33 minute read
Living
EatHappyFeelGood
Advertisement
Sweet & Spicy Chicken
An easy and delicious family meal.
Ingredients
• 8 chicken thighs • 2 peppers, sliced • 2 red onions, peeled and sliced • 1 courgette (optional) • Parsley to garnish • Rice to serve
Sauce
• 4 tbsp rose harissa (add only 3 if you want it milder) • 2 tbsp honey • 1 tbsp olive oil • 2 cloves garlic, grated • Zest and juice of 1 lemon • 1 tsp salt • Freshly ground pepper
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180C. 2. Trim the excess fat off the chicken thighs (from around the sides). Cut slits into the fl esh of the chicken. 3. Put all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well. 4. Put the vegetables in a large ovenproof dish. Add half the sauce and mix well. 5. Add the chicken. Add the rest of the sauce on top of the chicken. 6. Cover and cook for 40 minutes. 7. Uncover and cook for another 15 minutes. 8. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with rice.
Eton Mess
A summer classic we all enjoy. But it can feel a little heavy A summer classic we all enjoy. But it can feel a little heavy (and calorie dense) so in this version a couple of little changes (and calorie dense) so in this version a couple of little changes make it lighter but just as delicious.
Ingredients
• 4 ready meringue nests • 3 cups fat free Greek yoghurt • Seeds from one vanilla pod • 3 cups berries • 2 tbsp honey • ¼ cup pistachios
Method
1. Whisk the yoghurt till really smooth. Add the vanilla, 1 tbsp honey and mix well. 2. Break up the meringues into big chunks. Add to the yoghurt. 3. Add most of the berries and gently fold together. 4. Top with the remaining berries and pistachios. 5. Drizzle over a little more honey and enjoy.
Mango Sorbet Greek Pasta Salad
Mango sorbet with added goodness – my kids LOVE mango sorbet and we make it on repeat throughout summer. It’s so yummy but it’s also a chance to add extra goodness into their tummies. And my two favourite add-ins are courgette (fresh or frozen) and hemp seeds. Add one or both, it’s all extra nutrition!
Ingredients
• 2 cups frozen mango • ½ cup coconut water • 1 tbsp maple syrup • Squeeze of lime • 1 small courgette (you can peel it to avoid colour change) • 1 tbsp hemp seeds • Coconut shavings and extra fresh mango to serve
Method
1. Add the mango, coconut water, maple syrup, lime and courgette into a small food processor. Blend till smooth. Taste and add a little more maple if you want it sweeter. 2. Serve in a bowl or cone.
A delicious and a perfect summer meal, picnic food or meal prep dish.
Ingredients
• 400g pasta of your choice, cooked • 1 large cucumber, de-seeded and sliced • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, whole • 1 cup black olives without stones • 2 red peppers, chopped • 3 tbsp olive oil • White wine vinegar • Salt and pepper • Dried oregano • Feta
Method
1. Cook the pasta, drain well. Add a tsp of olive oil and mix through to stop it cooking any further. Put in a large bowl and set aside to cool a little. 2. Add the chopped cucumber, chopped peppers, whole cherry tomatoes and olives. 3. Make the dressing by whisking together olive oil, vinegar, oregano and S&P. Add this to the bowl. Mix everything together. 4. Crumple the feta on top. 5. Garnish with a little extra oregano.
Tips
• Cook your pasta al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking and help cool down quicker. • Prep the veggies while the pasta is cooling. • De-seed the cucumbers and leave the cherry tomatoes whole so your salad doesn’t turn watery. It’s tastier and any leftovers will be just as good.
The trials and styles of parenting
By Henry King
Ever since our service for dads and dadsto-be ‘Hank’, was launched last year, we have spoken to many fathers about their experience of parenting, including the highs and lows. These chats usually take place at our ‘Hosted by Hank’ events where you can take a moment away from work and home life, have a beer and learn a thing or two from our trusted network of specialists. We have found it can be surprisingly cathartic and often reassuring to speak with others who are at a similar stage of life. This is genuinely surprising, not least because myself and Hank’s other co-founder are not particularly outgoing types who, ordinarily, would think twice about speaking to others about our family lives, and yet we have seen the benefi ts it can have for ourselves and others. Needless to say, everyone agrees that children are a wonderfully life-affi rming addition to one’s life, however they can bring about a multitude of challenging and, frankly, stressful situations. Writing as a father of two boys aged three and six, I can only speak to my experience of having young children, with some of the most testing moments linked to behaviour at certain stages of their development. I have
spoken to other fathers of similar-aged children who share many of these same experiences.
