Housing

Accommodation

In this section you will find the following information:

• How to find accommodation
• Tenancy agreement
• Deposit 
• Council Tax 
• Television Licence 
• Useful contacts
• Useful terminology
• Changing address
• Mortgage
• Steps of purchasing property

How to find accommodation

• Look in the local newspaper (e.g. Lincolnshire Echo has a Friday
  supplement featuring properties)
• Advert cards placed in houses or shop windows or at supermarkets
• Seeking advice from friends or people from your community.
• Rent through the estate agency. Usually you asked to provide references, work contract, there is restriction for pets and children, you required to pay high deposit and there is no allowed sharers. Deposit amount usually equivalent to the tent on one and half months rent. If you are renting through the agent you should take into account monthly cost: water, electricity, gas bills, telephone, council tax.

Tenancy agreement
Renting a house/flat usually involves a tenancy agreement. It sets out the rights and responsibilities of both tenant and landlord.
Gives the security that as long as you do not break the terms of the
tenancy agreement you may live in the property. It should contain details such as:
– the length of the agreement
– the rent payable
– the things which are and aren’t allowed in the property e.g. pets.

Sometimes when signing a tenancy agreement you might need to provide documents such as:
– References
– Proof of employment 

Private landlords
The rent is usually set according to the local market price and can be changed dependant on the type of the tenancy
If there is not written agreement, the tenant with short hold tenancy can ask for a written statement on the following main terms:
– the date the tenancy began
– the amount of rent payable and the dates on which it is due
– any rent review arrangements
– the length of any fixed term
If you have any problems with your landlord, seek help at your local
Council.

Deposit
A deposit usually needs to be provided as a cover for any damage in the property or any unpaid rent.
Always check the details of the contract regarding the deposit and what it will cover but also how it will be returned.
Make sure you agree with all the details, terms and conditions before signing the tenancy agreement.
If you have any problems getting your deposit back, there is a Tenancy Protection Deposit scheme. For more information go to the link below: www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/Buying
AndSellingYourHome/RentingAHome

Gas and Electricity
When you move into a property you should contact the gas and electricity suppliers with the current meter reading so you are not billed for what was used before you arrived.

For more information about housing and bills in different languages please click on the link below: http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/section.asp?sectiontype=listmixed&catid=16251

Council Tax
Council tax is paid by all households in the UK. This is a tax paid to your local council. If you are on welfare benefits or a low income, you may be entitled to council tax benefit which will reduce the amount of council tax you have to pay. If you are living in accommodation provided by your agent or employer, and you are not staying permanently in the UK, it is unlikely you will have to pay the tax yourself. Your local district or borough council will be able to tell you whether you have to pay or not.

Television Licence
If you have a television, you must have a television licence. You can get a TV licence application from your local pay point outlet or apply online at www.tvlicensing.co.uk a TV licence costs £135.00 a year unless you are over 75 when it becomes free.

Useful contacts:

Water
Anglian Water 0845 7145145
Electricity and gas
British Gas - 08457 888 400
Powergen - 0800 363 363 / 0800 1950 202
Npower - 0845 6030404 / 0800 551555 / 0845 6750425
Council Tax
Boston Borough Council 01205 314200
East Lindsey District Council 01507 601111
Lincoln City Council 01522 881188
North Kesteven District Council 01529 414155 or 01522 699699
South Holland District Council 01775 761161
South Kesteven District Council 01476 406080
West Lindsey District Council 01427 676676

Useful terminology:

• Linked house – connected by a link
• Semi-detached - A house joined to another to form one building.
• Detached - Standing apart from others; separate: a house with a detached garage
• Bedsitting room - a furnished sitting room with sleeping accommodations
• apartment, flat - a suite of rooms usually on one floor of an apartment house
• Studio- A small apartment usually consisting of one main living space, a small kitchen, and a bathroom
• Terrace- a row of houses built in a similar style and having common dividing walls

Social Rented housing -Is rented property where the dwellings are owned by a Registered Social Landlord (RSL).

Shared ownership properties- A percentage (25%, 50%, or 75%) of the property is in the ownership of an RSL, with the shared owner paying an affordable rent on the remainder. The individual is able to staircase up to buy out the RSLs share of the property.

Changing address

Usually if you moving your house or changing address you missing some letters which comes by the old address. If you do not want to miss important iformation, you can order the service of re-adressing letters. This service might be asked for the duration from one month till two years, although there are some restrictions conering letters with note “Social security”.

How to order the service?
In post office ask for the form “redirection” and to provide your ID (document of identity): passport, driving licence or credit card.

If you change your address, you should inform the following institutions:

• Banks
• Inland Revenue (tax office)
• Mobile phone companies if you have phone on the contract.
• Employer 
• Doctors, dentists
• TV licence
• School, coledge, University, kindergarden;
• Gas, water, electricity providers
• Council regarding council tax;
• DVLA
• Insurance companies
• Library 
• Sport clubs

Mortgage

What documents do you need to get a morgage?

