Posts Tagged ‘property management in East Lothian’

Chalmers & Co invites clients to the Haddington Show on Sat 2nd July

Monday, May 30th, 2011

Chalmers & Co’s motto is ‘shaping the countryside’ which is why we are delighted to be the main sponsors of the Haddington Show for the second year running.

You are invited to visit our marquee overlooking the main ring for some light refreshments and hospitality.

Winton House, the historic hospitality and wedding venue with royal connections and the Energy Savings Trust

Chalmers & Co sponsors of the Haddington Show
Haddington Show visitors at the ringside in 2010

will be sharing Chalmers & Co’s marquee.

Their joint displays feature their contributions to East Lothian’s rural communities and businesses.

Shaping your countryside

Chalmers & Co estate agents sponsors Haddington Show
Chalmers & Co is sponsoring Haddington Show with Winton House & the Energy Saving Trust

Chalmers & Co’s comprehensive, multi-discipline property services cover Property Management & Consultancy, Estate Agency and Architectural Services.

By providing a broad range of property services, the firm aims to ensure that their clients receive advice that is fully tailored to their property requirements.

Managing your countryside

Chalmers & Co can help save costs or generate income for clients by reviewing existing leases, including telecoms rents and farm rents, and by negotiating sales of amenity land which can often provide a valuable addition to many residential properties.

Chalmers & Co can guide their clients through the Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) which can provide significant funding to IACS registered businesses under the Rural Priorities Scheme.

Creating your dream home

Chalmers & Co is now one of East Lothian’s largest architectural practices, offering a full architectural service from design drawings, planning applications, building warrants and the appointment of contractors, through to project completion.

The firm has a good working relationship with planning departments and a good track record for obtaining planning consent for both sensitive rural and urban sites.

Selling, letting and managing your homes

As chartered surveyors and professional marketers, Chalmers & Co provides a comprehensive estate agency and letting service. This is based on having an excellent understanding of local property markets. The firm gives professional property advice and provides intelligent marketing with regular client feedback.

Chalmers & Co has more than three decades of experience locally in residential rentals and property management. Their landlords enjoy hassle-free letting as a result of robust processes, including annual property inspections, regular rent reviews, effective leases and an excellent network of quality tradesmen.

Winton House, Pencaitland – historic, ‘exclusive use’, hospitality venue

Are you celebrating a special birthday, important anniversary or looking for wedding venue? Winton House with its remarkable Scottish Renaissance embellishments can be exclusively yours for the duration of your event.

The House is also a blue chip corporate hospitality, conference and team-building venue. Clients have included Standard Life, Nokia, Mercedes Benz, Alliance Pharmaceuticals and Tesco’s Personal Finance.

Energy Saving Scotland advice centre

Part of the Energy Saving Trust, they are an impartial organisation that helps people save energy and reduce carbon emissions. They can advise on energy saving techniques, generating electricity, heat and even income from alternative energy solutions, and whether there might be funding available for a project.

T: 0800 512 012

Please visit our marquee or contact us direct for an informal chat and some free initial advice.

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Letting Forum warns of changes to letting legislation

Friday, February 25th, 2011

Letting legislation never stands still and here are some more changes on the way, as discussed at the February letting forum with East Lothian Council:

Private Rented Housing Bill 2010

A few changes here but the ones that mainly affect our clients are; Landlord registration number has to be displayed on all marketing material with the exception of to let boards (ie the number will need to be displayed on each window card, advert and websites), Pre-tenancy charges will be illegal (i.e. sums charged for granting, renewal or continuance of tenancies). These changes are expected to be passed in March 2011 and brought in late in 2011-12.

Tenancy Deposit Scheme

The scheme is designed to safeguard tenants deposit by placing it in the hands of a 3rd party. Even existing deposits held will need to be put into the scheme. Administrators of the schemes will be approved as fit and proper (may only be one scheme or possibly a choice). When the tenancy ends then Chalmers & Co would apply for release of the funds detailing what is to be paid to the landlord and what to the tenant with reasons why and proof. Tenant has 30 days to respond – agree or dispute. In the case of a dispute then it is referred to an independent adjudicator – there will be no provision for landlord to appeal to court. Due to be passed in March 2011 but unlikely to be introduced until 2012.

Housing Benefit Changes

Local Housing Allowance rates are to be set at the ‘30th percentile’ level of market rents which means properties available to LHA claimants will drop from 5 in 10 to 3 in 10. Essentially this means people will have less money to pay rent & less options for alternative housing. Landlords may be obliged to either reduce rents or end tenancies. Any landlords unable to reduce rents or to re-let may themselves default on their mortgage.

This will affect our clients who currently let to DSS assisted tenants. Timescales involved – starts April 2011 however any existing tenants have at least 9 months to prepare for the change. To give you an idea of what this means figure wise at the moment someone renting a 3 bed gets paid £150pw – this will be reduced to £137.31pw. The larger the property the more it is affected for example someone currently paid for 5 bedroom property at £386.54pw will be reduced to the new cap of a 4 bed at £253.85pw (a loss to the tenant of over £500pm)

Further information can be found on the Scottish Parliament website and the government legislation website.

Or by contacting Ewan Ritchie at East Lothian Council on 01875 824368 or at landlordregistration@eastlothian.gov.uk

What do you think of these changes? Are they helpful of do you think they add unnecessary red tape to an increasingly complex letting market? Please give us your comments and views.

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