Did you know that 75% of Britons are considering a staycation this year, up from 56% last year? Add that to overseas visitors, and that’s a lot of people looking for a place to stay throughout the UK! 

Whilst staying in a Hotel, B&B, Caravan or even a tent are still very popular accommodation options, more and more people are now searching for a home away from home environment to stay in, meaning that there is a growing market for people to rent out their main or second properties for short-term holiday lets as a way of making an extra income. 

You probably consider St Albans, Hemel, or the local area to be home, but did you know that Hertfordshire is actually a much sought after tourist destination for visitors too, due to its historic landmarks and obvious close proximity and travel links to the capital and other UK cities. 

Alongside the tourists, there are also those who take up temporary residence during the week in Hertfordshire for work in London and the Home Counties either on a short-term or long-term basis, some of whom will also be seeking a place to stay.

You may not have thought much about it before, but there really is a lot of scope to provide local accommodation to those seeking to bypass the usual traditional offerings and choose residential properties to stay in. 

Websites like Air BNB have made it possible to let your home or a second property on a short-term basis, and indeed there is a thriving Air BNB market locally, with property owners managing their own marketing, bookings and lettings. However, if your property is being booked on a frequent basis then it can become almost a full-time job trying to keep on top of managing your property through a site like Airbnb and it can involve a huge amount of time, hassle and effort on your part, which eats into your financial return. 

At Aubrey and Finn, we want to take the hassle out of renting out your home on a short-term basis, so we offer an “Air Hosting” Management service for residents who want to offer short-term holiday lets through Air BNB, enabling property owners to earn an extra income by using a short-term let management agency. 

We are currently the only Estate Agent in the local area offering the unique Air Hosting service in St Albans and Hemel Hempstead. 

So why would our clients choose Air Hosting as an option when renting out their property for short-term let? 

Well, our Air Hosting service is a brilliant option for those who perhaps work away themselves during parts of the week and would like their main property to be earning money whilst they are away. 

If you own a rental property then it’s often common to think that renting it out to full-time tenants is the best option, but did you know that Air Hosting could earn you 60-100% more renting your property through Airbnb by the night than residentially! 

Perhaps you think that Air BNB wouldn’t work for your property as you are not in a position to be able to meet guests and hand over keys, or you simply don’t want the hassle of having to market your property, or clean the place after each booking, well this is where our short-term let management service can help as we will handle every aspect of the booking, from marketing, dealing with enquiries, screening clients, to providing the fresh towels/sheets, managing queries and cleaning, and preparing the property for the next visitor. 

Even with management fees, those using a management company to manage their short-term let typically experience a 30% uplift in income compared to managing the property themselves. Many clients simply pass our management fee onto their customer and so find that at no extra cost to them, using a management company saves a lot of time, hassle and effort on their part, meaning that the owner can sit back, relax and earn a passive income from their property, knowing that there is a trusted, local company which knows the area and can be around to help with any issues which arise during the client’s stay. 

In addition to making more money, short-term lets are also a fantastic way to save on tax as typically, they are exempt from the tax hikes on buy-to-let landlords which came into play in 2017. Holiday Let owners can deduct all mortgage interest payments from rent before calculating their tax liability in some circumstances. This is more favourable than only a portion of mortgage interest which buy-to-let investors are able to offset. Short-term let owners are also able to claim the full costs of furnishing the property, meaning that renting your property out as a short-term let could also be a more tax efficient way of managing your second property. 

If you have a rental property and want to work out how to get the best return-on-investment on it, or if you want to find out more about short-term lets for your main property then we’d love to chat with you. Give us a call or pop into our offices and we can talk you through the process in more detail! 

Hertfordshire is prime commuter belt territory so it’s common for people to move to the area to escape living in London, or to be closer to London for work but that means that they may end up living further away from family, friends, their support networks and also their previous recreational activities. 

Once you’ve moved and settled into your new home in the local area, it can be hard to get out and meet new people because you are spending lots of time working and commuting, or perhaps you have young children, or maybe you just simply don’t know where to go to meet new people and don’t have those networks that you can easily tap into. 

At Aubrey and Finn we know that this is a common situation many of our clients face and so we’ve put together some ideas of different groups to join to help you meet new people living in the local area and to hopefully help you feel more part of the local community in St Albans, Hemel Hempstead and the surrounding areas! 

As a disclaimer, the following are some ideas and information on what’s available and do not constitute recommendations!

Join a Gym/Keep Fit Class

Joining a Gym or attending a fitness class is a great way to combine staying fit and active with meeting new people in the area. There are a variety of different Gyms, Wellness Centres and Classes happening in the local area including Absolute Wellness Centre St Albans, Nuffield Gym, Fitness First, Westminster Lodge, and YMCA.  Search online for your nearest class or for the activity you enjoy and off you go! 

