Mark Krull

The nights are drawing in and the temperature is dropping and it’s time to switch the heating on. The last thing anyone wants is this most important of creature comforts breaking down and, with the ever more expensive Christmas day creeping closer, saving money on fuel bills is also very important – especially with energy prices creeping up year on year.

Mark Krull, eco-expert from Logic4training – which trains gas fitters, plumbers and electricians – gives his top tips for preventing heating disasters and keeping warm for less.

• Frozen pipes: We suffered a particularly cold winter last year with frozen condensate pipes (the black, white or grey pipe coming from the bottom of the boiler to the outside) a common complaint. Frozen pipes means the boiler will stop working completely.
• To stop this happening again, ideally, you should call a Gas Safe Registered Installer to help thaw the pipe, plus find a solution to the problem. If it’s an emergency and you can’t get anyone to help, use a hot water bottle or heat wrap (like the ones used to ease muscle pain) and hold round the pipe until thawed. Only attempt to thaw a pipe at ground level, which is easily accessible – don’t scale walls or climb on the roof! Once thawed the boiler must be reset.
• Prevention is better than cure; insulate your pipes with waterproof lagging
• Bleed radiators: If your radiators are cold at the top and hot at the bottom this means there’s an air lock and they need bleeding. Unscrew the ‘bleed screw’ at the top, using a radiator key and let the air out until water comes through. If you have a sealed system, make sure you replace air let out with water using the filling loop (this should have been shown to you when the boiler was installed.) If you’re a landlord, show your tenants how to do this when they move in. It will stop unnecessary maintenance calls.
  

  If it's this cold outside, don't let him into your home!

• If you keep having to bleed your radiators it probably means there’s a water leak, so you should call a trained installer to take a look.
• Service: Whether you’ve got a gas, oil or solid fuel boiler an annual service will ensure your heating systems is working to optimum efficiency, plus highlight any problems before they arise. Landlords, this is your responsibility. Tenants, make sure you ask for a CP12 Gas Safety Certificate when you move in.
• New gas safety rules: If you have a boiler where all, or part of, the flue cannot be seen then inspection hatches need to be fitted. You’ve got until January 2013 to sort this out. If you don’t, by law your boiler could be switched-off.
• Keep safe: Install a Carbon Monoxide tester to warn if there’s a leak. If you do have a leak call the National Gas Emergency Service immediately, on 0800 111 999.

Keep warm (and spend less):

• Understand your boiler: Learn how to use your boiler properly and save on your heating. If you’re a landlord (especially one with bills included in the rent) go through how the boiler works with your tenants and explain how to use the heating most efficiently. Don’t switch your heating off in the winter; keep it a low base temperature overnight. It costs more to heat up a freezing cold room.
• Do turn your thermostat down. Reducing the temperature by just one degree, will save eight per cent on your heating bill.
• Do make sure all radiators have thermostatic valves (TRV’s); then you can set the temperature in each room.

Draught proof:

• Stop your home leaking heat like a sieve; invest in some thick curtains, draught proof round doors and windows and cover the attic hatch with blankets. Make sure your radiators aren’t covered by furniture.

Insulate:

• Up to 35% of the heat in your home is lost through the walls, and up to 25% through your roof. Not all houses can have cavity wall insulation, but every roof should. According to the energy saving trust, insulating your loft could save £180 a year.
• The Governments ‘Green Deal’ is offering free insulation for some homes, paid back through utility bills. For more information visit the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s website: www.decc.gov.uk

Listen up landlords!

• 

  Keep safe - and keep warm this winter

  The days of letting out draughty, badly maintained properties are over. Landlords may have to pay fines of up to £5,000 if they rent properties without proper insulation and if tenants ask for energy efficiency improvements you won’t be able reasonably to refuse them. Local authorities will potentially have the power to insist landlords upgrade the worst-performing properties. Help is at hand when it comes to insulation – the Green Deal applies to landlords too.

• To help Landlords make their properties meet the proposed legislation, Logic4training is launching a Landlord Efficiency Awareness Course in 2011. For more information call: 0845 845 7222, or email enquiries@logic4training.co.uk.
• All landlords should present tenants with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) which details how a property performs in terms of energy efficiency (plus improvement suggestions).