• ID (passport)
• document to prove your home address (bills)
• permission to live and work in the UK
• documents proving you are in the list of electors
• bank statement, credit cards
• description of the house you want to purchase;
• payslips

If you are buying a property together with your partner/ spouse- he/she has to provide the same documents

How long does it take? 6- 8 weeks in the ideal case.

How much does it cost?

• You will have to put deposits (3%-5% of the house price)
• Stamp duty (if house valued more than £175 000)
• Evaluation cost
• Payment for the solicitor
• Sometimes you are required to pay for the bank for the application for the morgage
• Sometimes you might be required to provide references (from employer, landlord and etc)

To find a house you would like to purche visit Estate agent or website:

www.findaproperty.com
www.rightmove.co.uk
www.spaldingtoday.co.uk
www.morrissandmennie.com
www.principalhomes.co.uk
www.longstaff.com
www.geoffreycollins.co.uk
www.apsales.co.uk
www.sequencehomes.co.uk
www.home-sale.co.uk
www.hixandson.co.uk
www.directions-property.co.uk
www.muntonandrussell.co.uk
www.regencypropertyservices.co.uk
www.ppm-lincs.co.uk

Debts

Do not forget to pay all your bills. If you will miss one payment you would be issued a remider, if you ignore it, you would be sent a final reminder. After that information is passed to the Debt Collection Agencies, where information is given to agencies who supplie credits. Information is stored for 6 years. So if you will be willing to get a mortgage in the future, it would be very difficult to get a mortgage.

Steps of purchasing property

1) Work out how much you can afford: This is a golden step of home hunting and not one to be ignored. It's vital you take a very close look at your finances to see what room you have for monthly expenses. Missing a repayment is a lot more serious than missing a rental payment – banks aren't known for "waiting till the end of the week" for their money. Look at exactly how much you have coming in each month and your outgoings. Living in your own property can be a lot more expensive than renting; you may be paying council tax and TV licence for the first time. If you have a variable rate mortgage your payments will be at the mercy of interest rate rises, so you will need to be able to pay extra with little notice if required. It's also highly recommended you keep some money aside each month for emergencies... if the boiler blows up in your property, it's your problem.

2) Get a deposit together: With the mortgage market the way it is at the moment, the bigger the deposit you can pull together, the better mortgage deal you will find. You are going to need at least five per cent of the purchase price; ideally more. Many first-time buyers borrow this from family and repay it when equity is released in a future house sale.

3) Get a mortgage agreed in principle: You won't be taken seriously as a buyer – especially a first-time buyer – without a mortgage offer. So get your sums worked out and approach lenders. Mortgage brokers will be able to look at products from more than one company, and online comparison sites will look at virtually everything available. You might find your bank is more likely to lend you money as they have an existing relationship with you.

4) Find a solicitor: To buy a house you need legal representation. This is called conveyancing, and you can either hire a solicitor, or a licensed conveyancer. They tend to be cheaper and focus entirely on property transactions.

5) Get hunting for a home: Done those steps? Then get yourself out there and look for your perfect home. The first place to look is property portals such as Property Today. Then register your interest with local estate agents. Be prepared to give them a brief on your budget and the kind of property you are looking for. Good agents will give you a reality check and free advice to find the right home. Local newspapers are also the perfect way to browse everything on the market right now.

6) ) Use your head not your heart: The first time you buy a home it's far too easy to make a purchasing decision based on emotions. Of course it's exciting finding what you think is the home of your dreams. But in 12 months time, will you still enjoy living with a motorway flyover out the front and an electricity pylon in your back garden? Worse – will you be able to resell the property in the future. As hard as it will seem, you need to strip emotions out of it and use your brain to assess properties. Compare each one to your lifestyle now and what you think you will be doing over the next few years.

7) Trust your friends and family's opinions: First-time buyers should never try to buy property on their own. It's not like renting where a mistake means six months in a flat you hate. This is bigger, much bigger, and you need to approach it with the help of people you trust, but who won't be living there. This is an ideal way to strip the emotion from the process.

8) Think long-term when you buy: Every time you buy property you must ask yourself: Could I live here for ten years? You might not be planning to, but circumstances change, and a major swing in the economy could plunge you into negative equity, where your home is worth less than the money you owe on it. Negative equity means you cannot afford to move house. By taking a long-term approach you are giving yourself more options in the future

9) Stay up-to-date with completion details: Once you've found "the one", put in an offer and with any luck, you will be a few steps away from moving in. The house will become yours on completion day – that's also the day you move house. It's highly advisable to demand regular updates from your solicitor so you can stay on top of what's happening. Regular information won't necessarily speed things up, but could take away the feeling that everything seems to have ground to a halt.

10) Get help to move in: And once it's all sorted, moving day will be here. Get some help to move into your first property. It's an exciting day that deserves to be celebrated. So get your friends round you, some champagne out of a packing box, and enjoy your first step on the property ladder.