Property head-to-head: Silicon Valley versus Los Angeles
In the first of Klippa Relocation’s new head-to-head blogs, we pit Silicon Valley against Los Angeles to provide you with a relocation and rental market snapshot.
Paint it black: redecoration limits in a rental property
With most of us spending more time where we live than ever before and even top-flight professionals working from home, the desire to create comfortable surroundings can’t be suppressed. As the saying goes, ‘there’s no place like home’ but what if your home has been decorated by someone else and you don’t have the right to change it?
That is the scenario faced by many tenants who inherit a bland interior from a landlord and are contractually prohibited to wield a paintbrush. But is personalising the interior of a rented property as restrictive as it’s made out?
WFH v. the office: where does this leave relocation?
There is a mighty tussle playing out in the media concerning the return to offices across the UK. In very late August, the director-general of the CBI shared the same sentiment as our Prime Minister, claiming ‘getting staff back to offices was as important as children being in school’. She cited office workers as huge drivers of the economy and lifelines to dry cleaners, sandwich bars and barbers, to name a few of the businesses who are suffering as a result of the WFH (work from home) revolution.
Safety first: how we show properties in 2020
Many aspects of our lives can be conducted digitally or without leaving our own living rooms – banking, food shopping and exercise among them – but there is one area where the need for a physical visit persists – choosing a new home.
An in-person appointment is even more pertinent in the relocation market, as many professionals are moving from a completely different country and therefore have little concept of UK property. A viewing also provides the assignee with an initial orientation opportunity and when accompanied by a property professional, provides a degree of welcomed reassurance.
NEW! ReloDrive: An alliance of forward thinking companies
Klippa Relocation has formed an alliance with ExpatRide to launch a new business – relodrive.com. This safe, affordable and responsive way for people to settle into a new destination is applicable across 53 countries and removes the need to be personally chaperoned by an agent upon arrival – a vital elimination in our new global normal.
“Relocating on an international basis has changed drastically over the course of 2020. We have been offering remote services since 2017, however when Jesper Lovendahl of ExpatRide approached us with his idea of combining our services with the Tripit app and his transportation solutions. We quickly saw the need to push our concept forward and create a new style of destination service provider. One that respects social distancing, yet offers a bespoke relocation solution,” says Rupert Houghton at Klippa Relocation.
Property Viewings FAQ
When will I receive my itinerary?
You will receive it by 7pm the day before your home search.
How many properties can I expect to see?
Our aim is to take you to between 8-14 properties but it is dependent on availability of agents and how flexible your search criteria is.
Will I have a chance to preview the properties and make a shortlist?
Unfortunately we cannot offer the chance to preview due to the fast moving nature of the property market in London. A property that is available on the day you preview it may not be available a couple of days later when you go on your home search.
Relocation Costs FAQ
What do I need to pay before moving into a new property?
You will need to pay your administration fee, your holding deposit/reservation fee, deposit and first months rent.
What is a holding deposit?
It is another name for a reservation fee which you pay to the agent as an agreement that you will be going ahead with the property and in return the agent removes the property from the market and does not show it to anyone else. The reservation fee is non-refundable but it is almost always deducted from your first months rent.
When does this need to be paid?
It is advised that the monies are in cleared funds at least 3 days before you move in to the property.
Renting FAQ
How do you calculate the monthly rent?
Take your weekly rent eg. £300, multiply that by 52 (the weeks in the year) and then divide that number by 12 (the months in the year)
Is the rent negotiable?
Sometimes it can be depending on the landlord and the individual circumstances. However when making an offer on the property we advise offering the asking price or as close to the asking price as possible.
What’s included in the rent?
This differs between properties and will be specified by the agent.
Relocation Contracts FAQ
Is there a standard type of contract in the UK?
Yes it’s called an Assured Short-term Tenancy, commonly known as an AST.
What is the standard length of a contract?
12 months is the standard term, it is possible to have longer e.g 18, 24 and 36 month.
Can I put a break clause anywhere in the contract?
No, the minimum break clause is 6 months in an AST.
Furnished Property FAQ
What furniture is included in a furnished property?
There is no straight answer to this, at a minimum furnished should include the larger items such as – sofa, table & chairs, beds, wardrobes, chest of drawers and all white goods (fridge freezer, washing machine etc). This will vary from place to place, some landlords will supply TV’s, microwaves etc, some won’t, some properties will come with everything from pictures on the walls to linen on the beds.
What does part-furnished mean?
Much like above there is no straight answer, in most cases it will be a few of the bigger items, a sofa or a bed etc, usually items which are difficult to move. You will still get the white goods supplied.
What does unfurnished mean?
As opposed to furnished / part-furnished this is much clearer, with the occasional exception of window dressings and wardrobes the property should be empty. You will still get white goods supplied.
