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Why the Property Market in Crediton won’t have a holiday this summer

Devon

There are 2 things which seem sure to happen during this year’s summer holiday season. It’s the ‘will we, won’t we?’ question of the moment.

Will we get our two weeks holiday in the sun? Or won’t we? The current situation means it’s unclear if people in the UK will be able to make their annual summer pilgrimage abroad to sunnier climes.

New quarantine regulations, concern over a possible second wave of infections and the idea of having to social distance while we’re supposed to be letting our hair down have dampened many peoples’ desire to go abroad on holiday.

So, expect a surge of staycations, the term used to describe a holiday within your own country. As national lockdown rules start becoming more relaxed, the consensus from travel experts is holidaying within the UK will be more popular than since the 1940s.

Even closer to home we’re expecting and preparing for a lot more summer activity in the mid Devon property market than usual. More on that in a minute.

Staycation Success Steps

If you are planning a home from home staycation here are three simple ways you can make it special – without even leaving Crediton.

Make time to slow down – Holidays refresh us because the pace of our life slows down. The good news is you don’t have to be on a socially distanced beach to do things at a more leisurely pace. During your staycation get up later than usual, ditch the schedule, do things you enjoy and don’t feel guilty about relaxing.

The path less travelled – One of the best things about our adventures abroad is finding new places to enjoy. So why not try walking somewhere new within your neighbourhood. Turn left, instead of your usual right, and see where it leads.

Local days out – So Lanzarote, Florida, etc. might be off the cards, but there’s still plenty to do locally. This could be your chance to visit that park you’ve always wanted or have a treat-filled picnic in your back garden.

The Summer Property Surge

Traditionally the months of July and August see a lull in the property market because people are away on holiday and the kids are off from school.

And when you factor in significant sporting events like the Olympics and football tournaments such as the European Championships, people’s focus moves away from buying or selling a new home. The cancellations of these sporting events combine with the bigger factor of a massive reduction in summer holidays. Add to this that many schools are potentially not re-opening until September.

This all means the property market in Crediton will be much more active in July and August than ever before.

We’re already seeing signs we’re going to be in for a surge of activity for the rest of the year, as pent up sellers and buyers come to the market. So, if you are thinking of moving home now your summer holiday plans are on hold, please get in touch with us. We’re here to help in any way we can, well, apart from being able to guarantee you your two weeks in the sun complete with Happy Hours. But we can guarantee we’ll give you a warm welcome, five-star service and excellent local knowledge.

We’d also love to hear your staycation ideas. Let us know how you’d make a home ‘at’ home holiday one to remember.

Thanks for reading!

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Can I Move Home Now?

We look in-depth at the Government guidelines released last week which kick-started the property market in Crediton.

On Wednesday last week, it was officially announced estate agents in England could go back to work as part of the Government’s phased relaxation of the lockdown. We’re open again but only because we are fully ready to do so thanks to preparing in advance, whilst some agencies have rushed blindly out of the traps, unprepared and dived straight back in.

When Elvis Presley sang “….Only fools rush in’ he could have been singing about certain sections of the property industry. And just like the King of Rock and Roll that’s not our approach either. We took our time under lockdown to ensure we have enough Personal Protective Equipment, we have also stocked up on santisers, social distancing signs and prepared our Be Clean Be Safe protocols and policies.

We’re definitely not foolishly rushing in!

The key parts of the Government’s advice for people looking to move or purchase a home are summarised below. We want to reassure home sellers and buyers in Crediton we will be following these guidelines thoroughly.

Buyers

Initial viewings should be carried out virtually wherever this is possible, and estate agents should help you to do this.

All physical viewings should be limited to members of the same household, and open house viewings should not take place.

When physically viewing properties, where possible, you should avoid touching surfaces, wash your hands regularly, and bring your own hand sanitiser. The number of people on a viewing should be minimised to those from your household that have to be there. If you need to be accompanied by small children, you should try to keep them from touching surfaces and ensure they wash their hands regularly.

Sellers

If people are being shown around your current home, you should open all internal doors and ensure surfaces, such as door handles, are cleaned after each viewing with standard household cleaning products.

As most people choose to, we recommend you leave your property while viewings are taking place to minimise your contact with those not in your household.

