By Dawn Taylor

So you”ve found your ideal property to rent in Putney, your dream town-house to rent in Twickenham, your bijou flat in Barnes or your Rococo rented flat in Richmond. Well done. But now your work begins.

What work? Well, keeping an eye on your new rented home. Whilst you aren”t responsible for fixing any faults that occur during your tenancy, you are responsible for reporting them.
If you notice a damp patch, act on it.

Ring your letting agent if the property is managed or notify your landlord if it isn”t. Let them know where the problem is and when you spotted it. That way repairs can begin sooner and you don”t risk getting billed for a long-standing fault when you move out. If you don”t let the landlord know about a problem until it’’s time to move out, you could be billed for it as damage.

So whilst it isn”t your property, you need to care for it as if it were. Keep an eye out for damp, watch out for mould especially in kitchens and bathrooms, look out for paper starting to peel away from the wall and tell your agent or landlord about it. If you think you notice a leak from a tap or toilet, tell someone straightaway. Water damage is serious and costly so keep an eye out for it at all times.

If you notice any electrical problems ring the agent or landlord immediately. We once noticed a nasty fish smell when we plugged in a laptop in one flat. We unplugged it and rang the agent who sent out an electrician. It turned out the wiring in the walls was Bakelite and was arcing. If we”d continued to use the socket we would have had a wall fire. If carpets start to fray, tell the agent straightaway or risk being billed for it when you leave.

Look carefully for all faults, scuffs, marks and chips when you check out the independent inventory and make sure the condition of the property does not deteriorate any further. If you make any chips in doors, scuffs on walls, scratches on glass, you will have to pay for it. So be careful as you live in your home and treat it as if it were your own.

If you choose to put up pictures, ensure that when you move out no-one can tell that it was there. Fill in any holes and repaint the walls to the standard it was when you moved in. If you are given permission to redecorate, you must unless the landlord says otherwise, put the room back to its original decoration before you move out.

You aren”t expected to live as if you were living in a show home. Normal wear and tear is expected, but you must also take care of your rented property. Use your common sense and if something breaks, let the agent know so that they can fix it.

About The Author

Heathcoate specialises in letting resiedential property in the Richmond, Twickenham and Putney areas. We offer a unique all-inclusive service providing tremendous value for tenants and landlords Do not hesitate to visit our site.
http://www.heathcoate.co.uk

By Dawn Taylor

I was mooching along Putney High Street again today, I love living here, when my mind turned to inventories. More specifically, it turned to how much money I could have saved over the years if I”d only had an independent inventory at every property I”ve ever rented.

Unusually for my blog posts, this one is aimed at both landlords and tenants. If you want to have a happy, pain-free experience of renting or letting out your property, then an independent inventory is a must.

True Tales of Woe for Landlords

My husband’’s aunt let out her house in Barnes a few years ago. She didn”t use an agent. She trusted the people moving in. When they moved out she found the place had been, well, trashed. She had to replace the bathroom, kitchen and the back door. A good friend of ours put her studio flat up for rent in Richmond. She let it to two teachers while she was out of the country with work. She didn”t use an agent, well; you can trust teachers can”t you? She came back to find that they”d drilled holes into the electrical cabling and that cats had weed all over the place. She had to get an electrician in and re-carpet the whole place.

A friend of mine, who shall remain nameless, once rented a flat in Twickenham. He was ironing his shirt on the floor one morning after a night-before and accidentally burnt the carpet with a nice triangular iron burn. When he moved out he told the letting agent that the burn had been there when he moved in and that he”d been told by the agent who”d shown him around the flat, that the nearby electric heater had fallen off the wall and burnt the carpet.

If any of these landlords had had an inventory carried out by the letting agent, an inventory that both sides have to check and sign, then they would have not had to sort out such dreadful and costly problems.

As A Tenant An Inventory Is Your Protection.

But landlords aren”t all angels either. I”ve been billed for a torn stair carpet leading up to my first floor studio flat in Richmond that had been there when I moved in. And as I”ve said elsewhere, when I found a flat to rent in Twickenham, I got billed for the damaged bath enamel that we”d first noticed and mentioned to the landlord when we moved in and of which he denied all knowledge!

