AUTUMN / 15 London Property & Lifestyle Magazine
SAFE AS HOUSES LONDON PROPERTY, THE WORLD’S BANK...
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CONTENTS
AUTUMN / 15
PROPERTY MARKET
NEWS & INTEREST
MORTGAGES
SAFE AS HOUSES
BRIKOLAGE
UP OR FLAT?
Marc Da Silva
07
Ben Littlewood
12
Alistair Hargreaves
16
INTERIOR & DESIGN
LANDLORD GUIDE
BUYER’S GUIDE
WORK THOSE LIGHTS
Let’s help you!
Room for growth
20
24
29
GADGETS
SELLER’S GUIDE
INTERIOR & DESIGN
HOME SECURE HOME
SELLING AT THE TOP
shaken, not stirred
Rowena Vaughan
Josh Woodfin
PROPERTIES
PROPERTY GALLERY
Veronica Lucey
32
34
36
42
DEVELOPER SHOWCASE PROPERTY GALLERY
INSPIRATION TRANSMISSION
PRETTY LITTLE THINGS
14
26
38
42
Brik Magazine is published by Brik Property Ltd (Brik) and the opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect those of Brik, the editor, publishers or their agents. Articles and other information in this magazine are as up-to-date and accurate as possible, at the time of publication, but no responsibility can be taken by Brik for any errors or omissions contained herein. Responsibility for any losses, damages or distress resulting from adherence to any information made available through this magazine is not the responsibility of Brik or their agents. All property descriptions and photographs contained within are for guidance only and are not necessarily accurate or comprehensive. All content Copyright © 2015 Brik Property Ltd. All rights reserved.
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CONTRIBUTORS
04
Marc Da Silva
Ben Littlewood
Property Journalist
Co-founder, Brik
Property journalist, Marc Da Silva, has an encyclopedic knowledge of all things property having written for a range of publications, including the Daily Mail, Daily Express, Sunday Business Post and A Place in the Sun, amongst others.
Being a co-founder of Brik and also having run a London based property magazine in the past, Ben knows a thing or two about the world of property, with over 9 years experience in the field. He couples this first hand knowledge with a creative background to give unique insights on all things bricks, mortar and design.
Coen Van Leeuwen
Alistair Hargreaves
Columnist
Mortgage Expert
Coen is a design aficionado, arguably the product of his Dutch roots and being an avid reader, and debater (should you encourage him) on design philosophy. His designer eye misses little and is always in search of design nirvana, be it in interiors, architecture, product or the digital realm.
Alistair is an Executive Mortgage and Protection Consultant with John Charcol, specialising in High Net Worth and complex deals for both residential and buy to let. Being in the financial services industry since 2004, Alistair worked for banks, building societies and mortgage brokers, seeing both the good times and the bad times.
Rowena Vaughan
Fraser Maldoom
Andrew Hankinson
RJV Designs
Capital Chartered
Journalist
Rowena studied interior design at London’s prestigious Chelsea School of Art (UAL). She has over 20 years’ experience refurbishing everything from a simple residential bathroom to the Crockfords Casino Mayfair.
Fraser knows pretty much everything there is to know about London property stock, being a Chartered Surveyor with nearly 30 years of South West London experience and Director of local firm Capital Chartered Surveyors and Valuers.
Andrew Hankinson is a freelance journalist who travels the world writing about everything from construction to comedy. His work has appeared in publications including The Guardian, GQ and Wired, and his debut book is being published in February 2016.
Josh Woodfin
Justin Quirk
Veronica Lucey
Journalist
Writer / Editor
Magenta Pink Interiors
Josh Woodfin is a writer and editor with nearly 10-years experience including credits with the Guardian, House, Esquire, and numerous other high-profile magazines and websites. His interests include antique maps, cooking with fish, and post-apocalyptic thrillers. He once beat Usain Bolt in a race...with an 80-meter head start.
Justin is a London-based writer and editor, whose work appears in The Guardian, Times, Sunday Times and AskMen. He is also the founder of NO UFOs, a photographic book publisher.
Veronica Lucey is a partner at Magentapink Interiors, a Fulham based interior design studio She previously worked in advertising but decided to follow her passion for interiors and changed careers in 2010 setting up Magentapink Interiors with friend and business partner Kate Thornton.
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Property Market
SAFE AS HOUSES, THE WORLD’S BANK London’s housing market continues to hold up well despite global market volatility.
WORDS
Marc Da Silva Property Journalist
The Greek debt crisis is of particular concern. Financial markets have recently been in turmoil over fears Greece would crash out of the Euro with unforeseeable and potentially shattering consequences. Although the country eventually secured a huge international bailout for its stricken economy, there are some analysts who still believe that a so-called ‘Grexit’ from the eurozone will eventually happen.
safe haven for their cash. For over 20 years London property values have benefited from events overseas. Chinese, Middle Eastern and Russian buyers, who dominated before 2008, compete with Italians, Spaniards and Greeks in more recent years as wealthy southern Europeans hit by the financial crash buy safe assets. This goes a long way towards explaining why London property prices have surged at a disproportionate rate compared with the rest of the UK.
In fact, a ‘Grexit’ may actually increase the attractiveness of the UK, with many more international investors drawn to London’s property market as they seek refuge from the global financial turmoil, which in turn may drive up house prices further.
Capital growth The latest data from the Land Registry reveals that London and the South East enjoyed the most significant annual price increase in the 12 months to May, jumping by 9.1% to £475,961, compared to a national average rise of 4.6% to £179,696.
Wealthy seek refuge in London A study by the University of Oxford has found that turmoil in certain countries directly correlates with strong price growth in prime London areas as rich foreign buyers seek a
Aside from high demand from wealthy international buyers, London’s housing market is also being propped up by growing domestic demand, which the National Association of Estate
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While the world remains concerned about recent developments in China’s rollercoaster stock market and Europe worries about Greece, the UK housing market continues to remain broadly stable, with some areas continuing to witness strong property price growth. But despite its safe haven reputation, the capital’s property market is not immune to the world’s economic woes.
So far the UK housing market has remained largely unaffected by the goings on in Greece. This is thanks partly to the fact that the UK is not part of the eurozone and so is only providing a fraction of the assistance to Greece indirectly through its membership and contributions to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Consequently, many experts believe that even if Greece did leave the eurozone, the UK’s housing market would remain largely unscathed.
LONDON
GLOBAL BANK
The collapse of the USSR and subsequent privatisation of government owned companies made a select few Russians insanely wealthy. Where better to horde your cash than offshore in an expensive London property or ten?
Demand has always been high for London property. First it was the wealthy British, then came the almost bottomless riches from the oil producing countries of the Middle East, followed by the oligarchs of Russia and then the Europeans. Now a new wealth from the Far East is pouring into London, and as its property market becomes more globalised we can expect prices to get loftier still.
Economic uncertainty in the Eurozone has led to an influx of wealthy buyers from Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain. As turmoil reigns throughout the Middle East, money pours into the London property market driving prices higher and of course solidifying it as one of the top goto places to store your dollars.
