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THE ULTIMATE GUIDE
How To Sell, Buy and Let Faster !

(C) Houseladder Ltd 2003 - 2011

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CONTENTS
1 2 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................3 SELLERS GUIDE..................................................................4 2.1 Introduction ..................................................................4 2.2 Preparation ...................................................................7 2.3 Setting Your Asking Price ................................................8 2.4 Marketing your property................................................ 12 2.5 For Sale Boards ........................................................... 15 2.6 Creating your Private Online Advert ................................ 16 2.7 Home Sellers Information Packs (HIPS) .......................... 18 2.8 Viewings ..................................................................... 19 2.9 Accepting an offer ........................................................ 20 BUYERS GUIDE ................................................................. 22 3.1 Introduction ................................................................ 22 3.2 Arrange your mortgage ................................................. 23 3.3 Different types of Mortgages.......................................... 24 3.4 Property Search ........................................................... 27 3.5 Viewings ..................................................................... 28 3.6 Make an Offer .............................................................. 29 3.7 The Legal Process......................................................... 29 3.8 Moving In .................................................................... 31 LANDLORDS GUIDE........................................................... 32 4.1 Introduction ................................................................ 32 4.2 Buy To Let Mortgages ................................................... 33 4.3 Preparation ................................................................. 33 4.4 What rent shall I charge ................................................ 35 4.5 Legal .......................................................................... 37 4.6 Marketing your property................................................ 39 4.7 To Let Boards .............................................................. 40 4.8 Viewings ..................................................................... 41 4.9 Reference and Contracts ............................................... 42 4.10 Deposits ................................................................... 43 TENANTS GUIDE ............................................................... 44 5.1 Introduction ................................................................ 44 5.2 Searching for property .................................................. 44 5.3 Viewings ..................................................................... 45 5.4 Property found ! What Next? ......................................... 46 5.5 Moving In .................................................................... 47 5.6 Deposits...................................................................... 47 Print Post Application Form ................................................ 48

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1 INTRODUCTION
There is much written on the UK property market from articles in newspapers, TV shows, radio discussion and 1000s of websites. For the beginner or even professional this can be daunting, with the search for the real facts becoming harder even though tools such as the internet are supposed to make it easier. Houseladder.co.uk was created to help buyers, sellers tenants and landlords to sell and let their properties as fast a possible, privately, saving them £1000s in agents commission. Over the years we kept receiving the same questions and we began to compile a directory of answers. This grew from a single page on the websites, then to a few pages, to now to what has become ‘Houseladders Ultimate Guide: How to Sell Buy and Let Property Faster!’ We hope you enjoy and find the information useful, we certainly enjoyed writing it. Happy House Hunting Houseladder www.HouseLadder.co.uk

Please feel free to email this ebook to any friends who are selling, buying or letting property.

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As Featured In

'We swapped numbers' Bruce and fiancée Melanie Jones sold their home near Bristol through Houseladder. 'The best thing we did was exchange numbers with our buyer. We'd told her we'd leave the washing machine, but later we decided to take it with us. Because we told her directly, although she wasn't delighted, it didn't become an issue. Being in direct contact also saves time - you can sort things out in moments.'

2.1 Introduction
This easy steps guide will help you sell your property. To begin, we will clear up the myth that if you are with an Estate Agent you are not able to sell the property yourself. This depends on your contract with your Estate Agent such as. 1. 'Sole selling' means your Estate Agent is the only one with the right to sell your house. Even if you find a buyer yourself, you'll still have to pay the agent. 2. 'Sole agency' also means the Estate Agent is the only one with the right to sell your house but if you find a buyer yourself, you won't have to pay the Agent. 3. 'Multi agency' means that you can choose several Estate Agents to market your house but you will only have to pay commission to the one who sells it. 4. 'Ready, willing and able purchaser' is a contract. If the Estate Agent finds you a buyer and you later withdraw from the sale, you'll still have to pay them. As Houseladder is not an Estate Agent, and if your contract is either 2,3 or 4, you CAN still use our services and sell your property privately. In fact the ‘Office of Fair Trading OFT’ states on their website in their buying and selling guide:
“Sole Agency: the term refers to your appointed estate agent - the only agent with the right to sell your property. You should be able to sell the property yourself without paying the agent a fee - provided that the buyer was not introduced to you by the agent during the contract period.”

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For more information visit the Office of Fair Trading website about using Estate Agents at: www.oft.gov.uk/advice_and_resources/publications/consumer_advi ce/home/oft744 If you do find that your contract is ‘Sole Selling’ and you wish to use one of our services, just check with the Estate Agent the termination period of your contract. Set-up one of the other types of contract if you wish to use both an Estate Agent and Houseladder or even just Houseladder.

IF THE INTERNET WORKS FOR THEM, IT MIGHT WORK FOR YOU.. Darren and Paula Meer have their £300,000 six bedroom terrace house in Broadstairs, Kent under offer thanks to Houseladder. 'Two reasons persuaded us to go down this route,' says Darren. 'I didn't want to pay an estate agent £6,000 and I wanted to have direct contact with our buyers. Also, every agent I had spoken to said that 70 per cent of their sales came through their internet sites, so it seemed a pretty good idea to do it ourselves.'

To see how much you could save by using our services have a look at our table below. Property Value (£) At 1% 100,000 200,000 300,000 At 2% At 3%

£1,000 + VAT £2,000 + VAT £3,000 + VAT £2,000 + VAT £4,000 + VAT £6,000 + VAT £3,000 + VAT £6,000 + VAT £9,000 + VAT

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Please note + VAT so you will need to add this on top of figures shown in the table. For example if your property was sold for £250,000 and the agents commission was 1.5%, your final invoice by the agent will be as follows: Property Sold For Agents Commission at 1.5% VAT at 20% Total that you owe the agent £250,000 £3,750 £750 £4500

Even if you do use an Estate Agent you will find the following sections useful, as they will help you sell your house.

THE AGENTS JUST WEREN'T BEING QUICK ENOUGH

Linda and Andy Graham sold their house in March and moved into their new home six weeks later after using Houseladder The couple, of Dunoon in Argyll and Bute, were keen for a quick sale as Andy had been forced to retire because of ill health and was scheduled for a triple heart bypass. They had been caught with an endowment policy shortfall on the mortgage for their three bedroom bungalow and wanted to buy somewhere cheaper and be free or a mortgage before the operation. Linda said: ' We had tried to sell the house a while before but hadn't had any joy. But with any due to go into hospital, we were keen to sell up and get our finances in order. 'One evening while I was surfing the net I stumbled across houseladder.com and thought I would give it a go. I worded the advert and put the photos on. It was all pretty straightforward.' 'We had 900 visits to the site. In the end a couple from Brighton bought it within two weeks of the advert on and within six weeks we'd also bought and moved into our new home, a min-terrace in Arrochar.' 'We have a different selling system in Scotland where potential buyers put in closed bids and we asked for offers over £95,000'

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'We had 900 visits to the site and the inquires came in from as far a field as Germany, which certainly wouldn't have happened if we'd have gone through a local agent! In the end we had three firm offers and the couple from Brighton got it for £110,000. 'I think we did pretty well and we were delighted it al happened so quickly. We can now live mortgage-free and we have also saved ourselves a couple of thousands in agency fees.' Linda, 56, added that her husband had now had his operation and was recovering at their new home in Arrochar.

