This July The Country House Company has accepted the challenge to radically reduce our plastic usage and take part in Plastic Free July. This week, under the encouragement of the newest and youngest member of The Country House Company team, we as an office took part in a Plastic Free lunch. Everyone was assigned the task of sourcing, making and creating different dishes to bring in with strict instructions that the food must not have been bought with plastic packaging around it. Shopping for our lunch was a sobering reality for us all as it was quickly realized that making lunch for nine people without plastic was a harder task then initially believed. However, the spread we achieved today demonstrates that it can be done! We had several quiches, salads, dips, fresh fruit and vegetables (some of which had been procured from a colleague’s garden) pasties and sausage rolls, cold ham, cheese, olives and bread. We all agreed that it was a healthy fresh lunch, far exceeding what we usually have for ourselves and it certainly beat the boring sandwich usually eaten at our desks. Also, we all gathered a further understanding and appreciation of how pressing the plastic issue is and how heavily embedded this material is in our lives. We also realized that going ‘plastic free’ can be achieved with a little time and planning.
This is just the first step in our ‘green initiative’ for July. Already we have orchestrated a product shift allowing our most prevalent contributors of plastic waste to be supplemented with green products that are made of vegetable-based materials and reusable durable alternatives. We will continue to change our habits towards plastic waste and make strides to implement environmentally conscious initiatives into our company. Apparently four of the biggest single-use plastic waste contributors are plastic bags, coffee cups, straws and water bottles which are now banned from the office!
Look out for more green initiatives as we introduce them and join us as we move towards a greener, cleaner future!
No ifs, no buts, no bags, no cups……………….
A couple of tips from our lunch
Take your own reusable container to the meat counter and cheese counter at the supermarket to avoid plastic wrapping, buy the bread from a baker or bakery counter wrapped in paper or in paper bag, more tips to follow.
Marishelle Gibson
As most will have gathered from the many news reports over the weekend, the Tenant Fees Act 2019 came into effect on June 1st. This means that landlords and agents are no longer able to charge tenants for a range of administration fees and that tenancy deposits have been capped at five weeks rent.
The legislation under this Act will apply to all tenants entering into Housing Act Tenancies; the most common being Assured Shorthold Tenancies, licences to occupy and many student lets.
The Tenant Fees Act 2019 will apply to new tenancies signed on or after 1st June 2019 and renewals of tenancies. As from 1st June in addition to rent, lettings agents and landlords can only charge tenants (or anyone acting on the tenant’s behalf) the following permitted payments:
- Holding deposits (a maximum of 1 week’s rent)
- Deposits (a maximum deposit of 5 weeks’ rent for annual rent below £50,000, or 6 weeks’ rent for annual rental of £50,000 and above)
- Payments to change a tenancy agreement eg. change of sharer (capped at £50 or, if higher, any reasonable costs)
- Payments associated with early termination of a tenancy (capped at the landlord’s loss or the agent’s reasonably incurred costs)
- Utilities, communication services (eg. telephone, broadband), TV licence and council tax
- Interest payments for the late payment of rent (up to 3% above Bank of England’s annual percentage rate)
- Reasonable costs for replacement of lost keys or other security devices
- Contractual damages in the event of the tenant’s default of a tenancy agreement and
- Any other permitted payments under the Tenant Fees Act 2019
The Act also states that agents and landlords don’t have to pay back any fees they have charged a tenant before 1st June 2019. So, if an agent or landlord requires a tenant to pay a fee linked to a contract that started before the ban came into force, such as check-out or renewal fees, they can continue charging those fees until 31st May 2020.
As with all legislation it is not straight forward so please do call or email The Country House Company if there is any aspect of this you wish to discuss.
A unique and versatile detached 4 bedroom home, situated in the heart of Hambledon with stunning outlooks, is offered for sale through The Country House Company.
Whilst in need of some updating and refurbishment, this intriguing home has some exceptional features the most significant being the views which are from the principle rooms, elevated gardens and terrace. In addition, there are large windows, high ceilings and parking on two levels each with separate access.
The accommodation, in our opinion, could be reconfigured but is currently arranged over two floors with the main entrance on the ground floor to the hallway which provides access to the kitchen, dining room, two bedrooms, a cloakroom and bathroom.
Leading on from the dining room is the family room. This room, and bedroom 1 on this level, has doors to the gardens.
