#Reception #Job in #Sheffield - Estate Agency

 

Reception Job Available!

This is a front of house, public facing role, working in a busy estate agency branch on Ecclesall Road. We are an established agency and have been working from these premises for 28 years this year. We are looking for a confident receptionist used to working with phone systems, IT, and who is good with the general public. Personality and sense of humour essential! Also advantageous if you aren't easily offended. 

In this role you will be responsible for front of house communication and as an administrator relating to the sales and letting of properties.

This is a varied role, key duties include:

• Handling inbound calls, booking appointments and passing on as appropriate
• Greeting clients face to face and referring them to the correct person to handle their query
• Administration relating to the sale and letting of properties
• Updating the client database and qualifying applicants
• Communicating effectively with clients

The successful candidate:

• Experience in an admin/reception role. Any property industry experience is desirable
• Strong communication skills; numerical, written & verbal
• Good IT skills including Outlook, MS Word, Excel
• Good organisational and time management skills, ability to multi-task
• A commitment to providing excellent customer service

Apply in writing to sales@spencersestateagents.co.uk 

Covid-19 Blog - Taking something positive from 2020

 

Our lovely Rachel in Accounts finds some positivity for 2020.... 

"It goes without saying really that this year has been “different”. Every person in the country and the majority of the world has been affected in some way by Covid-19, what has it meant for me personally?

"I had some symptoms myself back in March and I went from staying away from work to work closing its doors to the public, and then to staff, and then to seeing my work colleagues only on Zoom meetings or by communicating on our work WhatsApp chat. Not surprisingly the world suddenly seemed a very different place with us awaiting the latest news announcements and more and more of our freedom to move around being restricted. I sobbed on Mother’s Day at not getting to see my own mum or my grown up children, but I had a nice chat on the phone with my son and daughter and everyone was in the same situation, I was one of many mums trying to put on a brave face and not be too disappointed.

"Having said that, the year has been one for more time to take up new interests, read about places we want to see when things return to normal (whenever that is) and appreciate the things we do have. I am lucky to have lovely family to talk to be it in person, on the phone or via a video call.  I have dreams for the future and more money in the bank, with holiday plans being on hold. It helps that we have had lovely weather, which I enjoyed from the comfort of my garden. Every privilege returned has been more appreciated and less taken for granted than before, and the stories of people helping others throughout this have been heart-warming.

"I don’t think life for the generation who have lived through the pandemic will ever by quite the same as before and I hope we can all take something positive from 2020 and soon we will enjoy some of the things this year have eluded us this year."

 

Rachel Masheder

Accounts Administrator -  Spencers Agents Ltd.

Spencer has New Rules - Please Observe #estateagent #sheffield

Following recent government updates, please see attached from Spencer..... 

Agents now able to return to work - in a fashion. Guidelines attached #covid19 #estateagent

Corona Virus Update from last night and today's news 

Agents have been told they can reopen branches.

The Ministry of Housing has just updated its buying and selling guidance after saying the property market could reopen this morning.

It said estate agents can open for business but should consider how and when to reopen so they can follow Government guidance on safe working,

The guidance said:

• Agents should ask whether any party is showing symptoms or has been asked to self-isolate before going ahead with any viewing, or visits to offices.
• Agents should operate using an appointment system for visits to their offices and when conducting viewings.
• Agents should not carry out any open house viewings.
• Agents should strongly encourage clients to view properties virtually in the first instance and then only physically inspect properties which they have a strong interest in.
• Agents can accompany physical viewings and seek to maintain a minimum of 2 metres distance from others wherever possible. Where social distancing is not possible and the visit is within an enclosed space, they should consider wearing a face covering in line with government guidance.
• Where they do not accompany the visit, they should make sure that both buyers and sellers clearly understand how the viewing should be conducted safely.
• Agents should not drive clients to appointments.
• All parties viewing a property should wash their hands with soap and water (or hand sanitiser if not available) immediately after entering the properties, with internal doors opened and surfaces having been wiped down before they enter. Separate towels or paper towels should be used if possible and washed or disposed of safely after use.
• Agents should do what they can to promote flexibility when arranging move dates, for example advising clients to ensure contracts have explicit terms to manage the timing risks presented by coronavirus.
• Agents should work with their clients and other agents to broker a new date to move where sales are due to complete and one of the parties falls ill with coronavirus or has to self-isolate.
• Agents should ensure that any keys are appropriately cleaned before handover.

