The latest news from Bill Tandy

Welcome to the latest edition of the Bill Tandy newsletter! As the country begins the next stages of easing lockdown restrictions we are beginning to see activity resume in the property market - so we first share an update on how the market has bounced back. 

 

We've had some great weather this year, and as we enter the summer months we share our tips for maintaining your property to ensure that everything functions as it should and prevent any issues later down the line. Elsewhere we share our advice for designing a child's bedroom, and UK holiday hot spots so that you can still have a relaxing break this year. We hope you enjoy this months edition.

Eco Friendly Homes Playing an Important Role

 

Climate change has received immense attention recently with urgent calls to reduce the contributing factors to carbon emissions, rising sea levels, and rising temperatures. The UK has committed to reduce its CO2 emissions to net zero by 2050; and this commitment cascades to all markets, including property. This commitment is a great achievement for the UK, with it being the first first-world country to pass law to such a commitment. 

Sadly, the amount of greenhouse gasses produced from heating properties has increased since 2014. Heating our homes accounts to a staggering one seventh of overall UK emissions. Our increased use of fuel can be resultant from heat escaping from properties through walls, windows and ceilings during winter. Luckily, the Government have called an end to the rise in fuel consumption and are devising a plan to battle the emissions producing more energy efficient homes. They are behind an initiative called Future Homes Standard, which is planned to be in full operation by 2025. 

Having more energy efficient homes is a great ambition for all. It will lead to lower carbon emissions, reduced energy bills, and upgraded housing. In 2025, all new build homes will have to abide by the initiative to have clean technology to heat homes instead of the current fossil fuel burned for gas boilers. The construction sector and developers are at the heart of this revolution with their designs crucial to meeting this goal. 

 
The Housing Minister, Esther McVey, said that “industry has told us some homes built using modern methods can have 80% fewer defects and heating bills up to 70% lower. Homes built using modern methods can be of higher quality, greener and built to last. I want to see a housing green revolution.” 2020 is set for an environmental transformation, with the property market a strong contributor to this.

Easter Eggstaraganza 

Saturday 4th April 

 

Follow the Woodland Trail to find the Easter Bunny who's giving everyone free chocolate.

Click here to read Easter Eggstaraganza .

 

Designing A Bedroom For Your Children

 

Designing a child’s room can be tricky; there are a number of factors to consider so it is hard to know where to begin. Design trends are forever changing and your child is constantly growing, so it’s important that you consider a few things before starting.

Striking the balance between fun and practical is a challenge and designing something that your child does not grow out of too quickly is not easy, but by taking the time to think it over, you can save yourself a lot of hassle and create a space that is fun for them and easy for you to manage.

Draw Up A Floor Plan
Before you start buying all sorts of cute and colourful furniture, it’s important to remember that depending on your child’s age, this room could have a variety of functions.

Have a think about what the room will be used for and draw out a plan. If the room just needs to be a comfortable place to sleep then you should have plenty of freedom; however, if it also needs to be an area to play and study, you’ll require a good amount of floor space and maybe a dedicated corner for a desk.

Everyone’s home and preferences are different but you want to get as much out of the space as possible, so take a moment to consider the role that the room will play and how it may change over the next few years.

Choose the right colour
It may be tempting to simply ask your child what their favourite colour is and then start buying paint or wallpaper.

While it is a good idea to include your child in the design of their room, if their favourite colour resembles a highlighter pen, then your best option is to go with the more neutral shade of that colour.

Your best strategy is to aim for a colour palette that nicely blends with a variety of furniture and will not look so childish once your child turns into a teen. Save yourself a redecoration job in 18 months by picking a colour that will age well with the rest of the ever-changing décor.

Decide on the flooring
When it comes to flooring you have a few options, all with their pros and cons, so you just have to decide which will be best for you.

Carpet helps keep the room a little warmer but is vulnerable to stains. Hardwood is much more durable and easy to clean but does not provide much cushion for a child that is a little more clumsy than most. You could also opt for rubber flooring that does offer the benefits of both carpet and hardwood; however, it is the most expensive option of the three.