Call in the experts

If you have any work relating to your gas heating, you must check that the installer you choose is Gas Safe Registered. They should present you with an ID card. If they don’t have this, then walk away – badly installed or maintained gas equipment could result in death. To find your nearest Gas Safe Registered installer, visit www.gassaferegister.co.uk.

For more information about Logic4training, visit: www.logic4training.co.uk.

Commented Louise Reynolds of Property Venture®, ”As the only country in the European Union not to go into recession, when all the others did, Poland represents a safe-haven economy, which is politically stable and has a buoyant property market. So much so, that even China is investing in the country, with the leading firm in printing cylinders, Shanxi Yuncheng Plate Making Group, building premises there”.

Low labour costs and proximity to important markets are making Central and Eastern Europe an attractive manufacturing destination and Poland is key to this. In the major cities, English is widely spoken and there is a highly skilled workforce in the main conurbations working in white-collar industries, like IT, Accountancy and Law. Likewise, the building industry is in demand as the country gears up for the UEFA 2012 Football Championships and is building stadia and improving the infrastructure.

Krakow Brewery conversion

Property prices have appreciated in stronger European countries like Poland, whose economic growth stands at 8.1%. Continued inward investment and international employers seeking to bring subsidiaries to Poland, recruiting more people in city centres and special economic zones, like Krakow and Łodz, creates rising demand for property. Property prices grew by over 8% in 2010 at a time when the UK was barely averaging 1% property price appreciation.

Poland is expecting GDP growth of over 3.5% in 2011. Property investors, seeking capital growth and promising rental prospects should think about Poland. Currently a city-centre development in Krakow offering pre-sale prices, offers yields of 8% and solid capital growth. Prices start at £64,000 for a 1-bed apartment.

“It is not your traditional second holiday home destination, but makes a great choice for an investment property. One of the main city centres such as Warsaw or Krakow, has a great deal to offer. Krakow, for example, is very popular as a city centre break, given all its historic connections.

“There is a complex property story within the European continent and within each country. So Europe is not an entirely low-growth property zone,” concludes Reynolds.

For more information contact Property Venture® at: http://www.property-venture.com

This affable Scottish lady has now become a convert and a firm adherent of the benefits of third glazing, a cheap yet highly effective solution to triple glazing that really is a perfect fit for the austere times in which we live and a perfect supplement to existing double glazed windows.

“It makes so much sense,” exclaimed Jean “and I can’t believe that more people don’t know about it, especially given the cost and the kind of winters we will now be facing on a regular basis.

Jean's brother Roger fitting Ecoease triple glazing to one of his sister's windows

“It’s cost £575 to ‘third glaze’ all of the windows in my house and you notice the difference so much, especially when you come downstairs in the morning. It’s warmer, more comfortable and I’m not turning up the heating quite as high despite the bitterly cold December we’ve just experienced.

“On top of that there’s virtually no noise from the busy road outside my house and no more howling cats! The condensation problems have gone too,” added Jean who found out about Ecoease secondary glazing from her brother Roger who lives nearby.

Roger took up the story: “I read about Ecoease in a national newspaper and did a bit of research. Their clear plastic panes seemed to be the most cost effective solution around, very flexible and easy to adapt to the windows in my house.

“When Jean complained about the cold I suggested she install third glazing on the inside of her existing double glazing. That was a few months ago and neither of us have looked back since.

“At a time when we are all trying to watch the pennies yet seeing fuel bills rise everywhere this is an easy system that you can install in minutes and I bet I’ll have saved the outlay on my gas and electricity bills within a year.” added Roger.

Jean chipped in: “Another big advantage is they can be removed! When we finally get some warm weather I can take them down easily and store them somewhere safe but they’ll be up for a few months yet if the weather forecasters are to be believed.”

Cheap option

Ecoease secondary (or third!) glazing is manufactured from high impact, fire retardant PET, and costs around £50 per square metre. It’s easily attached using a magnetic strip and delivers a U-value of 2.7, which is better than most double glazing systems.

John Feely, Ecoease Director, explained: “We lose up to 30% of our heat through windows so another layer of insulation, be that secondary or third glazing, can really bring down energy bills by an equivalent amount.

“It’s a great fit for owners of listed properties who are unable to install double glazing and an easy and unashamedly cheap option for people like Roger and Jean. They’d be paying between ten and twelve times as much to install a triple glazing system,” added John.

A third level of glazing on the inside of existing double glazing is now being actively encouraged by government initiatives such as the Code for Sustainable Homes and makes perfect sense as our climate seemingly veers towards colder winters.

