In this two-minute read, we look at the ways technology could shape our homes after the lockdown and beyond.

Before the Coronavirus outbreak, there was a debate around whether technology was good or bad for society.

But thanks to online home-schooling helping our children, video conferencing allowing us to communicate with colleagues and Facetiming meaning we can stay in virtual touch with relatives the debate has waned. And technology has been embraced by more people than ever.

Below are five ways futurologists (people who look at future trends) are predicting our homes may change once the lockdown ends and the ‘new normal’ begins.

Even Faster broadband. More people will be shopping online than ever. Add that to streaming services and households will want and get faster internet services. 5G service is controversial with some people, but it’s expected to become mainstream quicker than any of its predecessors.

Hand driers. As people are now acutely aware of the importance of clean hands homes will begin to see more and more automated hand driers fitted, like the ones you see in hotels and restaurants. The convenience of the hand driers will replace the need for paper towels and the potentially unhygienic use of cloth towels.

Homeworking. As video conferencing replaces needless meetings, it’s predicted that a raft of new technology will make it even easier to work from home. The likes of Zoom, Microsoft, Facebook and Apple are all already investing in technologies to make the office place a thing of the past.

Delivery Pods. As online shopping booms, homes could have their own secure delivery pods as standard. The boxes could be unlocked with a phone by delivery drivers. So, you might never have another box dumped on the doorstep in the rain.

Smart Homes. As people become more technologically savvy, the rise of automated ‘smart homes’ will continue. Home automation systems will control lighting, climate, entertainment systems, and appliances. It may also include home security, such as access control and alarm systems.

We’re expecting the local property market to fizz back into life once the lockdown and social distancing measures end.

One thing is for sure, and that’s at AW Childs we will keep doing all we can to help our clients, colleagues and our community across the Barbican, Clerkenwell and Islington.

ENDS

What will people want from their homes in Clerkenwell, Islington and the Barbican after lockdown?

In this two-minute read, we look at some of the things home buyers looking in Clerkenwell, Islington and the Barbican  might want from their new properties once the lockdown is over.

Lockdowns are gradually being relaxed across many parts of Europe and the World.

These green shoots of life returning to normal give us all a little hope and optimism for the future.

And talking of the future, we’ve dusted off our crystal ball to look at how the property market in Clerkenwell, Islington and the Barbican  might change once this is all over.

It’s worth pointing out that no one knows for sure what will happen post lockdown.

But based on what we’re reading, the conversations we’re having with people and general trends in society, here are four ways people’s property buying ‘must-haves’ may change.

• Thousands of people across Clerkenwell, Islington and the Barbican  are now working from home. Many are realising it doesn’t affect their productivity but does cut down on travel time and transport costs. A spare room, outbuilding or study will be firmly on many buyers’ wish lists.
• Garden or outdoor space. During the lockdown, those lucky enough to have a garden have seen its value and importance. Many are even trying their hand at growing their own vegetables. We expect more people will look to buy homes with gardens or with access to outdoor areas.
• Less is more. Sociologists are predicting a rise in minimalism – the way of life which sees people strive for less material things and reduced financial burdens. Could this lead to smaller properties becoming increasingly popular? Less stuff means less space is needed to house it.
• Family and friends. We’ve all taken things for granted pre-Coronavirus. Visiting the pub or coffee shop, the school run or popping to the local shops. One of the things which have been made crystal clear for many people is the importance and value of being near your family and loved ones. This could lead to a rise in people moving home to be nearer to those most special in their lives.

How do you think people’s property desires will change? What have you loved or loathed about your home during this period of lockdown?

We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Whatever happens, at AW Childs we’ve been working hard to ensure we are ready for when the lockdown ends and the property market in Clerkenwell, Islington and the Barbican  flies back out of the blocks.

Thanks for reading and Stay Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives and keep loving Clerkenwell, Islington and the Barbican

In this two-minute round-up, we share some of the good news and positive things happening during life under lockdown across the Barbican Clerkenwell and Islington and the UK.

Welcome to another Feelgood Friday update from us a AW Childs.

