Studio Flats London

The hikes in UK property prices in the last decade has had many in the property industry reeling. Having defied expectations on a number of levels, the strength of house price increases has many pundits at a loss as to where the property market will go next. For instance, while some predict continued growth, others claim that the property market is likely to see a slow period during the last half of 2007.

However, a recent study by leading property site Home.co.uk has found that one community of property owners has benefited from the steep house price increases of recent years – homeowners in London. Despite the four rises in the Bank of England interest rate since August last year, London property prices have seen no sign of slowing down their skyward ascent. In fact, Home.co.uk’s latest Asking Price Index report infers that the average property for sale in London now carries a staggering price tag of £336, 900.

And while this news will not be favourable for first-time buyers hoping to get a foothold in the property market in London, the rising value of London homes is likely to please many existing homeowners with properties in the capital. Moreover, this phenomenal growth has stood London homeowners in good stead when it comes to borrowing, as the breathtaking levels of property inflation means it’s easier for them to find attractive secured loans.

A secured loan is a financial arrangement in which the borrower promises an asset – like a house or a car – as effective collateral against the loan in question. Essentially, the loan is ’secured’ against the asset so, in the event of defaults in payment, the lender can take possession of the collateral and may sell it on in order to regain the amount of money originally lent to the borrower.

Secured loans which use property as collateral are also known as mortgage loans and, as the price of houses for sale in London continues to skyrocket, secured loans are becoming increasingly popular with homeowners in London. The high value of London property means that secured loan lenders are able to offer lower rates of interest to London homeowners than might be available through unsecured loans – a factor that is sure to appeal to homeowners who are keen to release some cash to make essential refurbishments to their house, or simply to reduce their monthly mortgage repayments.

What’s more, finding secured loans has never been easier. London homeowners keen to take advantage of their rising house value will be able to find a range of financial sources online that allows consumers to compare secured loans across the UK loan spectrum. If you own property in London, using these simple tools will make it easier for you to find the secured loan that best meets your personal circumstances – while at the same time helping you make the most of your valuable asset while the time is right!

Opening an office in London can be a hugely beneficial step for a company to take. However, before you can begin reaping the benefits that the capital has to offer, you need to find new premises. In order to ascertain whether a commercial property in London is suitable or not, you will need to ask yourself a few pertinent questions.
The first consideration should focus around the sort of property you require and its location. Would it best to have the premises nearer to the business’s employees, its suppliers or its customers? Alternatively, it may be more important to have the business located close to a transport network, such as rail or road systems. And, importantly, the premises have to be within your budget.
Should you manage to find a commercial property in London that is suitable, it may be prudent to approach your bank manager or at least speak to the firm’s accountant to ascertain the impact that the new premises will have on the company’s budget. Next you will need to negotiate with the landlord to get rental terms that are favourable to you – often a difficult and frustrating process.
On the other hand, you may feel it better to place the whole procedure in the hands of a property expert. A commercial estate agent will have a great deal of experience in sourcing available commercial property in London. Whilst you will have to pay for their services, it is worth bearing in mind that mistakes with property can be extremely costly and have even in some cases resulted in bankruptcy.
A commercial property agent will have resources available that you will not, such as a database of existing and up-and-coming commercial properties in London. They can also help you organise the move within the parameters of your budget, taking into account things that you may have overlooked. Factors such as producing effective relocation plans, choosing suppliers during and after the move and a constant budget report can all be implemented by the appointed relocations manager and contribute towards a smooth and efficient process. A commercial agent can also take care of things like surveyors and solicitors and also ensure that the contract you sign provides you with favourable terms, taking into account factors such as the rent and possible increases, the length of the lease and how easy it is to give it up, to whom the responsibility of insurance falls, who is liable for repairs, service charges, financial guarantees and lease protection. These are all commitments that you can expect to find in an agreement, but a commercial property agent will be able to negotiate terms on your behalf that you may not be able to.
Renting a commercial property in London generally heralds a new beginning for most businesses; to ensure that your rental goes as smoothly as possible and does not affect the operation of the company, it would be prudent to research just what a commercial property estate agent in London can offer you.