The flooring that is best for you is dependent on the age of your child, but research your options while keeping your budget in mind and make sure your choice of flooring compliments the room and doesn’t break the bank.

Getting the furniture right
There are two key things to keep in mind when choosing your furniture: functionality and lifespan.

We’ve already established that space is a valuable commodity so finding multi-functional furniture can be a real lifesaver.

Beds that have storage built in underneath are quite easy to find and the extra storage they provide can go a long way, as well as free up more of the room for other essential items. This also gives you an opportunity to get a little creative and look for ways to combine 2 items into one such as adding some padding to a desk or dresser so that it also can be used as a changing table.

The other consideration for furniture is its lifespan. A lot of cute miniature beds, tables and chairs might look great, but you must remember that your children will grow out of them quicker than you think. A good strategy would be to buy some furniture that they can grow into. Their small clothes may not justify full sized dresser just yet, but it will not be long before you are looking for extra storage space and their feet are hanging out of the end of the bed.

Add character through accessories
Now that your room has been planned out, you have chosen your colour palette, had the flooring fitted, assembled and placed the furniture, it’s time to add character.

The great part about this phase of designing the room is that because the rest of the room's features were kept neutral and timeless, you can now give your child a good amount of freedom to add their own personality to the room from accessories.

Whether it’s action figures, bed covers or posters, you can basically style the room however you want and the best part is, these accessories can be easily replaced and changed over the years at the same rate as your child’s taste in décor shifts from one thing to the next.

Holidays Cancelled? Enjoy the United Kingdom!

 

For many of us, we will have plans for holidays abroad which are now looking uncertain, and for others an overseas excursion will already have been cancelled. If you are looking to plan your next getaway, why not enjoy a ‘staycation’ here in the UK.

Oliver Dowden, the Culture Secretary, recently announced that holidays within the UK could return as soon as July in a move to boost the tourism sector and allow those who have already missed holidays to take a much-needed break.
“I would love to get the tourism sector up as quickly as we possibly can. We’ve set this very ambitious plan to try and get it up and running by the beginning of July,” he said.

There is also the potential addition of an extra UK bank holiday in October being explored by the government currently in order to account for the two weekends in May with bank holidays which were essentially negated due to coronavirus lockdown measures.

Last year a third of Brits chose to have a holiday in the UK over abroad thanks to the varied landscapes and exciting places to explore right on our own doorstep, so don’t consider holidaying in your home country as a hardship.

If you’re looking for a city break, then London is the obvious choice as it simply has so much to offer, however don’t discount other cities such as Bristol, Edinburgh or Cardiff for a city break as they all provide a distinctly different feel to one another and provide a chance to get to know somewhere new.

Perhaps you are looking for a more traditional seaside break, in which case the south coast of England is the obvious choice due to the more favourable climate and the truly stunning locations such as Brighton, Bournemouth and Cornwall. However, there are also hidden gems such as Nairn in Scotland which is a charming seaside resort and the better-known Rhossili Bay in Swansea which is known for its surfing.

Perhaps it is a touch of peace and quiet which you are seeking on your next holiday, and the Lake District offers this in abundance – known as England’s answer to the Italian Lakes, the vistas in the Lake District are awe-inspiring and the walks second-to-none. When it comes to picturesque landscapes, the Scottish Highlands offer some of the most rugged scenes and idyllic, isolated locations throughout the entirety of the UK – we would recommend basing yourself in Inverness as you are then driving or hiking distance to some of the most wonderful walks in all of Scotland. Wales is not to be forgotten, of course, as its green landscapes and rugged coastline provide plenty of opportunities for a relaxing break – and should you wish to build up a sweat then a trip up Mount Snowdon is just the ticket.

Property Market Back To Business

 

With an estimated £82 billion of property transactions on hold due to coronavirus, the Government's announcement in the middle of last month that operations could resume, with the appropriate measures in place, was welcome news to many.

The immediate effect of the reopening of the property market could be seen clearly on the property portals – with a distinct spike in searches for properties the day after restrictions were lifted. Rightmove recorded over 5 million visits on 13th May and reported that sales demand doubled from Tuesday (when restrictions were still in place) to Wednesday.

