Bayswater Flats & Houses For Sale & Rent

Westminster Will Continue To Provide Public Conveniences

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 13:02:00 +0000

Vital public loos across the centre of London will remain open for at least the next ten years as Westminster City Council is set to protect services and save money under innovative new proposals.

Plans are being finalised which will see the council’s 20 permanent facilities being leased out to a private provider and, as a result, safeguarded from any threat of closure. The contract will involve at least 50 per cent of the sites being free for all users with the remainder charging a maximum of 50p, set to be introduced in April.

Currently Westminster has one of the most extensive networks of public loos in the country, but that comes at a cost of £2.1m a year to the taxpayer to run the 20 sites. Even though local authorities have no statutory duty to provide public conveniences, Westminster has for many years ensured that these facilities remain open.

This is against a national back drop of a significant decline in the number of public conveniences with the problem particularly acute in London. In fact the capital has seen the biggest decline in the number of local-authority run public toilets – a closure rate twice that of the country as a whole.

Westminster is bucking the trend by providing a high quality and extensive network of public conveniences throughout which are visited more than 8 million times a year.

First Time Buyers Fee Free Mortgages

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:32:00 +0000

Halifax has announced plans to help first-time buyers get a foot on the property ladder with a new fee-free mortgage.

The home loan, which lasts for two years and has a fixed interest rate of 5.99 per cent over this period is available to those with a deposit of between ten and 15 per cent of their new home's value.

With mortgage fees typically adding up to around £995 the loan is certain to seem attractive to first-time buyers looking to save a bit of cash.

For the bank's current account customers there will be an additional £150 cash-back bonus on completion of the mortgage.

"Buying a house has always been an expensive process and for first-time buyers every bit of help counts," commented Halifax's mortgage director Stephen Noakes.

Last month, Leeds Building Society also offered a helping hand to first-time buyers in the form of a mortgage with a five-year fixed rate at 4.94 per cent with 95 per cent loan-to-value.

Mortgage Rate and Home Loan News

Boris Johnson Outlines Housing Plans For London

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 10:50:00 +0000

Speaking at the National Housing Federation London Mayor Boris Johnson outlined the details of his revised housing strategy which would deliver 55,000 affordable homes in London by 2015, including 16,000 in the current financial year – the most since the mid-1990′s.

The new housing will be designed to the Mayor’s larger spaces standard which will mean more decent-sized family homes.As well as providing over 100,000 jobs in the next four years, these new affordable homes should also provide a much needed stimulus to housing mobility. By upgrading 40,000 council homes and by creating more affordable homes the plans will allow more Londoners than ever to get on the housing ladder. This should have a knock-on effect across the market with an increase in buyers over the four years and therefore steady growth.

This movement in the market will be spurred on by the government’s mortgage indemnity scheme which would decrease mortgage deposits to just 5% for first-time buyers allowing more of those stuck renting to gain a footing on the housing ladder.

The Mayor also has plans to reform the rental market by accrediting 100,000 landlords in an attempt to improve the quality of service in the sector. While this will help to raise confidence in the rental sector it will also make finding the best tenants a more difficult task. For landlords living outside of the capital that may mean using a property rental management service to ensure they are providing the most attentive service to their tenants.

CML pleased with FSA's changes to mortgage lending rerquirements

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:31:00 +0000

Maida Vale Flats & Houses For Sale & Rent: Mortgage Rate & Home Loan News: CML pleased with F...: The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has said that it is pleased with the proposals for reform on mortgage lending put forward by the Fina...

Westminster Council Parking

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:57:00 +0000

Westminster Council spent £400,000 preparing to charge drivers for weekend parking before consultations were complete, BBC London has learned.

The authority has faced protests over plans to charge for West End parking during weekends and evenings.

It has now emerged the six-figure sum was spent on signage despite residents' opinions still being sought.

Labour said residents had been treated with "contempt", but the Conservatives said the costs would be recouped.

Critics say the outlay on signage shows the consultation was meaningless in the first place and the council had already made up its mind to bring in the new charges.