Everyone

Anyone involved in any aspect of the home moving process should practice social distancing in line with public health advice.

Movers

When moving between properties, you and those in your household should try to do as much of the packing yourself as you can. Where this is not possible, you should speak to removal firms in advance.

If you are particularly worried about the risk of infection, then speak to the professionals involved, your estate agent, landlord or removers as they may be able to put in place extra measures.

Homes Hotline

In addition to these and our other measures we have also created a Safe Homes Hotline where we will answer any questions you have about how we are protecting people – 01363 777999.

We’re expecting a very busy few months as buyers and sellers who have been put on hold by lockdown are now released.

Property portals reported record numbers of people visiting their sites in the 24 hours after lockdown, and we look set for a busy summer, especially as overseas holidays look unlikely to happen.

We are ready, and looking forward to serving our clients safely, sensibly and successfully.

Here’s the Government’s advice on moving home: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/government-advice-on-home-moving-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak

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It’s Feelgood Friday!

its feelgood friday helmores

Good news is coming in from different sections of our everyday lives!

As we enter a different phase in life under lockdown, we’re starting to feel more positive about the future and here’s why:

Health

Public health officials in England have approved a test to see whether people have been infected with coronavirus in the past. This may well be rolled out UK wide. It spots antibodies in people who could now have some level of immunity.

Sport

Football fans will be pleased to know the German Bundesliga is restarting this weekend with games in closed stadiums. We’re waiting on news from the UK’s football and other sporting authorities.

Environment

A group of volunteers have been isolating themselves in Scotland to save more than 100,000 native trees from being lost. They are from a charity, Trees for Life, which had its work planting new trees to restore the Caledonian Forest to its ancient glory, threatened by the outbreak. Thanks to the volunteers, the essential work needed is still being done. Tree – mendous. (sorry, couldn’t resist it).

Community

We’re proud to be a part of a group of agents across the UK who donate to national and global community causes every month via something called The Karma Club. It is organised by estate agency industry supplier the Estate Agent Content Club. So far, we’ve played our part in donations to care homes, food banks and youth groups during the outbreak.

Kindness

Flying the flag, literally, to bring a smile to people’s faces is artist Julian Wood. Julian has created small fabric flags bearing messages of kindness and hope, and he has left them in public places around Bristol to cheer people up. The messages include ‘You’re sweet’ ‘Thank you NHS’ and ‘You look great.’

We want our community in mid Devon to know we are there for them during these surreal times. Please let us know if we can help you in any way.

Thanks for reading. Stay safe, stay sensible and be kind to each other!

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A Covid-19 update for homeowners in Crediton

crediton helmores

In this 90-second read, we give you an update on what the Government’s report issued yesterday means to people thinking of selling or letting in Crediton

The UK Government’s plan to steer the four nations through the Covid-19 storm was released yesterday at 2 pm. We’ve read through it and here’s our understanding of how it affects sellers, buyers, landlords and tenants in Crediton and across Devon.

While factories and building sites can re-open if they follow the social distancing regulations, estate agency offices can’t, for now anyway.

We don’t know for sure when we’ll be able to re-open our offices and return to accompanied viewings of some description. It could be June 1st. It could be July 1st. It could even be longer, which is unlikely but a possibility. We believe in telling our clients and community the truth, which is what we’re doing in this article to the best of our knowledge and understanding.

But we’re working hard to be all systems go when there is a relaxation around when and how and when viewings, valuations, and face to face meetings can take place.

Behind the scenes we’ve been working on:

  • Ordering PPE for our team.
  • Working on our clean office protocol.
  • Creating a plan to ensure people’s safety and health is paramount as we conduct our work.
  • Keeping in regular contact with buyers and tenants within our client base.

While it may be frustrating that we can’t do the job we love in the way we love doing it, the health of our community, the nation and our loved ones is more important. As this is a constantly changing situation and admittedly quite confusing at times, we’re playing it by ear.

When we hear any official updates, which affect our clients or the property market in Crediton we’ll communicate them to you quickly.

If you have any questions whatsoever, please feel free to give us a call on 01363 777999 or ping us an email [email protected]

We’re very much open for business, just in a slightly different way, but our focus remains on supporting our clients, team, and community.

