Dec content

New year, new buyers

While Christmas is the time for overindulging, spending time with family and watching all the classics, it's also a really reflective season.

 

After the festivities have wound down, we've always found a renewed interest from homeowners and tenants in the days following New Year's Eve, with enquiries and property searches at an all-time high.

 

We've all spent more time than ever at home this year, so when everyone's gathered around the Christmas tree, you might find yourself planning what your next Christmas could look like and whether you'd choose to spend it living elsewhere.

 

Whilst it's commonly believed that spring and summer see the strongest market activity, year-after-year January has stood out as a time when online searches peak and more people are ready to make and accept offers in a fast timeframe.

 

Who chooses to move at this time of the year?

 

The new year property market usually consists of two types of people: first-time buyers and those re-entering the market after trying in the previous year.

 

In the spring and summer, the market typically becomes much more competitive, with higher supply levels.

 

If you want to consider a fresh start in 2021 with a new place to call home, it's actually a really good idea to start the process now so you can instruct your agent, plan your property marketing strategy and be ready for the expected surge in buyer interest.

 

Whilst we all hoped the pandemic would be contained within 2020, it's now a confirmed reality that nothing will change when the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve.

 

For that reason, we're committed to continuing all of the safe measures and social distancing practices we've implemented this year.

 

To beat the crowd and make your home extremely visible on the property market over the peak holiday period, contact our agency today – visit our website for more information.

 

Winter maintenance suggestions to safeguard your property

As we're in the midst of winter, and the cold weather is now in full force, you need to be informed on how to protect your home against any potential seasonal damage, as well as reduce unnecessary spending.

Back in 2018, there were a record number of burst pipes in the UK, resulting in over £194 million worth of insurance pay outs.*

Whilst these can be problematic for homeowners and landlords, there are a whole range of contributing factors that could lead to expensive repair bills at this time of the year.

To help you cut these costs, we've collated advice every property owner should be aware of.


1) Protect your pipes

A burst pipe can cause up to £4,000 in damages – rising beyond this amount in the most severe cases.

Pipe insulation, which can be installed yourself, costs next to nothing. It can be used under sinks, on any pipes running along exterior walls and in attics.

Basements are also important to pay close attention to, where 37% of all burst pipes happen. Insulating your water pipes will prevent pipes from freezing or bursting, which can be a huge inconvenience for households over the holidays.


2) Insulate your loft space

Investing money into insulating your loft will save you a small fortune in the long run, with average annual savings as follows:**

– £225 on your energy bill per year for a detached house
– £135 on your energy bill per year for a semi-detached house
– £120 on your energy bill per year for a mid-terrace house

Alongside this financial incentive, insulating your attic will mean you're directing heat within your property to the living areas, where it needs to be.

 

By keeping your attic cooler, it may also prevent ice dams from forming on your roof.


3) Clean out and inspect your gutters

Your property's gutters are there to get rid of rainwater that collects on the roof.

Regular maintenance and checks will prevent blockages from forming. If a problem forms, you'll start to notice rainwater running down the side of your house and may even spot discoloured walls inside.

Gutters can become clogged with leaves, moss, twigs or even bird nests.

It is very important that the water can be drained, otherwise damp and mould can form, leading to a much more serious issue for you to tackle!


4) Wrap up your hot water tanks

Perhaps an unusual one, but getting your hands on a British Standard Jacket for your hot water cylinder can protect your home and save money too.

The Energy Saving Trust recommends insulation to be 25mm to 80mm thick.

With yearly savings of up to £150, it's estimated that payback on one of these insulation jackets would take just two months.


5) Bleed your radiators

Rather than do this once a year, homeowners and landlords should routinely check their radiators to release trapped air, as this will ensure they're working at maximum capacity whenever you decide to turn the heating on.


6) Close off your chimney

A huge loss of heat can arise from unused fireplaces.

If you have a chimney that you do not use, and you would like to board it up, try a chimney balloon.

They can cost as little as £30 and they are incredibly easy to install, with the balloons keeping the cold air out by blocking any drafts.


The cleaning essentials that you need to know about for your festive preparations:

– A rubber broom: if you opt for a real Christmas tree this year and don't want to battle pine needles on your floor, then you need one of these. As an added bonus, they're also effective at collecting pet hair too.

– Nylon pan scrapers: over Christmas you are bound to have some stubborn pans that even elbow grease cannot save. Invest in a pan scraper to make the clean-up that much easier.

– Red wine stain remover: There will be wine flowing during the festivities, so make sure you have something at hand to fight resilient stains.

– Mould cleaner: As December is typically wet and cold, it is prime time for mould to form. To get ahead of the problem, consider stocking up on mould cleaner to combat areas as soon as they appear!


For more tips on protecting your home this season, talk to our property professionals.


*Association of British Insurers (ABI)
**Energy Saving Trust

 

How to be happier when working from home

Working from home has become the new normal for millions of us since the start of lockdown more than nine months ago.

 

However, even with the promising news of a vaccine ready for distribution, some people may find themselves permanently stationed at home long after the pandemic, as businesses find they can reduce costs and see the same levels of productivity from their employees.

With mental health becoming more recognised in the workplace, it’s important we’re as content as possible in our everyday activities.

 

Here are some simple ways to keep you and your team happier when working from home.

 

 

Let the light in

Sunlight is proven to trigger the brain to release the hormone serotonin. This makes people feel calmer and more focused, as well as reducing anxiety.

 

If possible, position your workspace near a window, with the curtains fully drawn.

 

It is also a good idea to have your makeshift office in a room or area of the house that's painted white or a light colour, as this reflects light.