'Total contempt'
It comes after a High Court judge allowed a Judicial Review into the scheme, saying it was possible the council's consultation period had been too limited.

The leader of Labour in Westminster, Paul Dimoldenberg, said: "Westminster's consultation has been shambolic and no wonder the High Court was so scathing of the council's efforts.

"The council has treated residents and businesses with total contempt with £300,000 having being spent on new parking signs even before the consultation period was over."

Whiteleys Shopping Centre Marks 100th Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:21:00 +0000

Bayswater shopping centre Whiteleys, which was once destroyed by a massive fire, suffered bomb damage during the Second World War and had its basement flooded by a burst water main, has just marked its centenary, reports the Westminster Chronicle.

Despite suffering setbacks over the years, Whiteley's in Queensway proved it is still going strong as it marked its 100th birthday.

The story of the shopping centre began in March 1863, when William Whiteley opened a drapery store selling ribbons, lace and trimmings, in Westbourne Grove.

Over the years, the business rapidly expanded along Westbourne Grove and up what was then Queen's Road, now Queensway.

Mr Whiteley proclaimed that he could supply anything 'from a pin to an elephant', at short notice.

Student Accommodation Investers Should Look At Der...

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 09:23:00 +0000

South Bank Flats & Houses For Sale & Rent: Student Accommodation Investers Should Look At Der...: When looking for an ideal place to rent to students it might be advisable to look at buildings that are currently out of use. Manchester-ba...

More than 220 hours of free sport and leisure activities this weekend

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 11:56:00 +0000

Leisure centres and sport venues across Westminster will host more than 220 hours of free activities this weekend (Nov 19/20).

Swimming, football, badminton, martial arts and table tennis are among the sports on offer across seven venues.

Visitors will be encouraged to try something new, from latin and ballroom dancing classes – to supervised climbing sessions and yoga.

They will also have the chance to have a 'mini' fitness MOT at the gym, try out activities such as street dance and cheerleading or take the opportunity to improve their swimming technique.

Cllr Steve Summers, Westminster Council’s Deputy Cabinet Member for Sports, Leisure and the Olympics, said:
“The Active weekend is a great opportunity for residents to get out into the local community and find out what leisure services are on offer.

"Westminster's gyms and leisure facilities provide excellent value for money, and we are proud to have some of the best facilities in the capital, within easy access of all our residents and visitors."

“I’d encourage residents to get involved this weekend, to see for themselves what’s on offer and maybe try something new.”

The 'Active Westminster Weekend' is being run in partnership with a range of organisations across the city including NHS Westminster.

For full listings Click Here

Westminster Council Teams Up With Post Office

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:20:00 +0000

Westminster City Council has launched a ground-breaking scheme which will enable residents to pay for a far greater range of services at the Post Office.
The new agreement means residents can now pay for everything from parking tickets to council tax at the Post Office, as well as expanding the number of payment points (from 3 to 26) for residents wishing to pay for a range of services by cash or cheque.

The innovative deal has sparked interest from the Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs Minister Edward Davey who said: “This is a great example of a local authority thinking outside the box to improve the quality of its payment services for residents. This is a role model I would like to see replicated across the country.”

Westminster cabinet member for customer services and transformation Cllr Melvyn Caplan said: “This innovative deal with the Post Office will give Westminster residents more choice of where to make their cash or cheque payments across the borough. The fact residents can pay a wide range of services in one spot – everything from council tax to parking permits – also increases convenience and efficiency.”

The Post Office’s head of regulation strategy Mike Granville added: “We are pleased to bring on board Westminster City Council, which joins the large number of companies that already trust and rely on the Post Office to manage payments services on their behalf. Innovative contracts like this deliver access and convenience to the customers of the council’s services as well as ensuring that more people come through the doors of our Post Office branches, which will help to sustain our valuable branch network into the future.”

Interest Only Mortgages for Buy to Let Property Could Prove Problematic for Landlords

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 10:20:00 +0000

Landlords with interest-only mortgages could be facing a 'ticking time bomb' of problems according to one property expert.Paul Holmes, CEO of advisory service Firstrung, says that a future slump in the housing market could lead to many property investors finding themselves in negative equity.