In business terms, London offers businesses facilities, services and opportunities far beyond the reach of any other location in the UK. It is facilitated by five major airports, each one leading directly to other major European sources of trade and industry, in addition to its international links further afield. Indeed, Europe is now closer than ever before; with the Eurotunnel, flights and ferry services to a variety of European locations, a business trip across the channel can be undertaken in a single day.
London itself is also serviced by all the major road and rail networks, making the transport of goods incredibly convenient and, in addition, allows delegates to travel to and from business conferences with great ease. Because London has built up and evolved around business, it also offers a broad range of amenities and facilities for the prudent-minded business-owner to take advantage of.
Most people assume that a London address comes complete with a London price tag. Whilst this may have been true in the past, the current economic climate has seen landlords dropping their rents to an all-time low and offering financial incentives to pull potential tenants through the doors. This is the result of the banking industry having downsized their workforces in the face of the credit crunch. Rather than operate a half-sized staff in full-sized offices, many of them have vacated their premises, leaving a surplus of commercial property in London. In turn, this has seen the rise of the tenant’s market, as landlords would rather be receiving some rent, rather than no rent at all.
For those considering relocating to a more prestigious address or taking up commercial property in London for the first time, there has been no better opportunity. In order to ensure that you get the commercial property London has to offer your business – and at the best price – you would be best advised to hire the services of good commercial property agents.
The best commercial property agents in London are likely to be independent, meaning that they will have no loyalty to a landlord or firm; their loyalty is to you, the client. With this established, they can use their powers of negotiation to secure you the best deal. However, negotiating skills are not the sole qualities that make an agent worth their salt. Good commercial property agents will have an insider’s knowledge of the emerging hotspots in London and those that are likely to flourish in the future. For example, the 2012 Olympics will have far-reaching effects in certain areas of London; a good agent would be able to help you draw up a long-term plan that allows you to tap in to any advantages offered by this.
Commercial property agents can also help with more practical aspects, such as deciding where your business should be located, in relation to local amenities. Using this advice, you can be sure that the flow of your business is not interrupted during the process and you may even pick up a new client along the way. They may also have an idea of any proposed changes to the locale, such as future road works or complex developments. All these can have some bearing on where you choose to establish your company.
Using a commercial property agent is a prudent way to stay ahead of the competition and find a business property that serves your company to the best of its abilities.

Despite the economic downturn, the Confederation of British Industry has reported that some businesses are flourishing against the odds and, as corporations reduce the graduate intake for 2009, many entrepreneurs are deciding to set up their own businesses as opposed to searching for jobs that simply aren’t there. Conversely, those businesses not doing so well are streamlining their workforces in order to cope with the effects of the recession. These are all good reasons for a business to consider relocating or finding new business premises.
Anyone looking to expand, downsize or establish their company should first consider the benefits of using commercial acquisition estate agents. There is plenty of commercial property in London – even more so as a result of major corporations downsizing – but the commercial property London has to offer is wide and varied. Using commercial estate agents can help you find the right premises for your business and, even more importantly, at the right cost.
Relocation or expansion can interrupt the flow of business quite dramatically. Even assigning someone to the job of finding new premises is a loss of manpower that many businesses simply cannot afford at this time. Using commercial acquisition estate agents enables a company to continue its day-to-day business whilst someone with commercial property industry-knowledge and expertise can compile and research lists of potential premises and once found, they will then act on your behalf to structure the lease with the most favourable terms possible. Good commercial acquisition agents take the time to understand the company’s structure and needs and will make lists taking these factors into consideration. The lists can then be considered at the most appropriate time.
Commercial estate agents are also well versed in working within the confines of a budget. Whilst looking for commercial property in London, they should also take into account the physical requirements of the office. Unless the office is serviced, they can assist with researching suppliers and ancillary services that will make the process run as smoothly as possible. The information they compile on services such as IT support, security access systems, power supplies and waste disposal, to name but a few will also enable the business owner to build up a clearer picture of the advantages and disadvantages of particular premises with respect to their locations.
Once the office space in London has been decided upon, commercial acquisition agents are extremely knowledgeable about co-ordinating a relocation within a specified timeframe; a job that would be almost impossible for someone within the company to orchestrate. Using a timescale, commercial acquisition agents can factor in certain events at certain times, ensuring that nothing is overlooked as the process gains momentum. The agent can also handle the use of solicitors, surveyors and critically will be responsible for the negotiating process, while senior management need only be party to the absolutely vital details involved, rather than poring over the minutiae of a lease.
Relocating during this economic downturn may be an absolute necessity, either for positive or negative business reasons. Using commercial acquisition estate agents not only allows you to secure the best commercial property London has to offer for your company, it also allows the company to continue its daily business with minimal inconvenience, whilst ensuring that valuable time and money are spent in the most constructive ways possible.

