So, you’ve done it. You’ve taken the plunge, found your dream house, sorted the mortgage (hopefully through us!), found a buyer for your own property and contracts have been exchanged. All that’s left now is to sit back, put your feet up and wait for moving day. Well, that’s what you might do if you miss having unnecessary stress in your life. But if you’d like to wake up on the day of the move feeling calm about the 24 hours to come, there are some things you can start doing the moment the move is guaranteed to happen. Declutter, declutter, declutter! First of all, it’s time to get rid of what you don't need. This is particularly important if you’re downsizing, of course, but even for those of us who are trading up to something with more space, it pays – literally, in fact – to get rid of the things you can before you say goodbye to the home you’re in. Whether you hire a specialist removal company or plan to shift the contents of your old home yourself in a hired van, every single item you transport from one property to the other will cost you money – either in the cost of the box it gets packed in, the cost of the people who arrive to carry it in and out of the lorry or in the cost of the van you have to hire. And of course, everything you pack needs to be unpacked at the other end, so the more you take, the longer it will be before you’re shipshape in the new place. Bottom line, it makes no sense at all to move stuff you don’t need to keep – so use the time you have now to get rid of it. Declutter outside, too! If you’re decluttering the inside, do the same outside. Dispose of the things you won’t be taking with you, especially anything that might be hazardous, like old paint, weedkiller, caustic soda, old barbecue gas containers and so on (making sure to take them to a facility that can dispose of them safely – your local tidy tip will be able to give you advice on the best way to do this). The same goes for the things in the garage and sheds that won’t be making the trip with you – that rake with the missing or rusty tines, the leaf blower that no longer works, the bike that’s too small for your youngest child. The same applies here as it does inside the house – why spend time and money moving something you haven’t used in years and don’t need? Be organised Pack smart by labelling the boxes with the rooms they’re going to go in when they arrive at the other end, especially if it’s not immediately obvious from what’s in the box. It also makes sense to prepare matching labels for the rooms themselves at your new home – matching Joe’s Bedroom with a room labelled Joe’s Bedroom is a lot easier for the movers than trying to match Joe’s Bedroom with Bedroom 1 or, worse, with rooms that aren’t labelled at all. Be prepared As you go through the packing process, have an Essentials box into which you put everything you might need in the first few hours at your new place. This might include plates and cutlery, mugs, enough glasses for everyone, coffee, tea and sugar, a book, pet food if appropriate, a packet of biscuits or other snacks and just about anything else you could possibly need before you get stuck into the task of unpacking in earnest. Don't forget to look after yourself Finally, on the day, take time to be kind to yourself. In most cases, there’s no deadline involved in unpacking into a new home other than the deadlines we set for ourselves, so be realistic about what you can and will achieve. In fact, if you’re super-organised, you might even arrange your packing so you know which boxes are priority boxes and which aren’t. Moving home can be stressful enough without adding to the pressure by setting yourself impossible targets. On moving day, take time to stop for something to eat and drink and to enjoy the sensation of being in a new place. You’ve worked hard to get there – so allow yourself to savour the moment by doing the hard work early rather than leaving it to the last minute.   To find out more about our friendly and professional mortgage service, fees and what we can do to help make sure you’re not paying over the odds for your mortgage, why not visit www.oportfolio.co.uk or give us a call on 020 7371 5063. Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Oportfolio Ltd fees are payable on application. We charge a broker fee for property purchases of £495 and a remortgage/further advance fee of £395. Our product transfer fee is £295.    

  When it comes to making plans for the future, one option that many homeowners consider is looking for additional borrowing from their existing lender or, if the circumstances are right, re-mortgaging in order to raise the money needed for a home extension. According to a consumer survey earlier this year the prospect of carrying out home improvements rather than moving is very attractive – but the scope to build additional space is also often a key criterion for prospective buyers looking for a property where there’s potential to build up, down or out. Deciding to add value through construction is all well and good, but what happens if you then discover your home is in a Conservation Area? Conservation areas are protected by law from undesirable change because they’re deemed important either environmentally or architecturally. Every local authority has at least one of these conservation areas in the district it controls and there are now more than 10,000 of them in the UK. The nature of what is protected differs from place to place. In some cases it might be limited to a few buildings boasting unique or historically-relevant architecture, in others it could be that the area is populated with ancient trees or that the general landscape is in some way worthy of safeguarding. In all cases, the nature of any building work that can be carried out is limited in some way and knowing what you can or can’t do before you start the planning process can not only save you financially by helping you to avoid wasting money on professional and local authority fees for schemes that won’t be approved, but can also dial down the potential stress of being underprepared. Typically, conservation areas are found in older cities, towns and villages, but can also be applied to early housing estates for their historical significance in town planning as well as to landmarks and country estates (including privately-owned property within their grounds). If you’re not sure whether your home – or the home you intend to buy – is in a conservation area, the chances are the local planning authority will have a specialist Conservation officer who will be able to tell you if there are any restrictions that apply. Not all local authorities have a specialist officer and if that’s the case for the area you’re interested in, someone in the planning department will be able to give you the information you need. So, what does being in a conservation area actually mean in practical terms? Well, the principal benchmark that applies to planning applications in a conservation area is whether the intended work serves to either enhance or preserve the property and the surrounding environment. All planning applications are assessed against this basic principle. Once that test has been passed, the design element of your scheme will come under greater consideration than it would if the project were being proposed in an area not protected by Conservation Area status. Design, in this context, doesn’t relate to the size, position or mass of the intended completed property, but rather to the quality of the design and how it fits in to its surroundings. What planning officers aren’t looking at is style – something of a different style to neighbouring properties isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker as long as it protects or enhances the immediate area. Contemporary design is also fine as long as the project meets that basic enhance or preserve test overall. Don’t be sucked into a game of ‘well the house down the street has got X, Y or Z, so why can’t we?’ Many factors can determine what has happened in the past – from work undertaken under permitted development rules which didn’t require planning consent, to different planning officers taking a different view at a different time, to a conservation area being designated very recently. There is no ‘precedent’ in play, which means engaging early with your planning authority is a good strategy. Finding out what’s likely to be allowed will save wasted drawings and wasted time on a process that won’t deliver the result you want. If you use a local architect, he or she may well have a good understanding of the local authority view on the area. A good rule of thumb is to make a positive effort to enhance or improve what exists now, to commit to referencing the local area in some way (by using local materials, for example) and to take care over how you present your plans (think about 3D modelling or hand sketches rather than relying on conventional blueprints alone). Developing property in a conservation area isn’t a no-no – but it does require some thought and positive effort.   To find out more about our friendly and professional mortgage service, fees and what we can do to help make sure you’re not paying over the odds for your mortgage, why not visit www.oportfolio.co.uk or give us a call on 020 7371 5063. Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Oportfolio Ltd fees are payable on application. We charge a broker fee for property purchases of £495 and a remortgage/further advance fee of £395. Our product transfer fee is £295.          