There is also guidance for sellers when their property is being viewed such as vacating the property, opening all internal doors and allowing access to handwashing facilities, ideally with separate towels.

All parties viewing a property are also advised to wash their hands and avoid touching surfaces.

Social distancing guidelines must be followed during the viewings and there should be minimal contact with the household.

Once the viewing has taken place, the home owner should ensure surfaces, such as door handles, are cleaned with standard household cleaning products and towels disposed of safely or washed as appropriate, the guidance said.

Letting agents and private landlords must follow the same guidance on viewings.

It said:

• Private landlords and letting agents should not conduct viewings in properties where tenants are symptomatic or self-isolating, or where it has been determined that they are clinically extremely vulnerable and are shielding.
• In other cases, where viewings can proceed, they should be conducted in line with the guidance on viewings earlier in this document.
• Any visits to a property must be made in accordance with Government’s guidelines on working in other people’s homes and social distancing.
• If possible, necessary repairs, gas and electrical safety checks should be conducted in the period between a property being vacated and a new tenant moving in. If this is not possible and visits are needed to an occupied property, this should be done by appointment with measures put in place to ensure physical contact is minimised, for example with residents staying in another room during the visit.
• Landlords should make every effort to abide by gas and electrical safety requirements. This may be more difficult due to restrictions associated with the coronavirus outbreak, for example where a tenant has coronavirus symptoms, is self-isolating or shielding. Under such circumstances, provided the landlord can demonstrate they have taken reasonable steps to comply, they would not be in breach. Letting agents may also want to consider obtaining landlord and tenant consent for inventory clerk appointments to also occur before a tenant moves in or after a tenant moves out during vacant periods if possible.
• Letting agents and landlords should take steps to ensure any properties are prepared ready for new tenants, this may include cleaning to minimise any potential spread of the virus in line with Government advice.
• Letting agents and landlords should consider how best to conduct tenancy check-ins for new tenancies agreed while broader measures remain in place, taking care to follow Government advice on social distancing to minimise possible spread of coronavirus.
• Letting agents and landlords are reminded of the temporary COVID-19 measures that adjust right to rent checks, temporarily allowing these checks to be conducted remotely. Lettings agents and landlords should consider other areas where in person payments, referencing or checks can be conducted remotely instead and take further advice if required.

We will be reporting shortly to all our clients as to when and how we will be returning to work in the safest possible way for all our staff, clients, tenants, and contractors. 

Watch this space........... 

Update Interview with Nicola Spencer - Sheffield Estate Agent

Update Interview with our MD, Nicola Spencer

What is currently happening with viewings?

We are not currently undertaking any physical viewings on properties. We do have video tours available of rental properties and of some sales properties, if you are interested in taking a look and registering your interest. We are happily accepting applications on rental properties but are only registering interest subject to viewing (at some point) on sales properties.

Can we put our property on the market just now?

If your property is empty and we are able to safely gain access to the property with no contact, we will soon be able to assess and value your property for sales and rental purposes. If you need a valuation of your property during lockdown, we can do video valuations to give you a really good idea of value and of our services on offer. We are hopeful that we will be able to announce getting back out to properties over the next month or so using PPE.

Are people paying their rent?

We have a large portfolio of property management for investors with single properties, multiple properties and entire blocks of rented property, and we have to say that on the whole the majority of tenants have been paying their rent on time and have wanted to do so. Where tenants have had individual and specific financial restrictions, the majority of landlords have been eager to ensure that they find a way to help out. We can honestly only say that we have seen the good in people during this time.