Environment and climate change are the issues of today. We all have a duty to look at how we can reduce our carbon footprint and its effect on the environment. At Central London Plumbers we are committed to applying our understanding of energy efficient heating appliances and where possible advise on the use of renewable energy solutions. Most homes in London use gas fired boilers for their space heating and water heating requirements. The need to generate the highest efficiencies has never been more important. The Seasonal Efficiency of Domestic Boilers in the UK (SEDBUK) is a rating system where a minimum of 90% efficiency is an “A Rating” and is now a requirement under Part L of the building regulations.The payback period for energy use vs.capital cost can be as little as 7 years.We also have a duty to suggest measures to minimise heat lost through air infiltration from outside and better insulation properties of building materials

Considerations and quick guide:GeneralIt is necessary to understand the requirements, expectations and limitations when endeavouring to find the right boiler for the system whether existing or a new boiler installation London. This can be achieved with discussions with a Gas Safe (Corgi) registered engineer about what may be appropriate.Energy EfficiencyThe recent advent of condensing boilers – which became mandatory since March 2005 within domestic dwellings has meant that the decision about whether or not to use a condensing boiler or a non condensing boiler is no longer an issue to consider.Fuel ChoicesThere are some choices of fuel depending on your location as follows:-Natural Gas – TownsLPG (bottled gas) – RuralFuel Oil – RuralSolid Fuel – RuralElectricity – AllNB. This is only a quick guide and there will be exceptions to the above.HeatingConsider which rooms or spaces are to be heated and to what temperature and when. It will also be necessary to consider how an existing system performs. The are systems that will suit some structures more than others. An example of this is large spaces, high ceilings and high natural ventilation rates may be suited to underfloor heating systems.BoilerType of boilers:-Conventional boiler (open vented)System boiler (unvented)Combination boiler (unvented)The choice of a combination boiler not to be confused with a condensing boiler; therefore you are able to have a condensing combination boiler.There are many manufactures that provide boilers at differing costs. Suggest using the one you can afford and remember the adage you get what you pay for.Short list of manufactures:Worcester-bosch boilersVaillant boilersPotterton BoilersKeston BoilersHot Water StorageWhen a conventional boiler or system boiler is installed in addition a hot water storage tank or cylinder is required to provide the sanitary hot water. This is opposed to a combination boiler that provides hot water instantaneously without the need to store hot water.PipeworkConventionally the material utilised for the distribution of water services has been copper tube. There are now many types of plastic pipework that is suitable for hot water distribution.ControlsControls can assist in energy savings in addition to the condensing boiler by controlling the temperature of the rooms or spaces and when this is needed.

Check-in-London.com offers Central London Accommodation From £30 Per Night and features a wide selection of Hotels and Serviced Apartments in London that can be suitable for Short-stay or Long-stay use for Leisure , Work , Relocation , Education and Transit. Our advice is impartial as we only facilitate bookings and reservations and do not own any of the properties mentioned on our website. Our aim is to provide the Best London Accommodation to travellers and help them make the right choice.

We understand that travelers like their independence today, which is why we offer them a complete range of Hotels and Serviced Apartments to suit every budget so that they can make their own choice according to their preferences. However traveling to a new city like London can sometimes be overwhelming and it can be difficult making the right choice. Not to worry , Check-in-London are booking specialists in London and can offer you free impartial advice on the best London locations to suit your needs. We have the best deals in London with last minute deals and late availability.

Our Newest Properties in our Portfolio range from Boutique Luxury Hotels to Budget Bed & Breakfasts and suit every budget. We provide accommodation in all Central London locations and can provide advice and general tips to travelers who are visiting London.

Serviced Apartments are today gaining popularity as the new alternative to Hotel rooms. Perfect for any length of stay, business, corporate, individual or private use, they offer amore comfortable living environment, greater flexibility, real cost savings and no hidden charges. Serviced Apartments are fully furnished, clean and spacious ensuring you have no hassles or restrictions when you are away from home. We can offer you any Serviced Apartment in Central London according to your Budget and Preferences so Call us or Email us and Book Now !

Our Popular Properties are : 51 Buckingham Gate (Victoria ), Dolphin House (Westminster), Think Earls Court (Earls Court), Park Inn Russel Square  (Bloomsbury), Thistle Marble Arch (Marble Arch), Shaftesbury Premier London (Hyde Park).

Check-in-london allows you to book your stay with confidence making sure we only recommend the best accommodation for your travel. We do our very best to make sure every traveler booking with us has an enjoyable stay in the U.K. and books with us again. We feature an Online Blog , Travel Updates , London Links , Facebook Page and Twitter updates to keep you in the know and make sure you know what is happening in London so that you donâ??t miss out when traveling to this amazing city.