With Theresa May having emerged from her Brussels trip with unanimous backing for her plan for Britain’s exit from the European Union and prepares for tomorrow's Parliamentary vote on it (assuming continued Cabinet concerns about the likelihood of a Commons defeat don't mean it's postponed), one of the big questions which has yet to be answered is what the future holds for interest rates and, more specifically, the mortgage market. There’s much speculation about the many and varied potential economic consequences of Britain’s departure from the union – from the thorny issue of what happens with the Irish border to inward investment from overseas and the effect a future without a European trade agreement might have on our supermarket shelves. But arguably the biggest concern for individuals and business alike has been the potential effect on interest rates and the housing market. According to the Office for National Statistics, the housing market is now growing at its lowest rate for five years and in September the Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, warned that a no-deal exit from Europe might force a rise in interest rates. So with the Prime Minister now looking for Parliament to sign up to a deal viewed as acceptable to remaining members of the EU, but which has received a lukewarm reception from pro-Leave MPs in her own party, what is the likely effect of Brexit on the mortgage market. The honest truth, of course, is that no-one really knows, and the level of largely speculative white noise around the subject since June 2016 when the UK voted to leave has been unhelpful at best. The variables are many and varied – interest rates in a no-deal withdrawal, for example, may look very different than they would in a Norway- or Canada-style European Free Trade Agreement. And until Parliament meets to debate the proposed agreement, none of us really have any idea what might be in store in that regard. So if we don’t know the answer to the specific question about what interest rates might do in our new post-March 2019 world, what do we know right now about the housing market? The first absolute is that interest rates will affect most homeowners regardless of our European status. This is simple fact. If you currently have a mortgage and you expect to have a mortgage at the time we leave, then whatever happens to interest rates will affect you whether you do nothing, move house, extend your borrowing or remortgage. We also know that the reasons for moving will remain unchanged. People move home – and, therefore, move mortgage – for all sorts of reasons: downsizing, upsizing, a change in job circumstances and/or location, family commitments and health reasons can all play a part. So, the motivation to move will be no different. It’s also probably fair to assume that the mortgage market will continue to be competitive. That doesn’t mean rates won’t go up, but such is the competition for business within the mortgage sector that it’s reasonable to guess that whatever context they have to work within – whether that’s against a landscape of increased rates or not – lenders will be doing whatever they can to offer the most attractive rates possible. In short, lenders’ profitability will depend on continuing to generate new business. We can probably also have confidence that the Bank of England will be doing its utmost to take a measured approach to how it responds to changing economic factors. The Bank regularly stress tests lenders’ ability to cope with changing demands and any rise in interest rates is likely to be agreed only where there is a longer term advantage to be gained in protecting the UK’s overall economic health. Whilst you can never say never, a return to the knee-jerk policies on interest rates we saw towards the end of the 1980s and which led to explosive rises in base rates overnight seem highly unlikely in the context of what the financial sector has learned in the decade since the economic crash of 2008. The question for most people is likely to be about whether it makes sense to extend their borrowing, either through an additional loan from an existing lender or a new mortgage from a new lender, until the picture becomes clearer. That will be a greater consideration for you depending on affordability – and that’s where the FCA and Bank of England rules on lending should help anyway, weeding out those applications which fail tougher lending criteria. If you’re considering a change in your mortgage for whatever reason, our advisers can help you to assess your personal situation and finances and advise you on the best course of action according to your circumstances.     To find out more about our friendly and professional mortgage service, fees and what we can do to help make sure you’re not paying over the odds for your mortgage, why not visit www.oportfolio.co.uk or give us a call on 020 7371 5063. Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Oportfolio Ltd fees are payable on application. We charge a broker fee for property purchases of £495 and a remortgage/further advance fee of £395. Our product transfer fee is £295.          

If you search on the web for advice on the things you should do when choosing a mortgage, you’ll get a lot of information back. Some of it’s good, some of it not so good. But as important, if not more so, is what you should avoid doing. Here’s our guide to the mistakes you’d do well to avoid making. Don’t approach your hunt for a mortgage in the same way you would if you were buying a washing machine We know that sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised at the almost laissez-faire way a good many people approach the business of securing the finance to buy their home. Put simply, buying a home is a huge investment – and almost certainly the largest single purchase you’ll have made in your life at that point. It’s fine to buy a washing machine from Amazon or another online retailer. If it doesn’t work, you send it back. If you realise there was a better model you could have bought, it’s not a calamitous financial mistake to have to live with. Choose the wrong mortgage provider or product, however, and you could be paying for it – literally – for years. Don’t obsess about the interest rate We’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating. If the only thing you’re looking at is the interest rate, then the chances are you’re missing a trick. Yes, how much you’re going to pay each month is important and so that means the rate is a factor in your decision – but it’s not the only factor. Is the rate fixed or variable? If it’s fixed, how long is it fixed for? Are there early exit fees? Is there an arrangement fee? Will you be able to overpay if you want to, and if so, by how much? Just as importantly, is the mortgage provider reputable and do you believe you’ll get good support and care during the lifetime of the loan? The days of personal 121 contact with an account manager may be over, but your relationship with your lender remains just as important today as it always did. Don’t chase lower rates at the expense of lender reputation  Even if you do put a lot of store by the interest rates on offer from lenders, they don’t always tell the whole story. If you saw what looked like two very similar cars on offer from two different dealers, and one was significantly cheaper than the other, you might be tempted to buy the cheaper of the two. But it’s always worth taking pause for thought. There could be legitimate reasons for two apparently identical mortgages being offered at different rates of interest. It could be that one lender is squeezing as much margin out of the loan as possible to maximise profit. Equally, it might be that they’re a bigger, more well-established and reputable lender, with bigger overheads and a better overall service. Don’t take a mortgage from an unregulated lender  If you do nothing else (and we hope you’ll do a lot more than this), don’t take a mortgage with an unregulated lender, because when things go wrong, you have no easy recourse to get them put right. Unregulated lenders aren’t subject to the same lending standards as regulated banks and building societies and don’t offer the same protection. Do your homework and ensure your lender is reputable and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you’re in any doubt at all, hit the pause button and reconsider. Use a professional mortgage broker  If you only follow this final – and, we’d obviously argue, most important - rule, you’ll also avoid making the first four mistakes, too. A good, professional mortgage broker will also be regulated – giving you protection against bad advice – and will know the market inside out. They’ll know what deals are available, what products will best suit your circumstances (not just today, but in the longer term, based on your priorities and ambitions) and the lenders who can offer you the best options for buying your home. At Oportfolio, we’re mortgage experts regulated by FCA and with years of success behind us – so if you’re ready to take the next step in your property journey, we’re ready to help you.   Want to know how other clients felt about working with Oportfolio? Watch Gus and Selena’s video story!     To find out more about our friendly and professional mortgage service, fees and what we can do to help make sure you’re not paying over the odds for your mortgage, why not visit www.oportfolio.co.uk or give us a call on 020 7371 5063. Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.  Oportfolio Ltd fees are payable on application. We charge a broker fee for property purchases of £495 and a remortgage/further advance fee of £395. Our product transfer fee is £295.