And being in such a position at the end of their mortgage term would lead to a multitude of financial issues.

"Interest only mortgages are particularly prevalent in the buy-to-let sector, so unless there is a major shift in house prices upwards in the next ten to 15 years a lot of buy-to-let investors are going to find themselves in deep trouble," he said.
In normal terms, interest-only mortgages are taken alongside an investment vehicle that will go towards repaying the capital at the end of the mortgage period.

However, with a let property being an investment in itself, most landlords have not felt the need to pay into separate, and sometimes costly, policies.

Despite concerns over such mortgages, calls to prohibit interest-only lending have been criticised by some financial advisers as they feel it will hinder a lender's ability to help push the housing market.

Buy To Let investment News

Fixed Rate Mortgages at Low Rates Good Sign for First Time Buyers

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 09:54:00 +0000

People looking to buy flats & houses for sale in London, should be researching the different types of UK mortgage deals currently available.

According to Ben Wilkie, editor at What Mortgage, the record low fixed-rate UK mortgage offers are almost as good as they seem, because such deals are set by how banks can borrow money, meaning they tend to borrow off the London interbank offered rate which is low at the moment.

"Also, there is a confidence issue that rates are going to stay low for a reasonable amount of time, so you are seeing very cheap two-year fixed-rates because banks assume that even if interest rates do rise, they are not going to rise by that much over the next two years," he pointed out.

Mr Wilkie also advised those buying properties to work out how much they will be paying in mortgage fees.

"The way to look at fees is to add the cost of the fee into the deal period," he explained.

First Time Property Buyers News

Bayswater Will Be Part of New Paddington Constituency

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:06:00 +0000

Westminster is set to be split into three constituencies as part of a boundary review.

Currently, the borough is divided into two constituencies - Westminster North, represented by Labour MP Karen Buck, and Cities of London and Westminster, represented by Conservative MP Mark Field.

This is likely to change under plans revealed by the Boundary Commission this week.

A new Paddington constituency is set to be formed of nine wards in north Westminster (Abbey Road, Bayswater, Harrow Road, Hyde Park, Lancaster Gate, Little Venice, Maida Vale, Queen's Park and Westbourne), and four in North Kensington.

A new Camden and Regent's Park constituency, formed mainly of wards in neighbouring Camden, would incorporate four wards in north-east Westminster (Bryanston and Dorset Square, Church Street, Marylebone High Street, Regent's Park).

In the south of the borough, seven Westminster wards (Churchill, Knightsbridge and Belgravia, St James's, Tachbrook, Vincent Square, Warwick and West End) will form part of the Westminster and Kensington constituency, with eight wards in Kensington and Chelsea.

Lancaster Gate Apartment for Rent, Bayswater

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 11:48:00 +0000

Central London Apartment for Rent, Lancaster Gate

A two bedroom apartment situated on the second floor of this spectacular stucco period building on Lancaster Gate and being within 100 yards of Hyde park, Available 20th September, furnished or unfurnished.

Bayswater Apartment for Rent

Bayswater Apartment for Rent

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 11:42:00 +0000

Kensington Gardens Square, Bayswater, London, W2

A luxury two double bedroom apartment situated on the fifth floor of this refurbished block. The property comprises a spacious living/dining area facing the main gardens, guest bathroom with wc, fully equipped kitchen, main bedroom with ensuite bathroom and a second bedroom facing the small garden at the entrance of the building, available NOW, unfurnished or part furnished.

Luxury London Apartment for Rent

Land Registry House Price Index Survey for July

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 14:22:00 +0000

July house prices up 1.3 per cent since June: average house price in England and Wales now £163,049

The July data from Land Registry's flagship House Price Index shows an annual price decrease of 2.1 per cent which takes the average property value in England and Wales to £163,049. The monthly change from June to July is 1.3 per cent.

The only region in England and Wales to experience an increase in its average property value over the last 12 months is London with a movement of 1.3 per cent. The South West experienced the greatest monthly rise with a movement of 2.2 per cent. The North East experienced both the greatest annual price fall with a decrease of 8.8 per cent and the most significant monthly price fall with a movement of 2.3 per cent.