Tricky and seemingly inexplicable events can appear out of nowhere, often leaving us scratching our heads in utter confusion, and sometimes incredibly disappointed with how badly we dealt with the situation. There is nothing quite like a total meltdown from your toddler in a busy restaurant, or in a plane packed with travel weary passengers, to really test your mettle.
Often the times when I have my parenting credentials tested are the classics, like bath time, homework, sibling rivalry, and that constant source of parental guilt, screentime. Covid lockdowns really helped that last one take a hold.
The extent that I feel challenged and therefore prone to becoming stressed/ frustrated/exasperated, or all of the above, seems to be largely dependent on: my level of knowledge and/or experience about cause and effect, relative to child development; and my temperament. It might sound like a huge generalisation, but a relatively low patience threshold is fairly typical among men, and I am no exception to this.
Throughout our ‘Hosted by Hank’ events, we have listened and learnt from an array of fascinating speakers who have covered topics including how to plan your child’s education, planning your family finances, to child development and more. The subject of child development is one of the more frequently requested sessions because parents are often trying to make sense of different child behaviours so they can try and be supportive, instead of getting angry or frustrated.
We recently learnt that the amount of emotional words a girl has heard by the time they go to school is six times higher than the amount of emotional words that boys tend to hear. So, we should not be surprised when boys find it more difficult to talk about their feelings and act out by using ‘big behaviours’ instead of their words, if we are not talking about feelings with them as regularly.
We also learnt that lack of choice often leads to tantrums. By giving a child ‘agency’ you give them options which enable them to influence the outcome of an event and allows them to direct their own learning. This has the magical effect of deescalating and helping to avoid tantrums in the first place.
As cringey as it might sound, finding a ‘parenting style’ that works for you can help to maintain a consistent parenting approach, one that is suited to your temperament and your child’s. A significant part of this so-called ‘style’ will be your approach to discipline. I am not sure what this says about me, but the word ‘discipline’ immediately conjures up Dickensian images of an ancient school master and his cane.
The four different parenting styles that we often hear about are: authoritarian; authoritative; uninvolved; and permissive. Each style has a distinct approach and may appeal for reasons that are personal to you and your partner. There may also be cultural, religious and other reasons why you settle on a particular style.
Like the experts say, the key is to maintain consistency, which might mean a combination of parenting styles from each parent. As with so much in family life, it is all about compromise.
Keeping It Real
With Cat Sims
Cat Sims aka @notsosmugnow is a content creator, podcaster and author who has made a living out of documenting her failures and successes as a 40-year-old woman, a mother and a wife across various social media platforms. We caught up with her as her new baby record journal launches to discuss parenting, mental health, sobriety and asking for help.
QYou’ve been really open about your sobriety and mental health journey – how are you doing?
AI’m doing really well, thank you. It’s be a wild ride but I’ve learned so much about myself in the seven months that I’ve been clean and sober. Giving up alcohol and drugs has meant that I’m a better parent, a calmer human and a more patient person. Of course, I still lose my sh*t and bad things still happen but I’ve been able to deal with them in a much healthier way.
QWhy do you think it’s important to share with others?
AI resisted getting help for the longest time because I did not, in any way, want to be associated with the word
‘alcoholic’. There is so much shame attached to that word, especially for parents because we are supposed to be faultless, and I hope that in sharing my story and owning the word ‘alcoholic’ I can help to smash through some of that stigma.
I also want to shift people’s perception of what an alcoholic is. I thought alcoholics were old men on park benches but they’re just not. They are men and women, old and young. I’ve met mothers, fathers, teenagers, doctors. People from every race, religion, sexuality and social group. There are binge drinkers, morning drinkers, every evening drinkers. You can say a lot about alcoholism but you can’t blame it for not being inclusive.
QHow do you find sharing your journey? Does it put extra pressure on you?
ANo – in fact it’s the opposite. Sharing helps keep me accountable, but it also helps keep me sober. I’ve found recovery through Alcoholics Anonymous and I decided to break my own anonymity and talk about it after lots of thought. I have been able to work with other parents who are struggling with alcohol and/or drugs because I’ve been open about it and that helps keep me sober.