If you don”t want to get caught out as I have in the past, being billed for faults that were there when you moved in, then you must make sure that your letting agent provides an independent inventory, ideally one with space for you to add any comments or faults that the agent hasn”t spotted and space for photographic proof too.

A good agent will give you a period of up to two weeks to check the inventory and return it to them. Don”t just sign and post. Do your work. Go over the entire rented property with a fine tooth comb. Look for scuff marks on walls or doors, faulty seals, chips on sinks, scratches on glasswork, and worn patches on carpets and if they”re not listed on the inventory, make a note of them and take photos too.

This way when you come to move out you can prove that you”ve left the property in the same state you found it. That is a protection that both landlords and tenants need.

About The Author

Heathcoate specialises in letting residential property in Richmond, Twickenham, and Putney areas. We offer a unique, comprehensive, all-inclusive service providing tremendous value for tenants and landlords without stress or worry. Do not hesitate to visit our site.
http://www.heathcoate.co.uk

By Phoenix Delray

It is always important that your neighborhood or community has homeowners association insurance protection for disasters from acts of nature or manmade mishaps. Let s face it; your home is very precious to you and not only should you have homeowners insurance but you should also have the right protection for HOA insurance as well. It is for your protection since you never know when harmful weather can come or any other type of accidental damage might occur. It is definitely best to be prepared for anything that comes your way when it involves your property investment.

Your board members from the HOA should be able to factor in how much insurance is necessary to provide for your condo community. There are experienced and reputable insurance companies that will be able to recommend how much coverage is ideal so that you are getting your money s worth and every dime is being spent properly. This way, by getting professional advice, you will not be under insured or over insured. In order to make sure your money is being put in the right place, it is always best to look at different insurance companies to compare the different policies and to see if there are any additional things that should be included in the policy as well. Therefore, before you make any type of decision, it is very important to read through the HOA insurance policy thoroughly.

When getting your quote things that could and should be included are fire and hazard, general liability and other coverage that are mandatory in your particular area, by law. For instance, if you are in a region where earthquakes happen, then it might be a good idea to have that added onto the policy. Building ordinance might be important to have if there is any type of construction building changes due to zone or building laws with the condominiums or other buildings that are shared. Also, you will need to discuss the premium with the agent so see what will be best for the community.

Now, there is a difference between homeowners insurance and homeowners association insurance. Homeowners insurance is protecting your living space and the contents inside in case of fire or water damage and other mishaps or events. HOA insurance protects your community s environment from most acts of nature as well as accidental damages. This insurance also covers other buildings that are for communal use such as a clubhouse or other facilities.

Take the time to research different insurance companies to get the most out of the money that is budgeted for insurance. You will definitely find the right homeowners association insurance that will provide the best protection for all residents.

About The Author

To learn more about Homeowners Association Insurance, please visit our website at http://www.homeownersassociationinsurance.net/hoaquote.php

By Phoenix Delray

To begin with, it usually is a good idea to do a lot of research on several companies that offer condo association insurance before moving too fast and merely picking one straight away. There are numerous approaches to choosing the best condo association insurance coverage, which can include looking through the phonebook for insurance agents, getting recommendations from other people or searching the World Wide Web. Searching online can be a considerable option, providing you with a chance to take your time by checking each website to get a feel for the agents, the coverage that is offered, the premiums and other very important information.

These businesses really should have a synopsis of services they offer as well as descriptions of industry terms that many people may not be familiar with. Also, you should be able to get a totally free quote from companies regarding condo association insurance, with no obligation, no hassle and no pressure. This is a superb way to get your price quote and information quickly without having to spend hours in an agent s office. The best part is that you are going to be able to compare and contrast different companies, agents and HOA insurance plans at any time, whenever it is most convenient for you.

Many of the companies that you will encounter will be competing for the associations business, which is one of the main reasons when having the need to commit to this type of insurance that you shop around for the best type. There are many different companies that are ready and available to help you with a quote or to have you just visit their site to get an instant quote from there. This most of the time can be the easiest way to get a ball park figure of what their quote would be, but could be higher or lower depending on what adjustments can be made. The only way to get a completely accurate, guaranteed quote for rates would be to talk to someone during an appointment, which also only takes a little bit of time.