With annoying moggies and cold rooms a thing of the past, it seems you’ll find few stronger enthusiasts for this incredibly simple system than Jean and Roger!

For more details visit www.ecoease.co.uk. For Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland please visit www.easiglaze.com

Stewart Andersen

Independent property and travel site www.homesandtravel.co.uk is celebrating its second year with an expansion into audio and video content alongside its existing broad range of expert articles and advice.

2010 saw many changes in both domestic and overseas property markets, as well as in the travel industry. 2011 promises to be equally exciting, with many opportunities for both the traveller and the property buyer. To find out more, listen to our  New Year’s message.

Everyone at Homes & Travel wishes you all the best for the coming 12 months.

Stewart Andersen, Editor

PGA Catalunya, near Girona on Spain’s Costa Brava

In a week when the British government has confirmed that by 2015 up to 100,000 Green Deal workers could be employed in the effort to upgrade Britain’s homes, the Sustain Worldwide Luxury Collection has been launched with a bespoke online campaign at www.telegraph.co.uk.

The initiative provides the public with a reputable outlet for them to discover more about sustainable luxury homes, resorts and communities, places where they might wish to buy a permanent home, a holiday retreat or an investment property.

Premium buyers

The Sustain Worldwide Luxury Collection introduces an exclusive selection of the world’s leading sustainable properties. These beautifully designed homes are amongst the finest to be found in today’s property market, set in outstanding locations, including Spain, France, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Morocco, Kenya, and the UK… and without costing the premium buyers might expect for such high quality real estate.

Anwar Harland-Khan, CEO of Sustain Worldwide, an invitation-only membership organisation whose member developers’ properties comprise The Sustain Worldwide Luxury Collection, said: “Sustainable properties are all about better living. They are built with care and attention to detail, which means the construction and finish quality tend to be far superior to conventional houses, and consequently rental yield and capital appreciation are higher. Ultimately, sustainable design and build represents the future of global property.”

Professional members

L’Amandier, a boutique resort in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains

Sustain Worldwide’s members include developers AlmaVerde Village & Spa, Dolphin Capital Partners, Elements Club, MGM, MHK International, Medina Palms, PGA Catalunya, Pafilia, Qualta Resorts and Six Senses Resorts & Spas. Its professional members comprise landscape architects RSA, architects RHE and brand and marketing agency Proven Thought, following the organisation’s launch on 6 September 2010.

Harland-Khan said: “The weight behind Sustain Worldwide is considerable. The members’ properties have a combined real estate retail sales value in excess of £3.5 billion. Green jobs that will be created during the construction and throughout the operation of their resorts and communities equates to approximately 35,000 people – which adds to the 100,000 jobs the UK Government’s Green Deal promises. Additionally, the members’ properties, once built, will save more than 4,050 tonnes of CO2 annually.

The Sustain Worldwide Luxury Collection can be viewed at: http://telegraph.co.uk/sustainworldwide

For more information about Sustain Worldwide, visit www.SustainWorldwide.com

Lonely Planet recently announced their top 10 places to visit in 2011. Albania hit the number one spot!

Albania is Lonely Planet’s Number One. Lonely Planet enthused: “Since backpackers started coming to elusive Albania in the 1990s, tales have been told in ‘keep it to yourself’ whispers of azure beaches, good cuisine, heritage sites, nightlife, affordable adventures and the possibility of old-style unplanned journeys complete with open-armed locals… Albania won’t be off the beaten track for much longer.”

Over the past few years Albania and its people have worked hard to shake off their communist past. Members of the UN, WTO and since 2009, NATO, Albania, has become not only a European (EU accession is expected in 2014 and members of EU Schengen Visa-free zone expected to be confirmed during November 2010) but a global player.

Albania certainly has something for everyone. With 362km of stunning Adriatic and Ionian coastline and a rugged mountainous interior perfect for hiking and adventure sports, Albania is the perfect holiday destination. Direct flights from the UK to the capital Tirana operate daily by British Airways with a flight time of just 2.5 hours.

Emerging Balkan hotspot

With tourism arrivals reportedly up by 36% in the first half of 2009 (compared to the same period in 2008) and the Government expecting up to three million visitors by the end of 2010, it could be that the secret is already out. Holidaymakers and property investors alike are beginning to focus on this emerging Balkan hotspot.