QWhat has the response been from your audience?
AHugely positive. I think lots of people have tiptoed around the idea of being a parent and having dependency issues, so I
think seeing a parent of young kids identify as an alcoholic – and one that defies our usual expectations – has made it possible to have much more open conversations. I’ve had no negative feedback from my audience at all – everyone has been incredibly supportive and I’m so grateful for that. I know that people worry about what it will do to their reputation when they admit to having a drink or drug problem, but I know that the way I drank and the things I did when I was drunk damaged my reputation far more than being open about being in recovery.
QWhat advice do you have for other people who are concerned about their own drinking or mental health?
APlease don’t feel ashamed if you feel like you have a problem or, if you do feel shame, please don’t let that stop you reaching out for help. There’s no check list that you have to tick off to identify as an alcoholic. You don’t have to be morning drinking or hiding booze or anything like that. If it’s doing you and your mental health harm and you want to stop but can’t, then ask for help. Reach out to me! I’ve taken loads of followers to meetings already. Some of them have stuck with it, some haven’t but all of them were really grateful to not feel alone. I think people resist Alcoholics Anonymous because of the word ‘alcoholic’ and I get it, but I’ve never found a kinder, more accepting, less judgemental group of people. It’s not for everyone and there are loads of other alternatives, but find what works for you.
QAnd you’ve got a new book out, congratulations! Can you tell us about it?
AYes! You know those baby record books where you can write down when they first walked or grew a tooth? The First Time You Smiled is a version of that but without bouncy bunnies and pastel bows. It’s as much to support the parents as it is to help them remember the stuff that matters. And yes, you can write down when they got their first tooth, but you can also record when they drew on the walls or told you they hated you for the first time. At the end of the day that’s what we’ll laugh about together in twenty years’ time.
But most importantly, and the thing that I’m really proud of, is that it doesn’t assume that the only way to have a baby is to be a man married to a woman who have sex and nine months later – boom – a perfect little baby pops out. I’ve tried to make it as inclusive as possible, and I really hope that every parent can enjoy it and get something out of it.
It’s not about perfection and it’s got no advice about how to get kids to sleep, but it will help parents feel seen and understood. It’ll make them feel less alone – you know, when every other parent seems to be doing just fine and you’re over here drowning? Yeah... it’ll help them feel much better about that.
The First Time You Smiled (£9.99) by Cat Sims is available at Amazon, Waterstones and Independent Book Retailers
Why I quit my business to become a writer
By Sara Bragg
“Don’t quit your day job.” If you’re a writer, or you’ve ever dreamt of becoming a writer, you’ve probably heard this before. And there’s some truth to it.
It’s not a decision to take lightly. At the age of 35, I quit my business to pursue a career as an author. I’ve dreamed of being a writer since I was a teenager, but I got sidetracked by a decade in publishing and motherhood.
The ultimate distraction was starting and growing an online gift business. I ran the business from my house and it exploded during Covid. Overnight, daily orders jumped from 10 to 30, sometimes up to 50 a day during busy periods. This, of course, was the ‘new normal’ for lots of people – juggling the demands of work with children on top of the emotional strain of being separated from friends and family. I forgot all about writing. I was happy, fulfi lled, motivated, growing a successful business.
But I was wrong. They say hindsight is a wonderful thing. Looking back, I can see I was stressed, overwhelmed, suff ering with insomnia, detached, unable to focus on my children without checking orders or social media. Basically, I was burnt out.
When shops re-opened on 12 April 2021, after months of lockdown, my business took a hit. I decided to use the quiet time productively and started writing. I’ve always been an avid reader and my favourite books are suspenseful romance with multi-layered family mysteries. It is with this in mind that I sat down and wrote the fi rst draft of my fi rst book. It took eight weeks to fi nish the manuscript. I snatched time to write whenever I could – weekends, evenings, early starts – while keeping the business afl oat.
When I started writing the book, I didn’t set out to be a writer. I simply set out to write. Fifty thousand words later, I decided I would fi nish the manuscript and attempt to get a literary agent. Having worked a decade in publishing, I knew the odds of getting published were slim. I told myself that I probably wouldn’t get anywhere, but it was worth a try. A ‘now or never’ moment.
