Are you ready?

The colder weather is upon us, the clocks have gone backwards, and the mornings and evenings are now dark. It is safe to say, that the Winter is fast approaching. Whether this makes you happy or sad, there is one thing for certain, this will have an impact on your tenants and on your property. Taking some commonsense steps will help to protect your property and your tenants, let’s take a look at some of these now: • Insulation – an insulated property will be a warmer property, in addition to saving money. • If the property has old, draughty, and ill-fitting windows, do they need replacing? • Draught proof all existing external doors, windows and do not forget the loft hatch.

• Any water pipes that are likely to be exposed to frost, particularly those outside such as outside standpipes or condensate pipes, should be insulated.

• If there is a hot water cylinder, make sure that it has a good insulating jacket.

LANDLORD/PROPERTY OWNER

There are a few precautions that the landlord can take or, discuss with their letting agent:

• Insurance Policy. Is it up to date and does it cover the most common winter risks – storm damage, flood damage, water leaks or third-party liability for injuries (think about tiles blowing off the roof in a gale etc.) • Your eating system – when did you last check the heating system and the radiators (and when did you last bleed them) to ensure that they are working correctly? When did you last have your boiler serviced? A

Gas Safety check will not include a service, unless it specifically states that it does, or you request one – be sure to check.

• Coal fires or wood burning stoves – chimneys should be swept annually and do not forget to test your carbon monoxide alarm regularly; this is a legal requirement. • Have radiators fitted with individual

TRVs (thermostatic radiator valves) so that individual room temperatures can be controlled.

• Ensure that any flues and outlets cannot be blocked by snow and freeze over.

• Boiler overflow pipes – so that these do not freeze up, have a word with your engineer and discuss foam pipe insulation. Also leave the heating on overnight during freezing tempera • tures and set your heating to a higher level during very cold weather. • Think about safety, not just cold.

Check outside guttering, downspouts and drains for leakages and blockages. This will reduce the risk of ice forming, which could cause people to slip and fall. • Check any sheds and outbuildings, are they secure and are their doors safe from blowing open? • If surfaces are slippery and people could fall, provide gritting and warnings.

Talk and communicate with your tenants about the following and remember, some tenants may not be experienced in living independently (especially if this is their first rental after leaving home) and may not understand the vagaries of heating systems and the “behaviour” of properties during wintertime: Do they understand how to use the heating system and how to adjust the thermostat?

• Do they know where the stop cock is?

• Do they have emergency numbers, just in case? • If they intend to go away for any period of time during the holiday season, make sure that they do not turn the heating off, as this could lead to burst pipes. • Speak to your tenants about what causes mould and how to treat it.

Winter is a prime time for mould as it is cold outside and tempting to keep windows closed. This is especially relevant in bathrooms, shower rooms and where clothes are dried.

• Speak to your tenants about keeping the heating on low during the daytime to maintain a minimum temperature, as this costs less than raising the temperature from cold. • Be sure that your tenants understand the importance of maintaining a minimum temperature throughout the whole property, so that clothes, fabrics, walls and furniture will remain warm and not absorb moisture from the air causing condensation and mould. A house booklet with all of these points in, together with emergency telephone numbers and the locations of the stop cock, thermostatic control for the boiler and any other important information is a really good idea to have in the property. In addition to this, a conversation with your tenants and a letter/communication from either you or your agent just before the weather turns, should reinforce the message and prevent any nasty surprises. A stitch in time really does save nine and prevention is less costly than cure, for the safety and comfort of your property and your tenants, when it comes to getting ready for the cold weather. If we can help or offer any advice or assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

LETTINGS WITHOUT COMPROMISE

LET AGREED

HOW TO SPOT FAKE REVIEWS ONLINE THIS BLACK FRIDAY

Let's be honest with each other, those crowds we used to see on Black Friday, with people cramming into shops at opening time and fighting over the latest bargain The signs suggest that the majority of us got over the Black Friday hype a few years ago. That being said many shops are still expected to offer deals online for the pre-Christmas sales event on 25 November.

It’s been a difficult year for lots of retailers, who will be hoping Black Friday and its bigger cousin Cyber Monday - will give them a much-needed boost.

USEFUL TIPS FOR THE BEST DEALS

But this all comes with a health warning if you’re buying online. As some online retails are struggling to prevent fake reviews which can mislead shoppers this Black Friday. The consumer group looked at some of the most popular purchases, including tablets and phones, and found some review ratings were being manipulated. One onlime retail did make an online statement to the claims saying it has clear policies that reviewers and sellers must stick to. In a online statement they said: “ it will suspend, ban, and take legal action against those who break the rules. We found a pair of headphones had 1,006 ratings and 4.8 stars despite only being on sale for six months - well above the average for an unknown brand. As well as false comments, some sellers have also manipulated the star-rating system to persuade people into a purchase.

In the UK, Amazon is the main place people go for Black Friday shopping. A major online review companies research found 34% of consumers planned to buy something there this Black Friday, compared to 16% at John Lewis and 7% at Currys PC World. However fake reviews have been a problem on some of the biggest shopping sites including eBay, Facebook and TripAdvisor for years.

Other tactics online shops use is offering free gifts or vouchers in return for positive or five-star reviews - which is in breach of most online store selling policies.

Also another concern is about accounts being hacked to leave reviews, comments being transferred from different products and sellers pushing people to leave pictures. There appears to have been a rise in the amount of suspicious reviews on websites, according to analysis site ReviewMeta the site has an online tool which checks for fakes and copies in a web address.

Their data suggested a 30% rise in the proportion of unnatural reviews on websites between March and August following the recent coronavirus lockdown.

SO HOW DO WE SPOT A FAKE REVIEW THIS BLACK FRIDAY?

Here is some simple tips for checking up on fake reviews.

1. Be sceptical. This is probably your best weapon, especially if there is an unusually high number of reviews compared to others in that category. 2. Read and read again. Look for the same language used in multiple reviews. 3. Brands you don’t know. If you don’t recognise the brand, check to see if it has its own legitimate-looking website, with clear contact details.

4. Be wary of products with lots of pictures or videos. Sellers can incentivise fake reviewers to encourage people to add photos and videos. 5. Report suspicious reviews to Amazon. Let them investigate before you buy.

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