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It’s hard to ignore the UK’s rental market as we head towards autumn, which continues to run hot. According to HomeLet’s August Rental Index, the cost of renting a property has risen 1.4% in the last four weeks. UK tenants can now expect to pay an average of £1,261 per month.

Improving a property can be done for a variety of reasons. Some have their eye on a ‘fixer upper’ property that needs work, while others may want to make changes ahead of a sale. Whatever your motivation, it’s good to know how much the work will cost, what’s in fashion and what might tick the boxes of potential buyers. Luckily, the latestRated People Home Improvement Trends report sheds light on all these aspects.

If you are looking for a new home, you may browse online portals, see details in an agents’ branch window or look at the boards outside houses, noting a variety of different terms used to describe the property’s status.

Whether you are redecorating your home ahead of a sale or you’ve just moved and have a blank canvas to personalise, there’s a myriad of choices when it comes to colours, accessories, materials and fittings.

Would you know if your tenant presented a subletting risk? Are you confident you’d know how to spot if subletting was taking place? With recent research by Direct Line showing 1 in 8 tenants had engaged in subletting activity – and with 22% of tenants considering or already signed up to Airbnb or similar – subletting is something to take seriously in 2023.

As we progress through the third quarter of 2023, it’s interesting to note the broader trends in the property market. While the frantic conditions that accompanied the pandemic are over, the moving market is brisker than it was four years ago. To illustrate, Zoopla found property offers are received quicker now when compared to pre-Covid times.

Whether you have an open mind at the start of the sales process or have been on the market for some time and are looking for any extra advantage, the art of feng shui can be deployed to help sell your home.

Heat pumps are still a relatively new way to power residential homes but their fuel savings, eco credentials and ability to improve your EPC rating isn’t going unnoticed. We answer the top six heat pump questions so you can make an informed installation decision.

While we’ve gone mad for the lush green of house plants, a new interior fashion wants to bring more colour and botanical pattern back into our homes. Bloomcore encourages us to embrace flowers, buds and delicate petals and if you want something longer lasting than a bunch of real blooms, you’re in luck.

With the longest day of the year behind us and the midway point of 2023 passed, we can evaluate how the first half of the year has treated the sales market. Predictions have come true. The red hot conditions and extraordinary price hikes of the pandemic have subsided.

Renters are expected to act in a ‘tenant-like manner’ and that means undertaking small maintenance jobs inside the property and outdoors too. In fact, a poll by the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) found garden maintenance was one of the top five reasons for deposit disputes.

The tall, slender canes of bamboo are appealing to many gardeners. The plant brings a tropical, tranquil vibe to outside spaces, gently rustling in the breeze and quickly screening undesirable views. It’s also the fastest growing plant on earth, making it a problematic issue in UK gardens.