Albanian resort developer, Ravin Maharajah, offers five reasons why property investors should consider Albania:

• EU accession is expected in 2014 – and with it will come the Euro which will undoubtedly mean property prices will rise.
• Global investments in infrastructure – massive overseas investment has meant that Albania is benefiting from a huge overhaul in transportation. Hundreds of kilometres of new roads and being built plus new ports, an overhaul of the rail network and expansion of the International airport of Tirana
• Location: Albania is the perfect stepping stone for travellers to explore central Europe. This used to be the exclusive right for intrepid backpackers – but not so anymore. With Montenegro, Croatia, Serbia and Kosovo to the North, Macedonia to the East and Greece lying to the South, the options are endless. Italy is 60 km west of Albania and a ferry service operates to Puglia
• Beautiful scenery: unexplored, untouched natural beauty – Albania has great diversity. A coastline which boasts 450 km of lagoons and wetlands and beaches and vast mountain ranges which offer anything from hiking and caving to skiing
• Cosmopolitan capital: Tirana is truly a cross between Western Europe and old Russia, with a sprinkling of the Middle East thrown in. It has triumphed over its recently troubled past to emerge as a jewel in Eastern Europe. Its population has nearly doubled in the last eight years and Tirana has reinvented itself to become an energetic, vibrant, cosmopolitan city, worthy of exploration

Lalzit Bay Resort and Spa is a frontline development that comprises one and two bedroom luxury apartments from only €50,400 and three and four bedroom villas from €234,000

With so much going for it, Albania should be a serious contender for savvy investors looking to branch away from mainstream Europe and have a taste of something new and exciting. As the Lonely Planet goes on to say: “Not just the preserve of the adventurous, Albania is a warm and hospitable country – with enough rough edges to keep it interesting.”

Ravin Maharajah, of Lalzit Bay Resort and Spa, an upscale frontline resort development just north of Durres, says: “100% capital growth has been seen in the last five years and Albania still offers some of the lowest prices for quality coastal property. Our Lalzit Bay development is just a 40 minute drive from Tirana and set in an area of outstanding beauty.”

Designed by the world famous international architects, Woods Bagot, owners will be able to enjoy direct beach access as well as a wealth of first-class, on-site amenities including an internationally branded hotel, luxury spa, swimming pool, sports facilities, restaurants, bars and shops. Mortgage finance is available and investors can also take advantage of a 6% rental guarantee for the first two years.

Lalzit Bay can be contacted on 0845 125 8600 or visit www.lalzitbay.com for more information

I had a longing for an omelette aux frites and a demi of beer

Statistics show that firstly, France tops the polls these days for Britons looking to move to Europe and secondly, most of them would say the reason they want to move is not just cost of living. Rather, they have found that the quality of life is infinitely preferable. Plus, if you are going to own a home in Europe or simply plan to spend time on holidays, how you get there on a regular basis can be important.

When my wife and I were planning a trip to southern France in September, we had two main alternatives. The first was to fly to Toulouse and hire a car or second, to use our own Citroen and take the Eurotunnel train from Folkestone to Calais and then drive south. We’d never used Eurotunnel and we decided to make the trip a comparison between the train and the plane.

We were going to visit English friends who have just bought, and are renovating, a house near Montcuq in the Quercy region of the Lot and then we were moving on to spend a few days further south with another English friend in her home in the Lauragais region of the Haute Garonne.

The Plane

Obviously security considerations are paramount and there’s no way to make the process easier or less complex for passengers. Most of us have travelled by plane and it’s a fact of life that these days just getting through an airport to your plane can be lengthy and tiring.

You have to show your passport/boarding card several times, you have to pass through security and you have to walk some distance to reach your boarding gate. In addition, you have to be careful of the space and weight restrictions.

The Train

Markets are an important part of French life

On this trip we were under no time pressure so I booked the tickets and we set off from south-west London onto the M25 motorway and arrived on the outskirts of Folkestone. Within minutes we were driving up to what looked like a peage (a toll gate).

Stopping the car at a computer screen, I saw the greeting: ‘Welcome Stewart Andersen’ and the registration details of our car. I was asked to confirm that the information was correct and this involved simply pressing a button on the monitor. A further window on the screen asked me, as we were early, if we’d like to catch a train that was due to leave 40 minutes before the one on which we had been due to travel.