2.2 Preparation
The difference between selling your property and having it on the market for a long period of time can be dependant on how you prepare your property. Therefore before you have any potential buyers to view make sure you have covered the following: 1. 2. 3. Complete any small DIY jobs such as painting. Clear away any clutter. If possible store it off-site. Air the property by opening windows and purchasing a few air fresheners. Also remember that some buyers may be allergic to pets so make sure that all signs of animal smells and hair are removed. If any of the rooms have very bright colours or carpets, you may want to neutralise them. This does not mean go out and buy expensive carpet. Get carpets professionally cleaned. If your bathroom or kitchen looks tired apply some of the following practises to make a difference. i. Re-paint the ceiling and walls. ii. Clean, re-grout any tiled areas that are going black. It may even pay to install new white bathroom or kitchen 7. 8. Cut the lawns Make sure front door is immaculate as first impressions count. 9. De-personalise by removing personal items such as family photos until the property is sold. 10. Choose the correct lighting for each space, which can improve the mood of the room. 11. Organise rooms so that there purpose can be seen.

4.

5. 6.

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During this process always remember that you have now decided to sell your property and not to get personal about any changes. The changes that you implement are to attract the widest possible buyers in your area.

Graphic designer Ben Clayton sold the two-bedroom house he owned in Bromley with his partner Amelia "It sold within 10 days of it appearing on HouseLadder.co.uk for the asking price of £205,000. It had been on with estate agents too but I reckon they just showed it to people who weren't even seriously interested, just to show they had property on the market. We've saved £3,100 on estate agents' fees" says Ben.

2.3 Setting Your Asking Price
When selling your property, the asking price is critical in attracting potential buyers. Too low and you could loose thousands of pounds, too high and nobody comes to view. Contrary to popular belief Estate Agents do not set property prices. All they do is estimate a reasonable asking price of a property based on their knowledge of the property market. At the end of the day buyers determine the price of a property based on what they are willing to pay. Follow the steps below and you will be able to easily price and set your asking price like professional Estate Agents. When setting your property price do not be tempted to inflate your price as this will simply drive buyers away and your home will take longer to sell.

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2.3.1 What price properties have REALLY sold for
The asking price of a property is not the actual price a property will sell for. Even though you have researched the price of property in your area, what you have really found out is the current asking price of similar properties to yours, not the actual price properties have sold for. What you need to find out is what price properties have really sold for. Is the market getting stronger or weaker? Estate Agents know these facts and so can you. Every property transaction is registered with the government via the Land Registry. They require this information to calculate stamp duty to be charged on the property sale. You can find the actual price a property sold for at www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/House_prices.aspx This site also gives trends by every town and postcode detailing how the price of property has changed in the area, broken down by flats, terraced, semis and detached properties.

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SOLD! Saved £5639 !!

Private house sale websites can save you thousands or pounds in agents' fees but are they worth all the bother? Nigel Lewis investigates IN JULY 2003 Allan Vanass begun buying and then doing up properties as a sideline to his main job selling a fuel-efficiency system for vehicles. He bought two four-bedroom houses on Mill way in Bushey, Hertfordshire, and began doing them up. A year later he was ready to sell them but instead decided to move back into one with his wife and sell the second. He put it on the market for £315,000 with several agents, many of whom he says proved to be 'useless'. 'I got very fed up with spotty teenagers barely out of college and with few sales skills,' says Allan (pictured). 'Their proposed charges varied between £4,725 and £7,100.' So Allan spent £199 putting his property on the website www.houseladder.co.uk. 'They came around that same day, took all the pictures and property details and spent 45 minutes giving the house a thorough inspection - and by 7pm the house was on the website.' A schoolteacher and his wife viewed the house the following Saturday and put in an offer - which Allan accepted. 'There's a lot more work involved in a private sale,' he says 'but it's worth it to save the agency fees.'

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2.3.2 Review local property papers.
This will give you a rough estimate. Please note on average, asking prices are 5% to 10% higher than the final selling price.

2.3.3 Estate Agents window
Looking in your local Estate Agent’s window will help further refine the price of your property.

2.3.4 Review the big property sites.
Search for similar properties for sale within your postcode on the big property websites. List them out and objectively position your property against them. This is your competition and buyers will be comparing your home with these similar properties. If you feel your property is worth more, ensure you can justify why in the description. Look for similar properties for sale in your area at the following websites. Over 90% of all properties on the market are on these property sites. We Can List Your Property on these Sites www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Partners.aspx

2.3.5 Using a professional
You could hire the services of a professional property valuer. These are the people used by the Mortgage companies to ensure the property you wish to buy is the correct value for your mortgage. To find a professional property valuer visit The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors www.rics.org

2.3.6 Other factors effecting property selling price
The first is time of year. Spring is the time when demand is highest followed by September after the summer holidays. Christmas and August are low demand times when buyers are busy. Home improvements and presentation make a massive impact, and a clean and tidy home will always be worth more than a dirty smelly home.

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2.4 Marketing your property
You basically have two options. The first and traditional choice is to use an Estate Agent. The second is to do the marketing and selling yourself and save £1000s in commission. There are pros and cons of both options. However, if both options are used in conjunctions your will sell your home faster and achieve the best price.

2.4.1 Estate Agents
Estate Agents are expensive. Charging typically 1% to 3% plus vat the average seller will pay £2000 to £6000 in agents commission. The main advantages of an Agent are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. BUT 1. 2. 3. 4. They charge high fees Some do very little to market your home Many make you do the viewings Some overprice your property to get you to sign with them, and then insist you lower the price later. 5. Some insist you see their mortgage broker so they can earn more commission from you. They They They They They They They do all the work for you. You have to do very little. arrange the viewings. photograph and prepare your brochure details advertise your home in newspapers and the Internet. assembly the board. take all phone calls. negotiate with the buyers to maximise your price.