Thanks for reading, stay safe, stay sensible, and we’re here if you need us.

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A Coronavirus Update for Homeowners Considering Selling

corona virus update

In this three-minute read, we share four simple ways you can get your property ready for sale if you are thinking of moving when lockdown ends. And we share four things we’re doing to continue serving our clients and to keep everyone as safe as possible.

As some sections of our society are slowly being ‘unlocked’ following Boris Johnson’s address yesterday evening, there is some light beginning to be seen at the end of the tunnel.

The messages we’ve all heard from medical officers across the UK is that if we stay very mindful of the threat of Coronavirus, we can eventually defeat this awful disease.

We are awaiting a detailed report from the Government which is set to be released today at 2 pm and should clarify some of the questions people thinking of moving may have. We’ll be issuing an update around this tomorrow.

We can’t rush this, the lockdown is a phased process, as outlined yesterday and everyone still has an essential part to play. We are receiving more and more enquiries from people thinking about selling when this all ends. The good news is there are some simple things you can do to get ahead and prepare, should you want to sell and move in the future.

By following these steps, you help give your agent the best chance of selling your property quickly, and for a price, you’re delighted with.

Four Steps to Prepare – Help Us

  1. Many of you have probably done this one already if you’ve had time on your hands. Declutter.
  2. Get any property related paperwork like warranties, guarantees and manuals all in one easy to access place. Organise.
  3. There’s never been a better time to do those odd jobs around the home which need doing. Fix the squeaky door, clean the fascia, paint the spare room. Maintain.
  4. It’s spring clean time (ish) and having a fresh-smelling, clean home is good for your mental and physical health – whether you are selling or not. Clean.

And while we’re on the subject of being clean, here are four things we will be introducing, but only when the rules around viewings are relaxed. And these will be updated depending on today’s Government announcement.

Virtual Viewings – We’re already doing them, and they will continue to be very popular with prospective buyers in the future. Contact us for more details.

Going Contactless – We’ll be advising sellers to leave doors, cupboards, and gates open where possible to reduce any risk during physical viewings.

Protecting Each Other – We will carry hand sanitiser and other forms of Personal Protective Equipment to every viewing.

Take a (very short) Vacation – We will be asking people to vacate their properties if there is a viewing. This could be to sit in their cars or go into the garden. We feel the use of virtual valuations will mean that prospective buyers having a physical viewing are seriously thinking about buying the property they are looking at.

We’re expecting the local property market to leap back into life once the pent-up demand to move is unleashed when the lockdown and social distancing measures are further relaxed, and we’ll be ready for it.

But the most important thing for us at Helmores is to ensure the safety of our team, our clients, and our community across mid Devon.

Stay safe. We will get through this and look out for our update tomorrow!

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How to (virtually) make the most of life under lockdown

what to do in lockdown

Life under lockdown and respecting social distancing guidelines needn’t mean you have no social life as this 2-minute read explains.

Across the UK People are getting creative and using technology in several ways to come together during a time when for the good of us all, we’re keeping apart. Human beings are naturally social animals (some less than others you might say) so being able to keep a connection with colleagues, friends and family is healthy for us. Especially during anxious times like these.

As Crediton went under lockdown people have used technology to stay in touch. Below are four ideas and links, to help you make the most of life under lockdown and bringing those close to you together – virtually.

Virtual book clubs

Virtual book clubs have boomed since the lockdown. Probably because they are easy to do. Just get a group of friends, read the same chapters of the same book each week, then catch up on Zoom, or other video conferencing platforms, to discuss what you’ve read.

Virtual pub quiz

Many of us miss a drink down the local, but many people have made the best of things by setting up online pub quizzes. See the link below for tips on how to create a perfect one. Cheers.

Murder mysteries

Fancy gathering some friends and family for a game of whodunnit? Virtual murder mysteries give you the chance to get in touch with your inner Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot. You’ll be able to get creative with costumes, alibis, and a suspension of reality for a couple of hours. We’re in!

Kids’ (and grown-ups) birthday parties

One of the saddest aspects of the lockdown has been how many children have missed out on their birthday parties. But technology now makes it possible to get your little cherubs around computers to take part in games, quizzes, dance contests and many other ways to have fun.

