News | LOFT

Modern life has made it harder for us to find those special moments to enjoy the outside. We always seem to be glued to a screen, even when we’re on a walk or a run. So, if we can’t take the time to appreciate nature, we need to find ways to appreciate interiors.

Operating as LOFT for over two decades, there’s not much we haven’t seen in the way of interior design and furniture. We were there for the rise of BTL, BTR and PBSA. We’ve been at the forefront of environmental changes in furniture, championing the “resident first” approach to the private rental sector and understanding the unique challenges landlords face.

When it comes to you and your residents, LOFT has always understood that our excellent customer service is what separates us from other companies. And we’re proud of that!
Truth is, we know landlords have a lot of options for furniture suppliers. But our commitment to working around you and your residents is one of the main reasons why landlords prefer to instruct us to fit out their properties.

The rental market in the UK is in the middle of a transformation that we haven’t seen for decades. Since the introduction of the 1988 Housing Act, Buy to Let (BTL) has been king in the UK. But everything changes over time, and the BTR sector is now hot on the heels of BTL.

There’s nothing more important than having a little space to yourself, a place where you can rest and relax peacefully. For many of us, that’s our homes. But what do residents do if the property they rent is a touch cosier than first thought?Well, the amount of space your residents have when they move into a property is a big deal. According to a survey of 2,000 private UK renters, 25% of men and 24% of women who said they were looking to buy were doing so because they wanted more space.

What’s your main aim as a buy to let developer? Selling units as early as possible is certainly a good goal to aim for. And knowing how to sell off plan property is the key to making this possible.
Investors love buying off plan because it means they secure a great property at the current market value. If the value is low because the unit is nothing more than bricks-and-mortar at that point, then the buyers should expect to make a very healthy return when the property is ready to go on the rental market.

Being a landlord is a lot like riding a rollercoaster. You’ll go through highs, lows and a lot of loop-de-loops. Having a void property is probably the lowest point on the track, and you want to get back to the top as soon as possible.
Void periods can be a nightmare to deal with. Every landlord will go through one at some point, but some will last longer than others and for different reasons.

There are a lot of big questions you have to find answers to when developing a BTR scheme. How do you ensure tenants will be happy in your development? What do you do to keep costs low without compromising on quality? Which tradesperson should you hire to complete a job to a high spec? There’s a lot of responsibility on your shoulders, but having a few dependable partners you can rely on makes things a whole lot easier.

If there’s one thing every business would like to see, it’s more profit. After all, there’s no such thing as having too much capital, is there? And of course, there are so many different ways companies can expand to open up new revenue streams.

All large-scale building projects come with a certain degree of risk. That said, you shouldn’t take an unnecessary risk and pin all your hopes on everything going exactly to plan.
Let’s say you’re about to go on the motorway. The light on your petrol gauge starts to flash. You don’t know how long it will be until you come across a service station, and you can’t remember if it’s an offence or not to drive on the motorway knowing you’re short on fuel. Would you chance it? Probably not.

Landlords have been debating the value of renting property furnished or unfurnished for years now. Many can see the benefits, while others can’t get past the initial costs.
There are many great reasons as to why you should consider renting your property fully furnished, though. Our own research tells us that landlords consider a furnished property as one of the biggest tenant expectations of 2021.