It’s always lovely when the values you promote as a business are recognised publicly, so there was open delight at Oportfolio when the company’s founder, Oliver Whitehead, was named Best Overall Adviser at the recent Primis awards ceremony. It was Oliver’s third year of success at the awards, which recognise and celebrate the best UK mortgage and protection advisers and are organised by Primis – one of the biggest networks of financial services brokerages in the UK. His award this year saw him retain the Overall Adviser award he won in 2018, a year after being named Top Mortgage Adviser in 2017. The accolade serves as a ringing endorsement for the very simple principle that underpins Oliver’s approach to Oportfolio, a business he started 11 years ago following a decade in financial services, running his own mortgage brokerage and as a Director at Alexander Hall. Oliver said: “Ultimately what we strive to do is look after people in the same way we would want to be looked after ourselves. It’s that ethos of wanting to help people and to go the extra mile in doing it.” In the end, this month’s award is ongoing reward for a seed which was planted back in 1998 when Oportfolio first opened its doors and welcomed its first client – that the values and ethics that the company is built on should run through the veins of everyone who has ever worked there or will ever work there. Building a company in your own image is no easy feat and, as Oliver himself observes, providing high quality service has become something of a dying art for many companies. But by doing things the right way from the start, the process has got easier as the business has grown and its client base has increased. There’s also the fact that Oliver insists that the first contact the company has with a potential client is as good as the last contact. He makes a point of responding personally and immediately, wherever possible, to an initial query. You might think that’s obvious, yet this proactive approach isn’t as common as you might imagine. What that translates into in most cases is a sense in the person on the other end of the phone that they’re being looked after and are in safe hands. “I know that when people get in touch with us, what they’re really looking for is reassurance. They simply want some love and to know that the people they’re talking to not only know how to help them, but actively want to help them. “In the end, that’s what my business has always been about – the desire to help people and to do that in the right way.” Oliver concedes that his own determination and commitment to deliver a consistently superior level of service is partly behind not just the awards success, but also Oportfolio’s continued growth and high client retention rates. “That has to be a part of it, yes,” he admits. “although you can never completely replicate yourself in other people. “But experience and knowledge also plays a big part. The whole team here is completely aware of the process that lies behind applying for a mortgage. We know it can be an anxious or worrying time – but our job is to take that worry away, to reassure them that with our help it wont be as stressful as it may seem to them.” Knowing the market inside out and understanding which banks will be prepared to lend what amount under what circumstances is a big part of being a successful brokerage, of course. But it’s where circumstances aren’t straightforward that is where Oliver expects Oportfolio to earn its stripes. “That’s where the hard work is done,” he says. “In finding solutions to the problems we come across so that the people we’re helping still achieve what they set out to achieve.” All of which means that the awards that currently sit on Oportfolio’s shelves are much appreciated by Oliver and his team – but are really symbols of the hard work done in the past, and a reminder that the same level of commitment to the great service is required today, tomorrow and beyond.   To find out more about our friendly and professional mortgage service, fees and what we can do to help make sure you’re not paying over the odds for your mortgage, why not visit www.oportfolio.co.uk or give us a call on 020 7371 5063. Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Oportfolio Ltd fees are payable on application. We charge a broker fee for property purchases of £495 and a remortgage/further advance fee of £395. Our product transfer fee is £295.

With Theresa May having emerged from her Brussels trip with unanimous backing for her plan for Britain’s exit from the European Union and prepares for tomorrow's Parliamentary vote on it (assuming continued Cabinet concerns about the likelihood of a Commons defeat don't mean it's postponed), one of the big questions which has yet to be answered is what the future holds for interest rates and, more specifically, the mortgage market. There’s much speculation about the many and varied potential economic consequences of Britain’s departure from the union – from the thorny issue of what happens with the Irish border to inward investment from overseas and the effect a future without a European trade agreement might have on our supermarket shelves. But arguably the biggest concern for individuals and business alike has been the potential effect on interest rates and the housing market. According to the Office for National Statistics, the housing market is now growing at its lowest rate for five years and in September the Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, warned that a no-deal exit from Europe might force a rise in interest rates. So with the Prime Minister now looking for Parliament to sign up to a deal viewed as acceptable to remaining members of the EU, but which has received a lukewarm reception from pro-Leave MPs in her own party, what is the likely effect of Brexit on the mortgage market. The honest truth, of course, is that no-one really knows, and the level of largely speculative white noise around the subject since June 2016 when the UK voted to leave has been unhelpful at best. The variables are many and varied – interest rates in a no-deal withdrawal, for example, may look very different than they would in a Norway- or Canada-style European Free Trade Agreement. And until Parliament meets to debate the proposed agreement, none of us really have any idea what might be in store in that regard. So if we don’t know the answer to the specific question about what interest rates might do in our new post-March 2019 world, what do we know right now about the housing market? The first absolute is that interest rates will affect most homeowners regardless of our European status. This is simple fact. If you currently have a mortgage and you expect to have a mortgage at the time we leave, then whatever happens to interest rates will affect you whether you do nothing, move house, extend your borrowing or remortgage. We also know that the reasons for moving will remain unchanged. People move home – and, therefore, move mortgage – for all sorts of reasons: downsizing, upsizing, a change in job circumstances and/or location, family commitments and health reasons can all play a part. So, the motivation to move will be no different. It’s also probably fair to assume that the mortgage market will continue to be competitive. That doesn’t mean rates won’t go up, but such is the competition for business within the mortgage sector that it’s reasonable to guess that whatever context they have to work within – whether that’s against a landscape of increased rates or not – lenders will be doing whatever they can to offer the most attractive rates possible. In short, lenders’ profitability will depend on continuing to generate new business. We can probably also have confidence that the Bank of England will be doing its utmost to take a measured approach to how it responds to changing economic factors. The Bank regularly stress tests lenders’ ability to cope with changing demands and any rise in interest rates is likely to be agreed only where there is a longer term advantage to be gained in protecting the UK’s overall economic health. Whilst you can never say never, a return to the knee-jerk policies on interest rates we saw towards the end of the 1980s and which led to explosive rises in base rates overnight seem highly unlikely in the context of what the financial sector has learned in the decade since the economic crash of 2008. The question for most people is likely to be about whether it makes sense to extend their borrowing, either through an additional loan from an existing lender or a new mortgage from a new lender, until the picture becomes clearer. That will be a greater consideration for you depending on affordability – and that’s where the FCA and Bank of England rules on lending should help anyway, weeding out those applications which fail tougher lending criteria. If you’re considering a change in your mortgage for whatever reason, our advisers can help you to assess your personal situation and finances and advise you on the best course of action according to your circumstances.     To find out more about our friendly and professional mortgage service, fees and what we can do to help make sure you’re not paying over the odds for your mortgage, why not visit www.oportfolio.co.uk or give us a call on 020 7371 5063. Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Oportfolio Ltd fees are payable on application. We charge a broker fee for property purchases of £495 and a remortgage/further advance fee of £395. Our product transfer fee is £295.          

