This author has yet to write their bio.Meanwhile lets just say that we are proud merlin contributed a whooping 31 entries.
For some rented homes, particularly the older and listed properties found across Oxford and the county’s towns and villages, reaching the required EPC rating isn’t always possible or affordable. That is where MEES exemptions come in. They are often misunderstood, and landlords who registered one a few years ago may not realise it has a […]
If you let a home in Oxfordshire, you will probably have heard that the energy efficiency rules for rented property are getting tougher. In January 2026 the government confirmed its plans, and with the heating season now under way it’s a good moment to look at where things stand, what has been decided, and what […]
Autumn is a busy stretch for many agents, with vendors keen to be on the market before Christmas. But the season brings one practical challenge that affects every listing: light. The clocks go back an hour at 2am on Sunday 25 October (GOV.UK). From then on, afternoons are short, skies are often flat and grey, […]
A parliamentary question about protecting landlords who invest before the final Home Energy Model metrics are known highlights why you should plan from verified evidence rather than predicted scores. The question, submitted on 28 August and due for answer on 2 September, asks how landlords will avoid being penalised if final metrics and band boundaries […]
Oxfordshire’s Warm Homes: Local Grant page now says demand is very high, so landlords with an eligible tenant should prepare the property evidence before colder weather arrives. The county council’s current scheme page says qualifying homes can receive fully funded energy-efficiency upgrades, delivered with Welcome the Warmth. It covers owner-occupied and privately rented homes, and […]
Property marketing is moving towards a more complete launch: strong visuals, accurate details and useful documents working together from day one. On 16 July 2026, Rightmove published estate agents’ reactions to the government’s proposed homebuying reforms. A central idea is the upfront sales pack, giving buyers important information before they make an offer. These are […]
New July 2026 grant guidance gives private landlords another reason to check their EPC position now, while there is still time to plan upgrades around tenancies and maintenance. The government’s updated Warm Homes: Local Grant delivery guidance now explicitly includes a landlord application journey and private rented sector coverage. In Oxfordshire, the live local scheme […]
Property portals are starting to answer buyers’ questions directly, which means the quality of your listing information and visual marketing matters more than ever. Rightmove announced on 9 July 2026 that its conversational search experience, Ask Rightmove, is being extended to individual property listings. Buyers and renters will be able to ask practical questions such […]
In 2007, England and Wales tried to fix the broken house-buying process. By 2010, the fix was scrapped. The Home Information Pack only lived for three years — and yet the case for what it tried to do is stronger today than it was then. The quiet revival happening in 2026 deserves more attention than […]
The government has just launched a new public tool that lists every registered MEES exemption and every civil penalty issued against a private rented property in England and Wales. Anyone — tenants, neighbours, prospective buyers, local authorities — can now search by postcode and see what compliance status a rental property holds. For Oxfordshire landlords, […]