THE FRENCH
CONNECTION Many rich French feel that taxes are excessive and government policies are misguided in their homeland. This has resulted in about 300,000 of them already being tempted across the Channel by excellent French speaking schools, better city jobs as well as the growing French community.
GREXIT There are still serious concerns over Greece leaving the Euro and the ramifications that this might have on the markets. Although many financial pundits suggest that because England is not part of the Eurozone, this will have very little effect on London property, with some suggesting it would even drive price increases as wealthy Greeks try to invest in safer shores.
StABLE The powerhouse of the world economy, America, and the European economy, Germany, are both pivitol in maintaining stability.
HOUSE PRICES
YES / NO TO
KEEPING IT
TROUBLE IN
CHINA
Since 2000 China has had the largest outflux of wealthy individuals of any country. With the recent turmoil in the Chinese stock market many Chinese are selling their shares, and there’s significant ancedotal evidence to suggest that their money is going into perceived safe investments such London property. Not only that, there seems to be further waves of cash rich buyers from across the Far East waiting to crash upon London’s shores.
LONDON
PROPERTY JENGA
Property Market
Agents (NAEA) says is now at an 11-year high, fuelled by greater political stability, a strengthening domestic economy, recordlow mortgage borrowing rates, rising employment levels and government housing schemes such as Help to Buy. “What we’re seeing is a market that lulled over the general election period, coming back to life in full force,” said the NAEA’s Mark Hayward. “There’s also an impetus to buy right now in light of the impending interest rate rise as buyers fight to buy and fix mortgage rates.”
Productivity plan In an effort to prevent prices spiralling out of control, the Government wants to reduce the supply-demand imbalance by making it easier for developers to speed up the delivery of new homes as part of its Productivity Plan, which it recently announced. “I am not prepared to stand by when people who want to get on the housing
Stewart Baseley of the Home Builders Federation has warmly welcomed the changes announced by the Government, insisting that “increasing build rates will provide people with decent housing and boost the economy”, while the Federation of Master Builders’ Brian Berry agreed that the Chancellor’s proposed planning amendments were a “major step towards solving the housing crisis”. Summer Budget Other major housing-related announcements were made by the Chancellor in his recent budget statement, including the introduction of more stringent rules on non-doms which could contribute to a slowdown in house price inflation in prime central London. There were also changes to Inheritance Tax, allowing homeowners to benefit from an additional £175,000 allowance on top of the current £325,000 on a family home, which may have a negligible impact on the market. However, the Chancellor’s decision to cut mortgage interest relief on buy-to-let homes so that from April 2017, mortgage interest tax relief for purchasers of buy-to-let homes will be restricted to the basic rate of income tax, currently at 20%, will have a major impact on the buyto-let market.
Buy-to-let Osborne’s aim is to create what he described as a “level playing field” between prospective landlords and those buying homes to live in, which along with the decision to abolish the Wear and Tear allowance for landlords, may discourage new investors from entering the buy-to-let sector, while others may now decide to sell up providing much needed housing stock.
“The fact that demand is at an eleven year high without the housing stock to fuel it, is bad news for the market,” 09 Should the move slow the buy-tolet sector, as some analysts now anticipate, it should also help to alleviate the Bank of England’s fears that the burgeoning buy-tolet market, which accounted for 15% of outstanding mortgages and 20% of new home loan lending in the first quarter of 2015, could pose a risk to financial stability in this country. It may also enable more first-time buyers, squeezed out by investor-driven purchasers, to get a foot on the housing ladder. Conversely, there is a concern that some landlords may decide to increase rents to compensate for the loss in profit. Rents may then become unaffordable for many tenants, making it harder to save for the deposit needed to
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But while demand increases, the supply of housing continues to plummet, with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) reporting that housing supply has tumbled to its lowest level since records began in 1978. “The fact that demand is at an eleven year high without the housing stock to fuel it, is bad news for the market,” added Hayward. This is expected to push house prices even higher, with RICS now projecting 25% growth over the next five years.
ladder can’t do so,” said the Chancellor George Osborne.
Property Market
buy property. In fact, as a result of the tax changes announced by Osborne, some 65% of landlords are already now considering increasing rents, new research by the Residential Landlords Association (RLA) shows. Generation rent A glance at the existing state of the letting market shows that tenant demand continues to rise, pushing rental prices higher in the process. According to the latest HomeLet Rental Index, rents rose in all twelve UK regions in the three months to June 2015, led by London, where the average rent on a new tenancy now stands at a record high of £1,515 per month.
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The bigger picture The Government’s latest housing market intervention coupled with growing speculation that the Bank of England may finally start to increase interest rates by early 2016, will inevitably have an impact on the housing market, and may even cause activity levels to slow and prices to fall
“RICS [are now] now projecting a 25% growth over the next five years.” in the short-term. But until there are enough homes to meet the needs of a growing and ageing population, the indications are that property prices will continue to rise in the medium to long-
THE GREXIT
WHO’S NEXT? There’s been a lot of speculation about the knock on effects of the potential Greek exit from the Eurozone and therefore the Euro. However exposure to the any fallout from of the Grexit in Britain is low. Greece owes the vast majority to Germany, €56 billion. The worry is the €37 billion it owes to Italy. With it’s economy still reeling there is a fear that a default by Greece will push Italy over the edge, and like dominoes, Spain would potentially be the next, followed by Portugal. This would create serious economic turmoil throught Europe. That said though, there are many who are saying that further crisis in Europe could actually create higher property prices in London, as the wealthy reposition their money abroad.
term. Not convinced? We will leave you with a number that should make you sit up and take notice: 1,000,000... The forecasting body Oxford Economics recently predicted that the price of a home in the capital will continue to rise due to London’s growing economy and population, with prices reaching an average of £1 million by 2030. When you weigh up the various
factors involved it’s an estimate that you’d be hard pushed to find anyone to disagree with, so perhaps, for the time being London property literally is, as safe as houses.
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NEWS & INTERESTS
BRIKOLAGE
WORDS
BEN LITTLEWOOD Co-founder, Brik
THEM
THE BRIK WALL
BOOK
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Published in 2001, written pre-9/11 but perhaps more relevant than ever, ‘Them: Adventures with Extremists’ tells the story of Jon Ronson investigating people with a variety of extreme beliefs. White supremacists to European Jihadists to conspiracy theorists: in our minds they all live in a world filled and driven by hate towards another group, religion or authority.
We are well aware that any magazine, like this one, is very temporary indeed and inevitably will end up in the recycling. So we have digitised and immortalised it along with our entire back catalogue on our website, brik.co.uk. Find them and a plethora of other relevant reads and inspiration on the Brik ‘Wall’ section of our website, pun intended.
What Jon Ronson brilliantly illustrates however is that these beliefs have a human side, and that the leaders of these extremist groups might not be filled with as much hate as we think. He cleverly makes you question your own conviction that these extreme groups are wrong in every way, but also how the media loves to portray extremists as public enemy number one (not saying that these groups are right either). With the world more crazy than ever, and after 14 years, it’s still an absolutely brilliant, and entertaining read.
