Background on Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes is one of the foremost up and coming places to live in the UK, with excellent road and rail links not only to London, but to other major cities in the UK including Manchester and Birmingham. Milton Keynes has so much to offer and attracts people from a multitude of different backgrounds which in turn brings a broad cultural and exciting environment to live, work and play. Situated in the middle of the UK you are never far away from the countryside whilst you can also experience all that city life has to offer.

Milton Keynes can boast excellent employment opportunities, living environments and recreational facilities in one of the UKs fastest growing areas. If you want to know more about what Milton Keynes has to offer then a good starting point is MKweb.

Useful Links

MKweb website with Information on Milton Keynes and surrounding area.

Multimap - Where is Milton Keynes?

Renting in Milton Keynes

There is a wide range of property available within Milton Keynes, everything from 1 bedroom maisonettes and bungalows, town houses suitable for growing families to large detached properties. All these range in price ensuring that no matter how much income there is available you should find a home in Milton Keynes.

The first thing to do before starting your rental search is to know how much you can afford to pay each month/week. Once your budget is decided then you can begin your research. The first and most obvious place is the internet. It is essential that you know what you can get for your money per month or per week before contacting the letting agents.

A good idea is to get a broad view of what property you can get for your budget, the best way is to check the online property portals. These offer properties that are available from a number of letting agents and give a vast selection so you will be able to get a general idea of costs from a number of letting agents in one place (saving time on trawling through 10s of websites). All of them offer either:-

Multiple Emailing Service
Email service to all agents advertised on the site, sending details of your requirements. The agent then contacts you with property details that may apply.

and/or

Property Specific Email Service
Email service to send directly to the letting agent your interest in a specific property advertised.

and/or

Website Click Throughs
Click through to advertised letting agents own websites.

A good example of a portal is Rentright Residential Property Letting Portal - Milton Keynes Page from here you can either email agents directly about your general requirements or you can refine your search and send email about specific property advertised on the site.

Rentright is only one of many property portals, if you do not find what you require from one then you may find it on another.

What to do next?

Make a note of the areas that you have found interesting property and then you can begin on the second phase of planning. This is the "area" research. People will always have different requirements of what they want, for example some people want quick access to the Motorway, or need to be on a bus route to the City Centre or maybe the local schools are important and the catchments areas. To find information like this then I would recommend a website such as Upmystreet, from here you can find a whole host of information to aid you in your decision of whether you would like to live in that area and it meets your requirements.

Shortlist

Once you have researched the areas and feel confident of the suitability then, if you have already found a property/properties of interest on the internet contact the letting agent and arrange a viewing. If not then you may consider visiting the agents websites directly and registering your details or making a trip to the town to visit the agents personally. Remember that it is also best to visit a property at different times of the day in order to get the overall picture of the area.

Top Tips

# Fix your budget
# Research available property on the internet
# Research the areas where you have a property interest for suitability
# Contact Letting Agents to arrange viewings
# Re-visit an area on different occasions

Aberdeen – The Overview

Aberdeen is located on the east side of Scotland, East of Inverness and to the North of Dundee, with a population of 212,125. Aberdeen is one of Scotland’s major Cities and is a popular residential area with 25% of the population aged between 20 and 34. Aberdeen has a strong history and heritage with a thriving community. Aberdeen is situated on the East coast of Scotland and has strong trade, tourism, farming and fishing links.

Aberdeen boasts all of the usual amenities that you would expect from a thriving city including excellent shopping facilities with all the regular retail stores but also smaller boutiques and specialist shops. Nightlife includes many nightclubs, bars, pubs and restaurants offering something to suite everybody.

Some links that you may find of interest where you can find more information on Aberdeen and the City location.

Aberdeen City Council Website

Where is Aberdeen located in the UK?

Renting Property in Aberdeen

There is a wide range of property available in Aberdeen, ranging from purpose built flats, 1 bedroom houses, traditional terrace properties, modern family houses to executive detached properties. Ensuring that there is a property to suite everybody in Aberdeen and surrounding areas.

Before you start your rental search the first thing to do is make a decision on your budget you have available either a monthly or weekly basis. Remember to take into consideration all of the bills which generally will be your responsibility, these will include council tax plus amenities including electricity, gas and water. Plus factor in other overheads you may have, for example a car or credit cards. Once your budget is fixed then you can begin your research. Don’t forget that you generally will require one months rent and a deposit equivalent to one months rent on the day of move in. This can vary and it would be advisable to ask the letting agent in advance as to what the charges are.

Property Research

Before rushing into the town centre to gaze into the letting agent shop fronts make sure that you are prepared. Research is important in order that you get a good idea of what property you can get for your budget. The first place to start your research is to have a good look on the internet, if this is available to you. There are a number of ways to do this, by far and away the quickest method is to use one of the online property portals. These are internet sites that have multiple agents listing their property, this saves you time and you get to see a range of property made available by a number of letting agents.