2.4.2 Private Selling
To sell your property privately you can market your property in the following places: 1. 2. 3. 4. Local newspapers Internet For sale boards National papers

By using Houseladder services you can market your property on the Internet and to your local market with a ‘For Sale’ board. Over 70% of people looking to buy a property now use the internet, saving a www.houseladder.co.uk Page 12 of 53

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lot of time by not having to go to all the local estate agents in your area of interest, and having to look through the property papers. Any good property Internet site will deliver property by email that are limited to your own search criteria, saving you valuable time. Houseladder is the UK’s most popular private selling and letting site with hundreds of thousands of visitors to the site each month, and millions to our partner sites. In fact we advertise our customers properties on many of UKs most visited property websites attracting an extra 1 million home seekers a month. When you set-up the advert with Houseladder, you decide which contact details are published within the advert. Buyers then contact you by phone or our secure email system. The potential buyer will not see your email address until you wish for them to email you directly. By opting for one of our re-advertising packages this will give you even more exposure. A Full list of partner sites can be found at http://www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Partners.aspx Even if you are with an Estate or Letting Agent you can still advertise your property privately AT THE SAME TIME in 99% of cases. By advertising with Houseladder and on our partner sites, you can rest assured that with our marketing combined with marketing via your Estate Agent you have maximised your exposure. This will ensure you get the best price. Sell Your Home Online and save £1000s at www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Services.aspx

2.4.3 Private Selling and using Estate Agent AT THE SAME TIME!
By advertising privately and with an agent ensures you maximise your exposure. You can advertise your property on Houseladder and be with a Sole Agent at the same time and not pay the agents commission. Full details can be found at http://www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/3_Sole_Agent.aspx

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OUR PREMIUM PAID ADS are Listed on the following sites

Home Extensive database of over 400,000 properties of property for sale and let.

Trovit One of the fastest growing property websites with over 400,000 unique visitors a month to their property pages. Also lists cars and jobs with over 1 million visitors a month.

Oodle Large classified website with over 500,000 visitors a month.

The Sun List your property on the website of the UK Largest Newspaper.

Lycos List your property on the classified section of this popular search engine.

Thomson Local List your property on the classified section of the ThomsonLocal directory.

PLUS Many More ......

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2.5 For Sale Boards
Although 70% of people now use the Internet to find their next property, there are still 30% of people that find their new home by other means such as a board. To sell your property as fast a possible you must display a for sale board. In a recent survey of Houseladder customers, those with a ‘For Sale’ board DOUBLED their number of viewings and sold faster.

Our high quality double-sided Estate Agents ‘For Sale’ boards enable you to market your home to non Internet users Privately! Manufactured to the highest quality. Made from rigid weatherproof corrugated polypropylene and complying with local planning regulation (size 800mm x 600mm), these For Sale boards are equal to those used by all Estate Agents. Within the kit we also supply the necessary tools so that you can easily display your direct contact number. You receive the phone calls as you are best person to sell or let your property.

Find Out How to Double Your Viewings at www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Boards.aspx

Enquiry within 30 minutes!!
5 Bed Semi Detached Manchester. Asking Price £315,000 Put the board up today and had an enquiry inside 30 minutes !!!! Is that a houseladder record ? Les

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2.6 Creating your Private Online Advert
The aim of your advert is to get buyers to view your property. Sell Your Home Online and save £1000s at www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Services.aspx There are two main elements to a good advert.

2.6.1 Photographs
If no picture of your property is present, then the first question a potential buyer asks for is 'Do you have a picture of the property?' You can add a picture several ways to your advert on Houseladder. 1. If in digital format upload during the creation of your advert or at anytime from within ‘Your Account’. 2. Send digital format by email referencing your property to [email protected] 3. Send a hard/printed copy in the post. We can then scan and upload them and then return the photos to you. Make sure that you have the negatives of the photos as we cannot be responsible for photos lost. The main photos that buyers are looking for are the following. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Front of house Bathroom Kitchen Master Bedroom Garden

and any other special features of your property.

2.6.2 Property Description
A good advert will have a summary of the property details at the top which will include the key points. Below this will be a paragraph for each room that will specify the dimensions of the room and a brief description. See example on next page.

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£327,500 3 Bed Detached House Southend Essex SS1 3DE ADDRESS: Southend Essex SS1 3DE STATUS: Sold TENURE: Freehold PROPERTY ID: 999 CONTACT DETAILS Telephone day: 1234 56789 Email: Hidden Secure anti spam email Web: www.houseladder.co.uk A bright and spacious 4 bedroom family home in Thorpe Bay located only 10 minutes walk to the beach. Immaculately presented this home benefits from 3 reception rooms, 3 double bedrooms, double glazing and easily maintainable gardens. This property consists of: Reception Hall : Large hall with doors leading to living room, morning room and cloakroom. Under stairs cupboard for storage. Living room (16'2 x 13'5) : Formal living room. Fireplace. Kitchen / Breakfast room (19'4 x 9'1) : Range of Oak wall and base units. Gas hob and electric oven. Plumbing for dishwasher. Upstairs landing : Doors leading to bedrooms and bathroom. Bedroom 1 (14'2 x 10'0) : Large double bedroom. 2 fitted double wardrobes. Views to front. Bedroom 2 (12'3 x 10'0) : Large double bedroom. Fitted double wardrobes. Views to front. Bedroom 3 (9'0 x 6'6) : Singe bedroom. Bathroom (11'3 x 5'9) : Modern white suite comprising bath, WC, hand basin and separate large walk in shower . Front Garden : Lawn and mature Shrubs. Rear Garden (29' x 42') : Lawn area of 29' x 42' plus sun terrace patio area. To the rear of the garden is the garage and drive way for off-street parking. Garden Shed. www.houseladder.co.uk Page 17 of 53

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2.7 Home Sellers Information Packs (HIPS)
As from 21st May 2010 Home Information Packs for England and Wales have been suspended. You no longer need to buy a HIP to sell your property. However you will need to order an Energy Performance certificate. Buy an EPC here
http://www.houseladder.co.uk/Home_Information_Packs/EPC_e nergy_performance_certificates.aspx

The Scottish version of HIPs, Home Reports, are still in force in Scotland and are required. For the latest information on Hips go to http://www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/HIPS.aspx Then once you have ordered your EPC, you are free to advertise your Home online at: www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Services.aspx

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2.8 Viewings
Have a diary set-up so that you can manage your viewings. For each potential buyer make sure that you have taken their name and number just in case you have to re-arrange the appointment, and also in case they are late or have just got lost.

2.8.1 Before a viewing
1. Have a print out of your property details, as they may want to take this away. 2. A blank piece of paper so that you can take any notes while you are showing the buyers around. 3. Know how much the council tax is. 4. Know how much a quarterly gas and electric bill is. 5. Know how much your water and sewage rates are. 6. All the doors are shut so that you can present the room to them. 7. You have planned a route through the property. 8. Your have prepared your property. 9. Any pets are out of the way.

2.8.2 Showing the people around
1. Always lead the buyers through the property. When you open a door to the room enter first, pointing out all the positive points of the room. 2. State the positives of each room. Paint a picture for them and help them imagining living in their new home. 3. If a room is too small to fit everybody in then allow the buyers to enter the room while you stand outside pointing out positive points. 4. During the course of viewing gather some information about the buyer for example. i. Are they a first time buyer ii. Are they in a chain and how many in the chain. iii. Do they have to get a mortgage and if so have they got an amount authorised. By gathering information about the buyer, this may help to determine whom you sell to if several offers are received.

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2.8.3 After a Viewing
After 2 days, if the potential buyer has not contacted you then contact them to see if they are interested. If they are not interested constructive feedback is always useful.