And here are four fantastic pieces of news we’ve picked out from plenty of others which made us smile this week.

Humanity’s Best Friend – We all know dogs are great companions at times like this but check this out. According to a report from The Telegraph’s website, dogs are being trained to detect coronavirus in passengers arriving at UK airports.

It’s thought that a 0.5-second sniff could detect the virus in asymptomatic travellers. The group of canine champions includes three cocker spaniels, a Labrador, a Labradoodle, and a Labrador golden retriever.

Natural Wonders – It was World Earth Day on Wednesday, and we marked it with a round-up of some of the positive impacts the reduction in travel, production and consumption have had on the planet.

These include: Cleaner air and clearer water being reported from as far away as Venice to Venezuela. Animals are also enjoying more freedom thanks to less human activity with deer roaming in Japanese villages, killer whales being seen for the first time in a generation off the coast of Canada and our personal favourite, goats strolling around the Welsh town of Llandudno.

Lockdowns Loosened in Europe

The UK may be in lockdown for another three weeks but hope springs from across Europe. Austria has allowed small shops to reopen and there are plans to ease Germany’s lockdown, with some shops due to resume trade next week.

Denmark allowed schools to start back up and barbers and hairdressers reported a boom in trade as people got rid of their lockdown locks.

And finally, ….

As an industry, we’re proud to see our colleagues across estate agency doing their bit to help their local communities. We’ve seen incidents of agents paying for treats to be delivered to fire and ambulance stations.

And agencies offering shopping and prescription collections for vulnerable residents. Across the UK industry colleagues are also offering to talk to lonely people who are self-isolating and just need a natter over the phone.

It’s incredible to see the generosity, compassion, kindness, and care people are showing across the Barbican, Clerkenwell, Islington, the UK and indeed the World.

From all at AW Childs if there is anything, we can do to support members of our community in the Barbican, Clerkenwell and Islington, please get in touch.

Reasons to be Feeling Good in Barbican this Friday

In this two-minute round-up, we share some of the good news and positive things happening during life under lockdown across Barbican, Clerkenwell and the UK.

Welcome to our Feelgood Friday update from us at AW Childs.

And here are four pieces of news which made us smile this week.

• Salute the Captain. How could we not start with Captain Tom Moore? The 99-year-old war veteran has walked 100 laps of his garden to raise more than £17m for the NHS.

Captain Moore wanted to raise £1,000 for NHS Charities Together by completing 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday.

But he surged past his target after hundreds of thousands of people donated to his fundraising page.

As he finished the challenge, which has made him front-page news up and down the country, he said: “I feel fine, I hope you’re all feeling fine too.”

• Marvellous Miss Maisie. And in another act of support for our NHS superheroes, a ten-year-old girl from Manchester has raised money for the NHS by making rainbow keyrings. Maisie Appleton made the keyrings and started by putting them outside her family’s home. Her mum said: “People passing on their daily walk were welcome to take one and if possible, give a little donation to the Salford Royal Hospital’s official Just Giving page. But it ended up growing bigger than we thought and she has now made a total of 360 keyrings and raised over £250 with donations still coming in. A lot of nurses and NHS staff now have these keyrings after seeing them online, and some have gone to NHS staff at hospitals as far away as London.”
• It’s official – We’re getting more community-spirited. According to a report from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), more than half of adults surveyed in the UK say they feel an increased sense of community spirit and cohesion with their neighbours.

The report also stated that staying in touch with family and friends remotely was the most common way for people to try to cope (76.9%) with COVID-19 induced anxiety. So, remember to pick up the phone or send a message and let your loved ones know you are there and that you care.

• Sew kind. Volunteers across the UK are using their sewing skills to make urgently needed hospital uniforms for health workers fighting the Coronavirus outbreak.

Many frontline NHS staff are without the protective clothing they need to do their jobs safely.

And rising to the challenge thousands of amateurs across the UK have taken to their sewing machines and are making hospital overalls – known as scrubs.

More than 50 groups called Scrub Hubs have popped up across the country to provide more uniforms for our health care heroes.