You could also consider joining a Golf or Tennis Club. Local Golf Clubs include Verulam Golf Club, Redbourn Golf Club,  Centurion Leverstock  Green and , Shendish Manor Golf Club. There are also a multitude of Tennis Clubs including Leverstock Green Tennis Club, St Albans Tennis Club and Townsend Tennis Club.

If you are into running then there are a variety of running clubs in St Albans including St Albans Striders and Athena Running in St Albans and Gade Valley Harriers and Dacorum and Tring Athletics Club.

St Albans 5K Park Run happens every Saturday in Verulamium Park from 9am and is a free run. 

Hemel  5K Park Run happens every Saturday in Gadebridge Park from 9am and is a free run. 

Take up an activity or join a club

Learn a new language, learn how to knit, sew, paint, dance, play sport or become a wine connoisseur! Meet others who love to take photos, play Bowls, Garden, play Football or even share your appreciation for Real Ale!

Joining an extra-curricular class or club is a brilliant way to meet those with similar interests to you. There are also a whole multitude of Social Clubs and Friendship Clubs in the local area including the Women’s Institute or Ladies Circle for women, Round Table and Lions Clubs for men, plus Sports and Social Clubs and Friendship clubs for all. 

Meet other local parents. 

If you have recently become pregnant, had a baby or you have small children then this can be present a great opportunity to be able to meet new people and make friends in your local community. 

Antenatal Classes, Children’s Centres, Baby and Toddler Groups often held in church or village halls and Baby and Toddler Classes are prime territory to meet other parents who may be secretly wishing for some adult company just as much as you are.

For those with older children then it may be that the parents from school can adopt you into their tribe, or that you can make friends with other parents at your child’s activities. There are also lots of book clubs (always a great excuse for wine) or failing that, just seek out your local park and pluck up the courage to chat to another local parent! Then there is of course the online option of the notorious local Mums Facebook groups where you can find out more about the local area, get support and advice and of course hopefully make some new friends along the way!

Get a Dog!

Walking the dog gets you out of the house and enables you to meet more people, plus we’ve found that having your dog with you is always a great ice breaker and gives others an excuse to start a conversation with you.

Network for your Business 

Running your own business can be a lonely place especially if it’s a new business r=in a new area.so why not use your business as an excuse to get out and meet new people. There are a whole host of business networking groups in the local area, some are ad-hoc drop-in, and others may have a weekly or monthly commitment. If you want some recommendations then get in touch as we can recommend a few great business networking groups to get you started.

Volunteer for Charity

Volunteering in your local community or for a charity can be a fantastic way to give back to the local community but it’s also renowned as a fantastic way to meet new people and making new friends. 

Attend a place of Worship

If you are new to the area then attending a place of worship can be a fantastic way to meet people. There are lots of different options locally so why not explore some different places of worship as it’s a great way to feel part of a community and may even present opportunities to give back too!

Hopefully some of these ideas have given you some ideas on how to meet new people and make connections with others living in the local area.  If you have any queries about any aspect of moving home, or you would like to discuss how we can help with you with selling, buying, renting or Air a property then please do pick up the phone and give us a call! 

So you’ve found the new home of your dreams, spent the last few months building up to the day when you are finally going to move in and finally it’s here! It’s time to move you’re your new home! It’s common for people to panic about remembering everything on Moving Day so here are a few pointers to help your move go as smoothly as possible! 

1.Keep the Kettle Handy!

Moving is thirsty work, so whatever you do, don’t pack the Kettle until the last minute!  Create a box with kitchen essentials such as Tea Coffee, Sugar, Milk, Squash, biscuits teaspoons and a few cups and have those handy for when people need to refuel during the day. You can then transport this yourself to your new home and have it ready for immediate use. Also perhaps pack some other essentials such as kitchen towels; bin bags, soap and loo roll so that you aren’t caught short once you reach your new home. We also think that having the corkscrew handy is mandatory to toast your new home too!

2. Ensure that your Mobile Phone remains charged!

You can typically expect a flurry of calls and activity on moving day as you wait to hear that contracts are exchanged and the sale is confirmed, and then liaise with those in the chain, or with your movers, so it’s important to ensure that you keep your mobile phone charged and ready! Don’t let your phone charger be packed away, keep it with you for those charging emergencies on the day!

3. Take Electricity Readings

On moving day, don’t forget to read your gas and electricity meters as you leave. Perhaps take a photo of them with your phone as you leave in case the paper you write the reading down on gets lost during the move. When you get to your new property, make it a priority to take readings too and contact the new energy supplier within the first 24 hours if possible to ensure a smooth transition between you and the previous residents or tenants.

4. Simplify the Electronics

Hold fire before you go about unplugging all of the tech! If you have a multitude of wires plugged in to various different devices and they all look the same, it can be helpful to use coloured stickers and attach one to the plug and one to the socket it goes in so that you know which one goes in which once you start to set up your devices in your new home. 