Services made available by the Property Portals.

There are a number of key services made available by residential letting property portals, the main ones are listed below.

Multiple Emailing Service

Email service to all agents advertised on the site, sending details of your requirements. The agent then contacts you with property details that may apply.

Property Specific Email Service

Email service to send directly to the letting agent your interest in a specific property advertised.

Website Click Throughs

Click through to the advertised letting agents own website.

A good example of a portal that offers these services is Rentright Residential Property Letting Portal – Aberdeen Page from here you can perform any or all of the actions listed above.

Rentright is only one of the major property portals, if you do not find what you require here then you may find it on another.

What is the next step in the process?

OK, so on recap, the budget is set, research has been performed on line and an idea of the type of property available in your budget has been gained. The next task you might want to perform is the ‘area’ research. Depending on your requirements of what you want will depend on what would be classed as a suitable area to live. For example you may want to live in the city centre, near to the train station or a catchment area of a good school. A similar process to your property research would be to do some internet checks a good site is UpMyStreet which offers a wide range of details on demographics, crime details, council details and much more.

The Shortlist

Once you are happy with the research then, if you have already found a property/properties of interest on the internet then contact the letting agent and arrange a viewing. If not then you may consider visiting the letting agent website directly and registering your details with them or making a trip to the town to visit the agents personally. Remember that it is also best to visit a property at different times of the day in order to get the overall picture of the area.

Top tips to Renting in Aberdeen

# Fix your budget
# Research available property on the internet
# Research the areas where you are interested in renting
# Contact Letting Agents in Aberdeen to arrange vieiwings
# Re-Visit an area on different occasions

Docklands – The Overview

The docklands is located in the East side of London. Over the last 20 years the area has seen a huge amount of regeneration and now hosts the tallest building and some of the largest companies in the UK.

The docklands has excellent public transport links as you would expect including the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) which is now extended over to the London City Airport, which is the closest airport to Central London. Also with the recent London 2012 Olympics bid there are further regeneration plans to be implemented for the games.

The whole face of the area has changed dramatically with the inclusion now of some of the most expensive apartments in London with views over the Thames and beyond. The Docklands also has the London Excel exhibition centre and numerous places for entertainment including traditional pubs and modern bars and restaurants.

For more information on the docklands and where it is located visit the links below.

Where is the Docklands?

Docklands Information and Services

Renting Property in Docklands

The docklands as you would expect has everything for the modern person and the property is no different. Rental property in the docklands is most likely to be in apartments and there are plenty of new developments to choose from. The prices vary depending on the size of the property and the location ie/ a penthouse suite in the central business district may cost more to rent.

In order to carry out your rental search it is most important that the first task to carry out is know your budget. Remember that there are costs that you will occur each month that you need to take into consideration, these include amenities which will include council tax, electricity, gas and water. There may also be charges for parking your car (if you have one) the congestion charge and some of the apartments may even have a maintenance charge. Also don’t forget that it is highly likely that you will need to have 1 months rent in advance and 1 months deposit on the day of move in.

Get the Knowledge

Before taking on the task of visiting the letting agents why not take the time out to do some research. It will help you asses the market conditions and make sure that you know roughly what you should be paying for your rental property. The best place to start your research is in the comfort of your own living room. This can be done in one of two ways either by obtaining a copy of the local paper for the area and checking the adverts and property details. Or even better (if you have the internet) is to check on line. The internet will have answers to every single question that you have.

Ideally you will want to obtain a good sample of property and apartments for you to make the best judgment. You could go to the search engine and type in letting agents Docklands or apartments for rent in Docklands and get a huge list of sites. Or alternatively why not use a property letting directory or property letting portal.

What services can you expect from Property Portals.

There are a number of key services made available by residential letting property portals, the main ones are listed below.

Multiple Emailing Service

Email service to all agents advertised on the site, sending details of your requirements. The agent then contacts you with property details that may apply.

Property Specific Email Service

Email service to send directly to the letting agent your interest in a specific property advertised.

Website Click Throughs

Click through to the advertised letting agents own website.

A good example of a portal that offers these services is Rentright helping you find Apartments in the Docklands and Beyond from here you can perform any or all of the actions listed above.

What now in your property rental search?

By now you should have completed your research and your budget planning. The next important task is to perform your area research, where do you want to live in the docklands? What part of the docklands? Do you need to be near the LDR? Do you want a gym and swimming pool within the apartment complex? Maybe near to a supermarket?

These are all very important factors to consider when doing your research, if you don’t you may have problems when it is too late. Maybe do a demographic search on line and find out about the area and community before you make a choice.

Once you are happy with the research then, if you have already found a property/properties of interest on the internet contact the letting agent and arrange a viewing. If not then you may consider visiting the letting agent website directly and registering your details with them or making a trip to the town to visit the agents personally. Remember that it is also best to visit a property at different times of the day in order to get the overall picture of the area.

