News

Jonathan Landale

Land Factor are delighted to announce that Jonathan Landale has recently joined them at the Bywell Estate Office.  Jonathan is 29 and a qualified Surveyor who has been working in the East Midlands for a national firm of Surveyors for the past four years.

Jonathan brings with him a wide range of experience, from Estate Management through to valuations and estate, land and property sales.  In his spare time Jonathan enjoys walking with his dogs, horse racing, fishing and socialising with friends.  Jonathan comes originally from Northumberland and says “I am relishing the opportunity to come back to the North East and to work with such a progressive firm as Land Factor”. 

Land Factor specialises in Estate Management and the addition of Jonathan Landale to this progressive firm will strengthen their position in this sector of the market. Specialising in Estate management throughout the North of England and Southern Scotland, the aim of Land Factor is to provide an innovative and modern service to their clients. This approach has given Land Factor a first class reputation throughout the region.

Director, Peter Combe, says “Jonathan will be working within our existing Estate Management Team and will give a greater depth to service our clients’ needs.  In these turbulent and complicated times, clients are increasingly concerned about the future.  We are seeking to expand our ability to provide sound advice, to solve their problems and to develop opportunities for them.”

Jonathan can be contacted on jonathan.l@landfactor.co.uk

Energy Performance Certificates (EPC)

From the 1st October 2008 all residential and commercial properties that are marketed for letting purposes to new tenants, require an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). This is the UK’s response to the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) that all EU member states are required to conform to by January 2009 and the EU’s response to the Kyoto Protocol.

A new EPC will last for 10 years, regardless of tenant turnover and provide an energy rating for a building which is based on the performance potential of the building and it’s services (heating, air conditioning and ventilation only). Two ratings are given on an EPC, both using a scale of A to G, with A being the best. Firstly, an energy efficiency rating for the building and secondly, an environmental impact rating that measures the properties carbon dioxide emissions. The EPC also gives a summary as to how cost effective measures can improve the energy rating of the property. The EPC must be produced by a suitably accredited Domestic Energy Assessor or Non Domestic Energy Assessor for commercial properties. It is the landlord’s responsibility for providing an EPC for a property unless it is a new build in which case it is the construction company’s responsibility. Any extensions that alter the fixed services of the building require the contractor to provide a new EPC.

For both commercial and domestic properties, an EPC must be shown to a perspective occupier on request once the property reaches the marketing stage. Trading Standards act as enforcement officers and can hand out fines for non compliance.

LAND FACTOR

The Partners have been reviewing the progress of the business and planning its future development.  As part of this review, we have been advised that a switch from LLP to Limited Company status will help us in our commitment to reinvestment for the future.

With effect from the 1 August 2008, the business will trade as Land Factor Limited.  However, there will be no change in the personnel within the business and there will be absolutely no discernible difference in the services we provide.  

Tenancy Deposit Scheme

Land Factor are registered with the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS).  This scheme has been developed to ensure that when deposits are lodged with registered members such as Land Factor, monies are protected and held in a separate Stakeholders Account during the tenancy.

When a tenancy comes to an end there is usually no disagreement about the return of the deposit, but sometimes there is, and this can cause inconvenience to both the landlord and the tenant.

When the letting agent cannot negotiate a settlement between landlord and tenant, the details of the dispute, along with the full amount of the deposit in dispute, will be sent to the Independent Case Examiner (ICE) for expert, third party adjudication and a decision on the proper apportionment of the deposit.

The ICE, operating like an ombudsman, will then make his decision within ten working days and the deposit will be distributed no more than five days after that.

This guarantees the return of tenants' deposits that are due, pays the landlord monies that may be owed and removes the burden from letting agents of having to resolve irreconcilable differences of opinion between landlord and tenant.

For more information on the scheme please go to the TDS website