It’s always lovely when the values you promote as a business are recognised publicly, so there was open delight at Oportfolio when the company’s founder, Oliver Whitehead, was named Best Overall Adviser at the recent Primis awards ceremony. It was Oliver’s third year of success at the awards, which recognise and celebrate the best UK mortgage and protection advisers and are organised by Primis – one of the biggest networks of financial services brokerages in the UK. His award this year saw him retain the Overall Adviser award he won in 2018, a year after being named Top Mortgage Adviser in 2017. The accolade serves as a ringing endorsement for the very simple principle that underpins Oliver’s approach to Oportfolio, a business he started 11 years ago following a decade in financial services, running his own mortgage brokerage and as a Director at Alexander Hall. Oliver said: “Ultimately what we strive to do is look after people in the same way we would want to be looked after ourselves. It’s that ethos of wanting to help people and to go the extra mile in doing it.” In the end, this month’s award is ongoing reward for a seed which was planted back in 1998 when Oportfolio first opened its doors and welcomed its first client – that the values and ethics that the company is built on should run through the veins of everyone who has ever worked there or will ever work there. Building a company in your own image is no easy feat and, as Oliver himself observes, providing high quality service has become something of a dying art for many companies. But by doing things the right way from the start, the process has got easier as the business has grown and its client base has increased. There’s also the fact that Oliver insists that the first contact the company has with a potential client is as good as the last contact. He makes a point of responding personally and immediately, wherever possible, to an initial query. You might think that’s obvious, yet this proactive approach isn’t as common as you might imagine. What that translates into in most cases is a sense in the person on the other end of the phone that they’re being looked after and are in safe hands. “I know that when people get in touch with us, what they’re really looking for is reassurance. They simply want some love and to know that the people they’re talking to not only know how to help them, but actively want to help them. “In the end, that’s what my business has always been about – the desire to help people and to do that in the right way.” Oliver concedes that his own determination and commitment to deliver a consistently superior level of service is partly behind not just the awards success, but also Oportfolio’s continued growth and high client retention rates. “That has to be a part of it, yes,” he admits. “although you can never completely replicate yourself in other people. “But experience and knowledge also plays a big part. The whole team here is completely aware of the process that lies behind applying for a mortgage. We know it can be an anxious or worrying time – but our job is to take that worry away, to reassure them that with our help it wont be as stressful as it may seem to them.” Knowing the market inside out and understanding which banks will be prepared to lend what amount under what circumstances is a big part of being a successful brokerage, of course. But it’s where circumstances aren’t straightforward that is where Oliver expects Oportfolio to earn its stripes. “That’s where the hard work is done,” he says. “In finding solutions to the problems we come across so that the people we’re helping still achieve what they set out to achieve.” All of which means that the awards that currently sit on Oportfolio’s shelves are much appreciated by Oliver and his team – but are really symbols of the hard work done in the past, and a reminder that the same level of commitment to the great service is required today, tomorrow and beyond.   To find out more about our friendly and professional mortgage service, fees and what we can do to help make sure you’re not paying over the odds for your mortgage, why not visit www.oportfolio.co.uk or give us a call on 020 7371 5063. Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Oportfolio Ltd fees are payable on application. We charge a broker fee for property purchases of £495 and a remortgage/further advance fee of £395. Our product transfer fee is £295.

At Oportfolio, we know that success in life is only really possible when you have financial security – and in a competitive and challenging economic environment, that can be hard to come by. Having financial protection is one way of making sure you can meet your commitments when life throws you a curve ball and you find yourself unable to work whether through a change in employment circumstances or illness. But with so many different products on the market – and so many providers to choose from – working out which product is the right one for your potential needs isn’t always terribly easy, particularly since it’s impossible to predict exactly what your circumstances might be at any given time in the future. Two of the most familiar insurance products that protect your personal finances are critical illness cover and income protection insurance. So how do you make the choice between the two? Unless you have some specialist knowledge of the market, trying to evaluate and compare products yourself can risk making a choice that doesn’t really achieve what you wanted. The simple answer, of course, is to use a professional broker who can advise you on the best solution according to what you think you might require and can access a wide range of products to give you flexible options. What’s the difference between critical illness cover and income replacement? Understanding what you’re paying for and the way in which it might benefit you is the obvious first step when it comes to buying any product, whether that’s a dishwasher, a coat or an insurance policy. So let’s start there. Critical illness cover is an insurance policy which will pay out a fixed lump sum should you be unfortunate enough to contract one of a number of specified illnesses listed in your policy that stop you from earning. Crucially, if you contract a serious illness which isn’t listed on the insurance schedule, the policy will not pay out. Once a policy pays out, cover ends – so in most cases this type policy is valid for a single claim. Income protection cover is an insurance product that will replace your regular monthly income should you find yourself unable to work either permanently or temporarily for any reason as defined by the policy. If you’re able to return to work, the payments will cease; however, cover (and premiums) will usually continue, meaning that most policies of this type allow for multiple claims. What’s the cost? Inevitably, when it comes to both policies the cost depends on your circumstances, salary and the level of cover you require. The cost of replacing a salary of £80,000 is clearly going to be costlier than a policy that protects and income of £30,000, assuming all other circumstances are the same However, as a very broad rule of thumb, a report from FT Adviser suggests that to provide an income of £250,000 over 5 years (whether in instalments via income protection or a lump sum as critical illness), the cost of critical illness cover is about three times that of income protection. So, if income replacement is generally cheaper, is that a better option? Not necessarily, no. Critical illness outsells income replacement by roughly 5 to 1 in the UK because many people prefer to have a lump sum that will allow them to juggle their immediate priorities in a more flexible way. But although a lump sum will allow you to pay off, say, your mortgage, that’s of little use if you can’t then meet your other financial commitments. One also needs to come to a judgement over how and when you’re most likely to claim on either policy. Recent data, from the same FT Adviser report quoted above, suggests 60% of all income replacement claims are made as a result of accidents, stress or musculoskeletal conditions – none of which would be covered by a critical illness policy. By contrast, cancer – which is one of the conditions specified within a critical illness policy – accounts for only 15% of income replacement claims So, it’s clear that understanding the risks as well as the benefits are a fundamental part of choosing the right insurance product, and that’s why it makes sense to speak to a specialist professional adviser before you commit. It all seems very complicated. Why do I need income protection at all? While many companies offer some level of financial support for employees when they can’t work, very few provide that assistance beyond a year (and for many more, it’s much less). There are state benefits which are designed to offer some sort of help, but these would be unlikely to cover the financial commitments of a high earning individual. At Oportfolio, we’ll work closely with you to help you to identify the advantages and disadvantages of both types of insurance and recommend the best solution for you personally. Knowing you and your family are protected when times get tough is great for protecting your success in life – but deciding the best way of doing that requires expert knowledge and advice.   To find out more about our friendly service why not visit www.oportfolio.co.uk or give us a call on 020 7371 5063 Please note for these insurance products terms and conditions apply. This information is a summary only. You will receive a full policy document upon application. This policy will set out the terms, conditions and limitations of cover provided under the plan Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Oportfolio Ltd fees are payable on application. We charge a broker fee for property purchases of £495 and a remortgage/further advance fee of £395. Our product transfer fee is £295.  

Research published in June 2017 shows the astonishing lack of critical illness or income protection insurance taken out by the UK workforce. The research conducted by Canada Life Group Insurance, which surveyed 1,010 full- and part-time employees in the UK, shows few across the country have a financial back-up plan in place should they fall seriously ill. Only 18% of respondents said they had some form of critical illness or income protection insurance to help them out should they contract a critical illness that impacts their earnings potential. Most shocking is that 72% said that they would struggle to cope financially should their income drop by £570 a month. That figure’s significant in that it’s the average loss of income experienced by approximately 80% of families following a cancer diagnosis. In cases where a major income earner in a household is hit by a serious illness, the right critical illness or income protection insurance policy can help act as a financial buffer and offer financial support during times of crisis. The case for critical illness or income protection insurance The research by Canada Life Group Insurance also highlights numerous other statistics that support the case for critical illness or income protection insurance. Some of which include: 80% of respondents who are single and have children as dependents would financially struggle should they lose £570 a month. Only 10% of that 80% have some kind of critical illness or income protection policy 70% of those in a committed relationship or are married and don’t have children would also find themselves struggling to cope financially. Only 18% of that 70% have some kind of critical illness or income protection policy 71% who are committed/married with children would struggle to cope financially with a loss of £570 per month. Again, only 22% of that 71% have covered themselves with a specific critical illness or income protection policy 18% of respondents say that they have no savings at all, while 10% admitted to having less than £1,000 in savings to cushion the blow should they be hit by a serious illness 45% say they would have to apply for state benefits to help them get by financially if they were diagnosed with a serious illness, while 22% worry about being a financial burden on their family The importance of protecting yourself with personal insurance One of the more striking figures to take from the survey is that 46% say they aren’t worried at all by not having a personal or income protection policy, which is an attitude that flies in the face of the statistics mentioned above. With so many saying they’d struggle to pay for their lifestyle if they encounter a serious illness, and with 72% admitting they’d struggle to afford basic utility bills should their income fall by £570 a month, the benefits of a critical illness or income protection policy as a safety net are there for all to see. Working alongside Oportfolio’s specialist consultants can help people to better understand what type of critical illness or income protection policy is most suitable for them at their current stage of life, as well as helping them to find a policy that’s appropriate for them and the dependants who are reliant on them. Contact Oportfolio today to discover more about the range of personal protection policies available for your needs and budget. Please note that neither Oportfolio Limited or First Complete Limited are responsible for the accuracy of the information contained within externally linked sites accessible from this page.