SOLD! Saved £4758 !!
3 Bed Semi Detached Garrigill, Cumbria. Asking Price £275,000 I can confirm that we have had an offer for our house which appears to be now progressing well. Well done, if all goes well we will have sold the property within two months of advertising and are due to close the sale at the end of October. Many thanks for your help Christine Middleton

2.9 Accepting an offer
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If you are happy with the offer you are now ready to get a solicitor/ conveyancer involved. 1. Make a list of items that are included in the sale price such as washing machine. 2. Take details of buyer i. Name ii. Address iii. Telephone Number 3. Take details of buyer’s solicitor if available. i. Solicitor’s name ii. Solicitor’s address iii. Solicitor’s telephone number 4. Pass these details on to your solicitor.

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The next step is for the buyer or the buyer’s mortgage company to arrange a survey on your property. Once a property is surveyed you know that the buyer is serious, as money is being spent in anticipation of a sale. See the buyer’s chapter for the buying process to ascertain how far in they have got in the sale process and what is required to complete.

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3.1 Introduction
This easy steps guide will help you through the process of buying a property. As you may already be aware, the Houseladder website helps to sell properties privately. A lot of people are not aware that you can privately sell and believe you have to use an Estate Agent only. Once you have decided to buy a property, and an offer has been accepted, the vendor’s solicitor and your solicitor will complete the necessary legal work to exchange contracts, then the property is officially yours. If you have your own property and are already with an Estate Agent, then depending on the type of contract with your Estate Agent will determine if you can use our services to market your property. The contracts are as follows. 1. ‘Sole selling' means your Estate Agent is the only one with the right to sell your house. 2. 'Sole agency' also means the Estate Agent is the only one with the right to sell your house but if you find a buyer, you won't have to pay the Agent. 3. 'Multi agency' means that you can choose several Estate Agents to market your house but you will only have to pay commission to the one who sells it. 4. 'Ready, willing and able purchaser' is a contract. If the Estate Agent finds you a buyer and you later withdraw from the sale, you still have to pay them. As Houseladder is not an Estate Agent, and if your contract is either 2,3 or 4 and an Estate Agent did not provide any legal service to sell your property, you can still use www.houseladder.co.uk and sell your property privately. For more information visit the Office of Fair Trading website. www.oft.gov.uk/advice_and_resources/publications/consumer_advi ce/home/oft744 If you do find that your contract is 1 (Sole Selling) and you wish to use one of our services, just check with the Estate Agent the contract termination period set-up one of the other types of contract if you wish to use both an Estate Agent and Houseladder.

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3.2 Arrange your mortgage
Before you even start to look at properties calculate how much you can afford. This will include any savings that you will be putting towards the move and any loans such as a mortgage that you will be taking. For loans make sure you have authorisation in writing from the lender that they will allow you to borrow an agreed sum. Find the Top 10 Mortgage Deals here
http://www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Mortgages_Summary.aspx

When working out how much money you require do not forget to include the following. 1. Price of the property. Do not forget that you require the deposit, which is usually 10% of the value of the property. This deposit is required up front before you can get a mortgage to give to the solicitor. 2. Mortgage selected package-holding fee. For example if you have selected a fixed mortgage the company usually asks for a holding fee, which can be anything from £100 to £1500 and is non refundable. 3. Conveyancing/ Solicitor fees. These are about £300 to £1000 and are the necessary legal work such as setting up your contract of exchange. Get a quote here

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4. Removal fees. You may require hiring vans to move your possessions to your new property. 5. Surveyors fee. About £400 however this depends on the level of detail you instruct the surveyor to carry out. 6. Stamp duty (Correct for April 2007 to March 2008) i. Up to £125,000 - 0% ii. £125,001 - £250,000 - 1% iii. £250,001 - £500,000 - 3% iv. £500,001+ - 4%

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For example if the property is £349,000 you will require £10,470 for the stamp duty. This is because you fall in the 3% bracket and the stamp duty is 3% of the total value of the property. Now you know how much money you are going to put to probably the biggest transaction of your life, you are now ready to begin your search for your property.

3.3 Different types of Mortgages
Compare over 8000 mortgages here
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There are several types of mortgage the most common are either repayment or interest only mortgages.

3.3.1 Repayment
A repayment mortgage allows you to pay off a bit of interest and a bit of capital for each payment, usually monthly. At the end of the term, which is usually 25 years or less you own the property. In the past you were held to this monthly payment, however a lot of mortgage companies now allow you to overpay a certain amount each month. This will allow you to pay the mortgage early and therefore pay less interest. In addition to this if you have made over payments they may also allow you to withdraw these later. For example say you over paid for 6 months by £50. In the 7th month you wish to take all of your overpayments back. As you have over paid by £300 (6 months at £50) which will mean you can take back £300 from your mortgage. This varies from mortgage to mortgage therefore please read their terms and conditions before signing up.

3.3.2 Interest Only
An interest only mortgage means that each payment, which again is normally monthly, just pays off the interest of the loan. Therefore although your monthly payment will be less then if you went for the repayment option, at the end of the term which is also usually 25 years you are required to pay off the capital. To pay off the capital as well as paying the interest off your mortgage, you are also at the same time paying into some sort of investment fund which at the end of the term will pay off the capital of the property. If all has gone well, you may have extra which can be used for any other www.houseladder.co.uk Page 24 of 53

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purpose. However there is an element of risk and if the investment fund falls short of the amount required to pay off the capital, you are required to make this up with other funds.

3.3.3 Endowments
An endowment mortgage is similar to an interest only mortgage, however it is a combination of savings, investment and life assurance all wrapped up in an insurance policy. The life assurance bit merely ensures that the mortgage is automatically paid off if you die. Endowments have had a lot of bad publicity as a lot of endowments have fallen short when they have matured. This may be due to interest rate rises and markets not performing as expected. When interest rates rise your payments should also rise. However the policy providers did not pass this rise or increase on resulting in your endowment not covering your mortgage. Due to the growing unpopularity few mortgage lenders offer this type of policy.

3.3.4 Interest rates
There are several types of interest rates, which determine how much your monthly payments will be for your mortgage. To get the best mortgage determines a lot on the rate that you can get your mortgage at as well as any set-up fees required. Every month the Bank of England sets the base rate. This base rate is reflected by the mortgage companies to set their rates for all their policies however there is a little bit of a gamble to decide which policy suits yourself. For example if you go for a fixed rate (explained below) and the base interest rates start to fall soon after, you may have been better off going for a variable rate. However this could also be reversed and if the interest rates start rising in which case you would be better off. The third case scenario is if they raised and then lowered the interest rates then at the end of the fixed term you may have paid the same amount of your mortgage as if you were on a variable rate. When comparing mortgages like for like, special packages such as fixed or capped mortgages there is usually a reservation fee which could be anywhere from £100+. So for example if you are comparing 2 fixed rate mortgages that have different rates. However the one with a greater rate may have a lower reservation fee. Therefore although the lower rate policy looks more attractive, due to its high reservation fee you would be better off going for the higher rate policy with a lower reservation fee. Check the following points before deciding www.houseladder.co.uk Page 25 of 53

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1. 2. 3. 4. Rate of interest Reservation fee if applicable. Early repayment penalties. Once the policy expires such as a capped rate mortgage are you tied in to them for a further x number of years. 5. How is the rate of interest charged? Daily or yearly. By having daily interest you pay much less interest over time as every payment reduces what you owe the mortgage provider.