It’s incredible to see the generosity, compassion, ingenuity, kindness and care that people are showing across the UK and in the Barbican, Clerkenwell and Farringdon.

From all at AW Childs if there is anything, we can do to support members of our community in the Barbican, Clerkenwell and Islington please get in touch.

ENDS

Making the most of your time in the Barbican during lockdown

How to make your spare time work for you during lockdown—a 2-minute read.

One of the positives people seem to be drawing from life under lockdown is the realisation that most of us have had more of our most valuable asset made available.

Time. Spare time.

But time is like any resource we have. We can use it wisely or unwisely.

Below are ten ideas you can try to make the most of the time we have right now.

• Organise your wardrobe once and for all. How many odd socks can one person own?
• Add some new life to old furniture by giving it a lick of paint.
• Clear out the food cupboard. It’s surprising how much out of date stuff we have lurking at the back of them.
• Read more. Since lockdown, there’s been a boom of virtual book clubs. Which we think is a double whammy of keeping the brain ticking over and being social at the same time.
• Treat yourself to a ‘night out’ indoors. Make your favourite pizza, watch one of the many online concerts now freely available from top musicians and then relax with a good movie.
• Relive your youth by listening to classic albums, old TV shows, and using social media to catch up with friends from your younger days.
• Of course, we understand if you have young children or are working from home, these ideas might prove a lot trickier to do. But it’s essential to take some time, even if it’s just 30 minutes a day, just for yourself. You deserve it.

And from a purely property point of view here are three more ideas you might want to consider to stop you clock watching.

• If you are thinking of selling after the lockdown ends make a list of those jobs that need doing before putting your home on the market, feel free to get in touch with us if you need advice on what puts buyers off.
• Wondering what mortgage or remortgage options you have available? It’s an excellent time to have a chat with a mortgage broker to see what’s out there now, and in the coming months.
• And finally, we’ve plenty of time on our hands here at AW Childs so if you’re curious about the value of your home and the best way to market it post-coronavirus we’d be happy to have a chat. We can conduct online valuations, meaning social distancing rules are always respected.

So, here’s to staying home, protecting the NHS, saving lives and making the most of our precious time.

From all of us at AW Childs.

Is now the time to do those ‘tomorrow’ jobs in your Barbican home?

In this two-minute read, we discover five jobs you can do around your home, which will stave off boredom, save you a few pounds and make you feel a little better.

We’re entering week three of the national lockdown. Or is it week 4?

Time seems to be passing differently at the moment it seems, don’t you think?

Talking of time, it’s the one thing many of us have plenty of right now.

So, this is the best chance you’ll have to get around to those jobs that have been on your to-do list for a while.

Below is a list of five jobs around your home that you can do simply and cost-effectively. Plus, when they’re done, they will add value to your home AND give you the satisfaction of knowing you used your ‘spare’ time productively.

• Get to grips with the garden if you have an outdoor space start simple. Use the spring weather to go out and give it a tidy up, do the weeding, re-potting and mowing.
• While wallpapering might be a little tricky for some of us, giving your rooms a lick of paint is in most people’s DIY capabilities. The impact a freshly painted room has can lift your mood too.
• It’s spring, so the perfect time to have a good clean up. Tackle the jobs you might usually swerve. Clean the fridge, under the beds, dust the wardrobes and spruce up your lightbulbs and lamps.
• Squeaky hinges and windows. It’s incredible what can be done with a can of WD40 or similar lubricant. How long has that door been driving you mad with its squeaking? This is the easiest job on the list but well worth doing.
• Less is more. We’ve talked about decluttering in a previous article. And it is regularly the number one tip an estate agent can give a homeowner when preparing their house for sale or let. You’ll feel better for doing it too.

If all this extra time spent in your home has got you thinking you want to move, get in touch with us.

While we can’t visit your property in person, there are several things we can do now to give you advice, ideas and insights, that will help you when things return to normal.

Thanks for reading and remember: Stay at Home, Protect the NHS and Save Lives.