This all goes to show that where’s the will, and Wi-Fi, there’s a way to have fun, stay safe and stay socially active in Crediton.

At Helmores, we’re embracing the virtual world ourselves by investing more in video tours, interactive 3d tours, and offering valuations and viewings virtually. Take a look at our 3d tours here: https://helmores.com/3d-tours/

To find out more get in touch with us by clicking here

Thanks for reading, stay home, protect the NHS, save lives, and look after yourselves and each other.

PS: Here are those links:

Book Club: https://www.countryliving.com/entertaining/a32010726/virtual-book-club/

Pub Quiz: https://www.wired.co.uk/article/virtual-pub-quiz-tips

Murder Mysteries: https://www.realsimple.com/work-life/entertainment/virtual-murder-mystery-party

Kids Parties: https://letsgowiththechildren.co.uk/birthday-party-ideas/

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How to avoid tenancy disputes

reduce the risks of tenancy disputes

In this three-minute read, we look at ways, landlords can reduce the risk of and avoid tenancy disputes, both now and when lockdown ends.

There’s plenty of talk in the news about the possibility of the lockdown being eased across some industries. The rental property and letting agents lobby are pushing hard for a return to business in what will be the ‘new normal.’

Living and working through the worst health crisis the World has seen in a century has been a challenge for all of us, especially landlords, and tenants. And the levels of stress we’re all experiencing can lead to disputes between landlords and tenants if they are not skilfully managed. We’re experienced in ensuring our landlords’ and tenants’ experiences are positive ones. Below are four ways to help landlords reduce the risk of disputes.

Start as you mean to continue

The best way to avoid disputes during or at the end of a tenancy is to do everything by the book right from the very start. This means keeping a detailed inventory and having a written tenancy agreement. Not only will all this come in handy should there be a dispute later down the line, but it also sets the tone for the relationship.

A letting agent managing your property can really help to get things off to a smooth start.

Regular Property Reviews (Inspections)

Even if a tenant comes across as reliable and trustworthy, never assume they are treating your property with care.

Through regular inspections, small problems can be picked up and addressed before they become big headaches. You can’t skip this essential element of the process. If you haven’t got the will or the skill to carry them out for yourself, then you need someone with industry experience like a letting agent to do it for you.

And Finally……

If a tenant is moving out, a detailed check-out inspection must be done on the day. This may sound obvious, but if you’re in a rush and the property looks fine at first glance, it might be tempting to skip this process. Don’t.

If you discover a big problem a few days after the check-out inspection, let’s say a massive burn in the carpet conveniently hidden under a rug for example – you will struggle to include this late claim in any dispute. Again, letting agents can do these check-outs properly for you. An experienced letting agent will have conducted hundreds of final inspections, so there’s no pulling the wool over their eyes.

Respectfully remember your responsibilities

As a landlord, you must follow the law and keep a property in good working order. By treating tenants with respect more often than not, you’ll be rewarded with the responsible use of your property. But you also need to remember your legal responsibilities. Never cut corners and don’t assume some laws don’t apply to you. Local authorities are getting more and more assertive on property issues, and tenants know their rights – and how to exercise them. Dealing with people, paperwork and legislation can be time-consuming and stressful. If you can’t or don’t wish to do it, a good letting agent can make all the difference.

We hope that helps. The situation around lockdown and what it means to the rental property market is fast-moving and likely to change this week when the Government outline their plans for the UK to get back to a new normal.

The good news is we’re on top of it, so our landlords don’t have to worry about it. If you are a landlord in mid Devon who has any questions or issues you need support with, we’re here to help you avoid

Here’s some useful information on the UK Gov website: https://www.gov.uk/private-renting

Thanks for reading. Stay at Home, Protect the NHS, and Save Lives. We’ll get through this together.

Like this article? Have a look at this one: https://helmores.com/landlords-faq-during-lockdown/

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10.3% of Crediton Workers Worked from Home Before Covid-19

Crediton workers working from home

I wonder How Many More do Now?

Amongst warnings from the Government that some lockdown constraints could stay in place into 2021, businesses are dealing with an unexpected cultural shift in how many of us do our work. Talking to many Crediton workers working from home for many it has been a pleasant success.