On the first floor is a further hallway with access outside and to two further good-sized bedrooms, a large sitting room, cloakroom, internal study area and the terrace.
At street level there is a double garage and store with a further elevated parking area to the side of the house accessed from Back Lane and with a small additional area of lawn with summerhouse.
The gardens are orientated towards the view, with a terrace immediately adjacent to the house, and area of lawn with private patio area beyond plus store.
The house is situated within the popular village of Hambledon along a quiet lane within walking distance of the amenities of the village which include village store, school, church, pub and tea rooms.
The location within the National Parks ensures there are an abundance of bridleways and footpaths whilst the A3, M27 and M3 are all within easy access. Petersfield and Winchester provide direct train services to London, with extensive shopping facilities within approx. 10 mins drive.
Offered for sale through The Country House Company, Guide price £685,000. An Open Morning will be held on Saturday 1st June, 9.30 am to 12 noon, by appointment only. Please call Kate Porter on 02392 632275 for more details or to arrange a viewing, or see www.countryhousecompany.co.uk
This semi-detached cottage situated at the edge of the village of Hambledon is offered for sale through The Country House Company.
It has been sympathetically extended over time and provides spacious, well presented and appointed accommodation with lots of light and character throughout.
On the ground floor there is a dual aspect sitting room, a dining room with pretty fireplace and traditional feature range stove, an attractively fitted kitchen/breakfast room, plus garden room with vaulted ceiling. In addition, on the ground floor, there is an entrance vestibule, hall and cloakroom.
Three double bedrooms and a bathroom on the first floor complete the accommodation.
To the front and side of the property is a gravelled area for private parking whilst to the rear is the garden which is a particular feature and benefits from a southerly aspect. Offering a good degree of privacy and seclusion, the garden has been attractively landscaped and includes a paved sun terrace immediately adjacent to the house, a large area of lawn flanked by mature beds and a further seated area with pergola.
Hambledon is a sought-after address within the South Downs National Park and benefits from a thriving local community and amenities which include a village store, tea room, public house, school, church and village hall. The area is renowned as one of natural beauty with an abundance of local footpaths and bridleways whilst there are excellent infrastructures close at hand including the A3/M27/M3 which offer great accessibility to London and the coast.
Available for sale through The Country House Company, please call Kate Porter on 02392 632275 or see www.countryhousecompany.co.uk for further details.
Ideally positioned in the center of East Meon and overlooking the village green, this welcoming home is offered for sale through The Country House Company.
The property offers light, spacious and well appointed accommodation arranged over three floors with views to the South Downs.
On the ground floor there is an open plan sitting/dining room which creates a wonderful space for entertaining, a well fitted study, kitchen with Aga and a cloakroom.
On the first floor there are two double bedrooms with en-suite facilities and a utility room. There are two further good sized bedrooms on the second floor plus a family a family bathroom and additional fitted storage.
To the front of the property is a paved terrace and outside dining area enclosed by low wall with direct access to the village green. To the rear is a pretty walled garden which has been landscaped for ease of maintenance and benefits from a lovely sunny aspect. In addition, there is a pedestrian gate which takes you to the garage and private parking areas, with a further storage area to the side.
The house is situated at the front of The Green, at the south western edge of East Meon. It is within easy access of the village amenities which include a historic church, two pubs, a shop, village school, tennis court, cricket/recreation ground and sports clubs. There is an active community and plenty of local footpaths and the South Downs Way for those who enjoy walking, cycling or simply being outside in the country.
The popular market town of Petersfield with its extensive amenities is just over 5 miles away. It has a mainline station with services to London Waterloo (in approx. one hour) and access to the A3, providing good regional links to Guildford and the South Coast. There are private schooling choices with Bedales, Churcher’s College, Highfield and Ditcham Park schools all within range.
For further details or to arrange a viewing please see www.countryhousecompany or contact Kate Porter on 02392 632275.
Offered for sale through The Country House Company, this lovely home, whilst in need of some updating, offers a comfortable arrangement of accommodation over two floors, with many character features and good ceiling heights.
On the ground floor is a spacious dual aspect sitting room with fireplace and log burning stove, a dining room, fitted kitchen/breakfast room, shower room and study/bedroom 4.
On the first floor there are three bedrooms, two bathrooms and large storage/loft area.
Attached to the property is the carport, workshop, store and potting shed which could be integrated to provide additional living space, subject to any consents required.