A Feelgood Friday Update for People in the Barbican, Clerkenwell and Islington. 

In this 90 second read we share a quick round-up of some of the good news which is happening during life under lockdown.

Welcome to the second Feelgood Friday update from us at AW Childs.

And here are four reasons to be cheerful and optimistic that The Barbican, the UK and the planet, will pull through this testing period.

The Care Bears

Following on from the rainbow posters brightening windows across The Barbican, Clerkenwell, Islington and the UK we’re now seeing the rise of the ‘care bears.’ This lovely idea is for families to put teddy bears in their windows to brighten up the walks of people as they go by during their daily exercise.

Clap for Carers – An Encore

The UK turned out in force again yesterday evening to give another round of applause for the incredible staff of the NHS. Its popularity has grown since it began last Thursday, and it looks like being a weekly event which brings us together (practising social distancing of course) to celebrate those who are doing so much for our wellbeing and safety.

One to Watch

One of the most uplifting things we’ve seen on the internet this week is the American actor John Krasinski’s Some Good News updates. It’s funny, uplifting, moving and heart-warming. Well worth checking out on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5pgG1M_h_U

And Finally, …Who are your #localheroes?

Not all Superheroes wear capes. And that’s why we want to celebrate The Barbican, Clerkenwell and Islingtons #Localheroes. We would love to hear from you about those people who are making a difference to our community.

It could be NHS workers, volunteers, retail staff, good neighbours and anyone who you want recognised for bringing the feelgood factor to life in The Barbican, Clerkenwell and Islington.

And remember folks every day that passes brings us closer to this all ending and life returning to normal.

But for now: Stay at Home, Protect the NHS and Save Lives.

Thanks, and keep safe, positive and healthy.

Beware of the rise of Coronavirus scams in Barbican, Clerkenwell and Islington

In this two-minute read, we discover the despicable scams which have developed around the Coronavirus outbreak. And how we can take action to protect ourselves, our families and our communities.

The Coronavirus (Covid-19) has created a surge of people feeling anxious and fearful across the Barbican.

And low-life scammers are preying on these emotions to trick people out of hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The low-life scammers are using several methods to target people, including text messaging, social media, phishing emails, direct mail and even in person.

Below is a list of five scams we’ve been made aware of that have happened across the UK.

• Door knocking. In some rare cases, fraudsters claiming to be from a local health authority have been reported as knocking on people’s doors offering Covid-19 testing – for a fee.
• Free school meals. The Department of Education recently warned of a scam email asking parents of children eligible for free school meals to share their bank details so they can access free meals during school closures.
• Phone calls and emails from people claiming to be from HMRC and offering financial support if you part with your bank account details and other personal information.
• Fake fines. Text messages claiming to be from the Government which tell the recipient that they have been ‘caught’ going outside three times during a day. This scam links to a webpage where the fraudsters demand you pay a fake £35 fine – or in some cases even more.
• Online shopping scams. Due to the rocketing demand for hand sanitisers and face masks, fraudsters have set up fake websites offering these products. People who have ordered from these sites are left out of pocket as the goods never end up arriving.

The Advertising Standards Authority have published a useful article on how to avoid falling victim to a Coronavirus scam. The link to it is at the end of this article.

The website www.actionfraud.police.uk is also a useful source of information around how to reduce the risk of being scammed.

These shameless scammers prey on the elderly and vulnerable in particular, so please share this information with them. Perhaps even give them a call to make them aware of these frauds that are doing the rounds and to check on how they are doing in general.

From all of us at AW Childs thanks for reading and stay safe.

https://www.asa.org.uk/news/consumer-advice-avoiding-coronavirus-scams.html

Make your money go further in Islington with these expert tips

A 2-minute read. In this article, we share six tips from Mr Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis on how you can make the most of your financial resources during this period of uncertainty.

With all that’s happened during the past three weeks, you would be easily forgiven for losing sight of your personal and family finances.

But it’s one area of life where you can exercise some control.

Finance guru, Martin Lewis of Moneysavingexpert, has been a trusted voice for years, and his knowledge and expertise is being called on even more during the Coronavirus outbreak.