Working from home does have some negatives though. I have found myself still working at 8pm/9pm and beyond as I have forgotten to clock out and whilst many people might think working from home means doing less work, more often than not, the reverse is true for industrious and hardworking employees. When you don’t have that break of the commute to the office, the workday can blend into one’s home life. Talking of commuting, the average British worker has a daily commute of 11.9 miles, whilst locally…

The average daily commute for a Crediton worker is 8.9 miles

At least working from home, the commute is only to the dining room table or spare bedroom. Speaking to some friends of mine that are new to working from home, they said to me that they can feel out of the office-loop as they miss the ‘water-cooler’ moments or spur-of-the-moment brainstorming session over a brew, it’s tough to reproduce that from home.

Don’t forget to get into your garden (if you have one), stretch those legs. Ensure you are taking advantage of the daily exercise allowance. I see so many people walking around our neighbourhood daily who I haven’t seen before. Let’s hope they keep up the habit once lockdown is removed. You have to admit, it’s quite nice especially as there are far less cars on the road.

Crediton workers commute 28,330 miles a day to work

That’s an eighth of the way to the moon – every day!

Some people find it difficult to adjust to working from home and feel guilty if they don’t reply to co-workers emails or phone calls straight away. My friends stated that they didn’t want their team-mates to wonder if they were taking it easy rather than pulling their weight. The best advice I can give from working with my team, is to over communicate, and I suggested (as I do to you) to tell their bosses and colleagues what they are doing and share their accomplishments using those video conferencing software packages.

The really hard part is having a dedicated space in your home.  Attempt to set up a workspace and make it out of bounds to the rest of your household while you are working (although that is very difficult when you have children or your partner is having to work from home as well). Is there anything worse than being on an important call to your boss or a client, only to have a delivery driver knocking on the door or having your kids and dogs yelling and barking in the background? It’s a balancing act!

Interestingly, looking at the stats and this internment in Crediton people’s homes could be a catalyst for people wanting to move home later in the year be it for rent or for sale, thus giving a vital boost to the Crediton property market. Would it surprise you that…

834 Crediton households are either at full capacity

or officially overcrowded?

The definition of full capacity is when the household has enough bedrooms for the occupants. The definition is set out in ‘The Allocations Code of Guidance’, which recommends that the ‘bedroom standard‘ is adopted as a minimum measure of overcrowding.

This means one bedroom should be provided for

  • each adult couple.
  • any other adult aged 21 or over.
  • two adolescents of the same sex aged 10 to 20.
  • two children regardless of sex under the age of 10

That means 23.9% of Crediton households do not have a spare bedroom for their occupants to work from (compared to the national average of 16.64% of household).

Even worse, I suspect there are many Crediton families with two teenage boys or two teenage girls, and guidance is suggesting they can share a bedroom – do they live in the real world? This means there are probably even more Crediton households that are at full capacity or even more overcrowded than the stats suggest, meaning plenty of people will be working from dining room tables (if they have a dining room that is) and quite probably the kitchen table … a recipe for even more people wanting to move home later in the year.

So, I don’t know how many Crediton people are working from home, yet looking at the newspapers the consensus is that it has at least doubled. For all the reasons mentioned in this article, this looks like we could have a pressure cooker scenario of demand for Crediton property once the restrictions have been fully lifted.

Meanwhile, a message to all you new homeworkers in Crediton. Working from home is a tough one. The best advice I can give is to change your way of thinking.  I know many friends who are missing their offices right now, yet is office-working really so great? Consider the relentless risk of disturbance when you are trying to finish that important project, the recirculated air conditioning with its germs, the shortage of quiet meeting rooms and as I have already mentioned before, the drawn-out and expensive commute.

Try breaking the cycle of thinking that being at work – time is productive and not being at work – time is only leisure. The new way of thinking that accepts the concessions of home-working and discards the traditional 20th Century conventions of office working. Yes, the downside is that as humans we are very sociable creatures and we acutely feel the need to be in face to face contact with each other often, meaning lockdown is quite tough for many of us. Yet, if we are able to connect the positive prospects for the future working and the situation that Covid-19 offers us, then together as a society we should be able to find the right balance between working from home and coming together. In the meantime, be considerate of each other and keep safe we are all in this together and we will all overcome this together.