Get inspired on the Brik Wall at brik.co.uk/wall or follow us on Instagram: the_brik_wall.
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NEWS & INTERESTS
ZERO TO ONE BOOK Or, Notes on Start-ups and How to Build the Future. Written by Peter Thiel, one of the founders of Paypal, this book is short, snappy and easy to consume, but packs a punch that really gets you thinking out of your paradigm.
He must be on to something, as so notoriously inventive and influential were his colleagues, and past founders of Paypal, that they were nicknamed the Paypal Mafia within Silicon Valley circles. There’s no doubt that this group which counts the uber successful Elon Musk as one of its affiliates have all gone from Zero to One. Between them they have founded and developed additional companies including Tesla, You Tube, LinkedIn, Yelp, Palantir and Space X, the company which has since won the contract from the US Government to build the next space shuttle programme. Could it be more than coincidence that all of these people have
managed to so successfully change the face of the planet and create the extraordinary? No, says Thiel, when he argues, ‘you are not a lottery ticket’: you are responsible for change. The moral? Make sure that you focus on progress rather than business for business sake, and business success will follow. A compelling and insightful read that challenges you to think bigger, bolder and badder than before. Further watching: Elon Musk on Ted.com Search: ‘The man behind Tesla...’
JENGA! COVER When researching this article (pg7) and deciding how to illustrate it we couldn’t help returning to the theme of how London has more and more international players entering the market, subsequently increasing prices. It seemed only fitting therefore, that the game of Jenga could represent this seemingly never ending tower of growth. It also nicely represents the psychological fear that as the market increases in value so does the expectation that a crash is just around the corner.
What is clear is that London property is one of the de-facto safe havens of the global rich. As the wealth and population of the planet increases, it becomes smaller, and the demand for the uber brand of ‘London property’ will become much more intense, perhaps more so than we can ever imagine today. Liken it to selling something in the village fete in 1970 compared to putting it on Ebay today. It truly is a global market, with global demand, and it’s almost certainly only going to get stronger.
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In essence he argues that competition, although fundamental to Capitalism and great for the consumer, is a nightmare for businesses. He argues that little is achieved, humanely, by becoming ‘just another competitor in a crowded market place’. Prices are driven down, profits eroded and focus is fixated around perfecting the current solution. Instead he encourages the reader to think about creating a monopoly and becoming ‘the last mover’ in a
market place, genuinely making progress forward, going from Zero to One as the title of the book suggests.
INTERIOR & DESIGN
INSPIRATION TRANSMISSION LONDON FIELDS SCENARIO ARCHITECTURE Oh how we love the simplicity, geometry and minimalism that’s often brought forward in contemporary design. Too often perhaps?
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Scenario Architecture took a stand against the standard definition of contemporary architecture. Enter organic shapes, get rid of parallel lines and mix different types of wood: not to protest against contemporary design, but potentially be ahead of the curve (so to speak), introducing the new look of contemporary design, similar, but different. While maintaining the classic designer modernism of wood and pure white, the designers have rounded the stairwell and banisters that flow between two levels into what feels like a singular flowing form. The real genius of this design, however, is the lowered ceiling that allows a dual aspect glass window out on to the garden above. A clever way to improve the relationship between inside and outside whilst at the same time creating a substantial light well. A unison of form and function. Brilliant.
INTERIOR & DESIGN
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MORTGAGE MARKET
UP OR FLAT? With interest rates forecast to rise, what’s the story behind it, why now and why at all?
WORDS
Alistair Hargreaves John Charcol
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So what is happening with the Bank of England base rate? Only two months ago Mark Carney, the Canadian Governor of the Bank, stated that he felt rates would remain at 0.5% for the foreseeable future as the world was so uncertain. Fast forward to the start of July and suddenly he’s warning borrowers and businesses to expect an increase – so what’s the story here? Have things changed so much that suddenly a base rate increase looks imminent? Well, personally I don’t think so. Sure, GDP is up again and tax receipts are increasing, and as such government borrowing is coming down. However unemployment rose in July for the first time in two years, and outside London and the South East, is there really a recovery? Well, I think there is but it’s very weak.
In a normal economic cycle you increase the base rate to restrict the supply of money in the system, and this in turn brings down inflation. Well, inflation is currently at 0%, and with the news that Iran has started to sell oil on the open market we’ll probably see its price come down and create further deflationary pressures. I think that Carney is signalling to the banks, and to the wider economy, that the 0.5% base rate is still, and always has been, an emergency rate. Simply this means that we are probably too used to cheap borrowing, and he is concerned about a cheap credit bubble building up. I’m not sure that there will be a bubble – the changes to the residential market with the Mortgage Market Review have definitely restricted lending, especially above five times a client’s income. I think that this is a sensible level, any more than five times can be unsustainable. If I have a client whom can easily afford more than five times then I
talk to a smaller building society where they look at cases on an individual basis. Clearly rates are going to increase, but I would be shocked if they go up this year. I’ve still got Q1 2016 pencilled as the first rate rise – I just cannot see how the economy would react positively to an increase before then. There are so many households and businesses struggling to get by whilst paying next to nothing for their borrowing – even a 0.25% increase might push a large chunk of these over into receivership or repossession: not really the bedrock of a strong, recovering economy. There is also a whole generation of personal and business borrowers who have never experienced an increase in the base rate – it’s going to be a real shock to those clients when it finally does increase. And that is why, in my opinion, Carney has started hinting that the base rate may move. He’s a clever a chap and with his background
BALANCING THE BOOKS As the economy recovers and there’s more money around we expect that inflation will occur. This has certainly happened in the housing sector, but inflation is still at 0%. It’s The Bank of England’s job to make sure the economy remains stable, free from deflation and too much inflation. That’s why we’re likely to see a rate rise in the near future.
£10
£10
£10
£10
£10
£10 £10
TOTAL
-20% 1
2
Low interest rates
Money is cheaper to borrow.
£10 £10
£10
£10
£10
£10
INFLATION
£10
3
4
Because lending is cheap people borrow more
More available money means more demand.
This leads to inflation. Prices go up!
for sale TOTAL
1
Runaway prices need to be stabilised. Borrowing rates increase.
2
3
Price of lending goes up. People have less to spend.
Demand for products and spending reduces.
£10 £10
DEFLATION
4
TOTAL
1
Prices go down.
Deflation
This needs to be stabalised. Borrowing rates decrease...
A RISK OF DEFLATION The Bank of England has a difficult job on its hands. It’s always on the lookout for economic rumbles that could upset the economy. One such story is the recent US lifting of sanctions on Iran. This will likely lead to a greater supply of oil to the market, reducing prices and having deflationary consequences across the board. The Bank must be careful it doesn’t raise interest rates too quickly or it risks stalling the recovery.
1
2
With sanctions lifted, Iran’s vast oil supplies enter the global oil market.
SALE
£10 £10
3
A sustained increase in supply reduces prices in the market.