What’s the future of Spencer look like?

There’s no danger that we will start to do things slightly differently to before, we will have to! The video viewings have been a huge success for rentals and make the process so much slicker and having meetings via Zoom or other video conferencing has made time management solutions look more attractive in some instances, but nothing beats proper human interaction. The offices will remain closed to the public until further notice, but in the background we are busy beavering away trying to get sales through and letting and managing properties the best we can.

www.spencersestateagents.co.uk 

Quick interview with our MD #Spencer #Sheffield #covid19chat

Please can you introduce yourself and what you do?

My name is Nicola Spencer and I have Spencers Estate Agents on Ecclesall Road, where we sell, manage, rent and block manage many properties.

What was your initial reaction to lockdown?

We actually locked ourselves down before the announcement knowing that we didn’t want to expose any staff or clients unnecessarily where we could find other ways of running the business. Because my mum has cancer, dad has long term heart conditions, and because we have young children, I didn’t want to place any of my family at risk either and so it seemed sensible to act before the inevitable.

How has your business changed over the past few weeks?

It is strange how adaptable you can be when forced to be, and all the things that you wouldn’t have thought possible, such as remote working, suddenly do become options that weren’t as difficult as you would have imagined. We are still running the business as efficiently as possible, conforming with all distancing guidelines, and are still managing to stay in contact with all clients and to undertake emergency repairs where absolutely necessary. Having to run the business, look after children and not see people is hard, especially in a business where relationship building is so key, but we are hanging our hats on the truth that this won’t be forever and that needs must for now.

How do you see the long-term impact on small businesses?

We can only speak for ourselves here, of course, but the resources that have been put in place from the government should really help us and I can only hope that the property sales market isn’t seriously affected long term, only time will tell. In the short term, we must tighten our belts on spending and find ways to cut back overheads just to ensure the job security for all our staff and to ensure the business can keep going over the next 12 months where income will be affected by the huge dip in sales, we have made the changes needed and are confident that the business is as safe as it can be in these times.

What has been your daily coping strategy in these crazy times?

I’m not great at having to deal with my own company, so working from home and remotely hasn’t been much fun, even if I can work in my pyjamas! It has been nice to find the time to exercise a little more though, and it has been nice to have to be at home and be forced to get some jobs done that have been on the back burner. I am finding the lack of contact with family and friends incredibly hard though and having very little to talk about when I take the time to call or video call seems strange. I can’t wait to be able to plan doing some nice things with the people I love and to get back to a bit of normality. In the meantime the priority has to be keeping those safe that are around me and doing my “bit” to ensure that I don’t let them down.

Letter to landlords - #Sheffield from #Spencer

Dear landlords,

We hope you all keeping well and as safe as possible in these quite surreal times.

Here at Spencer, we are all obviously working within the Government guidelines in regards Covid 19, but at the same time, we are maintaining the highest possible standard of property management as you have come to expect.

We are all working tirelessly to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible for you all, so if you do have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact us. 

Some of you may have noticed that we have been looking to renew some of your tenancies a bit earlier than we normally would. The reason as to why this is simply because the Government has introduced a 3 month notice period, rather than the usual 2 months. Therefore, to protect your tenancies (and ultimately your income) we have made a very conscious effort to make sure we are on top of this. 

As well as this, we are also fully aware that the Government has also introduced new measures in granting mortgage payment holidays. We have found that some tenants maybe using this as a bit of an excuse to ask for a reduction in rent and subsequently using it to their advantage. There are obviously some cases where tenants will be affected financially because of this crisis, but we are making sure that every time this happens we are happy it's a legitimate reason to ask for a reduction to help with their circumstances. So far, its only been a very small percentage asking for such a claim and we are hopeful it will continue in this manner. 