At Oportfolio, we know that success in life is only really possible when you have financial security – and in a competitive and challenging economic environment, that can be hard to come by. Having financial protection is one way of making sure you can meet your commitments when life throws you a curve ball and you find yourself unable to work whether through a change in employment circumstances or illness. But with so many different products on the market – and so many providers to choose from – working out which product is the right one for your potential needs isn’t always terribly easy, particularly since it’s impossible to predict exactly what your circumstances might be at any given time in the future. Two of the most familiar insurance products that protect your personal finances are critical illness cover and income protection insurance. So how do you make the choice between the two? Unless you have some specialist knowledge of the market, trying to evaluate and compare products yourself can risk making a choice that doesn’t really achieve what you wanted. The simple answer, of course, is to use a professional broker who can advise you on the best solution according to what you think you might require and can access a wide range of products to give you flexible options. What’s the difference between critical illness cover and income replacement? Understanding what you’re paying for and the way in which it might benefit you is the obvious first step when it comes to buying any product, whether that’s a dishwasher, a coat or an insurance policy. So let’s start there. Critical illness cover is an insurance policy which will pay out a fixed lump sum should you be unfortunate enough to contract one of a number of specified illnesses listed in your policy that stop you from earning. Crucially, if you contract a serious illness which isn’t listed on the insurance schedule, the policy will not pay out. Once a policy pays out, cover ends – so in most cases this type policy is valid for a single claim. Income protection cover is an insurance product that will replace your regular monthly income should you find yourself unable to work either permanently or temporarily for any reason as defined by the policy. If you’re able to return to work, the payments will cease; however, cover (and premiums) will usually continue, meaning that most policies of this type allow for multiple claims. What’s the cost? Inevitably, when it comes to both policies the cost depends on your circumstances, salary and the level of cover you require. The cost of replacing a salary of £80,000 is clearly going to be costlier than a policy that protects and income of £30,000, assuming all other circumstances are the same However, as a very broad rule of thumb, a report from FT Adviser suggests that to provide an income of £250,000 over 5 years (whether in instalments via income protection or a lump sum as critical illness), the cost of critical illness cover is about three times that of income protection. So, if income replacement is generally cheaper, is that a better option? Not necessarily, no. Critical illness outsells income replacement by roughly 5 to 1 in the UK because many people prefer to have a lump sum that will allow them to juggle their immediate priorities in a more flexible way. But although a lump sum will allow you to pay off, say, your mortgage, that’s of little use if you can’t then meet your other financial commitments. One also needs to come to a judgement over how and when you’re most likely to claim on either policy. Recent data, from the same FT Adviser report quoted above, suggests 60% of all income replacement claims are made as a result of accidents, stress or musculoskeletal conditions – none of which would be covered by a critical illness policy. By contrast, cancer – which is one of the conditions specified within a critical illness policy – accounts for only 15% of income replacement claims So, it’s clear that understanding the risks as well as the benefits are a fundamental part of choosing the right insurance product, and that’s why it makes sense to speak to a specialist professional adviser before you commit. It all seems very complicated. Why do I need income protection at all? While many companies offer some level of financial support for employees when they can’t work, very few provide that assistance beyond a year (and for many more, it’s much less). There are state benefits which are designed to offer some sort of help, but these would be unlikely to cover the financial commitments of a high earning individual. At Oportfolio, we’ll work closely with you to help you to identify the advantages and disadvantages of both types of insurance and recommend the best solution for you personally. Knowing you and your family are protected when times get tough is great for protecting your success in life – but deciding the best way of doing that requires expert knowledge and advice.   To find out more about our friendly service why not visit www.oportfolio.co.uk or give us a call on 020 7371 5063 Please note for these insurance products terms and conditions apply. This information is a summary only. You will receive a full policy document upon application. This policy will set out the terms, conditions and limitations of cover provided under the plan Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Oportfolio Ltd fees are payable on application. We charge a broker fee for property purchases of £495 and a remortgage/further advance fee of £395. Our product transfer fee is £295.  

Every client we see among the many hundreds we deal with each year is unique. They all have different priorities, different circumstances, different needs, different things to consider and different ways of approaching the decisions they need to make. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to the important things in life. There never has been. At Oportfolio, we understand this. It’s a philosophy that has been the foundation of our success over our decade in business, because when you walk through our door or call us for the very first time, we treat you like we treated our very first client all those years ago. It’s how we’ve treated everyone who has come to us before you, and it’s how we’ll treat the next person to come to us after you. And the one after that. And the one after that. Whether it’s a mortgage, health and personal insurance or cover for their home or investment property, the only thing we’re really interested in is what matters to you right now. That doesn’t mean we can’t offer professional advice that will help you think about tomorrow – we can, and do; but first and foremost, we make it our priority to understand yours and then meet it if we can. You might be a first-time buyer looking for their first step on the property ladder, a seasoned mover aiming to make a move into your forever home, a homeowner looking for a better mortgage deal or an investor interested in expanding their buy-to-let portfolio. You may have a young family and are looking to safeguard their future by protecting your income or guarding against ill-health. Or you could be looking for tailored specialist insurance cover to help protect your home, contents or investment property. Today’s markets for all of these products and more besides is highly competitive, and the wealth of choice available can be overwhelming and confusing. Moreover, you won’t always be able to access the most suitable mortgage or insurance products online or in the High Street. At Oportfolio we’ve been established for a long time and we work with a carefully-selected panel of providers to ensure we can offer competitive products at prices tailored to your individual budget and what you can afford. In the end, how we can help you with any and all the products and services we offer ultimately comes down to the same thing: what matters to you? We’ll spend time working alongside you to understand that and to advise you on how best to fit the mortgage or insurance cover you need to your unique and individual circumstances. And then we’ll be with you every step of the way to help you achieve success. Because what matters to you is really the only thing that matters to us. To find out more about our friendly and professional mortgage service, fees and what we can do to help make sure you’re not paying over the odds for your mortgage, why not visit www.oportfolio.co.uk or give us a call on 020 7371 5063.   Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Oportfolio Ltd fees are payable on application. We charge a broker fee for property purchases of £495 and a remortgage/further advance fee of £395. Our product transfer fee is £295.

