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1083 articles
Pen to App – The Evolving Journey of Property Reports
Blog

Pen to App – The Evolving Journey of Property Reports

There is an unstoppable force at play in the world of property. An evolution or, some would say, a revolution of technology that is enabling the creation and development of completely new services, but it has also had a transformative effect on some very old and established industries as well.  In today’s property market, not […]

S Sián Hemming-Metcalfe December 8, 2021 8 min
Inventory Base Rated Exceptional Again By EA Masters!
Announcements

Inventory Base Rated Exceptional Again By EA Masters!

We are extremely delighted and proud to announce that Inventory Base has received yet another industry award by being rated as one of the top 5% of suppliers in this years EA Masters Supplier Guide. Rated as ‘Exceptional’ is a true testament of our customers and suppliers ability to deliver a quality service and cements […]

S Sián Hemming-Metcalfe November 25, 2021 2 min
Crocs and Crops – What NOT to wear to a property visit
Academy

Crocs and Crops – What NOT to wear to a property visit

Being appropriately dressed to carry out any job or role is important, even if you’re working from home or only seen top up on Zoom. But for forward facing industries like lettings and sales, appearance is important. Industry suppliers who underpin this important sector of our economy are equally viewed in the same light by […]

S Sián Hemming-Metcalfe November 18, 2021 9 min
All I want for Christmas is you! Fire Safety at Christmas
Blog

All I want for Christmas is you! Fire Safety at Christmas

Christmas is a wonderful time of year to gather friends and family, celebrate the festive season and for just being with each other. But it is also a time of year when we are at our most vulnerable to the dangers of fire. Fire safety at Christmas is not usually on our wish list but […]

S Sián Hemming-Metcalfe November 17, 2021 7 min
Preparing your property for an uneventful winter
Landlords

Preparing your property for an uneventful winter

Weather extremes are the exception to our generally temperate climate here in the UK. The fact that people still refer to landmark events – such as the drought of 1976, the great storm of 1987 and the harsh winters of 1947 and 1963 – reinforces the notion that such severity is rare. But preparing your […]

S Sián Hemming-Metcalfe November 10, 2021 6 min
Will COP26 save 3 million UK homes from flooding?
Blog

Will COP26 save 3 million UK homes from flooding?

The record of international climate conferences does not inspire confidence. From the First Earth Summit in Stockholm back in 1972 through Geneva in 1990, Kyoto in 1997 and Paris in 2015, there has been a great deal of talk but very little action. And with such inaction will COP26 be able to save the predicted […]

S Sián Hemming-Metcalfe November 9, 2021 6 min
Net Zero by 2050 – How can housing industry suppliers contribute to the goal?
Blog

Net Zero by 2050 – How can housing industry suppliers contribute to the goal?

The UK has set itself a target of achieving net zero by 2050 as part of the global strategy to minimise the effects of climate change. Net zero means ensuring the greenhouse gases we emit are offset by those we remove from the atmosphere. But with so much reliance on fossil fuel and a need […]

S Sián Hemming-Metcalfe November 1, 2021 7 min
Tenant fuel bills: the importance of energy meter readings
Blog

Tenant fuel bills: the importance of energy meter readings

Although politicians may be reluctant to use the ‘C’ word, everybody else recognises that Britain is in the throes of an energy crisis. We haven’t seen anything quite like it for almost 50 years and it is causing serious concern for householders and businesses alike supporting the need and importance for taking energy meter readings. […]

S Sián Hemming-Metcalfe October 20, 2021 6 min
How to handle late-paying clients
Academy

How to handle late-paying clients

It is easy to think that clients paying late is something that all small companies and inventory providers are used to or even accept. Few people realise that being paid on time is the biggest factor in the success or otherwise of small businesses.  Statistically, more small businesses fail due to the late or non-payment […]

S Sián Hemming-Metcalfe October 19, 2021 9 min
Is the Private Rental Sector ready for a COVID Winter?
Academy

Is the Private Rental Sector ready for a COVID Winter?

Winter is fast approaching and with it a realisation that although we have been settling back to what many consider to be the ‘new normal’ we are not out of the woods yet.  In fact; the Government has already issued its Autumn and Winter Plan 2021 for tackling the continuing effects of the COVID pandemic. […]

S Sián Hemming-Metcalfe October 13, 2021 10 min
Carbon Monoxide Alarm Review – when will it be published?
Blog

Carbon Monoxide Alarm Review – when will it be published?

Every year in the UK, 200 people die as a result of domestic fires, which mostly occur at night when occupants are asleep and therefore entirely dependent on alarms to alert them to the danger.  50 deaths a year are attributable to carbon monoxide poisoning with 4,000 victims hospitalised. The Private Rental Sector needs to […]

S Sián Hemming-Metcalfe October 6, 2021 7 min
Rise of staycations – will there be anywhere left to rent?
Blog

Rise of staycations – will there be anywhere left to rent?

The pandemic has been blamed for many social and economic changes but no one could have predicted that it would lead to such a dramatic fall in the number of private rental sector properties available for local people. Or could they? The meteoric rise in AirBnB style short term lets has pointed the way to […]

I Inventory Base October 4, 2021 5 min
Dedicated Housing Court – more bureaucracy or finally some common sense?
Landlords

Dedicated Housing Court – more bureaucracy or finally some common sense?