Obviously the earlier time meant that we’d be on the road at the other end sooner so I pressed ‘Yes’ and out of the screen came a card ‘hanger’ which identified the train we were to take and we were asked to suspend it from the rear view mirror. In a very few minutes, we’d passed through both UK and French passport controls and we were in a queue waiting to board the train. Some 35 minutes later, after an incredibly quiet and smooth trip, we arrived in the Eurotunnel Terminal in France. In no time, we were on the autoroute driving across the vast flat landscape of northern Normandy.

Many people choose to take a very early train (2 or 3 a.m.) and whiz round Paris’ périphérique (ring road) before the morning rush hour. Instead, we’d chosen to travel west of the capital, drive as far south as possible, spend the night en route and then head for Montcuq the following day. This added some 200 kilometres on to the journey but I had a longing for an omelette aux frites and a demi of beer and this would involve stopping at a café.

The climate ensures a plentiful supply of sun ripened produce

Even though we stopped in Chartres for about an hour and a half, we were in Blois by about 5 p.m. My wife had called ahead and booked a room in a hotel in the centre of the town and dinner was in a nearby bistro with a pichet of red wine and delicious galettes, a very thin form of folded-over pancakes filled with cheese, ham and onion.

The next day

The hard part of the journey was over and leaving Blois by 9 a.m. (parking restrictions started at a civilised hour) meant we still had time to meander down ‘D’ roads for part of the way.

I should mention two things. We were warned by our friend in the Lauragais to try and avoid Rouen because of the traffic. Nevertheless, we were sucked into the centre and at that moment the traffic signs vanished totally (this is unusual for France where normally signs saying ‘Toutes Directions’ or ‘Autres Directions’ will handhold the uncertain driver through any town and village and safely out the other side).

Rouen caused definite moments of tension in the Andersen family, both on the way south and on the return. Doubtless the centre of Rouen is charming but at the risk of upsetting the Rouen City Fathers, I can only advise drivers to avoid the place at all costs. (In fact, on the way back we once again missed the signs and ended up driving 52 kilometres east towards Paris before we could get off the autoroute and returning the same distance back to Rouen. Fortunately, we spotted a sign to Calais pointing to a minor road that finally led to the autoroute).

The lifestyle in France is wonderful - it's small wonder that so many Britons want to move there

The other thing that has to be said is that while France and Britain both had a tough winter during 2009/2010 with low temperatures, snow and ice, the roads throughout the trip were uniformly smooth and pothole free. Why British motorists are forced to put up with repairs that last for about two days and then have terrible potholes that reappear is a complete mystery.

Drivers in France pay a one-off fee when they buy a car and after that, there’s no annual Road Tax. The government simply takes revenue from fuel that, by the way, is no more expensive than in the UK. We stopped at a Carrefour filling station that offered a discount and the cost of a tank of petrol came to about €40 whereas the same amount would have cost around £58 back in the UK.

By 4 p.m. we had checked in to a gîte at Preniac owned by Liz and Bill Moore, unpacked and were on our way to nearby Montcuq. Typically, our friends had wine open and waiting on a table in their garden. It was great to be able to relax, have a drink and look forward to exploring the village the next morning.

In Part 2, we spend time in Montcuq and then head to Nailloux, south of Toulouse

By Bill Blevins, Managing Director, Blevins Franks

France has one tax that Britons are generally not familiar with – wealth tax. It is an annual tax on the worldwide assets of French residents as at 1 January in any French tax year, although there are reductions available on how much you actually pay. When you first move to France from the UK, you will only be liable for wealth tax for five years on French assets, and not global assets.

Providing you have been non-resident in France for the five previous years of your arrival after 6 August 2008, you will enjoy freedom from wealth tax on your non-French assets effective from the 1 January in the year following the year of your arrival. If you arrive after 1 January in any year, because France ‘splits’ the tax year into period of residence and non-residence, as you were not resident on 1 January in that year, you will only be subject to French wealth tax on your French assets (if any) in the year you arrive.

Owning a home in France involves tax liabilities

The UK/France Double Tax Treaty also provides for a five year exemption from wealth tax on non-French assets after becoming resident there. It is only in the sixth year of residence when you are liable for wealth tax on worldwide assets. If you should leave France and become a non-French tax resident for a period of at least three years, and then return and take up tax residence again, then the five-year exemption will start once more.