Life insurance is only for older people, right? Surely it’s not worth getting coverage until you’re reaching retirement age and want to invest in a safety net for your family should the worst happen? It’s something we hear a lot when we talk to people about life insurance. It appears a common train of thought and it’s easy to see why it exists; younger people may be willing to take their chances and don’t feel the need to consider insurance until it becomes a priority. It simply isn’t true that life insurance is for and should be exclusive to older markets, though. Anything can happen in life, no matter your age, background and status, and taking out a policy can be a fantastic financial safety net for people’s loved ones should the worst happen. A pay out on a policy can help to pay the mortgage, medical bills, funeral costs and much more besides, and be a real source of help during times of trouble, no matter how old you are. With the Association of British Insurers saying that £4.7 billion was paid to customers for life insurance, critical illness or income protection claims over 2016, it’s worth considering the protection the right policy can offer. Here are three of the most common misconceptions we regularly come across regarding life insurance and why they may be wrong: 1: You’re too young for a policy As we’ve already mentioned, you’re never too young (or old) to take out an insurance policy. Especially if you have dependents, are the main earner in the household, a policy can represent excellent financial back-up. They can be more affordable the younger you are too. 2: Your partner earns all the money If you’re a stay-at-home parent and your partner earns the majority of the family’s income, some feel it doesn’t make sense to take out a policy. The costs associated with funerals and other factors though can be a huge burden, especially alongside the emotional burdens of a loss. The way to go may be a joint insurance policy that covers both you and your partner. 3: You think you’re already protected We believe it’s essential to work with an experienced consultancy when you wish to take out a life policy to help you find a suitable, affordable package for your needs and to determine your level of cover. A lot of people think they’re already covered through mortgage insurance and critical illness cover policies. That may not be the case, and working with a specialist can help you discover your current level of cover and align you with the most suitable policy for your needs. If you’re looking for a life insurance policy, Oportfolio’s specialist consultants will work with you to take your wants, needs and financial situation into account to help you find the most suitable package possible. Please note that neither Oportfolio Limited or First Complete Limited are responsible for the accuracy of the information contained within externally linked sites accessible from this page.

Despite the uncertainty in the housing market, the prospect of buying a second property – or perhaps a third, fourth or fifth – to rent out is still attractive to a lot of people. Recent research comparing the England and London property rental sector with world economies places England above 159 nations – specifically, between Ethiopia and Sri Lanka. London alone, where the sector is worth £21 billion annually, would be placed above 124 countries, sitting above North Korea but behind Latvia. And with home ownership for first time buyers still a pinch-point for the market in spite of a number of High Street lenders recently announcing attractive mortgage products for first-time-buyers, the rental market is expected to continue to grow. There are, of course, considerations that any prospective landlord would need to consider carefully. As Money Week noted recently, changes to Stamp Duty, mortgage interest relief and lettings agency fees , have put challenges in the paths of amateur landlords who may otherwise have been attracted to ‘dabble’ in property as a source of income. That said, profitability is also partly down to that old estate agency maxim of location, location, location. If you own a rental property in a highly desirable area, particularly in London, it’s likely to be easier to let at a good rent. That doesn’t guarantee profit, of course, but a property in the right place is an obvious must if you’re to have any hope of making a decent yield on your investment. So, if you’re considering a buy-to-let investment and we assume you’ve got the basics right, what are the mistakes you need to avoid? Not minding your own business In the end, a rental property is a business. It may not be a business with massive turnover or huge margin, but at the most granular level, it needs to at least break even. That means being prudent over what you invest in it – both in terms of real costs and your own time and effort, both of which have a value. If decorating, building works or ground and garden maintenance is needed, that will eat into your margin, so be pragmatic about where and what you invest. If a cheaper own-brand paint will serve just as well as the high-end stuff, that’s what you should consider using. Similarly, if the time and effort you spend dealing with the management of the property is going materially reduce the amount you can earn from your day job, that needs to be factored in, too. There are a lot of landlords out there who failed as property entrepreneurs because they didn’t realise or remember their buy-to-let was a business – but if you keep the business side of your investment in mind, you’re less likely to become one of them. Failing to understand your responsibilities As a landlord, you’ll have a lot of statutory responsibilities and if you don’t understand what you have to do (and what you don’t have to do), life can get tricky. Your contract with your tenant and the rental agreement they have with you depends on both of you doing certain things. Among many other things, you’ll need to get certificates and undertake responsibilities for certain repairs – your tenants will be required to give you access on an agreed arrangement, pay the rent on time and keep the property in good order. If you – or they – fail to do what you’re required by legislation to do, someone could be in breach of contract. Failing to get the right cover This is a crucial thing to get right. The simple fact is that ordinary household insurance is highly unlikely to cover your property. Because your property is occupied by people who may not treat it with the same respect you would as the owner, and because there’s a chance it will be vacant at times (for example, between lets), insurers consider buy-to-let property to be a different type of risk to that of an owner-occupied home. You’ll need to get specialist landlord insurance to cover your building (and, if you’re letting a furnished property, its contents – if it’s unfurnished, the tenant will be responsible for insuring their own possessions). We can help you to find a suitable product that offers you the best cover for your needs. Call us on the number below to speak to a member of our friendly team and find out more. Not planning to plan Inevitably, a buy-to-let will generate expense. It’s likely you’ll have to do repairs to the property that you may choose not to do – or to delay – if it were your main residence. The boiler might need to be replaced. The property will almost certainly need redecorating from time to time – and probably more frequently than you would do if you were living in it. Most of the expenses you currently associate with your own home will crop up in some form at your buy-to-let, so it makes sense to ensure you’re budgeting for those over the long-term so you aren’t hit with any nasty surprises. Getting your buy-to-let investment right doesn’t need to be an arduous process – and it can save you money and time in the long run if you start as you mean to go on. If you’re considering buying an investment property and want to generate an income from it, come and talk to us about how our expert mortgage and insurance advice can give you the peace of mind of knowing you’re set up for the best chance of success. Want to know how other clients felt about working with Oportfolio? Watch Gus and Selena’s video story!       To find out more about our friendly and professional mortgage service, fees and what we can do to help make sure you’re not paying over the odds for your mortgage, why not visit www.oportfolio.co.uk or give us a call on 020 7371 5063.  Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.  Oportfolio Ltd fees are payable on application. We charge a broker fee for property purchases of £495 and a remortgage/further advance fee of £395. Our product transfer fee is £295.