DEFLATION
4
Higher supply means lower prices at the pump.
Cost of oil based and oil reliant products and industry reduce.
This leads to deflation that can be exacerbated by any potential rise in interest rates.
at Goldman Sachs understands how bankers think. By giving them plenty of warning he’s hoping that everyone will start to take measures to protect themselves against the upcoming increase.
rate. Despite some lenders pulling these products there are still some very attractive longer term fixed deals out there – however I cannot see them getting any lower. Clearly I’ve said this before, in 2013, when rates seemed to be heading up; then suddenly a price war broke out and rates plunged down. Well, I really can’t see that happening again – lenders are making almost no margin on these rates, so surely they cannot drop any further.
“There is a whole generation of personal and business borrowers who have never experienced an increase...”
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My advice to anyone out there on a low base rate tracker is, if you wish to retain that rate going forward, it would be prudent now to overpay by at least 0.25% - therefore you will already be paying the higher rate when it moves up so it wont be such a shock. Plus, the longer it stays low, the more you will overpay, so its a win-win situation for you. If you are more concerned about longer term rate rises then switch to a five, or even ten years fixed
If you are considering switching it’s best to do it now before lenders reprice their products. An increase in the Bank of England base rate may be some time away; however I do think that we’ll see a gradual increase in mortgage deals over
the next six months. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll be shocked if we see large jumps in pricing; it’ll be a more piecemeal increase – and historically a five year fixed rate at 3% is still exceptionally low. If you do not make plans now, I strongly believe that you’ll miss out on the sub 2.5% five year deals still available.
Living LUXURY Love LAUGH
Leisure Plan Leisureplan.co.uk
INTERIOR & DESIGN
WORK THOSE LIGHTS Light can make or break the home-feel of your home, so do it wisely! Here’s how it’s done.
WORDS
Rowena Vaughan RJV Designs
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Lighting is such a vast and diverse subject. When considering your lighting scheme you should think of ‘layers’ – high level, mid level and low level. Each of these layers play a part in the use and function of a room and each layer has its own type of lights and fittings.
“When considering your lighting scheme you should think of ‘layers’ – high level, mid level and low level.”
HIGH LEVEL High level can also be considered as architectural lighting... down lighters, spot lights (either surface mounted or recessed), track lighting or stretch wire systems. High level lighting is built into the fabric of the building or space and is usually subtle and unseen. One of the most popular high level lights for domestic interiors are pendant lights: those long dangly ones that often sit above a table or worktop or in the centre of the room. These lights are brilliant for task specific lighting where light is directed onto a worktop. Where general ambient lighting is required larger fittings such as chandeliers will give a more even spread of light. Pendant lights can also be focal points in rooms. This light by Sharon Marston Lighting is a beautiful example.
MID LEVEL Mid level is decorative lighting: wall-mounted uplighting and downlighting, pendants (again), and table lamps. This lighting is meant to be seen and should enhance a room. There is also scene lighting which can be a combination of architectural and decorative – concealed lighting on shelves, behind glass, edge on to glass shelves, linear lighting sources such as LED light stripes. Slot and niche lighting gives pools of light in small spaces good for focal points at eye level. To provide ambient light there are many different styles of table lamps: classic, contemporary, traditional, desk lamp. They are an excellent source of warm light and are usually positioned in your line of sight to make a big visual impact. It’s worth considering both the light source and how much ambient light
21 High level: Feature light from Sharon Marston High level: Ceiling spots washing the wall with light Mid level: Decorative wall lights Mid level: Picture light
(through the shade sideways) as well as direct light (up and down) it sheds. The different style and types of shade will affect this. Card shades direct the light more up and down than a silk shade which will have more ambient light. Task lighting is mid level lighting and is important in any well designed room. A light positioned well for the purpose for which it is required is
essential to provide specific and sufficient light to work/read/apply makeup, etc. Wall lights and picture lights should be considered as part of mid level ambient lighting and are usually selected to match the style of the room. If you are thinking of your lighting in layers – then this layer is the most important. Table lamps and wall lights give atmosphere and essential warm light to a room.
LOW LEVEL Low level – usually set into the skirting, lower wall or into the floor. This architectural style lighting is usually used to draw the eye further into the space and is normally used in halls and stairways but can also be used to good effect around the base of kitchen units and builtin libraries. This lighting often highlights architectural features. There are many other details to consider in any lighting
INTERIOR & DESIGN
Low level: Low lights washing the wall with light to emphasize the height of the space
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Low level: Stair detail to highlight the width of the steps.
“A well executed lighting scheme can bring warmth, interest and drama to a very ordinary room.” scheme. The colour tone of the bulbs you use: the options are infinite – colour changing LED’s, warm/cold tone fluorescents, tungsten replacement bulbs. These bulbs have a colour
rendering index (CRI) which affects how you perceive colours in the room. Some of these new bulbs are better than others for dimming. The new Part L Building Regulations relating to the installation of new light fittings in a home - 75% of which should be energy efficient -should also be borne in mind when choosing and selecting fittings. A well executed lighting scheme can bring warmth, interest and drama to a very ordinary room.
HOTEL
Les Bains DESTINATION
Paris, France ORIGINAL
Jean-Pierre Marois
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LANDLORD’S GUIDE
Let’s help you Changing circumstances and ultra-low mortgage borrowing rates is creating a new generation of landlords.
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A major feature of the rental market in recent years has been the rise of the ‘accidental landlord’. This is a homeowner who may not have intentionally acquired a buy-to-let property, but ended up letting their home after failing to sell the property, due to a change of events, or possibly a slow sales market.
2015
1.4m
LANDLORDS
25% ACCIDENTAL LANDLORDS
Accidental landlords make up around a quarter of all landlords in this country - 360,000 according to the National Landlords Association (NLA). Even if becoming a landlord was not part of your original plan, you may find this unexpected foray into the buy-to-let market highly rewarding, not to mention profitable. “Buy-to-let has proven itself to be the top performing investment over the past four years, with returns from bricks and mortar investments outpacing other asset classes like stocks and shares considerably,” said Steve Bolton of Platinum Property Partners. Of course, becoming an accidental, or so-called ‘reluctant’ landlord, is not without its challenge. However, the latest HomeLet Rental Index shows that rents are now at a record
“Landlords in Britain own around 4.6 million homes collectively, worth almost £1 trillion - a fifth of the country’s private housing wealth.” high of £1,515 per month, and coupled with shorter tenancy void periods, on average, many novice investors are actually renting out their homes at a profit, NLA figures show. “An oversupply of people and an undersupply of homes makes buy-to-let an attractive proposition and we expect this trend to continue to gather pace over the coming months,” said Iain Hill of Equifax Touchstone, the market intelligence provider.