3.3.5 Standard Variable Rate
The standard variable rate is linked to the Bank of England's base rate. This is usually between 1% to 2% higher, and if the interest rates rise so will your rate and therefore your monthly payments. Generally speaking by staying on this type of mortgage policy you are spending from £1000 and in most cases more on your mortgage over the course of 1 year.

3.3.6 Fixed Rates
Fixed rate mortgages are exactly that. The interest rate is fixed for a certain length of time, which can be anything from 1 year plus. This means that your monthly payment will be the same every month for the length of the term. In addition, there is normally a reservation fee and some have extended tie in, so that after the fixed term policy you may have to remain with them for a set number of years on one of their other policies.

3.3.7 Discount Rates
Discount rates are where the provider gives you a percentage of their standard variable rate. So as the Bank of England varies the base rate, which means the standard variable rate will move and so will your discount rate and hence your monthly payments will go up and down. However please note, that if the Bank of England reduces the interest rate, this does not necessarily mean that the mortgage’s standard variable rate will be reduced and therefore your discounted will not reduce as it is a discount on their standard variable rate.

3.3.8 Index tracker Rates
Index tracker mortgages tracks the Bank of England base rate + or – a certain percentage. For example of we went for a Tracker + 0.25%, and the Bank of England base rate is 5.25%, then the tracker interest rate will be 5.25 + 0.25, that is 5.50%. This follows www.houseladder.co.uk Page 26 of 53

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exactly inline with the Bank of England base rate, and therefore if the Bank of England base rate goes down so will yours by exactly the same decrease.

3.3.9 Capped Rates
Capped rates set a ceiling value to the rate of interest that you will have to pay. If the interest rate rises above this ceiling value you will only pay the ceiling value rate. If the interest rate falls below your ceiling value then so will your rate and therefore your payments. Again these types of policies are for a certain length of time from 1 year plus. Find the Top 10 Mortgages here
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3.4 Property Search
Now you have your finances in order and you know how much you can afford to buy, where can you find your property? Sources to search for properties are as follows 1. 2. 3. 4. Newspapers Estate Agents’ shop windows Boards Internet

The first 3 services have been used for many years, however the internet has changed all this. So what has the internet done. 1. Makes searching for a property easier with search engines. Just enter minimum specification you require the property to meet such as price, number of bedrooms and area, and properties that are of interest to you, saving you valuable time. Search for Property For Sale Here www.houseladder.co.uk/SearchEngine/PropertyForSaleSearch.aspx

2. You can signup for 'homes by email' where we can email you any new properties or properties with price changes, and

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meets you criteria automatically. This saves having to keep on chasing up Agents directly. Receive Properties By Email Here www.houseladder.co.uk/Accounts/AccountRegisterForAutoEmailNew Properties.aspx 3. With only a few dominant property sites you only have to visit one or 2 websites in addition to Houseladder, as this is where all Agents advertise properties, property sites such as Trovit www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Partners.aspx

3.5 Viewings
Always view in daylight hours as you can spot problems and also see how much natural light enters the property. When you go to view the property take the following with you. 1. A family/ partner or friend: For 2 reasons, one is safety and the other is for a second opinion. 2. Pen and paper: So you can note anything about the property such as work to be done or any answer to questions that you have asked the vendor. During the viewing you may want to ask the following questions. 1. 2. 3. Whether they have a HIP and ask to see it. Council rates. Water and sewage rates. Sometimes this is the same company and therefore included all in 1 bill however can be separate bills. How is it heated? How much it costs to heat. Find the best Gas and electric companies here:

4. 5.

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6. 7. 8.

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9. Have they found a property? 10. If the property is a flat then other questions to ask are Do you have share of the Freehold Is there a ground rent What is the frequency and amount of the maintenance charge? This covers items like cleaning common areas such as entrance and gardening. 11. What is included in the price? Curtains, carpets, washing machine etc. In addition to above, it is best to visit the location at the following times so you can assess the noise level and parking. 1. Weekday during rush hour. This will help to deduce whether people use the road as a shortcut. 2. Weekday evening. This will as per point 1 and also to see what the parking is like on the road. 3. Saturday during the day. 4. Saturday evening

3.6 Make an Offer
Once you have found a property you wish to purchase then your will need to make an offer either through the agent marketing the property or direct if the seller is selling privately without an agent. To ensure you are not over paying for the property we recommend you check the following website which list the prices of property they actually sold for. This information is direct from the Government Land Registry department and is recorded in order to calculate the stamp duty payable. Actual House Sold Prices can be found online at www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/House_prices.aspx This site also gives trends by every town and postcode detailing how the price of property has changed in the area, broken down by flats, terraced, semis and detached properties. This can help you decide if property prices are rising or falling in the area.

3.7 The Legal Process
The legal process involves the following people and will be where up front money is to be spent.

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1. 2. 3. 4. Conveyancer/ Solicitor Mortgage company Local council that the property falls under. Surveyor.

You are now required to contact your solicitor who will then carry out the legal work such as submitting a land search to the local council that the property is under. If you do not have a solicitor then try

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Although your solicitor will contact your mortgage company, it is good to also contact them so they can inform you of the next steps. Depending on the mortgage company the next step is for a surveyor to view the property, which generally the mortgage company supply. You normally have to pay for this and sometimes costs are refundable once the sale is completed. If you have to do this yourself or wish to have a more detailed survey then try some of our partners at the end of the section. A Full Structural Survey provides much more detail and as a result will cost a lot more. If the survey reveals particular points that are not happy with you can either stop the property purchase process or go back to the vendor and re-negotiate accordingly. As the process proceeds you will require funds for the following items. 1. 2. 3. 4. Conveyancer/ Solicitor fee Deposit for property Stamp duty Surveyors fee. Usually assigned by the mortgage company and may be refunded once contracts have been exchanged.

Once the solicitors on both the buyer and seller’s side have completed all the necessary legal work, a completion date will be agreed, where you and the seller will sign a contract which is a legally binding agreement. On the completion date the full amount,

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minus any deposit, will be transferred from you to the seller and the property is now yours.

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3.8 Moving In
Now you have moved in to your new property you will probably want to get all payments in order. Below is a general list of items that will require you attention. 1. Telephone: Change this into your name 2. Gas: Change this into your name. 3. Electric: Change this into your name. Click here and get all your utilities on one bill AND save £100s
www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Gas_and_Electricity_Supply.aspx

4. Buildings + Contents insurance. Please note that within flats the buildings insurance can be part of the maintenance fee. 5. Water rates 6. Sewage rates 7. TV License 8. Maintenance fee: This covers the communal parts if you are buying a flat.

