Have you ever had a late payment on your mortgage or any credit commitment? Have you been in a debt management plan, been discharged from bankruptcy, had defaults, Count Court Judgements (CCJ) or an Individual Voluntary Agreement (IVA)? A poor credit history does not mean you cannot get a mortgage. It is a misconception that you need to have perfect credit score as there are many mortgage lenders with...

The Employment of Estate Staff With good client communication at the heart of our property management operation, Watsons prides itself on offering an exceptional quality of service to residential, commercial and mixed-use facilities. We’ll look for cost savings wherever possible and will deal with the many administration, accounting and legal obligations involved in running your building to relieve...

Your 'At a Glance Guide' to Service Charges Owners of leasehold property living in residential blocks have to pay an annual service charge to their landlord to cover the cost of providing services and maintaining the common parts of the building they occupy. Lease terms set down the relevant services and how the costs are appointed, which will vary according to the size and complexity of the overall...

Selling or letting your property can be a complicated process and one of the most important transactions you make, so it is important you choose the right agent to help you. It makes sense to seek advice from a trusted professional who can offer you their expertise and independent advice. RICS agents act in your interest, are regulated and follow strict rules of conduct. They are required follow the...

If you are thinking about extending your lease, it can be a long and complicated process and you may need professional help and support to guide you through the process. Before I start, how much will it cost me? It depends on the value of the property, the number of years left on the lease, the annual ground rent, the value of improvements done to the property paid by the leaseholder and external factors...

Is the property leasehold or commonhold and do you understand what this means for you financially? How much are the annual service charges, the ground rent and the insurance and what do they include? It is important to know what you are signing up to. How long is left on the lease? Once a lease falls below 80 years, it will become more expensive to extend and you may even find that mortgage...

Storm Doris caused chaos across Norfolk and Suffolk last night, with the aftermath of debris very visible this morning. Our property managers remained on call throughout the night, and by 8pm we had our teams across 15 sites. Coordinating with contractors, we’ve been working with urgency to restore normality to all the homes and blocks we manage. With thousands of homes across East Anglia still...

Watsons, the established property firm operating across East Anglia, is pleased to announce the full list of exhibitors and speakers attending the first Watsons Home & Lifestyle Show, taking place at the Norwich Forum on March 3rd 2017 from 9am-4pm. Featuring a varied selection of expert seminars and over 20 of Norfolk’s most celebrated local businesses, the day will be packed with home...

As the housing crisis continues to make headlines, innovative new solutions are appearing about how to tackle the problem through an incentives-based approach. Under new proposals, pensioners will be incentivised to downsize their largely empty family homes to smaller options, such as flats and bungalows, to free up space for new families entering the housing market for the first time. These plans will...

Getting a homebuyer survey is a good way to avoid the stress and cost of making repairs further down the line. One in five homebuyers rely solely on a mortgage valuation report, so it’s no surprise that many are hit with repair bills once they move in.Choose a survey based on the condition of the property itself, not the cost of the survey. Money spent on a decent survey can save you a fortune in the...