LANDLORD’S GUIDE
AVERAGE RENT PER MONTH
5 YEAR FIXED RATE FOR LANDLORDS
6.49%
4%
2010
2015
£1,515 £1,376 £1,110
2013
2014
2015
Plummeting borrowing rates, sparked by today’s competitive lending environment, have seen banks slash buy-to-let mortgage rates to an all-time low and closer to those charged on residential mortgages, tempting more families to move into the buy-to-let market. The cheapest five-year fixed rate for landlords now stands at just over 4%, down from 6.49% in 2010 slashing hundreds of pounds off annual repayments. What’s
more, buy-to-let investors can still take out cheaper ‘interest-only’ mortgages now deemed too risky for regular homebuyers, reducing their monthly payments even further. There over a million landlords in Britain who own around 4.6 million homes collectively worth almost £1 trillion - a fifth of the country’s private housing wealth – and the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association estimates that landlords will own a third of all UK properties within 15 years, suggesting that accidental landlords will become a permanent part of the rental market’s proverbial furniture. Top RENTAL tips Regulation: With a lack of regulation governing letting agents, ensure your agency abides by a strict code of conduct and is signed up to an independent professional regulation scheme.
“Buy-to-let has proven itself to be the top performing investment over the past four years...” Health and safety: All furniture must be fire resistant. Gas safety: Landlords are legally required to service all gas-related equipment annually. Documents: Have a signed tenancy agreement and inventory detailing the contents and condition of the property in place before the tenancy commencement. Deposit: All tenancy deposits must be protected under a government-approved custodial or insurance-based tenancy deposit scheme.
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If you are thinking of joining the growing army of reluctant landlords, then you need (assuming you have a mortgage on your property) to initially seek consent from your lender in the form of a ‘consent to let’, to avoid breaching the conditions of your mortgage agreement. This will allow you to let out your property on a short-term basis, enabling you to remain on your existing mortgage deal and pay the same level of interest.
INTERIOR & DESIGN
PRETTY LITTLE THINGS
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Scandi Sofa £1,657 | fancy.com
Amp Small Pendant Lamp from £90 | madeindesign.co.uk
Colour Pop Bamboo Bowl from £6 | oliverbonax.com
Lövbacken Side Table £40 | ikea.com
Maple Set Knives $99 | warehousebrand.com
INTERIOR & DESIGN
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Marshall Bluetooth Speaker $399 | thegadgetflow.com Iroko Midcentury Modern Desk £475 | notonthehighstreet.com ‘Woods Abstract’ Print by Mareike Böhmer $48 | fab.com Bombs away shot glasses £8 | amazon.com
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Alfred Tripod Floor Lamp £149 | made.com
The Wireless HiFi System
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Sonos Your Home
BUYER’S GUIDE
Room for growth London’s housing market may have caught a chill over the past 12 months, but what next for house prices?
WORDS
Josh Woodfin Journalist
Looking to the past can help you understand the future. With that in mind here’s a brief run down of some of the recent stories in the London property market. Draw your own conclusions... 1 2012 - 2014
BoE took the steam out of the market by introducing new tougher affordability tests, as part of the Mortgage Market Review (MMR), requiring lenders to check more thoroughly whether borrowers can afford to take out a home loan. This contributed to an overall slowdown in mortgage lending, preventing many would-be buyers from acquiring property.
NOV 2014
By November 2014, the party was over and the market had all but ground to a halt. The number of mortgages approved for house purchases had fallen to a 17-month low of 59,029, down 22.4% on the 76,574 offered in January 2014, reflecting the wider slowdown last autumn. 3
DEC 2014
With the market ending 2014 on the back foot, the proportion of discounted London homes hit 29% in December 2014, up from only 15% at the start of the year, research by property website Zoopla revealed, as the property market swung back in favour of buyers, spurred partly by new stamp duty reform. With momentum behind the property boom fading and housing market activity clearly off its early-2014 highs, London, the boiler room of the UK housing market, was no longer roaring, causing price growth to ease, amid a market correction, with many housing experts agreed that UK prices would rise at a ‘more moderate’ rate in 2015, and possibly even drop in the capital.
Home values in prime central London’s luxury market have been particularly hard hit by extra stamp duty bills following the changes to the levy announced by George Osborne last December. The buyer of a £2 million London home, for example, now has to find £153,750 to cover the stamp duty, up from £100,000 before the overhaul last December. Some sellers have been forced to slash their asking price in an effort to stimulate greater interest in some areas where gazumping and sealed bids were standard twelve months ago. A one-bedroom apartment in close proximity to Kings Road in Chelsea, west London, on the market at £820,000 in February last year is now being advertised at £650,000. Elsewhere, a three-bedroom mews house on the borders of Knightsbridge is now available at an asking price of £3.15 million, having been initially listed for sale in April 2014 for £3.65 million. “Annual house price growth is now running at less than half the
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In mid-2014 home prices jumped at an annual rate of 20.1%, having been rising steadily since 2012. There was widespread concern that the property market was in ‘bubble territory’, with Mark Carney, the Bank of England (BoE) Governor, at the time describing the market in London as the greatest risk to Britain’s economic recovery.
2
BUYER’S GUIDE
A BRIEF HISTORY OF
PROPERTY PRICES After the crash and subsequent credit freeze property prices cooled. As ‘the recovery’ slowly got purchase prices began to increase to ballistic levels until Summer 2014. With huge gains already, the election looming and buyers sensing high prices, prices froze, thawed and then slowly levelled. Today, couple this with potential interest rate rises and balance it against forecasts for large, long term gains, the market is likely returning to a state of slow growth.
THE CRASH
BooM! London House Prices
CONSERVATIVE & LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
CAUTION
SALES PICK UP
ELECTIONS
‘08
30
‘09
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pace of mid-2014,” said Robert Gardner, Nationwide’s chief economist. “Over the longer term we would expect house price growth to converge with earnings growth, which has typically been around 4% per annum.” He did however add that a lot would depend on “supply side developments”, with the level of available housing failing to keep pace with demand in recent years. 4
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to £490,000, the lowest level in almost two years. It was the sixth monthly fall since prices peaked in August 2014, fuelled by tougher mortgage requirements now firmly in place, a stronger pound versus the Euro, which had made London more expensive for European buyers, and growing uncertainty ahead of the general election with some would-be buyers deterred by the threat of Labour’s proposed mansion tax on £2 million plus homes.