Here are six tips (plus one from us) he has shared with people in the Islington. For a full list see the link at the bottom of this article.

• Council Tax – Speak to your local authority if you are struggling to pay your council tax.
• Credit card debt – Act now to shift credit card debt to 0% interest while offers are still available in the financial markets.
• Sports on hold – Sky Sports customers can pause their subscription while sport is suspended.
• Returns – Many shops are extending their returns policies. If you’ve bought something and want to send it back, it’s worth checking with the retailer what its policy is.
• Low life scum – There’s no other way of describing those scammers who are targeting people during this time. Be particularly mindful of unsolicited text messages, calls or emails from your bank, HMRC, phone providers or anyone else asking for your bank details.
• Good advice – Sign up for Moneysavingexpert’s free money tips email. It’s always filled with ideas, offers and sound advice – which we could all benefit from now perhaps more than ever.

Support Local Businesses

And a final idea from us. We all still need to eat and buy essentials so wherever possible perhaps try to support independent local businesses in Islington.

Many are now offering delivery services and keeping these businesses alive during this time will benefit us all when this is all over, and life returns to normal.

Do you have any money-saving tips you’d like to share with our community? If so, please let us know or comment below.

Thanks, and remember: Stay at Home, Protect the NHS and Save Lives. We’re in this together, and we will get through it together.

Below is the link to more tips from Martin Lewis and his MSE team.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/latesttip/

Coronavirus information update for landlords in the Barbican, Clerkenwell and Islington.

The situation and advice available following the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak is continually changing.

At AW Childs we are doing all we can to keep landlords and tenants in Barbican, Clerkenwell and Islington as up to date as possible.

And we are here to help you and our community in any way we can.

Since our last update, the Prime Minister has effectively put large sections of society on lockdown to reduce the spread of the disease and support the NHS who are in the frontline of tackling Covid-19.

This has and will have a massive impact on the rental property industry.

But we’re doing all we can to stay on top of the emerging information and guidelines.

Government Help for Landlords and Tenants

The Government has announced a package of measures to protect renters and landlords affected by the outbreak.

A statement from the Housing Minister, Robert Jenrick, said: “This means no renter in either social or private accommodation will be forced out of their home during this challenging time.

“Emergency legislation is being brought forward so that landlords will not be able to start proceedings to evict tenants for at least three months. As a result of these measures, no renters in private or social accommodation needs to be concerned about the threat of eviction.

“Recognising the additional pressures, the virus may put on landlords, we have confirmed that the three-month mortgage payment holiday will be extended to landlords whose tenants are experiencing financial difficulties due to coronavirus.

“This will alleviate the pressure on landlords, who will be concerned about meeting mortgage payments themselves, and will mean no unnecessary stress is put on their tenants as a result.

“At the end of this period, landlords and tenants will be expected to work together to establish an affordable repayment plan, taking into account tenants’ circumstances.”

In addition to that information, we’ve compiled six links below to information you might find useful – simply copy and paste them into your internet browser. These links are accurate as of Wednesday 25 March– 7 am.

The Government’s rental announcement in full.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/complete-ban-on-evictions-and-additional-protection-for-renters

Gas Safety

https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/help-and-advice/covid-19-advice-and-guidance/

A Good Article on Legal Implications

https://blog.goodlord.co/legal-ramifications-for-lettings-of-coronavirus-qa-with-das-legal

Self-Employment & Universal Credit

https://www.gov.uk/self-employment-and-universal-credit

Employment & Support Allowance

https://www.gov.uk/employment-support-allowance

Emergency Funding

https://www.stepchange.org/debt-info/emergency-funding.aspx

Call Us

For up to the minute news, to ask us any questions, or to simply have a chat and air what’s on your mind, please call us on 020 3693 944 – we’re here to help.

We would also like to thank our landlords and tenants for their co-operation, understanding and for creating a sense of togetherness during this challenging period.

And finally, we salute the selfless staff of our NHS, our emergency services and retail workers who are keeping the country running.