The wealth of the household

Those who own a second home in France, and who will remain French non-resident, are liable to wealth tax on net assets in France, including the value of shares in a property owning company known as an SCI. However, loans to the individual (or the SCI) specifically attached to the French assets may be deductible against the asset value to reduce the wealth tax calculation.

Non-residents are liable to wealth tax on any property or any rights over property situated in France, whether held directly or indirectly and including shares or interests in unquoted companies whose seat of management is situated outside France and where more than 50% of the assets comprise property in France.

Wealth tax is known as ISF (Impot de Solidarité sur la Fortune). The tax is based on the wealth of the household, including spouse and infant children. There is a €150 deduction for each dependent child below the age of 18, or invalid person. Unmarried couples living together are treated as one household for wealth tax purposes.

The wealth tax rates for 2010 are:

85% wealth tax restriction

Your total wealth tax plus income tax, plus social charges cannot exceed 85% of your income (‘net revenues’) providing your net wealth is equal to or less than the upper limit of the third wealth tax band (i.e. €2,530,000 for 2010). It is not necessarily just taxable income though, and will include for this purpose many exempt or relieved items.

If your wealth exceeds the limit above (i.e. €2,530,000 for 2010), the reduction is limited to 50% of the full wealth tax subject to a minimum wealth tax being payable of the cumulative tax due at the upper limit of the third wealth tax band (€12,050 for 2010).

50% restriction with Bouclier Fiscal

For French residents, combined French income tax, wealth tax, social charges (CSG, CRDS and PS) and local property taxes connected to the main residence cannot exceed 50% of your total income for the previous year. This provision is known as the Bouclier Fiscal.

Where the relevant taxes exceed 50%, you will have to claim a refund of the excess taxes paid in respect of excess tax paid in the previous year. There is no maximum limit to the amount of refund that can be claimed.

For 2010, you would take into account:

- Income tax for 2008 paid in 2008 at the fixed rates and 2009 by reference to the 2009 tax return (for 2008 income taxed at the scale rates)

- Social charges on 2008 income

- 2008 capital gains tax

- 2009 wealth tax

- 2009 local taxes on the main home (taxe d’habitation and taxe foncières)

If they exceed the 50% limit, a refund will need to be claimed. The refund can be claimed from 1 January and before 31 December 2010. The 85% restriction still remains in force although in most cases this will be less advantageous than the 50% restriction. Nevertheless, where the 85% restriction applies, this is calculated on the individual’s tax return, so the taxpayer does not pay over the excess taxes over 85%.

Assets assessed and exemptions

The lifestyle in France is still attracting many British residents

Assets taken into account for wealth tax include real estate, vehicles, debts due to you, furniture (except antiques), horses, jewellery, shares, bonds, redemption value of any life assurance and endowments. Assets exempt from wealth tax cover those necessary to a business conducted by its owner or his spouse, pictures, tapestries, statues, sculptures, lithographs; antiques over 100 years.

Funds in a pension fund are usually exempt, as are annuities constituted in respect of an employment or business (subject to certain conditions) and portfolio investments such as bonds, cash deposits, and shareholdings of less than 10% in French companies held by non-residents.

The fair market value of an occupied main home can be reduced by 30% for wealth tax. The fair market value is the price the property could be expected to sell for on the open market as at 1 January of the year in question. A mortgage will reduce the assessable value for wealth tax purposes only if it is secured against the property.

Filing Returns

Wealth tax returns must be filed by 16 June for French residents, 15 July for residents of other EU countries (including Monaco) and 1 September for residents of countries outside the EU. Payment in full of the wealth tax must also be made by the due date.

There is a specialised life assurance structure available called an Assurance Vie which may reduce your wealth tax liability. It is advisable to speak with a tax and wealth management specialist who is experienced in UK and French tax systems, preferably before you move to France.

The tax treatment(s) detailed above is current at the time of writing although the tax treatment outlined may change in the future.

Contact details: To contact Blevins Franks for additional information go to www.blevinsfranks.com or call them on 0044 (0)20 7336 1116 or email taxadvisoryservices@blevinsfranks.com

Working out up to half the price of hotels and often less, there are over 10,000 budget rentals worldwide on www.HomeAway.co.uk, including modern apartments, spacious houses and even villas with pools. And it’s not just in Europe that you can save, as many Brits now own property further afield in long-haul destinations such as Africa, South America and Thailand.