If you found this article interesting check this out: https://helmores.com/five-ways-technology-could-transform-your-home-after-the-lockdown/

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Five ways technology could transform your home after the lockdown

Technology, business and people concept- Woman's hand typing on keyboard

We’ve been scouring the internet to find out ways that technology could shape our homes after the lockdown and beyond.

Before the Coronavirus outbreak, there was a debate around whether technology was good or bad for society.

But thanks to online home-schooling helping our children, video conferencing allowing us to communicate with colleagues and Facetiming meaning we can stay in virtual touch with relatives the debate has waned. And technology has been embraced by more people than ever.

Below are five ways futurologists (people who look at future trends) are predicting our homes may change once the lockdown ends and the ‘new normal’ begins.

Even Faster broadband. More people will be shopping online than ever. Add that to streaming services and households will want and get faster internet services. 5G service is controversial with some people, but it’s expected to become mainstream quicker than any of its predecessors.

Hand driers. As people are now acutely aware of the importance of clean hands homes will begin to see more and more automated hand driers fitted, like the ones you see in hotels and restaurants. The convenience of the hand driers will replace the need for paper towels and the potentially unhygienic use of cloth towels.

Homeworking. As video conferencing replaces needless meetings, it’s predicted that a raft of new technology will make it even easier to work from home. The likes of Zoom, Microsoft, Facebook and Apple are all already investing in technologies to make the office place a thing of the past.

Delivery Pods. As online shopping booms, homes could have their own secure delivery pods as standard. The boxes could be unlocked with a phone by delivery drivers. So, you might never have another box dumped on the doorstep in the rain.

Smart Homes. As people become more technologically savvy, the rise of automated ‘smart homes’ will continue. Home automation systems will control lighting, climate, entertainment systems, and appliances. It may also include home security, such as access control and alarm systems.

We’re expecting the local property market to fizz back into life once the lockdown and social distancing measures end, and we’ll definitely be using our 3d camera technology to ensure safety for home buyers and sellers, and of course, us!

Stay safe everyone and keep loving Crediton!

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Landlords FAQ During Lockdown

Portrait Of Excited Man Standing Outside New Home Holding Keys

In this two-minute read, we look at why more landlords appreciate the benefits of using a letting agency during the Coronavirus outbreak.

The last few weeks have been extremely testing for all of us.

Every aspect of our lives has been touched by the pandemic and the measures we’ve had to take to reduce this deadly disease’s impact on the NHS, our neighbours and our loved ones.

It’s been a bewildering period with most people having to face situations and problems that were unimaginable three months ago.

At Helmores we’ve seen a steep rise in the number of landlords contacting us with questions and seeking expert advice and reassurance.

Many of these people are landlords who were self-managing their properties, but the outbreak has made them realise they need extra help and expertise.

We’re taking calls from landlords and property investors in mid-Devon and further afield who are faced with new challenges they didn’t even know existed.

Frequently asked questions we’ve answered include:

  • Do the usual rules and regulations to rental property apply now?
  • What can I do to protect my rent but be reasonable and fair to my tenants?
  • Where can I get more information about my rights and responsibilities as a landlord?
  • What Government help is available to landlords?

Being a landlord, who self manages their property is now a more significant challenge than it would be if a letting agency managed it.

And here’s why:

  • As letting agents, we are experienced in a wide range of scenarios, and we keep up to date with the ever-changing rules and regulations affecting the industry. As of December, last year, there were more than 327 of these rules and regulations.
  • Many landlords are now experiencing how time-consuming dealing with tenants and rent issues can be. We take that time burden off your hands.
  • At Helmores we’ve been working flat out to stay in touch with landlords and tenants to keep lines of communication open and working well.
  • Being a landlord can be a lonely place, especially at times like these, so it helps to have an expert on your side to guide and support you and work hard on your behalf.

And we understand tenants are feeling just as anxious and unsure of the future and we’re helping them too.

If you are a landlord in the mid-Devon area who has any questions or issues you need support with, we’re here to help.

Thanks for reading. Stay at Home, Protect the NHS, and Save Lives. We’ll get through this together ?