FEB 2015
By February 2015, data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that London house prices were falling faster than at any time since the slump triggered by the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008, with the average cost of a home in the capital having slipped £9,000
The fall in unsustainably high house prices in the capital was broadly viewed as positive, as it took the heat out of what was seen as an over-cooked market. “Although it might not seem like it, this was actually good news for the housing market, as price rises that are too sharp can prevent
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people from getting on the property ladder,” said Stephen Smith of Legal & General. 5
JAN - MAY 2015
The first half of 2015 has certainly favoured the opportunist buyer across much of the capital, illustrated by the fact that London is no longer home to the fastest growing house prices in the UK. Prices in Northern Ireland, for instance, have recorded an upswing of 10.5% to £152,000 over the last year – more than twice the pace of growth in London, where the typical home is now worth £503,000, the latest ONS data shows. Although prices in the capital are still rising on an annual basis, they are doing so at a much slower rate, and if this pattern of monthly
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BUYER’S GUIDE
CAUTION
CONSERVATIVE
PEAK
LARGE GAINS +20.1%
SLOW GROWTH
ELECTIONS
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4
5
8
7
1
‘12
‘13
6
MAY 2015
Hopes for a post-election surge in the supply of houses to the market have failed to materialise, and some experts believe that the widening supply-demand imbalance will push prices up once more, supported by a renewed sense of optimism in the market, with more buyers taking advantage of the low interest rate environment while it lasts. “There are signs that housing market activity is now on the up, while a shortage of properties coming on to the market is having an upward impact on prices,” said Howard Archer, chief economist at IHS Global Insight. Archer now
‘15
‘16
expects house prices to rise by 6% in 2015 and a further 6% next year. RICS agree that tight supply conditions continue to be a key factor underpinning prices, with fresh instructions to sell becoming increasingly sparse while the average stocks per surveyor has fallen to a new record low of 52 properties, it said.
by 25% over the next five years and become “ever more unaffordable”, on the back of the widening supply-demand imbalance. This may explain why accountancy firm PWC forecasts that home ownership will continue falling to dramatic new levels of under 60% by 2025, as the rise of ‘Generation Rent’ looms.
“It is hardly surprising that prices across much of the country are continuing to be squeezed higher with property set to become ever more unaffordable,” said RICS chief economist Simon Rubinsohn.
“...the shortage of properties coming on to the market is having an upward impact on prices,”
7
SEPT 2015
Even if prices do dip further in the short-term, the signs point to overall growth longer-term, with RICS now forecasting that values will increase
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decline continues then London could be in negative year-on-year territory within months.
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GADGETS
Home Secure Home
home to make life a little simpler, and a whole lot safer. Unlock your doors from anywhere, trigger an alarm if there’s unwanted or unconfirmed movement or activity in your home, and get notifications if doors, windows or even specific items of furniture, open unexpectedly – good if you’re leaving party age teens at home alone.
New tech to keep you and yours safe, whether you’re tucked up in bed, or taking a well earned holiday. The old idiom states that an Englishman’s home is his castle. And while we don’t agree with the rather antiquated gender roles that are implied, we do kind of dig the sentiment that what’s yours is yours.
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You’ve worked every hour to raise the capital, done the viewings, had the arguments, sent the bids and paid the (financial and emotional) price, so your home should be yours and it should be secure. But sadly, due to prohibitive planning and building costs, whacking a moat and portcullis around your home isn’t always an option. But that said, there are some pretty cool and pretty secure options out there which will help you feel safe whether you’re in or out of
the house. What we’re saying is – things have moved on significantly from those fake CCTV cameras you used to see in mail order catalogues. Check it out. CANARY An all in all, Wi-Fi enabled wonder box, the only thing you’ll have to worry about with the Canary is getting it mixed up with the wireless router, or some snazzy new coffee maker. This beautifully designed gizmo allows you to monitor motion, humidity, air quality, audio, temperature and more. And you can do it all with your mobile phone. If you’re out and about and something is amiss, you’ll receive a notification, and, depending on the specifics, you can then ignore it, get the neighbors round, or, worst case scenario, call the authorities. SMART THINGS This slightly less attractive, but arguably more useful package, is also a Wi-Fi / Cloud based / mobile phone app package, that you control and configure to your preferences. The cool thing about Smart Things, though, is that it comes with a variety of equipment that can be installed around your
Goji Smart Lock Although we’ve no idea why it’s called Goji, this little gadget is really, very cool. A smart lock that is installed in your home, and allows you, and pre-approved persons, to easily access the house without having to bother with irritating keys (although fobs and even dear old traditional keys are available as back-up). Goji takes pictures of whoever’s calling and sends real time images to your phone, which is ideal if you’re having dinner and don’t fancy dealing with an unwanted caller. And you can also send access to anyone with a compatible phone, at specific dates and times, so no more cutting keys or racing home to let the builders in. Goji also has customer service operatives, so you can still go home even if your phone is on the blink.
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SELLER’S GUIDE
SELLING AT THE TOP Despite more caution among buyers, sellers can still expect to secure a quick sale at the right price if they do things right.
A year ago, many prospective buyers seeking to acquire property in prime central London were being asked to submit sealed bids, amid an insatiable demand for homes in the heart of the city, as the capital’s property boom showed no sign of slowing.
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But after starting the year strongly, the prime London housing market finished 2014 having lost steam, and this trend continued in the run-up to the general election in May 2015, as the uncertain outcome of the poll had many people fearing that Labour’s proposed ‘mansion tax’ on homes costing £2million-plus may be introduced. Also having a subdued effect on buyers at the top end of the capital’s luxury market was the Chancellor George Osborne’s decision to reform stamp duty on home purchases last December, which added a levy of £53,750 to the cost of buying a £2million home compared with the previous system. The strengthening pound against major foreign currencies has made it more expensive for overseas nationals to acquire UK property, dampening international demand, while the Chancellor’s recent pledge to end permanent entitlement to
the non-domicile loophole that has let thousands of wealthy families live in Britain without paying tax on their overseas income, may weaken demand further; tax efficiency, along with London’s haven status, was a big driver. Given all that has happened over the past 12 months, many wouldbe buyers at the luxury-end of the housing market are now more cautions, as reflected by fewer upscale transactions at £2millionplus - many homes in the city’s prime central districts remain unsold, with average asking prices creeping down. But just because the market has slowed, that doesn’t mean that sellers of luxury homes shouldn’t still expect to secure a quick sale at the right price.
Dress to Impress
skilfully placed mirrors delicious smells, these are all among the tricks adopted by professionals to create positive feelings and make homes more appealing.
right agent
Selecting the right estate agent is critical – it can make the difference between getting a really good price, and not selling your property at all. To help determine how good the agent is, look at their recent sales success, assess their local market knowledge, find out if they have any sales qualifications, determine how they would market your property. From floor plans and high quality photography to print and online advertising, an excellent marketing strategy is critical to generating high offers. Presentation is everything.
Demand may have fallen, but there are still plenty of prospective buyers seeking to purchase a property just like yours. The key is to make your home stand out from comparable homes in the local area. Home staging is an excellent marketing tool designed to appeal to potential purchasers, making the job of selling much easier.
Finally, do not be fooled by deliberately over optimistic valuations by agents trying to secure your instruction. This will deter many prospective buyers.
General DIY, de-clutter, a fresh lick of paint, clean the windows, hoover the carpet, plump those cushions, ensure beds are neatly made, a homeowner can do a lot to improve their property’s internal appearance, but home staging is beyond decorating and cleaning. It is about creating illusions. Strategic lighting,
Secure valuations from several agents and conduct your own research to ensure that your asking price is realistic. This is a classic mistake. Remember, the highest price possible always starts with a well planned and thought through asking price, designed to attract maximum bids.