The Easter holidays and the enforced suspension of Parliamentary business gave us all a welcome break from the wall-to-wall coverage of the ongoing Brexit saga – but with return of MPs to Westminster came the return of the uncertainty that has dogged the process for much of the past year. Lack of certainty is always unsettling and is always more likely to provoke stagnation than it is growth. When questions arise over the future of a football club’s manager or its star player, the history books suggest form dips and nervousness prevails until the situation is resolved. The same is true in politics, and the unsettling effect of the protracted Brexit talks across all sectors from business to leisure and travel to finance has been well-documented as 'business as usual' has spiralled into a holding pattern while we wait for some clarity. The same is true in the housing market. Latest analysis from Which? suggests that house price growth has declined slightly since a period of stagnation immediately after the Referendum. Transactions, though, were slightly up in February of this year than in 2018. Somewhat simplistically, what that means is that right now housing is a buyer’s market, with the increase in transactions suggesting there’s a level of opportunism at play in a falling market. To what extent, though, can the state of the UK property market in 2019 be attributed to the uncertainty created by Brexit? The answer is undoubtedly that it has played a part. Many property professionals and market commentators, including the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, believe the ongoing deadlock in Parliament is dragging the housing market into a slump, but there are also those who believe some of the trends we’re seeing are a product of the market undergoing a long-overdue correction. If true, then that could have the beneficial side-effect of serving to make property ownership more accessible to first time buyers – something that has been a concern to many people for some time. It’s certainly true that many people are playing a ‘wait and see’ game and it’s likely that this is more to do with the terms of our departure – in other words, whether Britain leaves Europe with or without a deal – and how interest rates might be affected by that. The Bank of England Governor, Mark Carney, has previously warned that a no-deal Brexit will have a significant negative impact on the UK economy, so it’s hardly surprising that potential house buyers might be cautious about taking the plunge until there’s confidence around the stability of interest rates. But that’s not to say there aren’t deals to be had in the market or that buying a house would necessarily be a rash move at this stage. Clearly, affordability looks different for everyone and regardless of the political climate we’d always advise would-be buyers to consider carefully the potential consequences of what is, for most people, the most expensive purchase they’ll ever make. But for those who do enjoy the confidence of being able to buy, there are some good fixed rate mortgage deals out there – many of them for 5 years or longer – which would offer some insulation against any initial rise in interest rates as a result of leaving the EU. It’s hard to imagine that anyone would argue the Brexit process has been a good thing, but although it’s left a mark on the housing market, there are still good deals to be done for many people who are looking to move. If you’re one of them, why not come and talk to us about how our award-winning mortgage advice could help to see you into your dream home this summer? Want to know how other clients felt about working with Oportfolio? Watch Gus and Selena’s video story!      To find out more about our friendly and professional mortgage service, fees and what we can do to help make sure you’re not paying over the odds for your mortgage, why not visit www.oportfolio.co.uk or give us a call on 020 7371 5063. Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Oportfolio Ltd fees are payable on application. We charge a broker fee for property purchases of £495 and a remortgage/further advance fee of £395. Our product transfer fee is £295.  

If you search on the web for advice on the things you should do when choosing a mortgage, you’ll get a lot of information back. Some of it’s good, some of it not so good. But as important, if not more so, is what you should avoid doing. Here’s our guide to the mistakes you’d do well to avoid making. Don’t approach your hunt for a mortgage in the same way you would if you were buying a washing machine We know that sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised at the almost laissez-faire way a good many people approach the business of securing the finance to buy their home. Put simply, buying a home is a huge investment – and almost certainly the largest single purchase you’ll have made in your life at that point. It’s fine to buy a washing machine from Amazon or another online retailer. If it doesn’t work, you send it back. If you realise there was a better model you could have bought, it’s not a calamitous financial mistake to have to live with. Choose the wrong mortgage provider or product, however, and you could be paying for it – literally – for years. Don’t obsess about the interest rate We’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating. If the only thing you’re looking at is the interest rate, then the chances are you’re missing a trick. Yes, how much you’re going to pay each month is important and so that means the rate is a factor in your decision – but it’s not the only factor. Is the rate fixed or variable? If it’s fixed, how long is it fixed for? Are there early exit fees? Is there an arrangement fee? Will you be able to overpay if you want to, and if so, by how much? Just as importantly, is the mortgage provider reputable and do you believe you’ll get good support and care during the lifetime of the loan? The days of personal 121 contact with an account manager may be over, but your relationship with your lender remains just as important today as it always did. Don’t chase lower rates at the expense of lender reputation  Even if you do put a lot of store by the interest rates on offer from lenders, they don’t always tell the whole story. If you saw what looked like two very similar cars on offer from two different dealers, and one was significantly cheaper than the other, you might be tempted to buy the cheaper of the two. But it’s always worth taking pause for thought. There could be legitimate reasons for two apparently identical mortgages being offered at different rates of interest. It could be that one lender is squeezing as much margin out of the loan as possible to maximise profit. Equally, it might be that they’re a bigger, more well-established and reputable lender, with bigger overheads and a better overall service. Don’t take a mortgage from an unregulated lender  If you do nothing else (and we hope you’ll do a lot more than this), don’t take a mortgage with an unregulated lender, because when things go wrong, you have no easy recourse to get them put right. Unregulated lenders aren’t subject to the same lending standards as regulated banks and building societies and don’t offer the same protection. Do your homework and ensure your lender is reputable and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you’re in any doubt at all, hit the pause button and reconsider. Use a professional mortgage broker  If you only follow this final – and, we’d obviously argue, most important - rule, you’ll also avoid making the first four mistakes, too. A good, professional mortgage broker will also be regulated – giving you protection against bad advice – and will know the market inside out. They’ll know what deals are available, what products will best suit your circumstances (not just today, but in the longer term, based on your priorities and ambitions) and the lenders who can offer you the best options for buying your home. At Oportfolio, we’re mortgage experts regulated by FCA and with years of success behind us – so if you’re ready to take the next step in your property journey, we’re ready to help you.   Want to know how other clients felt about working with Oportfolio? Watch Gus and Selena’s video story!     To find out more about our friendly and professional mortgage service, fees and what we can do to help make sure you’re not paying over the odds for your mortgage, why not visit www.oportfolio.co.uk or give us a call on 020 7371 5063. Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.  Oportfolio Ltd fees are payable on application. We charge a broker fee for property purchases of £495 and a remortgage/further advance fee of £395. Our product transfer fee is £295.