There is private parking and a pretty, mature garden that is enclosed by wall and fence with raised lawn, mature shrub borders and feature pond.
The property fronts the lane but is accessed from the rear via Chidden Close.
The village of East Meon is a sought after address within the South Downs National Park and offers a thriving community. There is a village shop, school, public houses, active hall and church.
Guide price £550,000. For full details please call Kate Porter on 023 92 632275
An immaculate, detached property situated within approximately 1 acre of private mature gardens within the grounds of Leydene Park in the heart of the South Downs National Park, offered for sale through The Country House Company.
This elegant home provides beautifully presented, light and spacious accommodation arranged over two floors, totaling approximately 3,000 sq. ft.
Accessed via an impressive open hall, the principal reception rooms include a striking triple aspect drawing room with fireplace, log burning stove and doors to the garden, formal dining room, cosy family room (with fireplace and doors to the rear sun terrace) and a study with extensively fitted bespoke cabinets and units. In addition, on the ground floor there is a well fitted kitchen/breakfast room with Smeg and Bosch appliances, plus utility and cloakroom.
Five good sized bedrooms and three bathrooms are on the second floor which include the master and guest bedrooms both with en suite bathrooms. Many first floor rooms have views over the garden or valley beyond.
To the front of the house is a drive with ample parking and turning space. There is a detached double garage with electric doors and to the side a lightly wooded copse. The main grounds lie to the rear and include an attractive sun terrace immediately adjacent to the property and large manicured lawn interspersed with mature shrubs and trees with field gate from the side back to the private lane. The grounds offer a good degree of privacy and are approximately 1 acre overall.
Leydene Park is an exclusive private estate situated two miles south of East Meon village which has two pubs, a church, a village shop, hall and primary school. The park itself sits on a ridge of The South Downs with amazing views to the south west and consists of 31 houses which include the historic house itself. There are common areas of parkland to be enjoyed by the residents plus 3 tennis courts.
Guide price £1,300,000 For full details please call Kate Porter on 02392 632275
According to the Royal Mail UK Happiness Index, our lovely city of Winchester has just been awarded the happiest city in Britain.
Royal Mail used eight specific criteria to measure a resident’s projected happiness: reported personal well-being, life expectancy, earnings, inequality, carbon emissions, crime, deprivation and access to health services. These were then combined using an indexing methodology to come up with the results.
The postal company named the happiest place to live in each of the UK’s four countries. Winchester in England, East Renfrewshire in Scotland, Monmouthshire in Wales and Lisburn and Castlereagh in Northern Ireland.
We were thrilled when Winchester was ranked 11th place in the 2018 Telegraph Travel Awards in the list of Britain’s 20 best cities and are in no doubt that living in Winchester or the nearby South Downs, Meon Valley, Itchen Valley or South Coast can increase happiness levels.
To be fair the benefits of living in Winchester; low crime, lovely open surrounding countryside, good road and rail network, excellent schools, superb facilities…………the list goes on, could apply to many of the UK’s cities. But it is reassuring when a city in your region is recognized by a national poll.
Winchester is central to our area and we often have properties for sale or rent within the vicinity. So, if you feel you need your happiness levels increased then call us; the experts you can trust!
Marishelle
It is important that we keep our landlords aware of relevant changes in legislation, so please see below the most recent alert from ARLA Propertymark.
From 1 April 2019, changes to the Energy Efficiency (Private Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015 come into force.
This means from 1 April 2019 the ‘no cost to the landlord’ exemption will no longer be available and will no longer appear on the PRS Exemptions Register.
As a result, existing properties with the ‘no cost to the landlord’ exemption will be reduced so they do not appear on the PRS Exemptions Register after 31 March 2020 (instead of after five years). The Government has said that all affected landlords will be contacted directly at the start of April.
Under the new rules’ landlords will be expected to contribute up to £3,500 (inc. VAT) per property to make energy efficiency improvements to raise a property’s EPC rating to a minimum of an E.
If the cost to achieve an EPC E exceeds £3,500, landlords will be able to register a ‘high-cost’ exemption on the PRS Exemptions Register providing that they submit three separate quotes from different installers that evidences a higher cost.
The ‘consent exemption’ will also no longer be available where a sitting tenant has refused a Green Deal finance plan.
For further details on this or other legislation update please contact any member of the team at The Country House Company – The experts you can trust.