Hopefully, some of the information that has been given here will help with the quote process. This sometimes can be time consuming but with the correct information and an easy to use website in front of you, it should take less time than you think. Condo association insurance is something that has to be acquired to protect not only the association itself but all the tenants and owners that have time and money invested in the future of the complex.

About The Author

To learn more about Condo Association Insurance, please visit our website at http://www.homeownersassociationinsurance.net/property_managers.php

By Nathan Randall

Our baby boomer generation is aging rapidly. All the amazing advances in medicine these days help people live longer lives. Many millions of people currently need long term home and health care services. This is a number that’’s only expected to grow larger as the baby boom generation ages.

Long term health care insurance, for instance, is becoming a popular product that can help provide protection financial to the sons and daughters of baby boomer parents who are facing considerable financial strain due to the long term care needs and requirements of their parents.

Long Term Care Options
Our research has found a great resource to access, Long Term Care For All, which will analyze your specific Long Term Care Insurance request and then match your request to a national database of companies in order to find the best solution based on your needs. You simply enter your contact information and a representative will contact you for further discussion and to provide additional details and options for your to consider.

The cost of nursing homes averages $70,000 a year, and a home care attendant costs about $29 per hour. In this country, medicare only covers temporary nursing home stays. Usually, families are required to exhaust all their savings before an elder can qualify for nursing home coverage through Medicaid funding.

Legislative Support
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) which investigates alleged anti-competitive practices in many industries, has been barred since 1980 from studying or issuing any reports whatsoever on any part of the insurance industry unless requested to do so specifically by lawmakers. The October 2009 health care legislation headed for a vote in the House would give the Federal Trade Commission the authority to investigate and report on the current practices and issues in the health insurance industry, which includes long term heath care insurance policies, without specific invitation by legislators and at its” own initiative.

Democratic officials reportedly have said this in press releases of late. This is important because this critical area impacts so many aging baby boomers. These pending changes in federal law are intended to make the long-term care industry more consumer friendly. Lawmakers took similar regulatory actions recently affecting the financial services industry, like credit card issuers.

You can save time when shopping around and exploring long-term care options by accessing the the Long Term Care For All database to access information and obtain quotes from several insurance companies.

About The Author

Nathan Randall is editor of the Daily Dollar Newsletter[http://www.dailydollarnewsletter.com] which provides consumers with free daily advice on money matters and provides coupons and discount codes at Daily Dollar Coupons [http://www.dailydollarcoupons.com]. FYI…you can now access the Daily Dollar Newsletter via iTunes podcast, YouTube video, and on Facebook and Twitter too.

By Dawn Taylor

I”m a long-time tenant. I prefer to rent. I currently rent in Putney. My partner’’s job takes him around the country and it’’s sooo much easier to move if you rent than if you buy. Plus we get to live in some wonderful character properties or ultra-modern flats. One thing I have learned, however, is that it’’s always, ALWAYS; better to rent through an agent. Why? Where to begin? Okay, learn from my experience, here are my top five reasons on why renting through an agent is best.

1. Inventories are your friend and your protection.

Letting agencies always provide an inventory that lists every single default in the property. Whilst this can seem to be a pain, it is, in fact, you protection against unscrupulous landlords who try to bill you for the torn stair carpet that was there when you moved in.

2. Agents mean you get a proper contract.

It’’s hard to believe, I know, but some landlords still think they can tie you into two year leases with no option of ending the tenancy early. Years ago, when I was still new to the renting game I found a flat to rent in Richmond. It was a gorgeous studio apartment with a garden view. The problem was the landlady insisted it was a two year rental! I signed, but only got out of the contract thanks to the Citizens Advice Bureau. With an agent, you can avoid all these unscrupulous tactics.

3. Agents mean you”re more likely to get your deposit back.

With the advent of the Deposit Protection Scheme you might not think this is so important, but again, learn from my experience. Two years ago I found a flat to rent in Twickenham. It was through an agent but wasn”t managed by a letting agent. This was another big mistake. The worn bath enamel that we had noticed on moving in, and had notified the landlord about, he then tried to fine us for when we moved out six months later. We ended up losing a fair amount of our deposit. With an inventory and a managed flat this never would have happened.