Thankfully, I was blessed with a serendipitous sale of the business following a chance conversation and it couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. The manuscript was in its third draft and I was researching agents. It was a career crossroads. And I took the leap.
I had two choices: fail spectacularly or land on my feet and fi nd an agent. I sent my manuscript to fi fteen carefully selected agents. The submission process is tough. Agents are selective and specifi c with their taste. I had faith in my book, but still, there was a lot of second-guessing myself. Nothing prepares you for the moment when an agent off ers to represent you. I remember the day the offi cial off er came through from my agent; I was in complete shock. It was surreal, the early signs of a lifelong dream being fulfi lled – I might actually become an author.
I’m still working on making my dream happen. The manuscript has gone through several edits and will be on submission to publishers soon. In the meantime, I’m writing book two. I have big plans. My dream to be an author has been sidelined for too long.
Of course, it’s not easy. Nothing is guaranteed. But whenever I feel any selfdoubt, I look back at how I worked myself into the ground running a business that, deep down, wasn’t what I really wanted to do. I work hard now, but I love what I do, so it doesn’t feel like work in the same way.
When I talk about quitting my business and following my dream, it implies it wasn’t a big decision. But it was. Making a career change with a young family in tow is a major adjustment. It might feel impossible for some, but there’s always a possibility for change.
Now, I can safely say it was the best decision I’ve ever made. I only wish I’d taken the leap sooner.
Oh Conrad, you were swell
It was with great excitement and pleasure that my family accepted an invitation try out the Family Adventure Package at the luxurious Conrad London St James hotel in the heart of the capital. Having enjoyed a fantastic stay, I’ve written an honest review of our experience in the hope of encouraging other families to have a marvellous time there, just as we did. Sevim
The Conrad London St James hotel is an amazing place to stay if you’re looking for a family hotel in London with easy access to all the wonderful sightseeing opportunities the city has to offer.
We stayed there at the end of May to try out the Family Adventure Package, which is available for families with children under the age of 12 on weekends and school holidays.
We arrived early on a Sunday morning with our twins, who were having the time of their lives FYI as they were given a VIP sticker on arrival and told they were more important than Mummy and Daddy. I tried everything to get my own sticker, which didn’t work.
The VIP treatment continues when you’ve walked into your room with the arrival of a custom-made Build-A-Bear. Parents answer a few questions to tell the Conrad team about their children’s favourite characters or activities, and when they check in, a personalised cuddly bear is waiting for them on their crisp White Company bed sheets.
From start to end our stay was incredible and I thought the best way to share the experience was to highlight the things we most liked about it.
The hotel and room
With or without children this hotel is lovely. There is a business vibe to it, but it didn’t make us feel nervous about bringing our kids in, even though they found the revolving door rather entertaining! The porter was super friendly though and enticed them away with some sweets while we were welcomed with a gorgeous glass of bubbly to help us relax.
Our family room consisted of two interconnecting rooms, which worked out perfectly. The children were near enough for us to keep an eye and ear out, but far
enough away for us to have some time to ourselves too. Their room was decorated with London-themed toys, The White Company’s adorable London-themed bedding, two beanbags, little robes and slippers, and a whole ice bucket full of drinks and goodies. We didn’t raid this when the kids were asleep – promise!
Both rooms had huge TVs, spacious and luxurious bathrooms, and curtains that closed with the click of a button – now that’s what I call luxury.
VIP treatment
The VIP children’s treats ranged from Build-A-Bears to ice cream at the push of a telephone button. The children were beside themselves, especially having their own room. In fact, we kept having to check if they were ok as they were so quiet – in fact they were engrossed watching their own TV in bed while sipping on every fruit juice on offer.
The Build-A-Bear was the cherry on the cake, seeing their little faces light up when a Pokémon and Unicorn casually waited for them on their bed was a wonderful scene. It’s safe to say the bears came on our adventures all weekend and I can confirm they also had a very good time.
Blue Boar Pub
One word – yum! The hotel has a pub attached to it, which means you do not have to leave the building (every parent’s dream) and you receive £100 off your bill if you eat there. What’s not to like? The pub has a calm, family-friendly atmosphere, and the staff are very attentive and helpful.