A survey by a highly placed and respected European banking internet site has just concluded a survey showing where the most expensive roads are in the world for property – and the top one is Avenue Princess Grace in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
The bankers’ internet site suggest that four bedroom apartments are selling for over US 40 million dollars, and estate agents in Monaco confirm this to be about right.
And they describe the 190,000 US dollars a square metre as ‘eye-watering’ – a description few people would disagree with, and that buyers will need to be billionaires, or not far off being a billionaire.
The second most expensive street in the world is Severn Road in Hong Kong with prices fetching 120,000 US dollars a square metre, and it isn’t until third place that New York features, with Fifth Avenue real estate achieving a mere 80,000 US dollars a square metre – placing it firmly within grasp of some multi-millionaires. The upper East side side of Fifth Avenue is the part that gains most interest, and the site notes that some apartments can reach to 60 million – more than Monaco’s Princess Grace Avenue, but being such a long road in comparisom it brings the average below that of Monaco’s.
It’s back to Europe for the fourth most expensive road, London’s Kensington Palace Gardens, where property is fetching 77,000 dollars a square metre, and is symbolic of London where some areas continue to see price rises while others drop. London and Monaco normally vye for the most expensive real estate in Europe.
Helping Monaco’s Princess Grace Avenue to be the most expensive street in the world is a mix of British, Russian and Arab money, with the British buyers especially attracted by her tax haven status.
Monaco’s tourism is upmarket and exclusive too. In a recent report on Monaco’s tourism, the Director General of the tourist office announced that no less than 93 per cent of the Principality’s hotel capacity is in the luxury category – more than any other country in the world, and confirming Monaco’s status as haven for the wealthy.
Also in the report figures showed that Monaco increased her tourist numbers by 36 per cent between 2004 and 2007, and last year alone saw a 10 per cent increase over 2006.
But good as the figures are, Monaco wants to further increase her tourists numbers. Unusually it’s not just the numbers overall she wants to improve on, impressive though they are already – but one categoty in particular.
And it’s a category of tourist that Monaco is particularly well placed to attract compared to almost every other country in the world – URI’s.
URI’s could almost have been a class of tourist specially designed for Monaco and all that she offers – and it stands for Ultra Rich Individuals.
One URI could spend more in a week in Monaco than several hundred average tourists, with the casino in Monte Square quite capable of taking a few hundred thousand Euros off the ultra rich in an evening or two. One URI from Italy was recently reported in a British newspaper as cashing up 700,000 Euros for one evening on the tables!
Monaco has the most expensive street in the world, and looks like she intends to keep at the top of the real estate league with London, Hong Kong and New York for some time.

According to Reuters, the amount of office space in London lying empty has risen by ten percent since the beginning of 2009, meaning that the number of London offices that are immediately available to rent has risen to in excess of 10 million square feet. There are many advantages for a business looking to lease office space in London and there has never been a better time to find a real bargain.
The reason for this surplus of available London office space can be traced back to the beginnings of the current economic downturn. As banks and other major financial institutions saw the potential results of surfeit lending, they began to downscale and streamline their workforces. As it became no longer viable to have such small numbers of staff in such large spaces, they looked elsewhere for office property or have taken out short-term leases in favour of long-term contracts. In response, landlords decided to reduce the cost of office rental in London in a bid to prevent their properties from standing empty. Many even offered substantial deals in a bid to court custom, such as extended rent-free periods and capital contributions. The Investment Property Forum’s European Consensus Forecast has predicted that rents will continue to be driven down further, by as much as 26.6%. They also predict that there will not be much room for recovery until around 2011, when the beginnings of a recovery are expected.
While this is certainly bleak news for landlords and freeholders, the good news for business-owners is that the market for London office space has turned in favour of the tenant. Grade A office space (the industry’s term for the best of the best) has already fallen as low as £45.00 .0 per square foot, the lowest since 2004. These figures, paint a picture where business-owners will be able to undertake office rental in London for unprecedented prices, allowing them to take advantage of all the benefits of a London office space.
The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors has recently raised another factor that could force the prices of renting London office space down even further. It is their belief that the growth for office rental in London could fall to ’sub-inflation’ levels by the end of 2009. The reason behind this is that, with so many offices threatening to become unoccupied, there is also an excess of supply over demand. Once again, this looks set to work in the favour of the tenant. Add this to the fact that there are over 12 million square feet of office space being built in the capital and the future for landlords looks pretty grim.
To take advantage of the low prices and the prime locations, prospective tenants would be well advised to hire the services of a commercial property acquisition agent. Using their knowledge of the property market, they will have the best informed knowledge of the locations that are going to offer the best value for money and their negotiating power gives tenants the opportunity to push falling prices down even further.
While the recession may be spelling bad news for certain pockets of the London office rental market, it is offering opportunities for business-owners that, ultimately can only help to improve the state of the economy at a later date.