The most up-to-date figures available show that during May 2011, the number of completed house sales in England and Wales decreased by 10 per cent to 46,870 from 52,170 in May 2010. The number of properties sold in England and Wales for over £1 million decreased by 44 per cent between May 2010 and May 2011, from 464 to 262.

Paddington Childrens Library Revamp

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:25:00 +0000

Paddington Children’s Library has reopened after a £30,000 revamp, council chiefs have announced.As part of the three-week long revamp, new children’s self-service facilities have been fitted to enable children to check out their own books.

Eight new computer desks designed for children have also been installed to enhance computer skills and provide them with more online learning opportunities.The library also now has a dedicated under-5s area fitted with children’s furniture and seating for parents.The furniture can be removed which will enable the library to host children’s events throughout the year.

New shelving has also been fitted for the library’s extensive range of books and materials.Over the past year more than 55,000 children have visited the library to borrow books and take part in special children’s events.

Edgeware Road Apartment For Rent, Bayswater

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 08:37:00 +0000

Edgware Road, Bayswater, London, W2 £400 pw

A bright and spacious seventh floor studio apartment set within this centrally located building close to Hyde Park, Oxford street and Paddington. Forset Court is located on Edgware Road which is a lively area with coffee and grocery shops, restaurants and bars. The property has been recently redecorated and includes a fully fitted kitchen and tiled bathroom The apartment is available NOW, unfurnished or part furnished.

Bayswater Studio Apartment for Rent

Institute for Public Policy Research Mortgage Capping Proposals Slammed

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 15:08:00 +0000

First time buyers may face an even harder struggle to secure UK mortgage lending if proposals put forward by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) are implemented.

This is the opinion of Catherine Hearnden, director at Mymortgagedirect, who said plans to cap UK mortgage offers at three and a half times household income are "ridiculous" as every household has different expenditure.

"To some people, three and a half times £80,000 [income] could be £80,000 on one person, and with somebody else it could be £40,000 each. Affordability calculators are the way that you should asses the affordability on a mortgage, not a set limit of three and a half times [income] because some people can afford more," she advised.

Ms Hearnden conceded that the IPPR's suggestion to cap mortgages at 90 per cent loan to value is "not necessarily a bad thing" as long as there are still schemes in place to help first time property buyers.

First Time Property Buyers News

Brazillians in 'Brazilwater'

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 24 May 2011 09:46:00 +0000

An estimated 60,000 Brazilians live in London and many travel under other national passports. Bayswater was once so famous for its Brazilian residents, it was affectionately nicknamed ‘Brazilwater’, though today you’re as likely to meet Brazilians in Brixton and Dollis Hill as you are in Notting Hill.

But what attracts people from the world’s most multicultural nation to London? London’s history as a centre of international commerce and finance, of high quality education and professional training has drawn many Brazilians to work or study here.

In Brazil, English has replaced French as the principal second language among educated people. Brazilian professionals from the sciences and the arts, who have made London their home, have contributed to its reputation for cultural innovation.

The Anglo-Brazilian Society has been promoting relations between Brazil and the UK since 1943 and regularly organises lectures, exhibitions and musical events to further knowledge of Brazil and its people and culture. Although the Anglo-Brazilian Society has played an important role in building bridges between the UK and Brazil, in the past, Brazilians often found that there was a lack of organisations and groups centred around their specific needs.

Landlords of HMOs Targeted By Council Planning Laws

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 19 May 2011 15:33:00 +0000

Local authorities all over Britain are targeting planning laws to control private landlords turning their properties into small Houses in Multiple Occupations – six months ahead of the time when they will be needed most.

The RLA has identified over two dozen councils invoking Article 4 directions prohibiting HMOs.

Landlords are being stymied by local authorities from attempting to offer a market solution to what homeless charities are warning could be a serious problem.

Planned changes to the Shared Accommodation Rate kick in next January and will mean that an estimated 88,000 25 to 34-year-olds on housing benefit will have to seek shared HMO accommodation, virtually all of which would be in the private rented sector.