For those without an A-list budget who still want to holiday in style, HomeAway Holiday-Rentals has put together a list of the top 10 best budget properties worldwide. These include a brand new apartment overlooking the Miraflores golf course on the Costa del Sol, a modern apartment on the Magic Dreams resort in Bulgaria, and a chic villa with pool and Jacuzzi in Thailand.

At under £10 per person per night these properties provide not only better value, but much more luxury than a ‘budget’ hotel. There is even a spacious house in London from just £29 per person per night. Prices quoted are per property unless otherwise specified and correct at time of going to press.

1. BULGARIA:

Modern, high standard apartment in resort of Sveti Vlas. Onebedroom, sleeps four. From £95 per week = £4 per person per night
Located in the newly developed resort of Magic Dreams by Dreamville, the resort contains two large pools, pool bar, restaurant, Spa and fitness centre, Internet café, supermarket and shops. www.homeaway.co.uk/p446668

2. ITALY:

Beautiful apartment in Umbria with private pool and breathtaking views. Two bedrooms, sleeps seven. From £310 per week = £6 per person per night
The apartment is located on the top of a hill in an ancient Umbrian town near Trevi. The 1,000-year old property, with a private pool and car park, was renovated in 2007 and is ideal as a base to the main monuments and the most famous towns of Umbria. You can also enjoy the swimming pool, mountain trekking, mountain biking and horse riding. 
www.homeaway.co.uk/p433402

3. COSTA DEL SOL:

Brand new apartment overlooking Miraflores Golf Course in Mijas Costa. Two bedrooms, sleeps four. From £195 per week = £7 per person per night. This is a brand new 2nd floor apartment located on a small privately owned complex. The complex has 24-hour security, secure underground parking, a large infinity pool set in beautiful Mediterranean gardens, a sauna and fully equipped gym. www.homeaway.co.uk/p66776

4. SLOVENIA:
 Quiet apartment in beautiful village with mountain views, Mojstrana. 
Two bedrooms, sleeps seven. From £260 per week/from £45 per night = £7 per person per night. The balconies on the two floors have uninterrupted views to the meadows and mountains. Also available are an Internet connection, a PlayStation and a selection of English books and games. www.homeaway.co.uk/p66766

5. THAILAND:
 Large villa with private pool and Jacuzzi minutes from beach. Four bedrooms, sleeps eight. From £400 per week/£72 per night = £9 per person per night. This is a spacious villa with private pool set in tropical gardens, in a secure development, a five minute drive to the beach and Pattaya centre. The property is furnished to a European standard. Pattaya is 147 kilometres southeast of Bangkok and faces the Thai Gulf. www.homeaway.co.uk/p85503

6. MEXICO: 
Colourful house with spectacular views in San Miguel de Allende. Four bedrooms, sleeps eight. £461 per week/£115 per night = £15 per person per night. Casa de Corazón is very private, set back from the street in a quiet location. It offers spectacular views, and is conveniently located a short walk from restaurants, grocery shopping and the centre of town. This home offers modern comfort and conveniences combined with old world charm and hand-made furnishings. www.homeaway.co.uk/p166011

7. PARIS: Charming one bedroom apartment near Bastille and Marais.
One bedroom, sleeps five. From £398 per week/£80 per night = £16 per person per night. Near the Place de la Bastille and Gare de Lyon and just a stroll from the beautiful Place des Vosges, the property is decorated to a high standard and the kitchen is fully equipped. www.homeaway.co.uk/p441773

8. ISTANBUL: Deluxe flat in the city centre. One bedroom, sleeps five. £571 per week/£96 per night = £19 per person per night. This one bedroom apartment comes equipped with a king size bed, a double sofa bed, an optional fold-out single bed, kitchenette and bathroom. This apartment offers comfortable contemporary living in an ideal setting. www.homeaway.co.uk/p255486

9. MARRAKECH: Recently restored fully staffed riad in Marrakech Medina. Three bedrooms, sleeps six. £900 per week/£130 per night = £22 per person per night. Away from the regular tourist trail and in an area full of charm, this is a lovely traditional two-floor riad. The ground floor comprises a sunny courtyard with plunge pool, fully equipped kitchen, salon with fireplace & DVD, dining room for six and one bedroom. The first floor features an office with music system and two bedrooms en-suite. There is also a large terrace with seating area under canopy and attractive roof garden. www.homeaway.co.uk/p67398

