Understanding your rental yields
By Oakwood Estates Team on 24th Apr 2024According to Zoopla, Scotland wrapped up 2023 with the best annual rental income potential out of all UK regions, averaging at 6%.* As a property investor in Scotland, you will need to identify what a desirable yield is and be...
Private landlord vs letting agent
By Oakwood Estates Team on 6th Mar 2024When deciding whether you’re going to use a letting agent as a tenant or a landlord, it shouldn’t be a difficult decision. It’s estimated that only 20% of all homes in England are privately rented.* This shows how many...
Deposit-friendly decorations for your home
By Oakwood Estates Team on 6th Mar 2024When you rent a property, it can be particularly challenging to make four walls feel like your home. Looking for options and inspiration on how to decorate your property without risking your deposit? Look no further, we are...
Try before you buy: Why renting could be a good first step
By Oakwood Estates Team on 15th Jan 2024The journey to your ideal home is often not a short one, and if you’re contemplating taking the plunge into homeownership, you may consider renting first to test the waters. Renting provides the unique opportunity to ‘try...
Your guide to investing in multiple-occupancy homes
By Oakwood Estates Team on 18th Dec 2023Investing in multiple-occupancy homes (HMOs) can be a great way of increasing yields, making them very attractive investment opportunities for landlords. Although the potential return on investment is greater when letting HMOs,...
Have you double-checked your tenancy agreement?
By Oakwood Estates Team on 18th Dec 2023When you have found the perfect rental property for you, it can be very tempting to sign on that dotted line in a hurry. However, before you do, it is crucial to give your tenancy agreement a thorough read-through with the help...
What are tenants looking for?
By Oakwood Estates Team on 7th Nov 2023As a landlord, you have an awesome future ahead of you, with the demand for rented accommodation growing ever stronger. But that’s no reason to rest on your laurels. The buy-to-let market is changing, and with that come new...
Lettings agents have never been more important to landlords and tenants
By Oakwood Estates Team on 23rd Oct 2023Nothing is quite as simple as it used to be, and whether you are renting your home or letting it, the guidance of a seasoned letting agent is a must-have. There is new legislation, such as the Renters Reform Bill, and...
A renter's guide for beginners
By Oakwood Estates Team on 27th Sep 2023There are some amazing properties to rent in the UK today. Whether you are a successful business owner, a student, or a young professional, there is no end to the possibilities when it comes to property. From flats in the city...
Summer loving for your rental home. Here’s how, with some TLC tips
By Oakwood Estates Team on 21st Jun 2023Making a house your home is important and the great advantage of renting is that you will never be asked to fork out thousands on costly home renovations. Often, it’s the little things that you can do that will make a big...
Landlords, here are some top tips on finding and keeping great tenants
By Oakwood Estates Team on 21st Jun 2023The demand for your rental property is huge right now, having increased by 10% again this year on the back of years of soaring demand.* As a landlord, you want to maximise your return on investment by achieving the best...
Take a look at the fresh buy-to-let investment opportunities this spring with Oakwood Estates
By Oakwood Estates Team on 16th May 2023Summer is nearly here, and the opportunities to expand your property portfolio or take your first steps on the buy-to-let ladder are vast. So take a glance at some of the following great reasons why now is the time to make a...
The advantages of a fully managed letting service with Oakwood Estates
By Oakwood Estates Team on 16th May 2023In essence, a fully managed letting service simplifies your life as a landlord. Simply buy a property, then let your letting agent take care of everything else while you take a step back, enjoy your life, and get a good return...
What’s brewing in the rental market?
By Oakwood Estates Team on 20th Apr 2023This month sees the return of National Tea Day. But perhaps the time for taking a break is over. With so many people looking for homes to rent, maybe it’s time to take a fresh look at the spring rental market. You could...
Attention landlords: tenants are renting for longer than ever!
By Oakwood Estates Team on 20th Apr 2023A lot of things seem to be getting longer at this time of year—the evenings and the list of tenants looking for a property to rent. Tenants are renting for longer, which in turn brings longevity to the long-term investment...
Freshen up your rental property this spring
By Oakwood Estates Team on 14th Mar 2023Spring is a time for change; it’s warmer, summer is on the way, and daffodils start blossoming, bringing more brightness to the extra light of longer days. Wildlife steps into action, and so can you when it comes to improving...
Things that landlords need to know in 2023
By Oakwood Estates Team on 20th Feb 2023This year is proof that life as a landlord is not as simple as it used to be. Reforms for tenants, along with new laws and legislation, will make it a bit more complex. That said, the great news is that demand for rented...
What to expect for the buy-to-let market in 2023
By Oakwood Estates Team on 7th Dec 2022As we approach the end of a turbulent financial year, many landlords in the UK will be weighing up their options going into 2023 and debating whether to remain in the buy-to-let market. Despite an uncertain economic outlook, we...
Average UK rents rise to £1,159 PCM
By Oakwood Estates Team on 2nd Nov 2022Houses aren’t the only things seeing a rise in prices, as every area of the UK recorded a growth in rent prices during September. Greater London alone saw a 2.5% increase, which helped to drive the average rent in the UK to...
Three things landlords offering ‘bills included’ tenancies should know
By Oakwood Estates Team on 2nd Nov 2022As the cost-of-living spikes, landlords and tenants involved in ‘bills included’ rental contracts will need to communicate clearly with one another in order to grapple with the new host of challenges. As for landlords...
Tenants stay put due to rising rents: Is it time to go fully managed?