The children’s menu is fairly limited, with only four choices all priced at £12.50: ham and cheese toastie with fries, fish goujons with chips, cottage pie with broccoli, and tiny roast beef. My daughter had the toastie and chips, while our son had the main menu burger, and we both had the most delicious Sunday Roast with a Yorkshire pudding bigger than our head, for £27.50 each.
We were blown away with the service, the quality and taste of the food. Breakfast the next morning was no exception – a massive, fresh and varied buffet spread with cooked and continental options that set us up for a day of sightseeing.
Unbeatable location
The location of the Conrad London St James is unbeatable. The Circle and District underground lines, which stop at St James’s Park station right outside the hotel, are ready to whisk you away to some of London’s most popular tourist destinations in a matter of minutes. Historic Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey are just a short walk away!
When it comes to activities, the Family Adventure Package includes a complimentary Kids’ Pass that provides you with discounts at family sites throughout the UK. You’ll need a code to activate the pass, which includes cinema tickets and theme park admittance, as well as many London-based activities.
The Conrad London St James has thought of everything to make your stay easy and enjoyable. The Family Adventure Package is offered for weekends, half terms, and school vacations. Overnight stays in a family room start at £605 and include breakfast, a Build-A-Bear gift, and a £100 dining credit at the Blue Boar Pub. The pricing of the package is based on two parents and one child, although upgrades for extra children are available.
5 alternative holiday destinations to tick off your bucket list
Looking for somewhere a little diff erent to escape to this year? Ditch the sunbeds by the beach, put those air miles to good use, and instead, explore fi ve alternative holiday destinations… and know that you’re doing good at the same time. Get up close and personal with nature’s most beautiful wildlife, while supporting the top conservation projects around the globe. These locations are sure to inspire you to join our mission to help save animals and our beautiful planet. For you, Ecofl ix, the fi rst not-for-profi t content streaming platform, dedicated to saving animals and stabilising the planet, has chosen the best projects around the world to visit, some of which receive donations from its members.
1. The Elephant Nature Park in Thailand
Head to Northern Thailand, just 60km from the hustle and bustle of the city, to explore the unique Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai. Set across vast acres of land, Elephant Nature Park provides sanctuary and a safe environment for dozens of injured and abused elephants. The world renown founder, Lek Chailert, has worked tirelessly to rescue these and many other animals, all while supporting the cultural integrity of the community, employing villagers and supporting local agriculture. It is a total winwin situation!
Here, you will have get the opportunity to observe the elephants and learn from the highly knowledgeable staff , who dedicate their time to helping these magnifi cent animals. Visit this ethical nature park (no riding or circus tricks) during November to early April to experience the sanctuary while remaining cool and dry. You can choose from single day passes, to overnight stays if you’d like to spend more time and become part of the herd.
2. The Libearty Bear Sanctuary in Romania
Bear with us on this one! The Libearty Bear Sanctuary in Romania remains the largest animal welfare project in Europe. Having rescued over 130 bears from a life of tiny cages. The Libearty Bear Sanctuary boasts 69 hectares of oak forest, with trees where the bears can climb, swimming pools where they can splash freely, indulge in food according to their specifi c dietary needs, with ready care from skilled veterinarians.
Open from Tuesday to Sunday, visit the bears on guided tours, conducted in both Romanian and English, where you’ll get the opportunity to learn about the bears and ask questions to satisfy any and all of your curiosities. Alternatively, hop on a train tour during the winter months, for a thorough tour of the sanctuary, while still experiencing all of the glory this amazing sanctuary has to off er.
3. The Wolf Connection in LA
Youth empowerment in a rehabilitation sanctuary for wolves and wolfdogs? Sign me up. The unique Wolf Connection sanctuary in Los Angeles, combines rescue and support for both wolves and humans. The Wolf Connection seeks to improve the quality of life of wolves and wolfdogs by providing rescue, sanctuary, and behavioural enrichment, while also working to heighten the bond and collaboration between humans and animals. It has proven a potent way to empower individuals to get in touch with their inner strength. In the mountains of the Angeles National Forest, just a short drive North of Los Angeles, the 165-acre ranch off ers a multitude of excitement and events giving everyone, big and small, the opportunity to join the wolf gang! You can opt for one of their community hikes, which includes a tour of the ranch, meeting the pack, a hike through the Angeles National Forest, followed by refreshments with the Wolf Connection gang. Or alternatively, head on a “Walk With the Wolves” semi-private experience, which provides a more intimate experience with the pack. Plus, keep an eye out for their seasonal events including their annual Howl’oween Hike, complete with a hike, dinner, and other spooky off erings.