At the same time, we are managing all the usual things that come with property management as we normally would. Whilst we are not doing any physical viewings, we are doing virtual viewings for any properties we have on the market and despite it not being ideal, we are finding this way to be quite successful with lets being agreed fairly quickly. As well as this, we are generating new business too, so there is also a constant stream of properties available despite the limitations of what we can do - which is obviously great news and testament to the lettings department. 

We are also working in such a way that we can still organise emergency repairs to your properties and such legal aspects as annual gas checks, so you know that your properties are legally up to date as much as possible. 

I hope this email helps to reassure you that its certainly business as usual with us and your continued support is always appreciated. 

Keep safe and stay well. 

Spencer

www.spencersestateagents.co.uk  

Opening times for Xmas and New Year #spencer #sheffield

Opening Times for Xmas and New Year 

Open Monday 23^rd December normal hours

Xmas Eve – CLOSED

Xmas Day – CLOSED

Boxing Day – CLOSED

Friday 27^th – Open 10am – 3pm

Saturday – Open normal hours

Monday 30^th December – open normal hours

New Year’s Eve – CLOSED

New Year’s Day – CLOSED

2^nd January – Open normal hours

Meet the #Spencer Team! Ruby Tuesday #wearespencer

   

   1. What do you enjoy doing when you get some time to yourself?
Outside of working at Spencer’s and uni, I have a horse and have done from being young as well as being a bit of a ‘gym bunny’.
 
2. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Barbados to see the swimming pigs! I would also love to go skiing, complete opposites I know!
 
3. What is your guilty pleasure?
I have a 2 year old nephew and I have no shame in admitting to watching all of his Disney cartoon films... with or without his company!
 
4. If you could meet a celebrity, who would it be?
David Attenborough and Philip Schofield.
 
5. Name three things you couldn’t live without –
Fake tan, Gin and chocolate!
 
6. What is your biggest fear?
I have a reoccurring nightmare of being stuck at the top of a really steep ladder or stairs and I can’t get down. I am also not very brave when it comes to creepy crawlies.
 
7. What is the most embarrassing thing to have happened to you?
I once ripped my skirt straight down the back getting into a taxi on a night out. My friend laughed so much she tripped and broke the heel off her shoe!
 
8. Who is your celebrity crush?
Tom Hardy
 
9. Do you have or have ever had a nickname?
At work and at home I am nicknamed Ruby Tuesday.
 
10. Do you have a pet peeve?
People who don’t close drawers properly & noisy eaters!

www.spencersestateagents.co.uk 

Meet the Team - #Blog #Spencer #Sheffield - Phil Peasegood (ha!)

A little about me……. Philippa Peasegood

Name // Philippa (or Pip, Flipflop but NEVER Phil)

Age // late 40s – let’s leave it there!

Family //  happily married with two boys.

Nationality // Officially English, but can narrow that down to Yorkshire born and bred!  My dad thought I was going to be a boy, so drove my mum in labour from Nottinghamshire to Yorkshire so I could play for Yorkshire Cricket team when I was older – disappointed I was a girl doesn’t cover it!

Favourite food // halloumi cheese kebabs!

Favourite drink // if I were trendy, perhaps I’d say flavoured gin with tonic, but to be honest I can’t start the day without a cup of tea.

Favourite book // It’s impossible to choose, so I’ll say Big Little Lies.

Favourite movie //  Bond, James Bond. Can’t decide between Skyfall or Spectre.  I’ve been to every opening night at the cinema since I was 15 years old.

Favourite TV shows // Line of Duty, along with the majority of the nation I suspect.

Thing I’m most proud of //   With the exception of having my children (obvs), helping disabled children combat their fears to ride a horse at the local Riding for Disabled stables. Got told off by Princess Ann when she came to our stables, as a child had wheeled himself underneath a horse and started tickling its tummy. As Princess Ann walked in, the horse reared – she was not amused!

Thing I’d rather forget //    Asking directions from a manikin to the changing rooms, not once but on three separate occasions!  It’s a bit of a laughing point with my friends.