The spike in property searches can be attributed to the many people who have had to put their property search on hold due to coronavirus and are now looking to move quickly in order to avoid their own chain collapsing, or just to take advantage of current circumstances.

A shift in attitude is also noticeable in terms of the types of mortgage which are being searched for – with a move away from remortgage loans to purchase mortgages. Mortgage technology firm Twenty7Tec reported a 27% week-on-week increase on 17th May for the volume of searches being completed.

“We are starting to see significant volumes return to the market – with searches for purchase mortgages in particular rapidly gaining pace. Searches for purchases are now at 44 per cent of pre-lockdown highs, up from lows of 15.6 per cent in mid-April” explains James Tucker, chief executive of Twenty7Tec.

Miles Shipside, Rightmove director and housing market analyst, said: “The traditionally busy spring market was curtailed by lockdown, but we’re now seeing clear signs of returning momentum, with the existing desire to move now being supplemented by some people’s unhappiness with their lockdown home and surroundings.

“Some may be unable or unwilling to move now, but those who are ready to take the plunge have jumped immediately into action.

“Unique enquiries on property for sale doubled from the day before, though we expect consistent momentum to rebuild over several months rather than weeks.

“With no new seller asking price data it’s too early to comment on price movements, though high demand is needed to support a stable market.

“If there are attractive lower deposit mortgages available it would help sustain the recovery in activity. The industry has been caught by surprise, as we were all expecting the housing market to stay closed until at least June.”

Summer Property Maintenance Tips

 

Now that summer is availing itself, many of us are making the most of our outdoor spaces and enjoying the uptake in the weather. However, whilst we enjoy being outside don’t forget to keep your property ticking along during the summer months. Here are a few maintenance tips that should keep your property in tip-top condition over the next few months.

Check your gutters
After the cold winter months with freezing temperatures, gutters are at risk of leaks and especially following the recent spell of rainy weather which can move debris into gutters, summer is the ideal time to check their health. Leaky and unsecure guttering can lead to bigger problems of water damage to your property, as well as being a fall hazard. Whilst you’re checking your gutters, go ahead and check your drainage system at the same time to ensure that there aren’t any blockages there, too.

Doors and windows
Similar to your guttering, doors and windows have been through a rough period by the time summer is in full swing. With the cold months of winter potentially cracking door and window seals, followed by spring showers causing further damage, it is imperative to check your doors and windows. Of course, if you have double glazing this is less of an issue, but checking that your seals are in order is certainly a good use of half an hour during the summer to stop any problems later on in the year.

Central heating
When the weather heats up, the temptation is simply to turn off the central heating, give the radiators a holiday and then start everything back up once temperatures inevitably plummet. Keeping the heating on a low-level through the colder summer days will keep the central heating system ticking over and also prevent any damp issues. During the summer, bleeding your radiators will also ensure that they remain efficient – if you’re unsure of how to do this then a quick search online will direct you to some intuitive videos. If you go on holiday during the summer, the same applies; keeping the heating on a low level may save you larger problems in the long run.

Sound the alarms
Whilst a check of your smoke and CO2 alarms may not seem like a particularly summery activity to be carrying out, you should be checking these units several times a year. By building these checks into your summer list of tasks, you are keeping yourself and others safe.

Insulation throughout the seasons
Updating your insulation may intuitively seem like a winter task, but part of keeping your home cool and comfortable in the summer is good insulation as this will stop heat penetrating the building. Of course, when it comes to the winter months you will also reap the benefits of insulation as it will keep the heat from escaping, ensuring a cosy property when the temperatures begin to plummet.

Mad Hatter's Tea

Thursday 9th April 

 

Enjoy an afternoon tea in the school holiday's with fun, craziness, singing and dancing.

Click here to read Mad Hatter's Tea.

Wedding Open Day

Sunday 19th April 

 

If you are planning a wedding for 2020 or 2021 this wedding day is a perfect chance to see dressed rooms.

Click here to read Wedding Open Day.