During the pandemic, landlords were banned from enforcing evictions. This ban has been extended several times however from 1 October 2021, all notice periods have returned to the pre-pandemic lengths. But with the number of possession cases in the court system estimated at approximately 55,000-60,000 and expected to rise, is a dedicated Housing Court just […]

S Sián Hemming-Metcalfe October 1, 2021 6 min
5 Best apps to help tenants and landlords rent smarter
Blog

5 Best apps to help tenants and landlords rent smarter

These days there is an app for everything. Given the ubiquity of smartphones and the comprehensive way in which they have overtaken desktops and laptops as the preferred means of accessing the internet, this is not an exaggeration. This applies just as much to the property rental market as it does to any other aspect […]

I Inventory Base October 1, 2021 5 min
Viewing Properties Virtually – Have you made the right choice?
Blog

Viewing Properties Virtually – Have you made the right choice?

Remote viewings are not a new concept. In fact, they have long been used in other industries, such as insurance where it allows loss adjusters to carry out inspections without the need for personal attendance. 360-degree virtual tours are already very familiar to us, so it’s not surprising that landlords and letting agents are now […]

S Sián Hemming-Metcalfe September 21, 2021 9 min
The Importance of Collaboration – 5 skills that promote working together
Blog

The Importance of Collaboration – 5 skills that promote working together

Collaboration is not really a term often used in the lettings sector; it’s more often used as a buzzword in the corporate setting that rarely applies to inventory clerks; or does it?  Do inventory service providers collaborate effectively and what are the 5 skills that promote working together? What does collaboration mean to inventory clerks? […]

S Sián Hemming-Metcalfe September 14, 2021 8 min
Inventory Clerks – Do you know your property report market?
Academy

Inventory Clerks – Do you know your property report market?

According to recent studies, the private rental sector (PRS) in the UK is not only healthy but steadily, inexorably growing. This is not only due to the rise of what is colloquially known as ‘generation rent’, meaning young people who are struggling to get onto the ladder of property ownership choosing (or are forced) to […]

S Sián Hemming-Metcalfe September 3, 2021 6 min
Inventory Clerk Self Development – 5 skills every inventory provider should have in their tool kit
Academy

Inventory Clerk Self Development – 5 skills every inventory provider should have in their tool kit

Being an inventory provider is perhaps not one of the top 10 career choices but the more you investigate the prospect, the greater the advantages you’ll discover as you get to know what the job entails and the benefits of running your own reporting service. If you long to be an independent, self-employed professional, in […]

S Sián Hemming-Metcalfe September 1, 2021 8 min
Going back to work? 5 ways to prepare and manage post lockdown blues
Blog

Going back to work? 5 ways to prepare and manage post lockdown blues

As we emerge from what (we hope) is the last lockdown, the government is encouraging people to return to the workplace. For many people, the worry and stress of the pandemic has been replaced by the prospect of going back to work that, for many, involves close contact with colleagues, customers and clients. Those of […]

S Sián Hemming-Metcalfe August 24, 2021 8 min
EPC Rating to Change by 2028 – Will landlords now exit the PRS?
Blog

EPC Rating to Change by 2028 – Will landlords now exit the PRS?

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is considering proposals to increase the energy efficiency (EPC Rating) requirement for private rental sector properties to a C rating for all tenancies by 2028. Some landlords see this as by far the biggest threat to the buy-to-let market. It’s not far off and with all […]

I Inventory Base August 13, 2021 5 min
Rentals – How can landlords minimise damage to the property?
Landlords

Rentals – How can landlords minimise damage to the property?

Landlords don’t enter into a tenancy agreement expecting to encounter problems and certainly wouldn’t assume that damage to the property is an inevitable element of operating in the private rental sector but it does happen. With the UK housing market approaching £400 billion, 4 x the value of all FTSE100 companies, the PRS can be […]

S Sián Hemming-Metcalfe August 13, 2021 9 min
The Importance of Inventory Report Training – How Does it Support the Lettings Industry?
Academy

The Importance of Inventory Report Training – How Does it Support the Lettings Industry?

Why is inventory report training so important to the lettings industry? The lettings industry relies on specialists, just like any other business sector, to carry out safety checks, repair properties or help the property market to move forward. Inventory providers and clerks are an essential part of the process. Conveyancers, agents, engineers, plumbers, electricians – are […]

S Sián Hemming-Metcalfe August 7, 2021 9 min
Digital Darwinism – Is tech driving the evolution in the UK lettings market?
Blog

Digital Darwinism – Is tech driving the evolution in the UK lettings market?

If you take a broad look across the business landscape; all types of industries are building the bridges between digital and physical interactions, offering a new approach to how technology enhances the human element. But not every industry has found itself standing on the cutting edge of change; some are still lagging behind when it […]

S Sián Hemming-Metcalfe August 4, 2021 9 min
Shining bright! The new legislative changes around lightbulbs that landlords need to know
Landlords

Shining bright! The new legislative changes around lightbulbs that landlords need to know

Why would landlords be concerned about changes in legislation regarding lightbulbs? After all, lightbulbs are considered a consumable item so are usually the tenant’s responsibility to replace them if one or more bulbs fail. Well, what may, at first sight, appear to be a trivial matter could turn out to be a costly experience especially […]

S Sián Hemming-Metcalfe July 28, 2021 5 min
Compliance & legislation

Compliance and legislation updates

Follow practical updates and explainers on legislation, housing standards and compliance-related inspection workflows.

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