£1,750,000 ÷
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PR ADO settee with cushion & EVERY WHERE sideboard. Design: Christian Werner. LUMIĂˆRE NOIRE floor lamps. Design: Philippe Nigro.
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Ligne Roset Westend 23/25 Mortimer Street 0207 323 1248 www.ligne-roset-westend.co.uk
INTERIOR & DESIGN
Shaken, not stirred
COMPILED BY
Veronica Lucey Magenta Pink Interiors
1950s Italian Trolley
Maison Metropolitan
£890 | fionamcdonald.com
£7500 | ralphlauren.com
Add a dash of glamour and old style sophistication to any living room with this beautiful midcentury, Italian brass drink trolley.
A stunning drinks trolley in a polished nickel finish with a glass top and a swivelling rosewood shelf, by Ralph Lauren Home.
Designed by Jorge Zalszupin in the 1950s and now produced by Etel. This is a classic piece of design now available in a variety of woods.
Art Deco Cocktail
Wood Effect Cabinet
£4800 | theoldcinema.co.uk
£950 | furnish.co.uk
Maria Cabinet
This amazing cocktail cabinet is by Harry & Lou Epstein and made circa 1930. Perfect for a cocktail party or a potent dose of chic.
The body is made from printed glass panels and it sits on an angular antique brass frame. Perfect for a contemporary interior.
This cabinet is a work of art. Black satin finish with touch catches for a minimalist surface, it’s a elegant edition to your drawing room
Soho Drinks Cabinet
Delphine Mirrored
English 1970s drinks
£3219 | sweetpeaandwillow.com
$2995 | jonathanadler.com
£2220 | guinevere.co.uk
Height of suave elegance in your home, with a hint of retro in stunning black and gold with glass shelf and antique mirrored backdrop.
Minimalist forms meet maximalist glamour in the Delphine Collection. Featuring antiqued mirror with a polished brass base, the Delphine Bar is perfect for storing your chic glassware.
A two tier brass and glass drinks trolley from the 1970s. It sits on its original castors and has beautifully curved edges which gives it an amazingly sleek look.
Jonathan Charles
The Rockstar Bar
Hudson Living Jeeves
JZ Drinks Trolley £6500 | espasso.com
POA | mineheart.com
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£4350 | luxdeco.com This Art deco style cabinet is finished in a high gloss finish. It’s made from a beautiful rosewood veneer cut on a radial grain to give a lovely sunburst feel and finished with brass trims. If you’re looking to add a serving of elegance to your tipple, look no further.
£3500 | busterandpunch.com
£999 | johnlewis.com
This stunning whisky or cocktail bar is hand made in the UK from either solid American walnut or black oak. The quilted back panel comes in sumptuous ‘grey berry silk’ or ‘rockstar black leather’. To the side sits a knurled brass light fitting with a snake’s heat cage for protection.
This cocktail cabinet has a charming retro feel. Fine reeded lines are hand-gilded in silver leaf to contrast with the black interior and mirrored back panel. Relaxed, yet brimming with personality, it’s a feature piece for any sitting room that should do your Yamazaki proud.
INTERIOR & DESIGN
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SHOWCASE
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Irene Road, SW6 House | Full re-development | Basement | Side Return | Loft Element Construction were responsible for the full re-development of an unmodernised mid terrace property, including the addition of a basement, side and rear extension, pod room and loft. The property was transformed into a spacious, and modern six bedroom home, with generous living spaces and high end finish throughout.
element construction elementconstruction.co.uk
SHOWCASE
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Fernhurst Road, SW6 House | Full re-development | Basement | Side Return | Loft One of the show pieces of this house is a bespoke sliding glass door that not only provides a purpose but affords an impressive feeling of space throughout the front of the property. A singular, large glass roof light allows natural light to pour into the kitchen illuminating a minimalist, fixed glass panel with a low profile slide and pivot door system that connects the kitchen to a spacious rear garden.
BTL PROPERTY btlpropertyltd.co.uk
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Clancarty Road, SW6 House l Loft | Side Return | Full re-development This property was an abandoned mid-terraced Victorian house. We carried out a full refurbishment and extended the house into the loft, second storey rear addition and built a side return extension. Apart from bespoke joinery and a lovely Italian kitchen, we used dramatic black wallpaper in the master bedroom which although risky, turned out to be a great feature.
blaze & Co
blazeandco.co.uk
ROSEBURY ROAD, SW6 Upper Maisonette | Loft | Full re-development This project involved the inventive re-structuring and re-building of an upper maisonette within a traditional Victorian building. Working with limited spaces, the hurdle to overcome was creating access to the top floor without compromising the internal flow or ceiling height. The solution was to make the ‘problem’, the stairs themselves, the very feature of the property itself.
UBER CONTRACTS ubercontracts.co.uk
Cloncurry Street An outstanding semi-detached, six bedroom Victorian family home, that offers in excess of 3,400 sq ft of living space in a premier location.
Located in a prime spot in the Bishop’s Park Conservation Area, one of Fulham’s most sought after locations, close to the Thames river path and Fulham Palace. The house has been meticulously renovated to an exceptional standard throughout, whilst still retaining many of its original period features.
6 Bed
3,126
£3,750,000
HOUSE
SQ FT
FOR SALE
Parfrey Street This freehold house is located within reach of the transport hub of Hammersmith whilst being plum in the middle of perhaps, one of Fulham’s most up-andcoming areas. With a new Waitrose supermarket just opened and with the Thames river very close to hand as well as the Michelin starred River Cafe (where Jamie Oliver trained), this house is arguably a solid buy.
4 Bed
1,894
ÂŁ1,795,000
HOUSE
SQ FT
FOR SALE
Stephendale Road This Victorian family home is located in the very popular and residential ‘Sands End’ area of Fulham. The real bonus of this area is the proximity of the river, which is just a few minutes walk away. You can also walk to the King’s Road and into Chelsea, and of course the incredibly popular Sands End gastro pub is further down the same road.
4 Bed
1,680
£1,650,000
HOUSE
SQ FT
FOR SALE
DELAFORD STREET This series of apartments all sit within a re-development that has seen the entire restructuring, design and interior re-design of an existing Victorian terraced house. Having started from a clean slate the developer has managed to make the most from the space available, avoiding compromises within the property, and allowing for what is in essence a new development, with all the structural and architectural benefits that entails.
Ground and lower ground floor flat
Located in the heart of residential Fulham, Delaford Street is equidistant from both Fulham Broadway and Parsons Green.
TOP floor flat
3 Beds
1,220
£1,150,000
FLAT
SQ FT
FOR SALE
FIRST floor flat
1 Bed
554
£600,000
FLAT
SQ FT
FOR SALE
2 Bed
860
£850,000
FLAT
SQ FT
FOR SALE
WARDO AVENUE
4 Bed HOUSE
An exceptional Victorian family home located on perhaps one of the very best streets in the hugely desirable ‘Munster Village’ area of Fulham. These large properties are highly sought after by families looking to be close to the action and within a residential setting.