Interesting fact //   I share the same DNA as someone – my twin sister. 

www.spencersestateagents.co.uk 

The Baker's Dozen - Lizzie Baker of Spencer Sheffield #Blog #whoarewe

The Baker's Dozen…

introducing Office Manager, Lizzie Baker

1.    I was born at home in Sheffield but it was nearly The Crucible. My poor mother had to drive herself home in a mini because my dad didn’t drive!
2.    I’m absolutely petrified of heights, not ideal when I’m on site visits.
3.    My happy place is Ecclesall Woods. It’s so peaceful.
4.    My other happy place is the pub!
5.    I’ve been on the Antiques Roadshow.
6.    Listening to The Archers is a massive guilty pleasure!
7.    Baking & cooking is my therapy (preferably with a glass of wine!) I can’t understand how anyone couldn’t enjoy it.
8.    I’m a huge fan of social media. I’ve made some really good friends through Twitter and even got my job at Spencers thanks to it!
9.    It took me 5 attempts to pass my driving test but when I did, at the age of 23, I did it without any major or minor faults.
10.  I would love to learn sign language. I think it’s an amazing skill to have.
11.  I love to hate to run.
12.  My two wonderful boys are my world and if I’m not at work, I’m probably in a park with them.
13.  I love to dance after a few glasses of wine, I’m always one of the last ones on the dance floor at a wedding. Without my shoes on!

www.spencersestateagents.co.uk 

Get to know #Spencer's People! This is Tom! #lettings #Sheffield #hero

1)      Who would you like to share a pint with, either dead or alive?
Louis Theroux and Karl Pilkington.

2)      What is the most embarrassing thing you have done?
Whilst I was at University, I somehow slept walked across campus and ended up in the library in just my boxer shorts and t-shirt. Because I had locked myself out of my room, I had to climb through some randomers window to get back into the building as well. Quite a sight I imagine for all concerned!

3)      What is your Guilty Pleasures?
Horrible Histories (a program on CBBC) and I am quietly fond of Made in Chelsea.

4)      Who is your sporting hero?
AP McCoy – these jump jockeys are incredibly tough and to ride 4300+ winners is something that will not be topped in my lifetime. An unbelievable achievement for someone who has broken every single bone in his body at some point in his career! Made being a jockey look easy. Unbelievable attitude and drive in becoming the best.

5)      Favourite Musical Artist + Film?
Tough one – I would probably opt for The Smiths, but with an honourable mention to The Stone Roses, The Streets and Oasis.  As for film, I would say Dead Man Shoes.

6)      What is your biggest fear?
Balloons. I cannot stand the things. I have to leave the room if someone starts to play with them in front of me. The fear of it randomly popping is too much for me to cope with. I also have a huge hatred for the smell of bleach and feeling dizzy (both alcohol and non-alcohol induced).

7)      What would you sing on a Karaoke night?
I would probably pretend I was Noel Gallagher and sing Don’t Look Back in Anger.

8)      Have you ever had a nickname?
At University, I was called “Asbo”. My second name is Aspinal and I am probably the last person who would ever get an actual “Asbo” so it was quite an ironic one and just stuck. However, being introduced to parents and other people I did not know as “Asbo” might not have given the greatest first impression!

9)      List two pet peeves.
Slow walking pedestrians who walk in front of me & people who put milk in before the hot water when making a brew. 

10)   Do you have any weird celebrity crushes?
Nothing out of the ordinary, but there is something about Alex Polizzi (the hotel inspector) and Lorraine Kelly.

www.spencersestateagents.co.uk 

How to get your home ready for sale! #Sheffield #Property #Blog

How to get your home ready for sale!

When selling your home first impression count, you have only 8 seconds to impress them. Here are some tips to help get your property ready for market.

Curb appeal

This is the first thing the viewers will see, so take a good look at what you're presenting.  Peeling paint, dirty windows, and dead plants, you have work to do! Remove debris such as fallen tree branches and leaves. Keep grass and shrubs trimmed, freshen up flowerbeds. Putting some flowers in front of the house or by the front door always makes people smile. Have a FOR SALE sign it helps your buyer find you!