Despite the uncertainty in the housing market, the prospect of buying a second property – or perhaps a third, fourth or fifth – to rent out is still attractive to a lot of people. Recent research comparing the England and London property rental sector with world economies places England above 159 nations – specifically, between Ethiopia and Sri Lanka. London alone, where the sector is worth £21 billion annually, would be placed above 124 countries, sitting above North Korea but behind Latvia. And with home ownership for first time buyers still a pinch-point for the market in spite of a number of High Street lenders recently announcing attractive mortgage products for first-time-buyers, the rental market is expected to continue to grow. There are, of course, considerations that any prospective landlord would need to consider carefully. As Money Week noted recently, changes to Stamp Duty, mortgage interest relief and lettings agency fees , have put challenges in the paths of amateur landlords who may otherwise have been attracted to ‘dabble’ in property as a source of income. That said, profitability is also partly down to that old estate agency maxim of location, location, location. If you own a rental property in a highly desirable area, particularly in London, it’s likely to be easier to let at a good rent. That doesn’t guarantee profit, of course, but a property in the right place is an obvious must if you’re to have any hope of making a decent yield on your investment. So, if you’re considering a buy-to-let investment and we assume you’ve got the basics right, what are the mistakes you need to avoid? Not minding your own business In the end, a rental property is a business. It may not be a business with massive turnover or huge margin, but at the most granular level, it needs to at least break even. That means being prudent over what you invest in it – both in terms of real costs and your own time and effort, both of which have a value. If decorating, building works or ground and garden maintenance is needed, that will eat into your margin, so be pragmatic about where and what you invest. If a cheaper own-brand paint will serve just as well as the high-end stuff, that’s what you should consider using. Similarly, if the time and effort you spend dealing with the management of the property is going materially reduce the amount you can earn from your day job, that needs to be factored in, too. There are a lot of landlords out there who failed as property entrepreneurs because they didn’t realise or remember their buy-to-let was a business – but if you keep the business side of your investment in mind, you’re less likely to become one of them. Failing to understand your responsibilities As a landlord, you’ll have a lot of statutory responsibilities and if you don’t understand what you have to do (and what you don’t have to do), life can get tricky. Your contract with your tenant and the rental agreement they have with you depends on both of you doing certain things. Among many other things, you’ll need to get certificates and undertake responsibilities for certain repairs – your tenants will be required to give you access on an agreed arrangement, pay the rent on time and keep the property in good order. If you – or they – fail to do what you’re required by legislation to do, someone could be in breach of contract. Failing to get the right cover This is a crucial thing to get right. The simple fact is that ordinary household insurance is highly unlikely to cover your property. Because your property is occupied by people who may not treat it with the same respect you would as the owner, and because there’s a chance it will be vacant at times (for example, between lets), insurers consider buy-to-let property to be a different type of risk to that of an owner-occupied home. You’ll need to get specialist landlord insurance to cover your building (and, if you’re letting a furnished property, its contents – if it’s unfurnished, the tenant will be responsible for insuring their own possessions). We can help you to find a suitable product that offers you the best cover for your needs. Call us on the number below to speak to a member of our friendly team and find out more. Not planning to plan Inevitably, a buy-to-let will generate expense. It’s likely you’ll have to do repairs to the property that you may choose not to do – or to delay – if it were your main residence. The boiler might need to be replaced. The property will almost certainly need redecorating from time to time – and probably more frequently than you would do if you were living in it. Most of the expenses you currently associate with your own home will crop up in some form at your buy-to-let, so it makes sense to ensure you’re budgeting for those over the long-term so you aren’t hit with any nasty surprises. Getting your buy-to-let investment right doesn’t need to be an arduous process – and it can save you money and time in the long run if you start as you mean to go on. If you’re considering buying an investment property and want to generate an income from it, come and talk to us about how our expert mortgage and insurance advice can give you the peace of mind of knowing you’re set up for the best chance of success. Want to know how other clients felt about working with Oportfolio? Watch Gus and Selena’s video story!       To find out more about our friendly and professional mortgage service, fees and what we can do to help make sure you’re not paying over the odds for your mortgage, why not visit www.oportfolio.co.uk or give us a call on 020 7371 5063.  Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.  Oportfolio Ltd fees are payable on application. We charge a broker fee for property purchases of £495 and a remortgage/further advance fee of £395. Our product transfer fee is £295.

Every client we see among the many hundreds we deal with each year is unique. They all have different priorities, different circumstances, different needs, different things to consider and different ways of approaching the decisions they need to make. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to the important things in life. There never has been. At Oportfolio, we understand this. It’s a philosophy that has been the foundation of our success over our decade in business, because when you walk through our door or call us for the very first time, we treat you like we treated our very first client all those years ago. It’s how we’ve treated everyone who has come to us before you, and it’s how we’ll treat the next person to come to us after you. And the one after that. And the one after that. Whether it’s a mortgage, health and personal insurance or cover for their home or investment property, the only thing we’re really interested in is what matters to you right now. That doesn’t mean we can’t offer professional advice that will help you think about tomorrow – we can, and do; but first and foremost, we make it our priority to understand yours and then meet it if we can. You might be a first-time buyer looking for their first step on the property ladder, a seasoned mover aiming to make a move into your forever home, a homeowner looking for a better mortgage deal or an investor interested in expanding their buy-to-let portfolio. You may have a young family and are looking to safeguard their future by protecting your income or guarding against ill-health. Or you could be looking for tailored specialist insurance cover to help protect your home, contents or investment property. Today’s markets for all of these products and more besides is highly competitive, and the wealth of choice available can be overwhelming and confusing. Moreover, you won’t always be able to access the most suitable mortgage or insurance products online or in the High Street. At Oportfolio we’ve been established for a long time and we work with a carefully-selected panel of providers to ensure we can offer competitive products at prices tailored to your individual budget and what you can afford. In the end, how we can help you with any and all the products and services we offer ultimately comes down to the same thing: what matters to you? We’ll spend time working alongside you to understand that and to advise you on how best to fit the mortgage or insurance cover you need to your unique and individual circumstances. And then we’ll be with you every step of the way to help you achieve success. Because what matters to you is really the only thing that matters to us. To find out more about our friendly and professional mortgage service, fees and what we can do to help make sure you’re not paying over the odds for your mortgage, why not visit www.oportfolio.co.uk or give us a call on 020 7371 5063.   Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Oportfolio Ltd fees are payable on application. We charge a broker fee for property purchases of £495 and a remortgage/further advance fee of £395. Our product transfer fee is £295.

For almost all of us, a house is the most expensive thing you’ll ever buy. Not only is it the centre of family life and a retreat from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it’s also a financial asset that, in all likelihood, you expect to grow in value. With all that in mind, it stands to reason that you’d want to protect it. Once the process of buying a house is complete and the boxes are unpacked, the excitement of the adventure that awaits means the practical security of your new home is probably not at the very top of your list of priorities. In fact, it may be that you’ve been in your home for a while but haven’t yet got around to considering the security measures you might take to protect it. Along with the common sense things you can do, like locking away tools and ladders, there are also some things you can do to improve the physical security of your house without turning it into Fort Knox. Those recommended by national police website include: Changing the locks when you move home. From cleaners to tradesmen, it’s impossible to know who might already have spare keys to your house, so having new locks and keys removes any possibility of someone simply being able to unlock your front door whilst you’re out. At the very least, install additional deadlocks. Make sure all accessible windows are fitted with working locks. According to www.police.uk, in the majority of break-ins that happen in the UK, access to the house was gained through either a door or window. And of course, it goes without saying that once you have locks on your windows and doors, use them every time you go out. Improve lighting, especially around doors and windows.  The fact is, would-be intruders would prefer not to be seen breaking in, so being able to melt into shadows while they go about their work makes some houses more attractive than others. Making sure you have good lighting, including motion-sensor lighting, is a good preventative step. Install a burglar alarm. These are an obvious deterrent, but if you have one fitted make sure that whoever fits it ensures the wiring for it isn’t accessible. And if it malfunctions and keeps going off, get it repaired immediately – and then let your neighbours know it’s been fixed. A persistently faulty alarm is more likely to be ignored. The one deterrent that some homeowners don’t consider is security cameras. Although this can be common in shared apartment blocks and smaller contained housing communities, it can also be used on single private homes. Eoin Clarke, the managing director of Wandsworth security company CCTV Camera London, says: “Although a CCTV system can’t stop crime full-stop, it does act as a deterrent, and where a crime is committed it can be the difference between the police being able to identify the offender and recover stolen property. “We have a client in Chelsea, for example, where there has been a burglary or car theft after the CCTV has been installed and the cameras have picked up the criminal’s face and vehicle registration.” Eoin adds that security camera systems are available for a range of budgets, placing them in reach of many homeowners. But he added: “When choosing a supplier, it’s important to make sure they are experienced and understand the privacy regulations that govern the installation of cameras.” And of course, most insurance companies now factor home security into the premiums they offer, so taking sensible measures may also offer a cost saving as well as giving you a certain amount of peace of mind. To find out more about our friendly and professional mortgage service and what we can do to help make sure you’re not paying over the odds for your mortgage, why not visit www.oportfolio.co.uk or give us a call on 020 7371 5063. More information about CCTV security for the home can be found here. Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Oportfolio Ltd fees are payable on application. We charge a broker fee for property purchases of £495 and a remortgage/further advance fee of £395. Our product transfer fee is £295.