Some pointers for you when looking to rent property in the Docklands

# Fix your budget
# Research available property on the internet
# Research the areas where you are interested in renting
# Contact Letting Agents in Docklands or surrounding area to arrange viewings
# Re-Visit an area on different occasions

This article is intended for discussion purposes only and not as a code interpretation. For specific articles and conformance, please consult the Ontario Fire Code, Retrofit Section 9.8 of the Ontario Building Code.

This article deals with some of the things you should be watching for, if you’re shopping for a home with a self-contained apartment. The regulatory information was current as of 1996, however may be subject to change at any time. Consult with your local Building Code Official or Fire Department for up-to-date regulations.

What's the big deal?

Most existing two-unit houses (built before Nov. 16, 1995) will be "grandfathered" (continue to be allowed) under the new legislation, provided they meet applicable municipal planning standards. As well, two unit houses should have met Fire Code requirements by July 14, 1996. In general, new apartments must comply with the Building Code, and existing apartments must comply with the Fire Code.

Both new and existing apartments must comply with certain property and municipal zoning (planning) standards.

Is there a certificate of compliance?It would appear your best protection is to ensure the vendor supplies a certificate of compliance from the local municipal fire department for any property that might fall under the jurisdiction of the Fire Code, Section 9.8. If the vendor is unwilling or unable to supply a certificate of compliance, the dwelling unit could possibly be non-conforming, and therefore considered illegal.

Also, municipalities have the right to decide where they will allow homes to have additional dwelling units and can designate areas where they will not allow homes to have additional dwelling units. Units installed after November 16, 1995 without a permit are unprotected (even if they meet fire, safety & electrical standards) and the municipality could require removal of the unit.

What to look for:

* Walls/floors/ceilings covered with materials with a 30 minute fire rating (eg. drywall); or materials with a 15 minute fire rating and interconnected smoke alarms, throughout all dwellings in the house.

* New! Ontario, 1998: All homeowners must maintain smoke detectors on every elevation, even if the dwelling is not rented or sub-let. Check with your local, provincial or state authority to confirm requirements for smoke detectors in your area.

* Materials not rated for fire protection, but with a sprinkler system installed throughout all dwellings in the house.

* A private entrance, and the route does not involve entering another dwelling. A second means of exit, which can be another door or a window easily accessible and unobstructed.

What to ask:

* When was the apartment built?

* If the apartment was built after Nov.16, 1995, does the vendor have a permit?

* Does the vendor have a certificate of compliance from Ontario Hydro? From the local fire department?

* Are there interconnected fire alarms?

* What size is the electrical service? Is there enough "ampacity" (capacity) to support two separate living units?

Beware:

* There are some private inspection firms who are attempting to capitalize on this opportunity by advertising themselves as basement apartment or fire code specialists. Don’t be fooled. Municipal Building & Fire Departments are the only organizations that have the authority to determine what constitutes code compliance.

Our top tip before you start is read and apply, re-read and apply, and of course bookmark this page for future reference.

1. Organise yourself from the start
As soon as contracts are exchanged, you will need to organise your site. Get your materials organised and another top tip is to communicate well with all involved from the start. This will really set a fine foundation for the coming development.

2. Project manage like a manager
Dont underestimate your managing skills. After all you are a manager ! Don't take the roll too lightly or you will find that deadlines wont get met - this costs you time - time costs you money.

Make sure you know what the job entails before they start work on it and then decide whether to get the professionals in or whether you could do the work yourself and save on costs.

3. Give exact instructions
You may know what you want, but do they? Does anyone but you. As we often mention, good instructions and communication are essential to make this project work. Give each workmen a clear call to action before you get the quotes for any work to be carried out on the project. After all its your property they'll be working on effecting your overall profit.

4. Property Management
As an on going project, you will learn more tips on why property management is an essetial tool used only with the right workers and proffessional team in place. A good team around you and you are promissed to see the results of the management skills employed.

5. An Organised schedule
When you get really busy, and the development project takes every hour of your day, the last thing you want is to sit at home on on the project catching up with the paperwork. But this really is important as a good schedule, a fine tuned plan of attack and an eye on the budget is a must, especially if you are running more than one rental property home.

6. Know your responsibilities
As a landlord, do you know what you are responsible for? As the site owner, or legal owner of the property, are you aware of the legal requirements, or current legislations. There is no-one but yourself to blame and this can often catch novices out on there first property development.

7. Use a manager agency
Well we're not saying you must, but for beginers its not a bad idea. If your starting off on the rental property ladder then its a good idea. Managing agents may take a chunk of the profit, but the services they offer may be well worth the money. Best to check and find out what percentage they want for what services provided.

8. Don't over-do-it !
You can very easily loose the whole purpose and begin to hate the project, worse, even abondon it in the middle of the project. Most developers go through pain barriers. Just dont overstretch your self physically and financially by taking on more than you can cope with. Start of with one property development and gradually build on your experience.