Upsizing or downsizing, establishing a second or even third office, relocating to a more prestige location or simply finding somewhere that is more affordable in uncertain times – these are many of the reasons that you may be looking for a new office space in London.
While location, location, location is always going to be the mantra when it comes to finding residential property – and may still be a significant factor in choosing commercial office space in London, depending on your sector and your particular needs – there may be another more important choice to make before you decide exactly where you’re going to move to: should I rent a serviced office space or a conventional leasehold commercial property in London?
Each has its benefits and its drawbacks. However, the following key factors should help you decide:
1. Flexibility of contract
There is no real question that serviced office space is more flexible in terms of your financial commitment – contracts tend to be extremely short and can be terminated with little or even no notice. A standard leasehold agreement for a conventional commercial office space in London would be for 5 years with a break in the 3rd year so represents a far more long-term commitment. However the flexibility of serviced offices comes at a premium and generally you would pay much more compared to a conventional space.
2. Flexibility of space
While contracts are flexible with a serviced office, your use of the space will not be and it is likely that, not only will you have to abide by regulations when using the space, but you will also be unable to redecorate or personalize the space to suit your business needs. That said, you can upgrade or downgrade as required – so if the physical nature of your business changes you can adapt quickly and easily.
Conventional commercial office space provides a much more bespoke environment for your office – you can redecorate, refurbish and redesign the space totally according to your needs: for customer-facing and cutting-edge industries such as design agencies, media companies or architects for example may require a more flexible space that reflects their business more effectively, provides a showcase for their services and an attractive place to bring clients. Of course, such a space will mean a certain loss of flexibility in terms of ability to expand or contract at will and therefore will suit well-established, essentially predictable businesses better than new, uncertain or rapidly changing businesses.
3. Price
For most businesses, the bottom line with office space is going to be cost and, while serviced offices offer a great deal of flexibility they are not a cost effective way of housing your business in the long-term. A conventional office space in London, particularly if you have sourced it through a company who can aggressively negotiate rents on your behalf (rather than a commercial estate agent who represents his clients interests first and foremost) will virtually always make the most commercial sense for an established business.

With the take up in office space in the City expected to rise within the next few months, the clamour to get the proverbial ‘foot in the door’ will be high on the agenda for those businesses seeking the most desirable premises within the Square Mile.

Here we give a guide to the various districts in The City to assist those looking for office space to select the right location for their company:

Holborn and Chancery LaneLocated on the western boundaries of the Square Mile, this area is hugely popular with many solicitors and law firms – including the Law Society of England and Wales which has its headquarters at 113 Chancery Lane. Whilst office space options in the area are abundant and varied, for many there are two business addresses that top everyone’s wish list – Southampton Place and Lincoln’s Inn Fields. These two locations are some of the most prestigious across London and rental prices here do reflect this.

Cheapside, St Paul’s & MoorgateHome to multi-nationals including BT, Institute of Chartered Accountants and Legal & General, these three areas have seen a number of major redevelopments recently completed to make the area the principal choice for businesses seeking larger office space requirements within the Square Mile. And with projects such as One New Change and British Land’s proposed 90 metre office tower on Ropemaker Place also past the planning stage, the area will undoubtedly receive yet another boost to its already growing reputation. But for those seeking more traditional premises commonly associated with The City, there are plenty of options still available to you – notably around Gresham Street and St Martin’s le Grand.

Bank and Liverpool StreetFamous throughout the world for being the home of the Bank of England, the roads around Liverpool Street and Bank are a magnet for financial institutions and insurance giants looking to portray the very best image to their clients and rivals. Demand for office space here is on the rise once more and rents will undoubtedly climb to reflect the prestige that comes with occupying such a renowned business address. The vast majority of property around the vicinity of the BoE is Grade II listed; providing occupiers with the history and reputations that many come to expect when seeking offices in The City. For those seeking for a more contemporary space requirement in the area however, skyscrapers such as the iconic 30 St Mary Axe (‘The Gherkin’) will more than cater for your desires. The network of passageways and alleys that burrow their way around the area house many historic pubs and bars ensuring you will always have a venue on your doorstep to entertain clients.

Once you have chosen the area that best suits your business needs, the proactive search for office space in the Square Mile begins.

Abbey Business Centres operate two business centres in the City of London that offer a range of serviced office suites that would be ideal for the smallest start up right through to the largest blue chip brand.