1,776 SQ FT
£1,895,000 FOR SALE
WHITTINGSTALL ROAD
3 Bed HOUSE
A three bedroom freehold house located in Parsons Green, Fulham’s most desirable location. The property is only a short walk from the plethora of independent cafes, boutiques and restaurants of both Fulham Road and Parsons Green, where the nearest tube is located.
1,562 SQ FT
£1,750,000 FOR SALE
Felden Street A beautifully presented and spacious four bedroom family house on the west side of one of Fulham’s most desirable streets.
The property has plenty of entertaining space with a double reception room leading to a smart kitchen and dining room with folding doors leading out on to a delightful west facing garden. This street is perhaps one of the very best residential locations in Fulham, being close to the shops and cafes of Fulham Road yet within the heartland of ‘Munster Village’ itself.
4 Bed
2,028
£1,395/wk
HOUSE
SQ FT
TO RENT
Fulham Park Gardens A recently refurbished one bedroom flat on a highly sought after and well located residential street. This flat has a spacious and bright reception room, modern kitchen and double bedroom with an en suite shower room. The property is located very close to the shops, restaurants and cafes on Fulham Road and also only a short walk from Putney Bridge underground station.
1 Bed
489
ÂŁ420/wk
FLAT
SQ FT
TO RENT
Novello Street An exemplary four bedroom house in the centre of Parsons Green, Fulham’s most desirable area. The house has been recently renovated and beautifully styled throughout by the current owners in a modern/traditional way with exposed whitewashed floor boards. Novello Street is a highly convenient location being a no-through road that runs between Eel Brook Common and Parsons Green itself.
4 Bed
1,317
ÂŁ950/wk
HOUSE
SQ FT
TO RENT
Dairy Close
2 Beds FLAT
A well-presented two double bedroom apartment superbly positioned for Parsons Green, being a stone’s throw from all the action. The flat comprises two good sized double bedrooms, a family bathroom, reception room and a generous private balcony, and kitchen.
689 SQ FT
ÂŁ560/wk TO RENT
CAMPANA Road
3 Bed FLAT
A beautifully presented three bedroom split level apartment in a supreme position close to Parsons Green, Eel Brook Common and Fulham Broadway. The property is entered at the ground floor with accommodation occupying the first and top floors.
950 SQ FT
ÂŁ750/wk TO RENT
Tournay Road
1 Bed FLAT
A recently refurbished one bedroom flat with a large reception room which has beautiful oak wood flooring throughout, leading through to an immaculate kitchen. The kitchen is fitted with high quality appliances throughout and looks on to an impressive rear garden.
673 SQ FT
ÂŁ475/wk TO RENT
RIVERMEAD COURT
3 Bed FLAT
A fantastic three bedroom flat in the prestigious and highly sought after Rivermead Court. The interior of the property has been completely refurbished throughout and has great views of the famous Hurlingham Club, whilst also being very close to Putney Bridge tube station.
1,482 SQ FT
ÂŁ850/wk TO RENT
DIRECTORY Looking for something? Look no further with our recommended suppliers directory, just mention where you found them.
ARCHITECTS DBLO dblo.co.uk 020 7610 9333 227a Stephendale Road London, SW6 2PR Hogarth hogartharchitects.co.uk 020 7381 3409 186 Dawes Road London SW6 7RQ Icon icon-architects.com 020 7731 0400 The Glass House 11 Lettice Street London SW6 4EH Simon Gill simongillarchitects.co.uk 020 7610 9344 Riverbank House 1 Putney Bridge Approach London SW6 3JD
BUILDERS Blaze & Co. blazeandco.co.uk 020 7373 2214 Flat 2, 111 Drayton Gardens London SW10 9QU Dalriva dalriva.co.uk 020 7736 7066 Studio 3.4 The Piper Centre 50 Carnwath Rd, London SW6 3EG
Design 2 FInish design2finish.co.uk 07968 821 1667 54 Chipstead Street London SW6 3SS
RJV Designs rjvdesigns.co.uk 020 7385 6009 126 Harbord St, London SW6 6PH
Edward Checkley privatefinance.co.uk 07908 962 494 21 Bedford Square London WC1B 3HH
Element Construction elementconstruction.co.uk 07717 155 716
SURVEYORS
SOLICITORS
Capital Chartered capitalchartered.co.uk 020 8875 0035 Argyll House All Saints Passage London SW18 1EP
Child & Child (Mo Hakim) childandchild.co.uk 020 7235 8000 4 Grosvenor Place London SW1X 7HJ
Owen Powell owen-powell.com 012 7369 6655
Healys Solicitors (Tracey Cipolla) healys.com 020 7822 4000 Atrium Court 15-17 Jockey’s Fields London WC1R 4QR
NU Builds nubuilds.com 0207 7316841 10 Fulham high street London SW6 4LZ Nuspace I-want-nuspace.co.uk 0203 405 3480 965 Fulham Road, London, SW6 5JJ Pascal Huser huser.co.uk 020 7381 0707 600 Fulham Road London, SW6 5PA Roxburgh Construction roxburghconstruction.co.uk 020 7731 7480 74 The Arches Ranelagh Gardens London SW6 3UB Uber Contracts ubercontracts.co.uk 020 3151 5034
INTERIOR DESIGN Magenta Pink magentapinkinteriors.co.uk 07956 884 437
Shaw & Company www.shawandco.co.uk 020 8948 1122 9-11 The Quadrant, Surrey TW9 1BP
LEASEHOLD ADVICE Capital Leasehold capitalchartered.co.uk 020 7112 5169 64 Knightsbridge London SW1X 7JF
MORTGAGE BROKERS Alistair Hargreaves johncharcol.co.uk 020 7384 6790 112 Dawes Road London SW6 4JA
Jacobsen & Co. (Helle Jacobsen) jacobsenlegal.com 020 7736 6277 6 Stephendale Yard Stephendale Road London SW6 2LR Judge Sykes Frixou (Belinda Frixou) jsf-law.co.uk 020 7395 3355 23 Kingsway, London, WC2B 6YF Peppers LLP (Stavros Nicolaides) peppersllp.com 020 7278 4710 387 City Road London EC1V 1NA
Additions If you would like to add your business to this directory please contact Coen van Leeuwen at Brik.
GET IN TOUCH 020 7384 6790 hello@brik.co.uk brik @briklondon brik.co.uk 77 Parsons Green Lane, Fulham, London SW6 4JA
WE BELIEVE
Like many people we believe estate agency is in need of improvement. We started Brik to challenge the status quo and our reputation has grown by delivering record breaking prices and quick sales with minimum fuss. Our formula is simple, sound advice plus friendly approach equals good result.
MEET BRIK
Chris Littlewood Co-founder NFOPP qualified
Ben Littlewood Co-founder NFOPP qualified
Michael Horne Co-founder NFOPP qualified
James Sims Sales Manager NFOPP qualified
Elizabeth Moore Head of Lettings ARLA qualified
Ben Francis Lettings Associate ARLA in training
Georgina Woods Lettings Administrator ARLA qualified
Coen van Leeuwen Brand Coordinator
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