4. Problems get fixed faster.

With my second, bigger flat for rent in Richmond, I noticed that we had a damp patch suddenly appear in the corner of the living room ceiling. One quick call to the letting agent and it was sorted. They came around the next working day, looked at it and arranged for builders to come in and fix it. Compare this to my experience of my flat rent in Twickenham. We needed a new light fitting for the bathroom; the electric light just wasn”t working. It was a problem with the electrics not the bulb. The landlord lived in a flat downstairs. It took nearly three months to get it sorted. We only got it fixed just before we moved out and then we got billed for it!

5. Agents know their landlords and properties

To be fair to my local letting agents, they had warned me off the flat in Twickenham. They had tried to work with this landlord before and dropped them from their books. I should have listened to them. At the time I thought they were sore at losing out on a commission. Now I know that they actually know their market and if they won”t touch a property it’’s for a good reason. Now I won”t rent any property unless it is through and managed by a letting agent.

If you want to avoid the expensive mistakes I”ve made, you”ll do the same thing too.

About The Author

Heathcoate specialises in letting residential property in the Richmond, Twickenham and Putney areas. We offer a unique all inclusive service providing tremendous value for Tenants and Landlords. Do not hesitate to visit our site. http://heathcoate.co.uk/wordpress

By Michiel Van Kets

On the lookout for a suitable life insurance policy that covers you for every eventuality? Not as easy as it may sound as the world of insurance can be a tricky path to manoeuver and if youre not careful you could end up signing up for something you really have no use for.

If you genuinely care for someone and want to ensure they wont be struggling if anything should happen to you which results in your death, then making the decision to get a life insurance policy makes a lot of financial, and emotional, sense.

If you are the only one working in the family and your children are still young then think about the implications your early death would mean to their lives, as well as the shock of losing you they will also have the financial worries and concerns to deal with. In all likelihood they wouldnt be able to maintain their standard of living and might have to give up attending a good school, various activities, and even the family home, which would be devastating to them.

Purchasing an insurance policy is the only way you can guarantee this wont happen and be safe in the knowledge that there wont be any nasty changes for your family. There are various types of life insurance policies, but the main thing is that you fully understand what you are buying, how it works and how much it is going to cost.

The early death of a partner or parent is one of the most distressing losses that a family will suffer both emotionally and money-wise so retaining a life insurance policy to shield your partner, offspring and other dependents should be a fundamental element of your financial arrangements as without your income their level of comfort could decline significantly. When people acquire insurance and burial insurance, lots of working adults undervalue the total amount of coverage and death benefit needed to keep their loved ones safe and sound.

If you are the main breadwinner in your family unit, then youll realize how much money the family gets through on a monthly basis, and its probably not a low figure! Yet you most likely havent thought of everything, if you get medical benefits from your employment then the chances are that your family also have some entitlement which they would lose too upon your death.

As well as all the other costs they would have to meet would be extra money for their health care. Not counting the income and benefits you bring into the home they will also have to cover the expenses for your funeral as well as the costs of distributing your estate.

You should take care of all this yourself as planning in advance will save your family a lot of stress and heartache at a time when they dont need it. Make sure your death benefit includes cover for any outstanding consumer debts, college education for dependents, mortgages, dependent care, funeral expenses and all medical costs.

Talk to a professional, self-regulating insurance broker or agent from a trustworthy company who can help work out the right benefit amounts to cover the costs your family will have to pay after your demise. Together with their existing requirements, take into account possible future plans your kids are planning, such as going to college.

A qualified, caring term life insurance agent can assist you with a precise projection as to how much coverage your family should need in a death benefit. An over 50 life insurance policy can be affordable and cover for all eventualities.

Depending on your circumstances you might have to look for a no medical exam policy or guaranteed coverage as your premium will be affected by all kinds of factors including whether you smoke or not. Compare the cost of different premiums for smoker life insurance and the coverage the plans provide before deciding which the best quotation is for you. Be certain to talk about these issues with an insurance representative when getting free quotes.

About The Author

Michiel Van Kets writes articles for Term Life Insurance about burial insurance and smoker life insurance that are affordable. http://www.termlifeinsurance.com Term Life Insurance is a leading chocie for financial security your loved ones need at premiums you can afford, having over 50 life insurance to choose from. http://www.termlifeinsurance.com/life-insurance-for-a-smoker.html