Abbey Independent Inventories

Are you looking for a team to help add value to your property at an affordable price?   I have a life-long genuine interest in property which led me to a career in the industry, initially as an estate agent then qualifying as a Chartered Surveyor in the early 2000s.   Until recently, my interior design projects had been mainly generated through private contacts. I have always had a passion for creating interiors and seeing how to u...

Repair obligations are often a bone of contention between landlord and tenant. Various overlapping UK laws set out landlords' repair responsibilities. As these obligations are set in law any attempt to alter these responsibilities within a lease is automatically null and void. 3 pieces of law set out these repairing obligations: s 11 Landlord & Tenant Act 1985Housing Act 2004Homes (Fit for Human habitation) Act 2018 Technically a Landlords re...

Renting with pets used to be challenging for tenants. But thanks to the Renters’ Rights Bill, landlords will have to consider requests by law. The relevant clauses in the Bill are 10 and 11, which will amend the Housing Act 1988 and the Tenant Fees Act 2019, respectively. These apply to tenancies regulated by the act (which will be assured tenancies as assured shorthold tenancies are to be abolished) that are not social tenancies. According to so...

Quarterly Tax Sumissions for Landlords from April 2026! The Government is planning to create an additional tax compliance layer for landlords, laid out in the Chancellors Spring Statement recently. Any landlord from 2028 with rental income in excess of £20,000pa will now be included in the the Governmnets 'Making Tax Digital' plans announced in the Spring Statement. This will add another burden to small landlords. New tax filling regulations will...

The Renters Righ Bill, due to come into force this year, ends the practice of rental bidding by prohibiting landlords and agents from asking for or accepting offers above the advertised rent. Landlords and agents will be required to publish an asking rent for their property and it will be illegal to accept offers made above this rate. Government interventions in price-setting historically tends not to end well. Despite a desire to protect tenants...

As a self-managing landlord, I am always delighted when good tenants want to renew their tenancy.Having long-term tenants is one of the best ways to reduce the costs and hassle of multiple tenant turnover. In 2025, with tenants expectations continuing to evolve, as a landlord I am constantly looking at way to attract and retain reliable renters.How can a landlord take positive steps to attract and retain the best tenants. The check list below wil...

Financial crime and compliance rules are changing faster than ever. The technology used by Individuals involved in money laundering, fraud and terrorist financing has evolved over many years, and is now far beyond methods traditionally used to exploit loopholes in regulations. To keep up with these technological advancements the law is having to adapt. From May 14th 2025, new ALM reporting obligations for letting agents will apply to all lets, re...

Author Tom Entwistle Landlord Zone February 25, 2025 New laws will place extra demands on landlords and letting agents The extra risks associated with letting following the passing of the Renters' Rights Bill later this year will mean extra vigilance if landlords are to avoid trouble. New financial sanctions checks (AML) for letting agencies and landlords are also to be introduced from 14th May 2025 To some extent, as lan...

Published by Letting Agent Today 27th February 2025-by Marc Shoffman Changes to anti-money laundering regulations for letting agents could see more fines as firms struggle to keep up with the changes, it has been warned. As of 14 May, new financial sanctions reporting obligations will come into force requiring letting agents to conduct far stricter AML checks. Agents will need to verify the identity of tenants and landlords, check that they don’t...

Published by HomeLet Last updated: 28/06/2022    Inventories are a significant part of your tenancy.  They hold the key to getting your full deposit back or only some of it when you move out, and they can help prevent disputes with your landlord or letting agent. With this in mind, having a complete understanding of inventories and how they work is essential to you as a tenant. If you want to learn more, follow our guide to th...

Written By: Anna SagarPosted:February 25, 2025Around 25,000 first-time buyers could miss the upcoming stamp duty deadline on 31 March and will complete in April, research suggests. According to research from Rightmove, in total there are around 74,000 homemovers in England going through the legal completion process who will just miss the 31 March deadline and complete in April. This is equal to around £142m in extra stamp duty payments. The repor...

  Rightmove on-line February 17th 2025 We’re fast approaching the Spring selling season, which is one of the busiest periods of the year for the housing market. People emerge from winter hibernation mode to start their search for a new home, as well as lots more people listing their homes for sale. The average price of property coming to market has risen by 0.5% (+£1,805) this month to £367,994, which is lower than the 0.8% increase we usual...

Stamp Duty changes mean that many buyers are now rushing to get transactions over the finish line before duty bills increase in April. From April 1 2025 there are key rule changes including the threshold at which people start paying the tax will drop from £425,000 to £300,000 for first-time buyers, meaning that when buying a home worth £425,000 or more they will go from paying nothing to paying £6,250 on stamp duty. Similarly the threshold is als...

Emily Popple Goodlord online- Updated Feb 10, 2025 The Government is proposing that rental properties must reach EPC C by 2030. But making significant investments now could actually set your clients back... The Government is proposing tighter energy efficiency regulations in the UK, requiring all privately rented properties to achieve a minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C by 2030. Although these changes aim to improve housing...

  3rd Edition By Suzanne Smith -The Independent Landlord https://theindependentlandlord.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/New-Landlord-Manual-May-2024.pdf   If you require any assistance with your mid- term or inventory requirements in the Oxford area including  Abingdon, Didcot, Wallingford, Witney, Woodstock & Burford please call me Julie Godard on 07557008203 or visit our website https://www.abbeyindependentinventorie...

Published on December 31, 2024 by Sarah Mac How to Attract Long-Term Tenants in 2025As a landlord, having long-term tenants is one of the best ways to ensure stability and reduce the costs and hassle of frequent tenant turnover. In 2025, with tenant expectations continuing to evolve, landlords need to step up their game to attract and retain reliable renters. From well-maintained properties to fostering positive relationships, here’s how you can ...

TDS 19th December 2022 During the winter months, gardens and external areas of properties can begin to suffer, leading to disputes between agents, tenants and landlords. Dispute calls are typically at their highest this time of year, so ensuring all your paperwork is in order is even more critical. Three real-life scenarios, brought to the TDS adjudication panel highlight the importance of having a detailed inventory as reliable evidence that can...

BBC news 5th February 2025   At midday, the Bank of England cut interest rates from 4.75% to 4.5% - but that's not all we learned today: The Bank's base rate is now at its lowest since June 2023 - and two of the nine committee members voted for a bigger cutThe Bank also cut its growth forecast for the UK economy from 1.5% to 0.75% for this yearInflation is forecast to rise, peaking at 3.7% later this year, which the Bank says is due to incre...

Jonathan Haskel, who was on the Bank's Monetary Policy Committee until last summer, has been speaking to BBC Radio 4's World at One. Commenting on the interest rate cut, Haskel says: "It's what the market expected but I’m afraid to say that the forecast can be summarised in one word - which the Governor was unwilling to use, but it’s there I think - which is stagflation. "The economy is in a difficult position. The Bank’s forecast last year for t...

Jessica TomlinsonManaging Director & Head of Housing - Lloyds Banking GroupLast updated: 06 December 20243 min read Did you know that almost two million UK households on low-incomes are currently living in unsuitable conditions?  We’re talking about thousands of individuals facing issues such as damp, mould, and overcrowding with nearly three quarters of people surveyed on UK social housing waiting lists across the UK experiencing proble...