By Oakwood Estates Team on 3rd Oct 2022According to data from Propertymark, a shortage of rental stock is fuelling the surge in renters staying put, with 73% of letting agents saying they have seen a growth in the number of tenants renewing contracts over the past...
Supply shortages see rental growth accelerate to above 12%
By Oakwood Estates Team on 3rd Oct 2022While many Brits are grappling with the cost-of-living crisis, rising interest rates and inflation, saving for a hefty deposit is resolvedly taking a backseat and potential homeowners may be choosing to hold off until price...
110% increase in renters aged between 55-64
By Oakwood Estates Team on 31st Aug 2022While rising house prices have led many younger people to rent for longer before buying their first home, tenants aged over 35 are the fastest growing group.*
In the decade between 2011 and 2021, the number of...
More landlords are needed to help tenants find homes
By Oakwood Estates Team on 4th Aug 2022You may have heard how well the sales market has performed over the past couple of years, pushing prices up 12.4% nationally*. The rental market has followed hot on the heels of this trend, with around three tenants currently...
High demand forces rental prices to increase
By Oakwood Estates Team on 4th Aug 2022Low supply and soaring demand fuel high prices for both the sales market and the private rental sector – a truth that makes itself felt by landlords and tenants.
NAEA Propertymark – a membership body for estate...
What will the UK’s private rental sector look like ten years from now?
By Oakwood Estates Team on 6th May 2022A recent report examined how the private rental sector might develop in the years to come. *
The findings, based on a survey of 1,376 adults in rented accommodation, offer some interesting food for thought, for...
Are you a tenant on the hunt for a pet-friendly property?
By Oakwood Estates Team on 7th Apr 2022Did you know?
April 1st marks the start of National Pet Month! For tenants with pets, the search for a property can be a little more time-consuming and tedious. It’s important to remember that you must always get consent...
Demand for rental homes creates opportunities for new landlords
By Oakwood Estates Team on 7th Apr 2022As soaring house prices continue to push up the average buying age, more and more people are looking to rent for longer. This squeeze on supply has resulted in the average rent price rising throughout the UK. In London, rents...
Now could be a great time to become a first-time landlord
By Oakwood Estates Team on 15th Mar 2022If you have ever considered building a property portfolio as a landlord, now could be a great time to start your journey.
Information from a market-leading property portal indicates rents have risen at the fastest...
Steps to becoming a residential landlord this year
By Oakwood Estates Team on 18th Feb 2022People become residential landlords for a variety of reasons.
Often, it's because someone wants to do more with their savings and sees property as a safe investment with a regular income.
Here are a few things...
This February, we can assist you in finding the ideal tenant.
By Oakwood Estates Team on 18th Feb 2022You've put your savings into a property, or you've inherited one, and now you'd like to rent it out.
Of course, you want to attract and select the best tenants - people who will take care of the property, pay the rent,...
Rental market predictions for 2022
By Oakwood Estates Team on 19th Jan 2022The pandemic has influenced rental demand and opportunities across the country, but what does this mean for tenants and landlords in 2022?
Changing demand and supplyThe last two years have witnessed a boom in house...
Surge in parents acquiring buy-to-lets for students
By Oakwood Estates Team on 14th Dec 2021Going to university is a big step and the hardest part can be finding the right accommodation. It was very popular at one time for parents to buy property for their children to use whilst studying away from home.
Over...
One in five landlords are making EPC improvements
By Oakwood Estates Team on 14th Dec 2021With new rules coming into force from 2025 for rental properties, landlords must make sure their property’s EPC rating is C or above, or risk not being able to take on new tenants.
As a result, around 17% of landlords...
Budget-friendly practices for November and December
By Oakwood Estates Team on 10th Nov 2021At this time of the year, it's only natural to be more conscious of your budget, with the Christmas holidays likely to leave many families and households short on funds in the following months.
One in three Brits will...
What's changed with tenancy evictions?
By Oakwood Estates Team on 18th Oct 2021Over the last 18 months, a number of measures were put in place to protect tenants who were unable to keep up with their rent payments.
This put a strain on landlords and the lettings market as a whole, with the...
Lettings market boom and what it means for landlords
By Oakwood Estates Team on 11th Aug 2021The lettings market has had a record strong month, with reports of a decrease to the length of average void periods in most regions, as well as rising rents seen across the country.
In some parts, void periods...
Managing properties through the eviction ban extension
By Oakwood Estates Team on 8th Jul 2021Over the course of the eviction ban for residential tenancies, the government have looked to balance support for tenants and landlords, helping those unable to meet their rent payments whilst recognising the strain this puts on...
Eviction notice periods now at four months
By Oakwood Estates Team on 4th Jun 2021From June, eviction notice periods have been reduced to just four months for landlords, instead of the six months they were previously set at to protect tenants over lockdown.
In cases of extenuating...
Tenant demand continued to rise at the start of the year
By Oakwood Estates Team on 11th May 2021The number of prospective tenants registering with agents rose for the third consecutive month in March, as many homebuyers either chose to delay their purchase plans or decided to rent in between their next house sale and...
What you need to know when investing in a buy-to-let property
By Oakwood Estates Team on 8th Apr 2021Investing in a buy-to-let property is a dream that many of us will have at one point or another.
Property has always been a dependable investment option, with successful landlords able to set up their rentals to...
Landlords urged to comply with electrical safety regulation or risk fines
By Oakwood Estates Team on 12th Mar 2021What are the new electrical safety standards?
The new electrical safety standards require landlords to ensure the safety of all electrical wiring and fixed electrical installations are tested and signed off for each of...