Decluttering

Decluttering is so important you want the viewer to imagine living in the property. Removing excess furniture, clutter, personal items will make you home feel bigger. Clean your home from top to bottom, i.e.  Wash windows inside and out, dust down the cobwebs, polish chrome and mirrors, hoover, dust furniture and light fixtures.

Unfinished jobs

Get round to it, Now! If there’s a cupboard door hanging off or a tap that’s dripping – get it repaired. If the grouting in your shower has gone black or the carpet in the dining room is threadbare – get it replaced.  You might also want to think about removing all traces of your pet. Some people are allergic to cats.  Some people are scared of boisterous dogs.

The temperature

First impressions aren’t just about what you can see, they are also about what you hear and what you feel! Having the heating on in the winter months allows your viewers to view the property without wanting to get out as quickly as possible. It also applies in the summer try keeping the property cool. You can do this by shutting the curtain before the viewing (make sure you re open just before the viewing takes place)

Hope all these tips help you. Good luck!

www.spencersestateagents.co.uk 

SPENCER CHRISTMAS OPENING TIMES #SHEFFIELD

SPENCER CHRISTMAS OPENING TIMES

Christmas Eve – 8:45am until 1pm

Christmas Day – CLOSED

Boxing Day – CLOSED

27^th December- 10.30am – 2.30pm

28^th December - 10.30am – 2.30pm

29^th December – 8.45am – 1pm

31^st December – 8.45am – 1pm

1^st January 2019 – CLOSED

2^nd January 2019 – Business as usual

Merry Christmas to Everyone and Happy New Year! x

The ‘right and wrongs’ of selling your house by our Philippa Peasegood - #Spencer #Sheffield

The ‘right and wrongs’ of selling your house

It has the potential of being the most stressful thing you’ll ever do, so to alleviate the pain here are a few useful tips of what to do, but more importantly what not to do when selling your home.

Choose your agent wisely

Many people consider online agents cheaper, but when you’ve weighed up all the hidden costs you may find they could cost you more. Ensure your chosen agent as an excellent reputation and are proactive. Virtual agents aren’t ‘real’ estate agents.

Marketing

A great way to accentuate your sale is social media and property forums. Most people rely on this, rather than traipsing through agents’ websites. Also ensure you have a board outside. Unless people know your house is for sale, they can’t buy it!!

Overpricing your property

You may have an figure in your head, but let the agent advise you as they will be able to use their experience and knowledge of the market to assist you. Going with a valuation which is too high can actually backfire and be reduce the amount of interested buyers.

Get ready!

Most buyers will know in the first 60 seconds of walking through the door of your home if they can see themselves living there, so be prepared. Declutter and tidy your home are the key to selling.

Be prepared!

Along with tidying and decluttering, get those little maintenance jobs done. Most buyers don’t want to renovate, simply move in, so holes in the walls, peeling wallpaper or damp patches will put potential buyers off. If you need to paint a wall - do it.

Flexibility

Be prepared to be flexible. This may involve doing viewings at times when you simply want to sit down with your feet up. Some viewers work long hours, so if you can go the extra mile it may just work in your favour.

Use your agent

Let your agent guide you. They’re used to every question, stumbling block and eventuality. If you’re not sure - ask! It’s what we’re good at, but also what you’re paying for.

Keeping these common mistakes in the back of your mind will help you avoid them during the selling process.

Spencer. The Estate Agent

Love thy Neighbour #Blog #Sheffield #EstateAgent

Love Thy Neighbour

Whether you are a home owner, renting or living in a block of apartments most of us have neighbours and if you have them here’s my top tips to being a good neighbour in Sheffield.

Introduction

Neighbours can be a source of useful information when you are settling into your new home. So it’s well worth a friendly hello when you meet them for the first time. They can after all fill you in on the everyday stuff like where’s the nearest shop, bin collections and the do and don’t of street parking, if you don’t have sufficient driveway to house you and any visitors.