10. LONDON: Spacious house close to Wimbledon and within easy reach of main central attractions.
Two bedrooms, sleeps four. £750 per week/£115 per night = £29 per person per night
. This classic two bedroom house is located in a peaceful courtyard setting, providing bright luxury accommodation with well-proportioned rooms. The property features a large reception room, kitchen with space for dining and two spacious bedrooms. www.homeaway.co.uk/p435130

Four bedroom El Paso country cottages

In the past 10 weeks, the Cheltenham-based Almanzora Group has successfully sold brand new freehold properties at an average rate of more than three per week at Desert Springs, in the Almeria region of south-east Spain, and in two nearby locations – on the beach at Playa Marques and in the traditional Spanish fishing village of Villaricos.

“We adjusted prices to take account of currency exchange rates and the current market situation, and the result has been a steadily rising flow of enquires and sales,” reports the group’s sales and marketing manager, Simon Coaker. “Now we expect a further surge in sales following the news that Spain’s Banco de Andalucia has selected these developments as the flagships for the launch of its new mortgage offer. This could open the floodgates in terms of property sales in 2010.”

The Banco de Andalucía SA, which serves Andalusia’s eight provinces and operates more than 300 branches, is more than 80 per cent owned by one of Spain’s top and most conservative of banks, Banco Popular Español.

Available on holiday homes and investment properties ranging from apartments, townhouses and cottages to villas and country houses, the 100 per cent mortgages based on independent valuations undertaken by the bank are available to Spanish nationals and overseas purchasers alike.

100 per cent mortgages based on independent valuations are available on Las Sierras Apartments

“In some cases, the mortgage available is larger than the amount actually payable by the purchaser,” says Simon. “This is because, following last year’s price reductions, the current prices of a number of properties are actually lower than the bank valuations.”

Once in a lifetime opportunities

This is the catalyst which will accelerate demand to levels which make price rises inevitable sooner rather than later, predicts Simon, who has just unveiled a portfolio of selected properties offered at exclusive prices – some with as much as 55 per cent off the list price. He describes them as ‘once in a lifetime opportunities for would-be second-home owners.’

The new 100 per cent mortgages can be paid off over periods of up to 35 years at interest rates as low as 2.7 per cent. On this basis, repayments on the mortgage for a €178,000 two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment at Desert Springs would be only €400 per month. Repayments are even lower during the first two years when interest-only payments are required.

For investors who place their properties in the year-round rental pool at Desert Springs, the mortgage repayments will be offset by the income which can be achieved – typically €294 per week for a one-bedroom apartment based on two people sharing in the low season, rising to €462 in the high season. These figures are net rental income, after deduction of the charges made by the tour operators marketing properties for holidays.

“Investors will be reassured by the fact that, throughout 2009, our holiday rentals business at Desert Springs held up well with more than 48 per cent occupancy in that type of apartment,” reports Simon. “This reflects the awareness and popularity of the resort for golf breaks and family holidays, backed by a high level of recommendations to friends by property owners and guests, many of whom return year after year.

The popularity of holidays at Desert Springs – which has increased this year with the addition of the resort to the destinations offered and booked by James Villa Holidays, the UK’s leading villa holiday specialist – has prompted expansion of the number of properties in the resort’s rental pool for 2010, in order to keep pace with demand.

In addition to the 18-hole championship golf course at Desert Springs, other facilities which make it a popular choice for holidays and short breaks include its award-winning El Torrente restaurant and the Croc Restaurant – part of the family-friendly Crocodile Club – as well as the 18-hole championship golf course, day spa, sports club, tennis and paddle courts.

Added Simon: “We are now at the very bottom of the cycle. Properties discounted to 55 per cent of previous values are priced more or less at the basic cost of their construction alone, excluding land and finance, so these levels will not fall further. We are seeing the start of the next stage of the process we predicted back in 2008. We said then that ‘the Spanish wheel will finally turn’ with the overall property market.”

“Over the years, the property market in Spain – especially the ‘investment’ market – has proved to be extremely cyclical. It is inevitable that, with the ready availability of 100 per cent mortgages, demand will soon start pushing prices up again, so clearly now is the time to buy.”

For more information, call The Almanzora Group on: 01242 680116 or visit the website, www.almanzora.com