Member Articles
Avoiding the pitfalls of letting
When deciding to let your property there are many things that need to considered and organised in order to avoid pitfalls at a later stage.
Firstly, is your property ready to rent? The better the condition and more easily maintained your property is, the better tenants you are are likely to attract. A minor make-over may pay dividends and a thorough clean of the property is essential.
Have you considered and set in place all the legal requirements? Gas safety certificates, EPC, smoke alarms, Tenancy Agreements, Section 21 and deposit protection.
Are your tenants who they say they are? Referencing and credit checking your tenants is essential to reduce the likelihood of problems later.
Do you have an inventory? Just before the tenants take residency an inventory should be done to note the condition of the property. This detailed document is invaluable at the end of tenancy should any dispute arise regarding the condition of your property.
Your tenants have been welcomed to their new home and all relevant paperwork has been signed. Things have settled down and the rent is coming in. You can continue to relax when you know you that the property is being well looked after and the tenants are happy. The way to ensure this is by carrying out periodic inspections. Ideally carried out quarterly, these visits assess the condition, any health and safety issues and maintenance needs of the property. They also identify signs of misuse sub-letting etc. One of the most common problems that can arise, especially in older houses, is the occurance of condensation and mould. If left unchecked it can build very quickly and be extremely difficult to erradicate. We use inspections as an opportunity to check for such issues and, where appropriate, give lifestyle advice to the tenants, often it is much easier if this is done by a third party to protect that delicate landlord /tenant relationship. Most importantly, documented periodic inspections provide evidence that you were aware of a problem and took appropriate action fullfilling your obligations.
Finally at the end of the tenancy a deposit release check should be carried out to highlight any difference in the property between the start and end of tenancy. It establishes, allowing for fair wear and tear, whether any of the deposit should be retained to compensate dilapidation caused by the tenants.
Letting a property to good tenants takes time, commitment and knowledge. If there are areas you are not enrtirely confident in seek help but do your homework when employing an agent, check how much of your rent they will want in exchange for their help. You will save pounds by paying only for the services that you require when, when you require them. Protect your precious profit.
For more information on letting contact Get Set Let
Phone: 07549 692976
email:
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www.getsetlet.com
Elevator Pitch
If you’d got into the lift on the 4th floor with Steve Jobs and couldn’t explain what you’d done for Apple before you reached the lobby you’d be fired, or so the story goes…
It’s unlikely you’d have a similar career changing conversation in a lift but there are many business success stories that began with a brief, chance meeting with an influential figure.
Imagine you and another passenger both get off the tube at the wrong station and strike up a conversation. He asks you “what is it that you do?” If you had half an hour you could eloquently describe your business but as soon as you see the next train is in one minute you’re totally stumped.
Instead wouldn’t it be nice to hear a brief, accurate and impressive description of your business and realise the words were coming out of your mouth!
So where do you start?
The quote often attributed to Mark Twain “I’d have written a shorter letter but I didn’t have the time” sums it up. A few well-chosen words require much more thought and effort, especially when your objective is to delight and intrigue the listener and invite them to find out more. An “Elevator Pitch” is exactly that, an opening gambit.
The secret is to know what you’d say in such situations and have a range of words and phrases that you feel so comfortable with you can unconsciously put them together making them sound fresh every time; but don’t imagine that those off the cuff remarks great speakers use haven’t been carefully thought through.
Whether it’s a chance meeting or a one minute description of your business at a networking event begin your preparation by deciding what you want the outcome to be and work back from there. In such a short space of time you can only hope to captivate the listener to the point that they’re eager to continue the conversation.
When delivering training I often ask participants for good and bad examples of the skill they’re learning. When I ask myself the same question near the top of my worst “pitch” list are people who sound like they’ve rehearsed their speech until it’s so polished it’s like a cheesy “ad” and it just doesn’t ring true. Of course I advise trainees to plan and rehearse what they’re going to say but to a point where they can be flexible and respond to the situation and the listener. It’s like the difference between watching a dancer who looks like they’ve practiced until they’re perfect but are somehow robotic or one who seems be completely natural and as one with the music.
So what are my tips for a great “elevator pitch”?
Do your research – what is it that clients find interesting and intriguing about what you do? Be fun and entertaining – an “elevator pitch” is the business equivalent of flirting so “catch their eye” and make them want to talk to you! Remember though that, as in all relationships, at some point you’ll have to be yourself so make sure what you say is really you.
Jo Cherry . Jo Cherry Training Ltd www.jocherrytraining.co.uk
01256 409005 · 07963 076 985 ·
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How is my Posture?
Having a good posture uses the least amount of effort from your body and places the least amount of stress on your ligaments and bones. It will place your bones and joints in the correct alignment so that the muscles will be used most efficiently which in turn results in less muscle fatigue, ligament strain and overuse problems. Maintaining good posture in everyday activities requires practice so that it becomes second nature. It may feel strange at first but once you have achieved a good posture you should notice a reduction your postural aches and pains.
Standing
The ideal standing posture is not actually standing straight like a soldier as this will increase the strain on your lower back. However, being too relaxed so that your chin is sticking forwards, your shoulders droop down and you are slouching forwards will also place extra work on your back muscles.
The ideal standing posture will be having your head comfortably over your trunk and not poking forwards, your feet should be shoulder-width apart, your chest up and your knees slightly bent so that your hips are not pushed forwards.
Sitting
Slouching when in a seated position is one of the most common causes of back ache. In the driving seat, it is important to be in a relaxed yet supported position for the back. Adjust the backrest of the seat so that your whole back is supported and move the seat to a position where you can reach the steering wheel without having to strain forwards and can have your elbows slightly bent. Some cars have a lumbar support built into the seat – this should be used to support the curve in your lower back.
If you do not have this feature, a small rolled up towel can be used to support the curve of the lower back. The knee should be at the same level or slightly higher than the hip and you should be able to reach and depress the pedals with your feet comfortably. The best knee angle is about 130°. To minimise whiplash injuries in case of accident, the top of the head rest should be level with the top of your head and no lower than eye level.
Lifting
Many back injuries occur from improper lifting techniques. This doesn't only include lifting objects that are too heavy but can also be caused by twisting your back when lifting, lifting objects that are too far away from the body and not using your leg muscles to help with the lift.
When lifting an object from the floor, position yourself close to the object with your feet apart and then bend your knees. Hold the object, tighten your stomach muscles and smoothly straighten your knees keeping your back straight as you lift up the object. Do not twist your back and do not lift the object with jerky movements. Hold the object close to your body with your arms bent. NEVER lift an object by bending at the waist with straight legs.
This article was submitted by Shirley Physiotherapy
www.shirleyphysioclinic.co.uk/
Tel: 023 8077 1596
Email:
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New Articles Wanted
If you have a useful and informative article that you feel would benefit other members of Southern Entrepreneurs that you would like to be consider for inclusion in this section and the monthly e-newsletter, SE News, then please send them, in Word format with images supplied as individual jpegs, to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Please note that the article must be of value to other members and not an advert.
Mastering Small Talk
Mastering small talk will help you find common ground to create a mini-bond with new contacts. Small talk may feel trite and unimportant, but it's the small talk that leads to the big talk.
Items to consider when designing a website!
We have found that more and more of our clients have been asking us about their website effectiveness. Due to increasing demand for content management, emphasis on the importance of blogging and e-mail marketing, as well as image makeovers, more and more companies are either giving their site a facelift or starting from scratch.