates although they will be "less bureaucratic" ... read more
30th June 2009 by Eric Walker, Managing Director
We have just collated our figures for the end on the second quarter and are delighted at the results. As each office now moves into profit, I am delighted at the performance of all offices.
The Lettings Department has remained a constant source o... read more
22nd June 2009 by Eric Walker
As we near the end of the second quarter, I am delighted to say that the apparent recovery in the housing market continues. Sales have increased for the 6th consecutive month and the number of contracts exchanged have dramatically risen by over 30% t... read more
12th June 2009 by Bushells
Understanding the law for rental accommodation is important. In April, CORGI was no more and all engineers had to be registered on the Gas Safety Register. Bushells have re-issued this information as few Landlords seem aware of the changes,
If yo... read more
8th June 2009 by Richard Long
Reports in today's press suggest that the number of new rental properties placed on the market has fallen by nearly 50%. Bushells has experienced a decline, though much smaller than the national average. The reason is cited as a decline in the number... read more
2nd June 2009
UK house prices rose by 2.6% in May compared with April but activity remains low in the market, according to the latest survey from the Halifax. The rise came after three successive months of property price falls (averaged accross the UK), it said. T... read more
29th May 2009 by Bushells
Bushells staff are planning a six mile run around Chiswick in aid of Cancer Research UK.
Event: London Pride Walk and Fun Run 2009
Event Date: 19th Jul 2009
You can sponsor our team of Amanda Belchamber, David Newson, Stephanie Jost, Hellie ... read more
21st May 2009 by Eric Walker
A report by Citizens Advice says that extra costs raised by Letting Agents, including administration fees and reference checks, could add up to £600 to the cost of renting a home.It said that many of these costs were imposed for ta... read more 20th May 2009 by Estate Agency Today
Government ministers are to be urged to scrap Home Information Packs in an Early Day Motion tabled today by shadow housing minister Grant Shapps. He believes there is now mounting evidence that HIPs are having an adverse ef... read more 19th May 2009 by Eric Walker, Managing Director
Channel 4 News have alleged that some Estate Agents have been involved in secret deals with HIPS providers. I would like to report that this is absolutely true . I know of many agents who receive commissions for simp... read more
15th May 2009 by Bushells
The Council of Mortgage Lenders report that Mortgage Approvals in March were up by nearly 30% on the previous month which reflects the business levels recorded by Bushells offices.
A total of 31,000 loans were approved for homebuyers during the m... read more
12th May 2009 by Eric Walker
The Downing Street web petition calling for first day marketing to be restored has now attracted over 1,500 signatures in just over 10 days. Campaigner Nick Salmon, who launched it, said:"It's a great start and illustrates the strength of feeling.".
... read more
6th May 2009 by Bushells
Bushells is delighted to record the best month for over a year, and not just in terms of the weather! April saw more new applicants registered than expected and some 30% more than in March. We recorded the highest number of viewings and sales since b... read more
29th April 2009 by Webmaster
Bushells website has grown at a tremendous rate. Now listed on over 75,000 search engines and directories, the results are starting to filter through as listings propagate as these sites gradually index our pages. What we have seen... read more 28th April 2009 by Eric Walker
There have been a lot of enquiries from Landlords regarding the case against Foxtons brought by the Office of Fair Trading relating to potentially unfair terms in their agreements with Landlords. The ruling will have far reaching i... read more 20th April 2009 by Bushells
The National Approved Letting Scheme reports, "The Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) announced that from 6th April 2009, it will only offer deposit protection services to lettings and management firms that are members of regulated bodies, including the ac... read more
15th April 2009 by Eric Walker
Bushells is delighted to report a strong performance during the first quarter of 2009. March was the first month were both sales and lettings target were met and indeed exceeded. This mirrors the positive views expressed in the pre... read more 14th April 2009 by Webmaster
Following the opening of our specialist Block Management Department, we are delighted to report that we already secured the management of a number of great developments. Some key developments are new builds in Chichester, Reigate, ... read more 7th April 2009 by Eric Walker
The Office of Fair Trading has persuaded the Court of Appeal to overturn a decision and will now go ahead with proceedings against what it deems are unfair clauses in Foxtons contracts. The OFT commenced High Court proceedings a... read more 1st April 2009 by Bushells
Figures from the Bank of England showed that the number of new mortgages being approved in February rose by a fifth on the month, suggesting buyers are returning to the housing market. Although it remains too early to assume prices will soon bottom o... read more
30th March 2009 by Bushells
Bushells is pleased to report that we are selling properties at the best rate for nearly a year! This is supported by a report on BBC News website!