4. Lilongwe Wildlife Centre in Malawi
Open 365 days a year and renowned as one of the best wildlife sanctuaries in Africa, the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre in Malawi is an amazing place to see. Home to 200 rescued residents at any one given time, this conservation project should not be missed. By uniting with other organizations and individuals, Lilongwe Wildlife Centre has focused upon making lasting change, permitting hundreds of animals to be released, back in the wild where they belong. As the only organisation of its kind in Malawi authorized by the Government, Lilongwe Wildlife Centre responds to veterinary emergencies and supports wildlife management across the country. They insure that as many animals as possible are given the correct support and rehabilitation they need. You can enjoy breath-taking wilderness trails along the river as you embark on your own walking safari, where you’ll fi nd monkeys, hyenas, bushpigs and sometimes much more!
5. Return To Freedom Wild Horse Conservation in California
Return To Freedom is a little diff erent, but defi nitely worth a visit. It is their mission to rescue wild horses and provide them with sanctuary. It is another of their core missions to practice conservation. With those goals in mind, at Return To Freedom horses live in family bands and herd groups, enabling them to live and communicate among themselves like they would naturally in the wild, helping to preserve the freedom and diversity of America’s wild horses.
Head to Return To Freedom during the summer months to experience a staff -led, walking tour of the sanctuary, complete with refreshments and hearing wild horse expertise from the volunteers. Or schedule your own private tour and spend over two hours delving into the origins of the horse in America and discover how they came to be a vital link in American culture, while observing the herds in a more intimate manner.
Ahead of planning your trip, visit Ecofl ix, and stream our documentaries and fi lms. We have fi lms from some of these amazing projects, together with other pictures and details about their work. Ecofl ix gives one hundred percent of your subscription donation directly to the NGO partner you select.
Visit ecofl ix.com for more information.
Pros and Cons for HMO Investment
HMO investments have continued to increase in popularity, but before you invest in an HMO, we have collated the pros and cons of HMO investments to help you decide.
The Pros
1. One of the signifi cant advantages of
HMO’s is that they will generate a rental income increase of three to fi ve times versus a standard single-let property. with aff ordable accommodation, which means you are directly helping ease the housing crisis by providing aff ordable rent.
3. Cash fl ow is better as you won’t have as much impact during rental void periods. When one tenant moves out, you will have other rooms tenanted.
4. You have less exposure to rental arrears, even if one tenant falls behind on rent – if the other tenants are still paying on time. 5. The demand for this type of housing is strong and growing in high demand areas, such as those close to transport, restaurants, shops, pubs.
6. There may be tax advantages when setting up and operating an HMO.
7. Tenants (depending on the type of tenant) may be easier to fi nd, especially if you off er to make bills inclusive of the rental rates.
The Cons
1. You need to have an appropriate
HMO licence and ensure the property complies with the licensing conditions.
2. If you buy a family house and intend to convert it into an HMO property, you need to be aware of the requirements to comply as an HMO property, plus have the budget to do the work.
3. Some lenders will not provide mortgages on HMO properties. Those that do may charge higher interest rates or demand a higher deposit.
4. Turnover in tenants is generally higher because HMOs are often rented to students or young mobile professionals who typically want a short-term rental.
5. Not all houses can be converted costeff ectively, and not all locations are in a high demand area.
6. There is a higher level of paperwork involved in managing the individual tenants.
7. Fewer letting agents are willing to manage HMOs. This means you need to fi nd the right agent with experience. Otherwise, you may need to selfmanage the property, which can be very time-consuming.
8. You must provide the minimum room size. If you let a room smaller than the minimum room size, you will be in breach of your HMO licence. This can lead to a fi ne or a civil penalty of up to £30,000.
9. You must provide adequate receptacles for the storage and disposal of the household waste created by the property. These must be stored in a suitable, accessible place within the footprint of the property. As the landlord, you need to determine how much rubbish disposal is required and where to store the bins. Otherwise, you may risk your licence.
