Read the latest news from Lemontree Properties

After our incredibly busy start to the year, where we successfully let and managed 29 properties, we can now boast that 100% of our portfolio is occupied! I bet there aren't many agents that can say the same? I would like to express a big thank you to the Lemontree team and maintenance team for all of your hard work and dedication. Keep up the good work.

If you are a Landlord needing a quality tenant promptly, please call Beth on 01638 661375.

The new law requiring carbon monoxide and smoke alarms to be installed in PRS properties has been welcomed.

As of October 1st, the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 mean carbon dioxide detectors must be installed in any room where a solid fuel burning appliance, such as a central heating boiler or a gas fire, is present.

Part one: why should you invest in Newmarket?

Whatever route you choose to become a landlord, it’s important to find an agent that has a thorough understanding of the local property market. At Lemontree Properties, we have over five years’ experience offering exceptional lettings services to landlords within a 10-mile radius of Newmarket.

From April 6 2015, new ‘pension freedom’ rules will come into force. This will allow over-55s to access all their retirement savings in one go, making buy-to-let investment an affordable opportunity for a lot more people.

Over three quarters of current landlords already see their investment in property as a pension pot.

During 2014, the Immigration Act came into force, which means that landlords and letting agents are now legally required to check that prospective tenants have the right to rent a home in the UK. 

The identity checks required already form part of the checks undertaken before a tenancy is agreed. 

As you may have seen in the industry press recently, some property agents have been ‘double dipping’; charging landlords and tenants for the same service.  

Lemontree is proud to sponsor Newmarket Town Girls FC Under 10s. The girls are now sporting all-weather sports jackets, sponsored by Lemontree, to keep them dry and warm during their winter training sessions. 

We've had an incredible five years seeing Lemontree go from strength to strength. We would like to welcome you to celebrate with us, meet the team and share a glass of bubbly at our Newmarket office. 

Date: 7 November, 2014

Time: 3pm - 7pm

Location: Lemontree Properties, 10a Station Road, Newmarket CB8 8DN

We look forward to seeing you there!

The 2014 Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) conference brought together industry professionals to discuss the changing shape of the private rented sector.

The annual conference, which helps letting industry professionals keep up to date on topical issues, had a strong focus on improving the public perception of letting agents. The private rented sector often suffers if just one or two firms make omissions in their dealings with the public.

A redress scheme, that already benefits Lemontree clients, will soon be in force across England.

New legislative changes will require all letting and property management agents to register with an approved scheme. The government has recently approved The Property Ombudsman as one of them, and Lemontree is already a member.

Despite claims that increasing rents in the UK are causing a debt crisis for tenants, Lemontree can report a more positive outlook with little change in tenant arrears in 2013.

With over 200 properties in our portfolio in a tenancy agreement, we are seeing a positive picture with average rent arrears of just 0.5%.

At Lemontree, we are proud to be a registered member of the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA), and news that its advertising is hitting the small screen has come as a great start to the New Year.

From this week, adverts for ARLA will begin broadcasting on channels including ITV4, Home, Sky Atlantic, Sky Living and Discovery Home & Health to remind customers of the importance of choosing a licensed agent.

As autumn and winter close in and temperatures begin to drop, condensation problems begin to rear their ugly head. Warm, moist air settling on cold surfaces will cause condensation, and while it is most noticeable on surfaces such as tiles or glass, condensation settling on organic material such as wallpaper, clothing or wood can result in black mould, musty smells and dampness.

So what can be done about condensation to avoid any associated problems in autumn/winter 2013?

It's happened, the cold weather has set in and our winter coats have become a necessity once again. Here are our top tips on how to keep your house as warm as possible during the next few months.

Block all vents, except boiler vents, and draughts letting in cold air from the outside.

Buy keyhole covers for your front and back doors. It's surprising how much cold air can get through here.

Keep doors shut in between rooms to consolidate the heat.

Newmarket lettings agency Lemontree Properties is celebrating securing its 200th managed property by making a donation to a local charity.

With the ‘Big Six’ energy firms likely to increase their charges by as much as £120 on an annual basis, many people in the UK will be worried about the cost of their gas and electricity bills as winter creeps ever closer. 

A statistic from the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) says it can take between six and eight months to feel at home in a new area. This does not surprise us as, for many people, moving home can be both an exciting and a rather daunting experience. It can take time to understand the area, where the local amenities are and even what day to put your rubbish bins out for collection.

Whilst Universities prepare for the new academic year, many young people across England will be packing their belongings and getting ready to live away from home for the first timeWhile some parents may get caught up in the emotions of the thought of their children flying the nest, it is important that parents take the time to help their children in getting ready for their exciting times ahead.

We are very lucky to have great tenants in our properties of whom we have good relationships with. This in turn helps reduce the turnover of tenancies enabling us have a constant minimum of 94% fully managed properties let at any one time. When a property does become available, the void period is kept to a minimal, which is usually no more than seven days.

A quarterly trend study by Paragon has discovered a huge increase in first-time landlords with continual growth since the middle of 2009.

The total of buy-to-let cases reached a significant high back in the second quarter of 2002 when the buy-to-let industry underwent a massive boom in popularity. In 2008, the demand from new landlords experienced a sharp decrease, mainly due to the brutal hit of the recession.

A recent report from Confused.com has found that claims for thefts from the home are higher during the summer period compared to during the winter. In large part this is due to holidays, since nearly a quarter of victims were away when their homes were broken into.

The uncomfortable high evening temperatures can make sleeping difficult. Fans often become a necessity in the house and can be a great help to keep the flow of cold air. Here are a few other ideas to keep the temperature of your property as low as possible.

Just had a client come in to the office to thank us for the excellent service he has received throughout the re-letting of his property. Only 4 days void between tenancies and, new carpets were installed! Thank you Mr Moharjerin

Patience is an essential quality in a property manager. Being the centre point of communication between all landlords, tenants, maintenance team and contractors. We are faced with different challenges on a daily basis. Patience allows us to make calculated decisions and to ensure that every solution is implemented quickly and professionally.

We have a very happy member of the Lemontree team this week. Rugby fan Lara was the lucky winner of a signed Leicester Tigers shirt at the Two Counties exhibition on 5 March. Lara was presented the shirt by Richard from Flex-able Group in the Lemontree office this week.
 
We really enjoyed our first Two Counties exhibition and getting to know other Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce members. Our home made lemon drizzle cake went down well too!

Lemontree Properties has been shortlisted for the Estate and Letting Agent (ESTAS) Awards 2013, which recognises the best estate and letting agents in the country.

The ESTAS award scheme provides clients with the chance to rate the service they receive from their agent. We received comments from over 70% of our landlords, with feedback including exceptional comments and a performance rating of 92.12%.