Professional, Traditional and Modern
Welcome to Help2Move Estate Agents

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few answers to the most frequently asked questions we at Help2move have encountered.

If you do not see an answer to any questions that you may have about property selling or letting then please do not hesitate to contact us.

Why is the Internet so important when marketing your property?

Marketing your property on the internet means that your property will have nationwide exposure 24/7. Research has shown that over 79% of home movers use the internet to search for a property.

Newspaper advertising only attracts buyers from the local area and yet a third of home movers are relocating from a different area.

What if potential buyers do not have regular access to the internet?

They can contact Help2move on our phone number that is advertised locally in the newspaper, in phone directories, in NAEA publications, on our sign boards and text boards.

Brochures will be posted out to buyers in the traditional way. Once they have made contact they can also receive property details via Text Messages.

What is an Internet Property Portal?

A property portal is a website which, like a newspaper homes’ supplement, advertises properties for sale or to rent. Help2move use some of the UK’s largest property portals including: Rightmove, Property Finder, Prime Location, FindaProperty, Fish4homes, Thinkproperty, Vebra and NAEA.

The larger property portals also link to other well-known websites such as Yahoo, MSN, Channel 4 and Sky.

This form of advertising guarantees that your property will be seen from wherever in the UK your buyer may live.

What is the National Association of Estate Agents? (NAEA)

The National Association of Estate Agents is the largest professional estate agency organisation in the UK representing nearly 10,000 members. The NAEA is committed to raising professional standards across all aspects of the property market for the benefit of member agents and ultimately the home moving public.

NAEA Members offer the following:

  • NAEA members have the knowledge and experience to achieve the best deal for you.
  • Professional integrity: all NAEA members operate to a professional Code of Practice and Rules of Conduct.
  • Providing Added Value through the NAEA network.

Moving home is too important to take risks so make sure you have the reassurance of working with a Professional Estate Agent.

Remember the most important question you can ask of your estate agent is:

Are you a member of the National Association of Estate Agents if not, why not?

What is the Ombudsman for Estate and Letting Agents? (OEA)

The Ombudsman for Estate and Letting Agents (OEA) Scheme provides an independent service for dealing with disputes between member agencies and customers who are buying, selling or letting residential property in the UK.

Why use an estate or letting agent who belongs to the OEA Scheme?

OEA scheme members agree to abide by the OEA Code of Practice. This sets out a framework within which members must operate and sets the standards of service they should provide.

The code is mandatory and rigorously enforced. Compliance levels and consumer satisfaction are closely monitored.

If things go wrong and you have a dispute with a member agency you can refer your complaint to the Ombudsman for resolution. The Ombudsman is completely independent of the member agencies and will provide a free, fair and speedy review of complaints falling within his terms of reference.

Member agencies agree to co-operate with the Ombudsman and to abide by any decisions that the Ombudsman comes to.

How to tell if your estate or letting agent is a member?

Although not mandatory, any estate or letting agency in the UK can apply to join the OEA scheme. Member agencies must meet certain criteria as laid down by the OEA Board.

To tell if your agent is a member, look for the OEA logo on the agent's window, websites, boards or stationery. If you are still not sure, you can contact the Ombudsman's Office who will tell you.

What is the Office of Fair Trading Approved Code Scheme? (OFT)

The Office of Fair Trading is responsible for making markets work well for consumers. They achieve this by promoting and protecting consumer interests throughout the UK, while ensuring that businesses are fair and competitive.

The OFT's activities in pursuit of this goal involve:

  • Enforcement of competition and consumer protection rules.
  • Market Studies into how markets are working.
  • Communication in order to explain and improve awareness andunderstanding.

Their job is to make sure that consumers have as much choice as possible across all the different sectors of the marketplace. When consumers have choice they have genuine and enduring power.

As an independent professional organisation the OFT plays a leading role in promoting and protecting consumer interests throughout the UK while ensuring that businesses are fair and competitive. The tools to carry out this work are the powers granted to the OFT under consumer and competition legislation.

How soon will my property appear on the internet after I have made an agreement with Help2move?

Typically all properties will be available on the internet within 72 hours.

How will potential buyers find my property?

Help2move's properties will be available on our easy to navigate website as well as being automatically featured on several of the UK's major property portals including Rightmove, Property Finder, Prime Location, FindaProperty, Fish4homes, Thinkproperty, Vebra and NAEA.

Help2move will also be advertised locally through newspaper adverts, phone directories and direct mail.

What is a Sole Agency Agreement and a Multiple Agency Agreement?

A sole agency agreement is when a seller of a property agrees to appoint only one estate agent to sell their home. The agreement usually has an expiry date, typically 8-12 weeks.

A multiple agency agreement is when the seller appoints as many estate agents as they wish to sell their property. The agent who sells the property gets the commission.

What are HIP's?

Since 14 December 2007 the Home Information Pack (HIP) has been introduced by the Government for every home put on the market. No matter what size, the home must have a Home Information Pack. The pack brings together valuable information at the start of the sale process, such as a sale statement, local searches and evidence of title, which could save you money, time and stress. The Pack also includes an Energy Performance Certificate which contains advice on how to cut CO2 emissions and fuel bills. The customer is responsible for paying for the HIP.

Who do I contact to organise my HIP?

Help2move will be responsible for organising your HIP. Help2move uses local and reliable energy assessors. Various payment options are available.

How do I apply for one of your rental properties?

If you have seen a rental property that you would like to apply for please contact us and we can email or post you an application form. You will need to return this completed form along with a holding fee. Once you have passed the reference and credit checks, you will be able to secure the property and a move-in date will be decided for you. Before you move into the property you will need to sign a tenancy agreement.

What is a tenancy agreement?

A tenancy agreement is a contract between you and your landlord. The tenancy agreement gives certain rights to both of you: for example, your right to occupy the accommodation and your landlord’s right to receive rent for letting the accommodation.

How much deposit will I need to pay and where will my deposit be held?

We normally require a deposit equivalent to one month’s rent. This can increase to two months if you wish to keep a pet at the property.

From 06 April 2007 all deposits received by letting agents and landlords from tenants for Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs) in England and Wales must be protected by a Government-authorised Tenancy Deposit Protection Scheme.

The legislation has come into force to help protect deposits paid by tenants and make sure that they are dealt with fairly and receive all or part of the deposit back where appropriate. All deductions from the security deposit must now be agreed by both the landlord (or letting agent) and the tenant.

Here at Help2move, once you have paid your security deposit at the start of your tenancy, this will be transferred to the Deposit Protection Service within 14 days of the start of the tenancy. It will be held here until the end of your tenancy. At the end of the tenancy, if both the landlord and tenant(s) agree how the deposit should be repaid, Help2move will notify the scheme administrator, who will pay out the money as agreed, plus any interest earned on their share. An independent Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) will resolve any disputes relating to returning deposits.

For further information about the scheme, please visit www.depositprotection.com

Will my rental property need an EPC?

From 1st October 2008, all rental properties with a new tenancy in England and Wales will be required to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).

Your prospective tenants will be able to see at a glance how energy efficient and environmentally friendly your properties are. If you have invested in energy saving measures your properties will perform well and will really stand out from the crowd. If not, you may find them harder to rent out in future.

Help2move will be delighted to arrange for our energy assessor to visit your property in order to carry out the EPC at your convenience.

What is a textboard?

Help2move are doing more to market your property by adding a textboard to your For Sale or To Let sign inviting prospective buyers or tenants to enquire about your property by text message. Your prospective buyer or tenant then sends a text to an allocated number and immediately receives a text message briefly outlining your property details and the price.

Now available LETS