The solutions
Research the market and budget for renovations and upgrades. The more knowledge you have, the better the chance that your investment will be more profi table. For example, if you own a three-bedroom house, this can typically be converted into six units with the following suggested conversions:
• Adding a loft unit on the second (or third) fl oor. • Extending the rear of the property to add a unit (if the backyard is large enough).
• Converting existing living areas into separate units.
• Installing ensuites and kitchenettes in all units.
• Converting the current kitchen to a communal kitchen and laundry.
• Choose the right area. When choosing areas for an HMO, consider the type of people who may want to let your property. Do they need to be close to transport? Close to schools or universities? Do they need to be close to shops, bars, etc?
• Hire a specialist HMO agent. Agents will charge a management fee; however, they deal with any maintenance problems, have a good network of plumbers, electricians, and builders and, best of all, they supply quality tenants for your property.
• Choose the right tenants. This is the most critical part of owning an HMO. Choose the type of tenant you want – students, young professionals, foreign workers, short-term rentals, etc. And interview and screen the tenants by doing referee calls and background checks.
Next Steps?
Before you consider converting your property, you should consider speaking to experienced professionals to advise you on what is possible for your property, what are the expected costs, how long will it take and what your council requires to ensure you get your HMO licence.
For our clients, we provide experienced professionals who give innovative solutions using leading-edge technology, best industry practice combined with their own personal property experience.
After all, you want to create a quality home – one that your tenants will be proud to call home.
As specialists in HMO conversions, licensing and management since 2006, we can provide you with advice on your HMO property. Call us on +44 (0) 203 286 6468 or email us at HMO@RekaProperty.co.uk.
WWW.REKAPROPERTY.CO.UK
5minutes with Meliz
Every time one of Meliz’s posts pop up on our insta feed, you can guarantee that your mouths will be watering and your shoulders shimmying with her Turkish Cypriot delights. Bringing you delicious recipes from her roots, this wonderful woman keeps her culture alive and our souls (and bellies) fed! Instagram @melizcooks
Your bedside reading at the moment is…
The Beekeeper of Aleppo – I started it a couple of years ago but didn’t get to fi nish it (I was too busy writing and reading my cookbook transcripts). I don’t like leaving books halfway through, even if I’m not enjoying them as much as I’d have hoped, ’so I’m pleased to have picked it up again.
I’ve never really got into podcasts – I think I must be the only one – so I always choose to listen to music when I have fi ve minutes‘ peace instead.
Three things you always have in your glove compartment?
Chewing gum, sellotape and lipstick!
Singing or cooking?
That’s not fair! Both at the same time? Surely that counts.
Ultimate food weakness?
Potatoes. In any way, shape or form.
Coff ee or tea?
Tea. With milk, black, spiced, herbal, all of the above.
Which album will you have on loop and never be bored with?
Sezen Aksu: Deliveren.
Favourite holiday memory?
The smell of my Ahmet Dede’s (grandfather’s) sundried octopus as soon as I would walk into my grandparents’ garden in Mağusa, Kibris (Famagusta, Cyprus)
When you’re not cooking up a storm in the kitchen, you are…
Always running late for something.
A wow moment in your life so far?
I’m grateful to have had a few wow moments; graduating with an MA, singing on TV, and my babies, but most recently writing my cookbook is something I’ve always wanted to do, to preserve my family’s recipes and legacy, and now I’ve done it.
What gives you instant calmness?
Playing the piano and singing along.
If you needed to hear a voice of comfort, who would you call?
It would depend on why I’d need comforting – my husband, my mum and my sister are my voices of comfort.
The next destination on your list is…
Cyprus, because it’s been three years and I’m pining, but if it wasn’t Cyprus then it would be Sicily via Istanbul (I’m rubbish at giving a single answer – so indecisive!)
If you could choose one superpower…
I’d create a peaceful world. It’s 2022 and as a race it’s like we have learnt nothing.
What language would you love to learn?
Arabic. It’s beautiful. Anything with a nonwestern script or writing system fascinates me and I love being able to pick up the words that have been transferred to the modern Turkish language.
How would you describe yourself?
An over-thinker, creative, passionate.
The mantra you live by?
What will be, will be.
You can order Meliz’s Kitchen cookbook over on Amazon, Waterstones or Foyles.
LONDON PARIS