 

Get rid of unnecessary noise

There’s nothing worse than being constantly distracted by unnecessary noise, especially when it’s repetitive or coming from an external source you can't control, like traffic or construction work.

 

Listening to one additional conversation can lead to a 66% dip in productivity, so you might find that working from home has led to a significant increase in your workload capabilities in recent months.

 

To really benefit from fewer auditory distractions, close your office space off from the rest of the world and purchase reliable earplugs or headphones.

 

If you're missing the hustle and bustle from your everyday life, you can find faint office sounds to simulate the office ambience, which you'll find much less distracting than work gossip or meetings happening in the background!

 

Organise your workspace

A messy workspace has been found to raise your level of cortisol, a stress hormone.

 

Whilst occasional clutter can be easily overlooked, if you change that area to a permanent workspace, it could easily become a distraction.

 

It is best to have a proper clean out of your working area before you start.

 

Move around

Now you’re at home all the time, your daily commute has changed to being a journey from the bedroom to your makeshift office space.

 

This means that you’re probably missing out on exercise that benefits you mentally as well as physically.

 

It is best to take regular breaks from sitting down and go for a walk around the house or outside.

 

Face-to-face contact

Most of our social contact comes from interacting with our peers in the workplace, therefore working from home deprives us of this.

 

It is vital for your mental health to be able to talk to others and doing this through a screen is nowhere near as effective.

 

During your lunch break or after work, connect with a friend in-person (if the current guidelines permit it in your area).

 

Have you recently looked over what insurance you have for your business and their relevancy to remote working? To find out more, contact us from our website.

 

 

Cyber scams to be aware of in 2020 and beyond

Since March, cyber scams have skyrocketed, with the majority of these attacks coming from emails or social media ads targeting UK businesses and individuals.

 

These online scammers took advantage of companies being underprepared to uproot their offices for remote working practices, with personal internet connections proving a weak link in an otherwise established cyber security protection plan.

Cybersecurity software firm, Nexor, suggest that scammers have wrongfully accumulated £6 billion from UK businesses so far this year.

 

Worryingly, records also show that there was a 31% increase between May and June – arguably the toughest part of the lockdown. This presents the notion that these scammers are opportunistic and strike when your business may be deemed most vulnerable.

Over the past 12 months, 3,455 UK businesses have reported being scammed out of funds – just over half of these were since the primary lockdown in March.

 

With more and more attacks of this nature occurring, it’s more important than ever to only click email attachments from sources you trust, and be alert when browsing social media.

However, it’s not just email and social media scams that have put UK businesses at risk this year, with compromised company servers being the second most common threat.

 

These attacks are arguably the most dangerous, as no direct action from an employee will result in the hackers gaining access, unlike with an email breach.

 

Instead, the hackers will look for areas of your server where security may be looser and then gain entry to your records, customers and financial reports. This can be especially dangerous as it isn’t always as easy to spot.

The senior Security Consultant at Nexor, Sarah Knowles, suggests that the key to preventing servers from being compromised or hacked is to ensure internal database security is tightened, and any potential weaknesses are identified and fixed.

 

This is obviously a lot more challenging in the age of home working, but it is a vital step to ensuring cyber security. Knowles goes on to suggest investing in staff awareness training, so your team are vigilant to suspicious emails, calls or texts, and that the correct reporting processes are followed.

Sometimes these emails are opened by mistake and this is a more common occurrence with communication disrupted from working in different locations.

 

With a bespoke cyber insurance policy, you will be protected from any losses accrued from these types of attacks, keeping your business up and running as usual.

 

For more information contact us today.


Source: ITProPortal 

 

What support is there for my business during Covid-19?

The coronavirus pandemic has been tough on small businesses in 2020, especially those who cannot operate remotely.

 

However, since lockdown was first introduced in March, there have been various measures put in place by the UK government to help businesses and their employees through this extremely difficult time.

 

So, what support is there for you as a business owner?

 

 

The furlough scheme

Initially introduced earlier this year, the furlough scheme meant that the government paid 80% of employees’ wages if they were unable to work.

 

This was supposed to end in October, however, due to England heading into a second lockdown, this has now been extended until March 2021.

If your staff are unable to work due to your business being closed, you may be eligible to put your staff onto the government furlough scheme.

 

To find out more about this, visit: gov.uk/government/news/furlough-scheme-extended-and-further-economic-support-announced


The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme

From 30th November 2020, if you are self employed, you may be able to claim for self-employed income support.

 

This grant is the third in the scheme and will cover you from November to April 2021, with a figure that's calculated by taking 80% of your business’ profits up to £7,500.

 

You will be payed in two lump sums, each covering a three-month period.*

However, there are specific requirements in order to be eligible for the scheme. For example, if you are newly self-employed, a freelancer or sole trader having previously had more than £50,000 profit, or have payed yourself in dividends, you will not be eligible.


Extra job help

The government is also currently offering additional pay-outs for businesses who are supplying jobs to particular employees over the pandemic. These include:

 

A £2,000 pay-out for every apprentice under the age of 25 who is taken on until the end of January 2021. Similarly, there is £1,500 up for grabs for any apprentice over the age of 25 who is taken on until the end of January 2021.

 

A £1,000 pay-out is available for each furloughed employee who is kept in a job until at least the end of January.

 

Finally, there is a pay-out of £1,500 for each 16-24 year-old who is currently out of work and given a six-month work placement that is deemed high-quality.

 

Insurance policies 

As your leading insurance broker, we’re here to help you and your business during this time.

 

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your current insurance policies, or perhaps areas you may not be insured for, contact us and secure peace of mind this Christmas season.

*GOV.UK
Source: Coronavirus: What support is there for my business? - BBC News