Mortgage approvals for house purchases in Britain rose more than expected in February, according t... read more
26th February 2009 by Negotiator Magazine
House purchase approvals rise 7.4%
House purchase approvals rose 7.4% to £2.9bn in January, reveals today's statistics from the British Bankers' Association.
Mortgages approved for house purchases in January totalled 23,376, a 4.3% increase fro... read more
26th February 2009 by Negotiator Magazine
Bill McClintock is forming a steering group to drive forward his estate agency register plans.
As The Negotiator exclusively revealed on January 14, McClintock, chairman of the Ombudsman for Estate Agents, proposes that agents be offered a registr... read more
16th February 2009 by Bushells
Bushells in Fulham has shown that it is not all doom and gloom in the property market. In just one week they sold twice the average number of properties most agents sell in one month according to figures released by the Royal Institution of Chartered... read more
1st February 2009 by Eric Walker
The start of the year was filled with uncertainty. The market had found itself in a state of inertia as buyers and tenants had simply decided to wait until after Christmas before doing anything. Since our New Year return, enquiries have increased dra... read more
27th January 2009 by Webmaster
Bushells has joined Facebook with a dedicated Group Page for anyone wishing to join.This page provides links and news and allows those joining to add feedback as they wish.
Bushells has already noted a growing number of enquiries from Facebook a... read more
17th January 2009 by Eric Walker
With reports of doom and gloom, one vital factor is missed - when is the best time to buy?
Consider this - even the pessimistic reports from Savills suggest the London market will take a year to recover. Therefore, if you are considering buying, b... read more
6th January 2009 by Eric Walker
Bushells is pleased to report that initial enquiries from the website in January have increased by over 50% when compared to the daily average over the last quarter of 2008.
There is no doubt that many people have been waiting until the New Year a... read more
5th January 2009 by Estate Agent Today
As unemployment reaches the highest level in 11 years, insurance providers are advising agents to ensure their landlords’ rental income is properly protected.
One insurer, HomeLet, is anticipating the number of rent guarantee claims it will pay ou... read more
15th December 2008 by SIMON EVANS - Mail Online
... read more
28th November 2008 by Estate Agent Today
Estate agents should think carefully before they expand into lettings because an escalating number of disputes pinpoint the pitfalls.
Bill McClintock, chairman of the company that operates the Ombudsman for Estate Agents scheme, warned that an inc... read more
26th November 2008 by Nationwide
The slump in house prices eased off in November with prices falling by just 0.4%, according to the Nationwide, the UK's largest building society.
The mortgage lender said the rate of price falls "moderated significantly" when compared with October... read more
19th November 2008 by National Approved Lettings Scheme
Following the recent findings in the Rugg Report, The National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS) has welcomed discussions with Iain Wright MP – The Housing Minister responsible for the private rented sector in order to drive forward the better lettings ... read more
6th November 2008 by Eric Walker
Bushell's has invested in a bespoke new website to ensure properties are marketed to their full potential on the Internet. Built and powered by our friends at WebCYM, the site is a huge step forward from the previous incarnation. What makes it partic... read more
5th November 2008 by Ombudsman for Estate Agents
People who are selling their homes have been advised by the Ombudsman for Estate Agents to make sure they understand any agreements they sign covering the provision of Home Information Packs (HIPs).
In his report for the third quarter of 2008, Omb... read more
3rd November 2008 by Eric Walker
October was a month which started slowly. The world was focussed upon the volatile stock markets which dominated the front pages of every newspaper and news website. This led to a decline in confidence which reached its nadir by the middle of the mon... read more
21st October 2008 by ARLA
In view of the banking crisis, The Dispute Service Ltd, who runs the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, has issued a statement about the safety of tenants' deposits:
"No one will be surprised in the current climate that a small number of those signed up to t... read more
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