Find the Cheapest Home Insurance Here http://www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Home_Insurance.aspx

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4.1 Introduction
Letting Agents usually charge around 10% of rental income to find tenants. However, privately advertising your property will save you £100s. If you want Letting Agents to manage the whole tenancy they normally charge about 10% to 15% of the rental income. Even if you are an experienced landlord you may want to see our range of books on being a landlord which are on our website at www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/LandlordsGuide.aspx In addition to this you may want to look at our Tenants guide section, which also contains useful information on tenants’ rights. Let Your Property Online and save £1000s at www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Services.aspx

LET! Saved £954 !!
3 Bed Semi Detached Cardiff. Asking Price £795 per month I let my property the day after I purchased it thanks to Houseladder. I had an agent put up a board - but houseladder was quicker! Many thanks Alasdair Denton

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4.2 Buy To Let Mortgages
Buy to let mortgages offer all the same types as with a normal residential mortgage, however generally speaking the interest rate is higher, but there are some very good deals to be found. In the past a lot of people have obtained 100% mortgages, that is a mortgage which is the value of the whole property, and there rental income just pays the interest of the mortgage hoping that the value of the property will go up, which will be their capital gain however there is an element of risk. In the long term data has shown that property prices do rise, so if you are planning to have the property 10 or more years then you will probably ride out when properties do fall, but please remember there is a risk as with most investments. Currently most buy to let mortgage companies will lend about 80% of the property, therefore you will be required to find a 20% deposit. The mortgage company will also consider the type of property you are buying, whether it is worth the price you are buying it for and the rental income for the location of the property. As this section is about renting your property, see the mortgages section in the buyers guide for a detailed explanation. Once you have arranged your mortgage, it is now time to find a suitable property. There are only a handful of websites such as fish4.co.uk that you require to visit, as these are where all the agents as well as Houseladder advertise there properties for their clients. While searching for a property, it is also advisable to have a look under the rental section to see how much that type of property will achieve. Generally speaking you want the yearly rental to cover 125% of your mortgage payments. As the average property will be empty for 1 month in the year, due to when tenants leave and you are currently in the process of finding new tenants, in addition to some wear and tear costs such as re-painting or new carpets from time to time. Once you have purchased the property, you now have to quickly get this rented out, as each month it is empty is now costing you.

4.3 Preparation
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long period of time. Therefore before you have either your first or your next tenants to view your property make sure you have covered the following. 1. 2. 3. Complete any small DIY jobs such as painting. Clear away any clutter. Air the property by opening windows and purchasing a few air fresheners. Also remember that some buyers may be allergic to pets, so make sure that all signs of animal smells and hair are removed. If any of the rooms have very bright colours or carpets, you may want to neutralise them. This does not mean go out and buy expensive carpet. Get carpets professionally cleaned. If your bathroom or kitchen looks tired, applying some of the following practises will make a difference. Re-paint the ceiling and walls. Clean, re-grout any tiled areas that are going black. It may even pay to have a new white bathroom or kitchen suite put in. Cut lawns. Make sure front door is immaculate as first impressions count. Choose the correct lighting for each space, which can improve the mood of the room. Organise rooms so that there purpose can be seen.

4.

5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

During this process always remember that you have now decided to let your property and not to get personal about any changes. The changes that you implement are there to attract the widest possible tenants in your area.

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4.4 What rent shall I charge
In renting your property, the asking price is critical in attracting potential tenants. Too low and you could loose thousands of pounds, too high and nobody comes to view. Contrary to popular belief Letting Agents do not set letting prices. All they do is estimate a reasonable property rent based on their knowledge of the property market. At the end of the day tenants determine the price of renting a property based on what they are willing to pay. Follow the steps below and you will be able to easily price and set your rent price as professional Letting Agents. When setting your rental price do not be tempted to inflate the rent as this will simply drive tenants away and your property will take longer to lease.

4.4.1 Review local property papers.
This will give you a rough estimate of the rental value of your property.

4.4.2 Letting Agents window
Looking in your local Letting Agents window will help you to further refine the price of your property.

4.4.3 Review the big property sites.
This is the quickest and easiest step. Search for similar properties to let in your post code on the big property websites. List them out and objectively position your property against them. This is your competition and tenants will be comparing your home with these similar properties. If you feel your property is worth more, ensure you can justify why in the description. Look for similar properties to let in your area at the following websites. Over 90% of all properties on the market are on these property sites.

http://www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Partners.aspx

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OUR PREMIUM PAID ADS are Listed on the following sites

Home Extensive database of over 400,000 properties of property for sale and let.

Trovit One of the fastest growing property websites with over 400,000 unique visitors a month to their property pages. Also lists cars and jobs with over 1 million visitors a month.

Oodle Large classified website with over 500,000 visitors a month.

The Sun List your property on the website of the UK Largest Newspaper.

Lycos List your property on the classified section of this popular search engine.

Thomson Local List your property on the classified section of the ThomsonLocal directory.

PLUS Many More ......

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LET 2 PROPERTIES! Saved £1260 !!
3 Bed End Terraced Kettering Northamptonshire . Asking Price £525 per month each Hey, great site, by the way...both my rental properties let out without problem from leads from your site. Really impressed, especially as you appear 'well up' in the search engines! Thank you... I will definitely use you site again... if that's ok? Cheers CK

4.5 Legal
When you are letting a property a landlord has to perform the following duties. 1. Gas installations such as your boiler have to be tested by a Corgi registered engineer either once a year or when you relet to new tenants, whichever comes first. A copy should be given to the tenant. 2. Comply with fire safety regulations by providing fire exits, smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. This will depend on the type of property that you are letting out so check with the local council. 3. Furniture must comply with the 1988 fire and safety regulations. 4. If the building was built after 1992 it must have smoke alarms on every floor.

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In addition to the above have the following documents ready for when you find a tenant. 1. Inventory 2. Assured shorthold tenancy agreement. Clickdocs provides fast reliable online downloadable legal documents including Tenancy Agreements, Inventory list, Notice to Quit and Deed of Assignment for both England / Wales and Scotland.

www.clickdocs.co.uk/AffiliateWiz/affiliatewiz.asp?&AffiliateID=115

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LET! Saved £600 !!
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4.6 Marketing your property
To let your property privately you can market your property in the following places 1. 2. 3. 4. Local newspapers Internet To let boards National papers

By using Houseladder services you can market your property on the internet and to your local market with a ‘To Let’ board. Over 70% of people looking to rent a property now use the Internet. A lot of time is saved not having to go to all the local letting agents in the area of interest. Time can also be saved not having to look through the property papers. Any good property Internet site will have a search engine, which can deliver results that are limited to your search criteria, also saving time. When you set-up the advert you decide which contact details are published within the advert. Potential tenants contact you via phone or secure email. The potential tenant will not see your email address until you wish for them to email you directly. By opting for one of our re-advertising packages this will give you even more exposure. Over 1 million people a month visit our partners sites . More details at: http://www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Partners.aspx Even if you are with an Estate or Letting Agent you can still advertise your property privately AT THE SAME TIME in 99% of cases. By advertising with Houseladder on our partner sites you can rest assured that with our marketing combined with marketing via your Letting Agent you have maximised your exposure. This will ensure you get the best price. Let Your Property Online and save £1000s at www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Services.aspx

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4.7 To Let Boards
Although 70% of people now use the Internet to find their next property, there are still 30% of people that find their new home by other means such as a board. To let your property as fast a possible you must display a To Let board. On average properties with a board DOUBLE their viewings.