You don’t have to become best of friends, but neighbours on your side can be a valuable asset, they can look out for your property when you are away from it, offer you use of some extra parking if you have a party, be understanding if you are having some property maintenance carried out. So it’s worth keeping them in the loop and returning the favour when they are in need of a little help from you!

Be Considerate

With Bonfire night round the corner, you might want to pre-warn neighbours if you are planning a fire, so they are sure not to have washing out or windows open. If they have small children with a set bedtime, you could agree a time when the fireworks will be done or ask them round to join in with the fun, then you’ll be sure to have them on-side, or at least you’ve given them the opportunity and pre warned them of the event.

If you are planning a special occasion with a D J or band in the garden, it’s worth being clear about your intentions giving neighbours the date and time when there will be noise disruption and keep to the timescale, if you’ve said quiet by 10-30pm, everyone knows where they stand and there’s less chance of you getting reported to the local council/ police. 

Also if you’re coming and going unsocial hours for your work or just coming in late from a night out show them consideration and keep the noise down. No-one likes to be woken in the night by car doors slamming and shouting, it’s sure to be annoying for them to hear.

Disputes

We are all different people with varying standards and without realising it disputes can come around and that’s just life. If you need to approach a neighbour with an issue, try and keep your cool, explain what the cause of the problem is and listen respectfully to what they have to say . There could be a reason you were unaware of, sure as there garden being untidy due to illness, or bereavement in the family. Give them a chance to respond to you, try and understand from their perspective and hopefully you can work towards a suitable solution for all, even if it means you rolling up your sleeves and offering to lend a hand. Before you go down the path of reporting them to the authorities, it’s worth giving them a chance to redress the issue.

If someone comes to you with a concern, even if you think it’s petty, for them to seek you out, it is something that they are finding an issue. Be respectful and give then a timescale of when you look to have the problem dealt with, if it’s down to lack of money be honest and tell them to  bear with you until you have the funds to resolve this.

Peaceful Times Ahead

If you follow my top tips I am sure in the majority of cases you will be able to hold your head up high on seeing your neighbours, give them a friendly greeting and get on with your day. They may  be of help to you one day, taking in a parcel while you are out or pushing through some important post delivered to them in error.

After all “ Neighbours, everybody needs good neighbours”  and  “ That’s when good neighbours become good friends”

www.spencersestateagents.co.uk 

Does your #investment comply with #EPC changes in time for your next void period? Ask #Spencer #Sheffield

Energy Efficiency Regulation Changes

The government has decided that tenants in low energy-rated rental properties spend significantly more on energy bills than those in high energy-rated properties. According to figures, over 33% of tenants are reportedly unable to afford their fuel costs, this rises to 45% for tenants in F/G rated properties. 

If your rental property already has an energy efficiency rating of E or above, then you are already compliant and can relax FOR NOW.   If not then you need to start to think about what changes you need to make to improve your properties energy efficiency rating.

From 1^st April this year ALL rental properties with new tenancy agreements signed MUST have an EPC rating of at least an E, if you already have a tenant living in your property before this time who is happy to continue without signing a new tenancy agreement then you are safe FOR NOW.    These regulations will be extended to landlords of existing tenancies whether a new tenancy agreement is signed or not by 2020.

Things to do if you have a low rated EPC

1.       Check the recommendation section on your current EPC, this will advise you on what changes can be made to increase the rating. Some may be small others may be more expensive.  

2.       Speak to the assessor who did your original EPC as they may have more in depth advice without spending too much money.

3.       Make the changes in plenty of time of your next void time and have a new EPC generated

4.       BE COMPLIANT to avoid fines of up to £5,000 PER property.

If you need help or advice please contact our team at Spencer so that we can help you make sure you comply before the next void period so that we help to mitigate any losses. 

Call Lynn, Emily, or Ash now on 0114 2683682 

www.spencersestateagents.co.uk