5. Pack an Overnight Bag

Make life easier for yourself on moving day by packing an overnight bag for each family member with the essentials in so that you don’t have to start rifling through taped boxes the minute they come off the lorry. Pack any important medication, toiletries and a spare change of clothes including pyjamas to ensure that everyone can function for the first 24 hours without unpacking boxes immediately.

6. Make the Beds 

Have a separate box with all of the bedding – duvets, sheets, pillows etc. and as soon as your beds are unloaded, prioritise setting up and making the beds. This ensures that when you are exhausted by the end of the night, everyone has a comfortable bed to sleep in! If you are having friends or family help you move, then perhaps make this job the responsibility of someone so that you have the peace of mind of knowing it’s being done without having to worry about it yourself. 

7. Delay Delivery of New Items

Hopefully everything will go according to plan on moving day but you don’t want to add to the chaos of people, and your furniture and boxes being carried in by having large items such as your new washing machine, sofa or TV delivered. Perhaps arrange for these items to arrive a couple of days after moving day so that you can get through the initial moving day first! 

So there you have it, hopefully some tips to get you started with making moving easier for you! If you have any queries about any aspect of moving home, or you would like to discuss how we can help with you with your selling, buying or renting journey then please do pick up the phone and give us a call! 

As if there isn’t enough to think about when preparing to move home, once you have moved, there are suddenly a whole new array of things to take into consideration. 

So with this in mind, here are some tips from us at Aubrey and Finn of things to consider once you have moved into your new property. 

1) Change the locks

As one of our locksmith friends always reminds us – do you really know who has a key to your property? When you move and don’t change the locks you never know who the previous occupants have given a key to, their friends, and family, Beryl the next door neighbour or even Doris who lives at number 15! For your own security and peace of mind perhaps consider having the locks changed on moving day so that you can be certain that the only people who have keys to your home are people you’ve given them to! 

2) Re-Stock your Food Supplies

People will often try to use up all of the food in their fridge, freezer and cupboards before moving so that they don’t have extra stuff to transport over to their new home and may worry about the food defrosting or going warm during the move, especially during the summer months. 

Before moving, order an online supermarket shop to arrive at your new property either the evening of, or the day after your move so that you can restock food at your new home without having the hassle of going out to the shops on moving day.

3) Change the Utilities  

Ensure that the services which are attached to your old property like your Council Tax, Water, Utilities provider, TV, telephone and broadband provider are informed you are moving. Give readings if needed for your old property and take readings as soon as you get into your new property, or order your new services and get them set up as soon as you can. 

4) Find out when refuse is collected 

Perhaps not the most glamorous of questions but it’s important to know when and how refuse is collected in your new home. If you haven’t been told by the previous owner or occupant, you can use the Postcode checker for Dacorum or St Albans  to discover when your refuse will be collected each week and which bins to put out for collection. 

5) Change your Address

One of the most pressing things to do will be to change your correspondence address with as many companies as possible.  Setting up a redirection may help you to catch any post which is still being sent to your old address but it’s important to ensure you change your address with companies including for any bank accounts, credit cards or other accounts you have. 

6) Inform Insurance Companies and the DVLA!

Insurance premiums are often affected when you move home, so it’s vital to inform your insurance companies and change your home, car, health or pet insurance cover over to your new address. 

Also, inform the DVLA. Did you know that it’s illegal to have a driving licence with an incorrect address on it so it’s important to change your address on your driving licence asap!  

7) Send out those “Change of Address” Cards!

Want to ensure your nearest and dearest know your new address? Make a note of who is on your Christmas Card list, or who sends you letters through the post and have some new cards printed up with your new address so that you can send them a “New Address” card well in advance of expecting that birthday or Christmas card!

8) Changing Doctor’s Surgery

If you have moved out of the previous area you were living in, then it may be helpful to find a new GP or Dental Surgery. Do your research and ask around for the best ones in your new area, or maybe consider which surgeries will match your needs – late night opening for example, a pharmacy onsite or the ability to book appointments online. Once you have decided on your chosen surgery then go in and register. It’s important to do this asap as any referrals will be sent to your old address until your new address is updated.

9) Have a plan for emergency situations

Once you are in then ensure that you familiarise yourself with how to deal with basic emergency situations around your home for example, where your stopcock is to turn your water off, how to reset your fuse box if you need to or even how to reset the boiler in the event it goes off. You don’t want to be figuring out how to do these things on the day that you actually have a problem so familiarising yourself when you move in can help to pre-empt this. 

10) Locate local amenities

Want to know the best place to go for that essential takeaway at your new home? Ask your new neighbours or research via the internet where your new essential go-to amenities are including the nearest takeaway, convenience store, post office, hair dresser, even hospital if you have moved towns or bus/tube/train routes if you will be relying on public transport!

We hope that these tips are useful to help you if you are considering moving home. If we can help with any aspect of your next home move then please do get in touch!