Our high quality double-sided Letting Agents To Let Boards enable you to market your home to non Internet Privately, saving you £100s! Manufactured to the highest quality. Made from rigid weatherproof corrugated polypropylene and complying with local planning regulation (size 800mm x 600mm), these To Let boards are equal to those used by all Letting Agents. Within the kit we also supply the necessary tools so that you can easily display your direct contact number. You receive the phone calls, as you are best person to let your property. For More information on Boards visit www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Boards.aspx

Let Your Property Online and save £1000s at www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Services.aspx

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4.8 Viewings
Have a diary set-up so that you can manage your viewings. For each potential tenant make sure that you have taken their name and number just in case you have to re-arrange the appointment, and also in case they are late and have just got lost.

4.8.1 Before a viewing
1. Have a print out of your property details, as they may want to take this away. 2. A blank piece of paper so that you can take any notes while you are showing the tenants around. 3. All the doors are shut so that you can present the room to them. 4. You have planned a route through the property. 5. Your have prepared your property.

4.8.2 Showing the people around
1. Always lead tenants through the property. When you open a door to the room enter first, pointing out all the positive points of the room. 2. If a room is too small to fit everybody in then allow tenants to enter the room while you stand outside pointing out all the positive points. 3. During the course of viewing gather some information about the tenant for example. i. About their job. ii. When are they looking to move? iii. Pets. Gathering information about the tenant, may determine whom you rent to if you have several potentials to choose from.

4.8.3 After a Viewing
After 2 days if the potential tenant has not contacted you, then contact them to see if they are interested, if not interested constructive feedback always useful. Let Your Property Online and save £1000s at www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Services.aspx

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4.9 Reference and Contracts
Once you have found a tenant, to make it trouble free include the following tasks. 1. Request references from previous landlords and from their employers. 2. Have the tenant agree to a credit check. You can also do a rent guarantee with some credit check companies. 3. Go round with the prospective tenant checking the inventory and both date it. If more than one person is renting make sure that all sign and date it. This should be done the day of tenants move in. 4. Make sure all tenants sign and date the assured shorthold tenancy agreement. So that if one defaults on rent payment, the remaining tenants are responsible to make up the difference so that you are paid in full. 5. We recommend you find out who the tenant is going to get their gas electric and home phone from. Read the next section to find out how you can manage this and not be left with the bills when your tenant leaves

Clickdocs provides fast reliable online downloadable legal documents including Tenancy Agreements, Inventory list, Notice to Quit and Deed of Assignment for both England / Wales and Scotland.

Get Your Tenancy Agreement Here www.clickdocs.co.uk/AffiliateWiz/affiliatewiz.asp?&AffiliateID=115 Find the Cheapest Home Insurance Here http://www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Home_Insurance.aspx Find the Top 10 mortgages here
http://www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Mortgages_Summary.aspx

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4.10 Deposits
From the 6th April 2007 all new assured short hold tenancy contracts where a deposit is taken must be protected by a tenancy deposit protection scheme. This is to • • Ensure good practice in handling the deposit. To assist in handling disputes.

Full details can be found a the governments website at http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/rentingandletting/privater enting/tenancydepositprotection/

LET! Saved £480 !!
3 Bed Semi Detached Swansea West Glamorgan. Asking Price £400 per month I would just like to take this opportunity to thank you for your service. I advertised the house and in less than one week I have found a tenant. The house had been with an agency who had little communication skills and had been empty for nearly two and a half months. Your site and staff were extremely helpful especially to someone who couldn't split photos that were scanned. If the house becomes available again you will be my first stop. Again many thanks Chrissie Woolmer

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5.1 Introduction
Before you start looking for a property, if you are renting with other people sit down and agree on what you are looking for. List your priorities such as distance from work, schools, parking etc. Your new landlord will ask for references, which could include previous/ current landlord and/ or your employer. Make sure you have contact details to give to the landlord once you find a property that you wish to rent.

5.2 Searching for property
Now you have your finances in order and you know how much you can afford. Find your property from the following areas: 1. 2. 3. 4. Newspapers Letting Agents’ shop windows Boards Internet

The first 3 points we all know off and have been used for many years, however the internet has changed all this. So what has the internet done. 1. Makes searching for a property easier with search engines. Just enter minimum specification you require the property to meet such as price, number of bedrooms and area, and properties that are of interest to you, saving you valuable time. 2. Can signup for 'homesbyemail' where we can email you any new properties or properties with price changes, and meets you criteria automatically. This saves having to keep on chasing up Agents directly. Sign up at http://www.houseladder.co.uk/Accounts/AccountRegisterForAuto EmailNewProperties.aspx 3. With only a few dominant property sites you only have to visit one or 2 websites in addition to Houseladder, as this is where all Agents advertise properties, property sites can be found at http://www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Partners.aspx

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5.3 Viewings
Always view in daylight hours as you can spot problems more easily and also see how much natural light enters the property. When you go to view the property take the following with you. 1. A family/ partner or friend: For 2 reasons, one is safety and the other is for a second opinion. 2. Pen and paper: So you can note anything about the property such as work to be done or any answer to questions that you have asked the vendor. 3. Digital camera: As no film cost why not take some pictures so that once you have left you can review what it was like. You will probably find other things from the photos that you did not realise when you was viewing the property. During the viewing you may want to ask the following questions. 1. Council rates. 2. Water and sewage rates. Sometimes this is the same company and therefore included all in 1 bill however can be separate bills. 3. How is it heated? 4. How much it costs to heat? An estimate of gas and electricity bills. We recommend you get a quote from www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Gas_and_Electric ity_Supply.aspx

5. 6. 7. 8.

Can they have cable? Are they in range to have ADSL? What are the neighbours like? If the property is a flat then other questions to ask are i. Is there a ground rent and who is responsible for the cost. ii. Is there a maintenance charge and who is responsible for the cost? This covers items like cleaning common areas such entrance, gardening etc.

If you are in an area that moves fast you may have to make an offer within a few hours otherwise you may loose the property.

