DIRECTORY

from Fabric October 2021

by Hatton Collective

TRAVEL

WORDS by LIZ SKONE JAMES

LET’S TALK Making money from property

Changes to mortgage interest relief

and a surcharge on stamp duty

for second homes have made some question whether buy-to-let remains a worthwhile investment. The short answer is that property will always be a great way to grow wealth and create a legacy for the future. Given the right conditions, your property will provide an income from rent while generating capital growth as the value of the property increases. However, though it is largely considered to be one of the safest investments you can make, no investment comes without a degree of risk – knowing where and what to buy and understanding how to attract and keep tenants can make a huge difference to your return on investment. The expert team at Buy to Let Hunter are uniquely placed to offer expert advice on just these sorts of questions. They help to fi nd properties for clients with money to invest in real estate who do not have the time or experience to confi dently make these big decisions unassisted.

“We search the perfect accommodation to purchase for each client, one which we know will then slot into the serviced accommodation market – these properties will gradually increase in value over time and bring in a fabulous annual return in the short term,” says BTLH’s Lucy Symons. “People are moving out of cities, and we see that this mid-market in serviced accommodation is currently under served, so we focus our search in carefully selected suburbs around London. Once we’ve helped our clients to fi nd the perfect property, we take full responsibility for redecorating, furnishing and managing it, allowing clients to sit back and enjoy the surety of investing in bricks and mortar, confi dent that someone else will take care of everything else.”

One such client is 18-year-old Hamza, who recently invested in a two-bed semi in Hitchin with help from the team at Buy to Let Hunter. When he was 11, Hamza was in a school run car accident. After a drawn-out investigation, further complicated by Covid, his fi scal compensation was fi nally awarded last year. He says: “I was reluctant to just invest the money in a pension, but didn’t know the fi rst thing about investing in property. I met with the team and found them relatable and trustworthy – it was clear we were speaking the same language. Working with BTLH was a very positive experience. I cannot imagine doing this on my own.”

To discover how Buy to Let Hunter can help you, see buytolethunter.com

Melanie Wand Garden Design Landscape gardener with a unique knowledge of plants and garden history (07710 037002; melaniewand.co.uk)

THE DIRECTORY

high quality built work through rigorous design and excellent client management services (020 8348 8411; papaarchitects.co.uk)

Mia Karlsson Interior Design Providing comprehensive design services to the residential market (020 7209 1615; miakarlsson.co.uk)

WCD Interiors Independent furniture and lifestyle store, also offering a bespoke furniture service, creating timeless pieces to cherish (020 8340 3001; wcdinteriors.com) LLI Design Full interior design service, from architecture and space planning, to creating bespoke furnishings, joinery and lighting design schemes (020 8348 4800; llidesign.co.uk) Q&A

Melanie Wand

Garden Design

What made you want to go into

garden design? 30 years ago I bought a house in Crouch End with a half acre wilderness as the garden. I realised, despite my graphic design background, this was outside my comfort zone. I took a course at Chelsea Physic Garden led by inspirational Rosemary Alexander, and never looked back.

What can you offer clients that others

can’t? Ability to comfortably delineate space is pivotal to any design, and my experience in graphics really enables me to implement that. However, the element that maintains a garden for years to come is good planting. With a deep understanding of structure, habit and colour, I pride myself in fi nding the right plant for each space.

What’s your design ethos?

One that helps the client to make the most of their garden. We work closely together – their aims remaining central to my design. At the same time my experience in both design and plants will ensure that the plan will be both functional and beautiful.

Describe your dream project

I take delight in any site large or small, contemporary or traditional. London gardens come in all shapes and sizes, often with tricky angles; I love looking for a bold solution that transforms potential eyesores into wonderful focal assets – an angled planter, an offset fl oaty bench, a tiered raised bed or a quirky water feature.

What do you see as being the major trends in landscaping over the coming months?

A trend that I can really get behind is sustainability and environmentalism. I love wild fl ower meadows, ornamental grasses and living roofs. These can be low maintenance, beautiful and ethically brilliant.