From the New Year, changes to the rules mean that single people up to the age of 35 will no longer be able to live in their own self-contained rental flats. Instead, it will only cover shared accommodation.

But landlords who are currently renting properties out to a single household will now have to seek planning permission in a growing number of towns and cities if they want to let the same property out to three, four or five people sharing.

HMO Property News

Pinnacle Property Management Awarded Westminster Housing Management Contract

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Mon, 09 May 2011 11:58:00 +0000

Westminster Council has awarded Pinnacle PSG a new contract as part of its housing management restructure to save residents £500,000, it has been confirmed.Pinnacle, a leading housing provider, will manage 10,000 council properties and the remaining half will be directly managed by City West Homes.

CityWest Homes will maintain overall responsibility for managing 22,000 properties on behalf of Westminster Council, including Pinnacle's £22.5m contract to deliver housing management and estate services.

Under the restructure, almost 22,000 properties across 17 estates will now be managed by two companies instead of four. Previously, CityWest Homes directly managed 4,990 homes but is now taking on another 6,260 homes.

From this June, housing management services across Westminster will be structured into four areas, in the north, south, west and central, to ensure resources are used more effectively.

Residents can expect to receive a more efficient service under the new structure and some staff based at CityWest Homes' head office will now be working in estate offices to give residents a quicker and better response to the issues they raise.

London Property News

London House Prices Double

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:10:00 +0000

London house prices are almost double the average amount seen for properties in England and Wales.

Research from an estate agency revealed the price of an average London property is around 1.94 times that of an average home outside of the capital, with the city recording a 0.2 per cent rise between February and March this year.

It was the only region in England to see a house price rise.

Robert Bartlett, chief executive of the organisation that carried out the research, noted: "What also sets London out from the rest of the crowd is the fact that house prices were higher in March 2011 than they were in March 2010.

"Over the year, house prices in London have risen by 2.2%, compared to a comparatively steep annual decline throughout the rest of the country," he explained.

The typical price of a home in London is, at £338,583, minus 3.9 per cent below the highest ever price recorded for the city as a whole, Mr Bartlett added.

London House Price News

Bayswater Tenants Expect Heating Bill Rise

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 10:07:00 +0000

Tenants and leaseholders in Westminster will see increases in their heating and hot water bills of around a five pounds a week, council bosses have confirmed.

This is because energy costs are rising substantially, spikes in global demand and ongoing political instability in the Middle East.

Around 5,000 households with communal heating systems will be affected. The council and CityWest have written to all affected residents.

Over the past few years Westminster Council and CityWest Homes have sought to protect residents from rises in energy prices and to cushion them from price hikes with the expectation that prices would fall back from historic highs.

But the council today said it could not subsidise energy bills indefinitely as money spent on this area means less cash for estate improvements while it was likely that energy prices would continue to rise for the foreseeable future.

For more on the council plans click here

Baywater Local Council Services

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:02:00 +0000

When moving into an area there are a number of local services you need to know about. Below you can access local authority information and services; we have chosen the most frequently asked information. Just put in your postcode and find out information on;

Bin Collection, Council Tax, Parking Permits, Recycling centres,Electoral roll registration, School and Term Dates and your local councillor for your new area.

London Property News

London Estate Agents To Let Boards Remain Effective

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 13:37:00 +0000

People looking for property to rent in London or other parts of the UK still find To Let boards useful.

According to Ian Potter, operations manager at the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA), the signs erected outside homes that have been put on the market serve a useful purpose.

"Boards are still an effective means of raising brand awareness for an agent," he noted.

"An agent with boards in an area, then being able to demonstrate success is likely to be able to gain new instructions."

And while many prospective tenants and buyers use the internet to find their perfect property, they will still want to see the area and the available residence, so To Let and For Sale boards work as a "signpost", Mr Potter added.

His remarks come after the Lincolnshire Echo reported that police in Lincoln have asked estate agents not to put up signs next to their properties after burglars targeted premises and stole copper boilers and pipes.

London Property to Rent