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5.4 Property found ! What Next?
If you have not already researched the area then now is the time before you start paying out. In addition to this website it is best to visit the location at the following times so you can assess the noise level. 1. Weekday during rush hour. This will help you to deduce whether people use the road as a shortcut. 2. Weekday evening. This will as per 1. and also see what parking is like on the road. 3. Saturday during the day. 4. Saturday evening Once you have found a property to rent a good landlord will do the following. 1. Go round with the landlord to do an inventory check for both to sign and date on the day you move in. If more than one person renting make sure all names sign. This should be done on the day you move in. 2. Make sure all sign and date the assured shorthold tenancy agreement. If the above is not done then insist on it. It saves problems when you ask for your deposit back at the end of the agreed term. The landlord also has responsibilities such as 1. Deposit: All new assured short hold tenancy contracts where a deposit is taken must be protected by a tenancy deposit protection scheme. 2. Gas installations such as your boiler tested by a Corgi registered engineer either once a year or when a new tenant moves in, whichever comes first. Ask for a copy of the test certificate. 3. Comply with fire safety regulations by providing fire exits, smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. This will depend on the type of property that you are letting out so check with the local council. 4. Furniture must comply with the 1988 fire and safety regulations. 5. If the building was built after 1992 it must have smoke alarms on every floor. 6. Water supply and waste removal pipes must be kept in good working order. www.houseladder.co.uk Page 46 of 53

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7. External maintenance is also the responsibility of the landlord who must give you a UK contact address. 8. Repairs are the responsibility of the landlord.

5.5 Moving In
Now you have moved in to your new property you will probably want to get all payments in order. Below is a general list of items that will require you attention. Telephone: Change this into your name Gas: Change this into your name. Electric: Change this into your name. Click here and get all your utilities on one bill AND save £000s of pounds www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Gas_and_Electricity _Supply.aspx Contents insurance Water rates Sewage rates TV License Maintenance fee: If you are responsible for, this covers the communal parts if you are renting a flat.

Find the Cheapest Home Insurance Here http://www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Home_Insurance.aspx

5.6 Deposits
From the 6th April 2007 all new assured short hold tenancy contracts where a deposit is taken must be protected by a tenancy deposit protection scheme. This is to • • Ensure good practice in handling the deposit. To assist in handling disputes.

Full details can be found a the governments website at http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/rentingandletting/privater enting/tenancydepositprotection/ www.houseladder.co.uk Page 47 of 53

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http://www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Services.aspx 6 Print Post Application Form
You can also create to advert directly online at www.houseladder.co.uk/Information/Services.aspx

1. Contact details Title (Mr, Miss, Mrs, Ms) First name Last name * Tel (Day) Tel (Eve Tel (Mobile) Email * Web Address Where did you hear about us * (Must Enter)

2. The advertised property address (Will appear in advert)

Street Sub town Postal Town* (e.g. Bristol) County* Postcode* Country* United Kingdom

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3. Property general details Advert type (Please tick one)* Property type (Please tick one)* Detached House End of terrace House boat Mobile home Semi-detached bungalow Bungalow Detached bungalow Flat Maisonette Semi-detached House Terraced Terraced House For Sale To Let

Land title (Please tick one)* Freehold Leasehold Not Applicable (To Let)

Number of Bedrooms* Selling Price or Rent Monthly*

4. Features Central Heating - Gas Double Glazing Parking - Allocated Central Heating - Oil Furnished Parking - Off street

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5. General Description (attach more sheets if needed)

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6. Photographs (You must have permission to use photos) No of photos enclosed - max 12 OR I will email photos to [email protected]

7. Choose service level (We cannot accept free ads via this form, only online) SILVER: £69.99 - 1 month Houseladder and partner websites

GOLD: £119.99 - Until sold/let (max 1 year) Houseladder and partner websites

GOLD+: £149.99 - Until sold/let (max 1 year) Houseladder and partner websites plus a For Sale or To Let board

8. Billing Details

House No./ Name* Street* Town* County* Postcode* Country*

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9. Payment Pay by Cheque Cheques enclosed (Please tick) Make payable to HOUSELADDER LTD or Pay by Credit/ Debit Card Type Card Holder Name* Card Type* (e.g. Visa Mastercard Maestro Solo JCB) Card No.* Expiry Date* Valid From Date* (only if available) Issue No* (only if available) Security Code* / /

Card Holder Signature * Date * 10. Terms and Conditions
1. Introduction 1.1 This advertisers agreement ("the Agreement") is made between Houseladder Ltd ("Houseladder", "We") and the Advertiser ("You). 1.2 By entering into this agreement you are confirming you have read these Terms and Conditions and agree to them. 1.3 You agree to Houseladder publishing your advert details on our web site and the web sites of our partners. 2. Your Responsibilities 2.1 You have the leg al right to sell or rent the property.

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2.2 The description you supply is true and accurate and not misleading. Houseladder does not take any responsibility for the accuracy of the information supplied and cannot be held liable. 2.3 You will pay the full advert fee before the advert will be published. 2.4 You have obtained permission from the owner of any photographs used in the advert. Houseladder will not be held liable for breach of copyright. 2.5 If you have a contract with an Estate Agent, you have independently checked your contract with regards to the terms and conditions that you must pay the Estate Agents commission. If later it is found that you are legally bound to pay the Estate Agents commission, Houseladder will not be liable. 2.6 Only one property may appear in each advert. 2.7 You will assemble the 'For Sale' or 'To Let' board complying with the local planning authority regulations. 2.8 You will set your own selling price or rental price. 2.9 You will arrange and conduct viewings for the advertised property. 2.10 You will inform Houseladder once the advertised property is sold or rented. 2.11 If you have selected the FREE service, the property advertised is a private advert and not for business. 2.12 As the 'responsible person' for marketing your property, you will be responsible for ordering and supplying your own Home Information Pack if required. 3. Houseladder's Responsibility 3.1 We will supply a 'For Sale' or 'To Let' board, where requested, within 10 working days. 3.2 We will re-advertise your property on our partner websites within 5 working days. Publication on partner sites maybe subject to alteration or cancellation according to changes in service imposed on us by those partner sites. As such we cannot guarantee unlimited publication on these sites. 3.3 Services that fall under the until sold option will be reviewed after a year has passed from the date the service was purchased. After which Houseladder will have the right to discontinue the advert which includes the re-advertising on partner sites. 3.4 Services that fall under the until let option have purchased a slot for 1 year from the date of purchase, after which the advert will expire which includes the re-advertising on partner sites. 3.5 We will, to the best of our efforts, ensure that the Houseladder web site is available at all times. We reserve the right to take the site 'off-line' without prior notice for essential maintenance and upgrades. 4. Refunds 4.1 You may cancel this contract by informing Houseladder Ltd in writing or email within 24 hours of placing the advert. 4.2 No refund will be made after 24 hours or after you have received an enquiry in your account, whichever is first. All advertising after 24 hours is classed as 'Free of Charge'. 4.3 Under no circumstances will our liability exceed the value of advertising fee received 4.4 This does not affect your statutory rights as a consumer.

Signature*

Date *

13. Send To

Houseladder, FREEPOST NAT7681, Surbiton, KT6 5BR
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