Financial spring clean

Financial spring clean

As the new financial tax year begins, many are turning their attention to their finances and how they might be able to give them a spring clean and save themselves some money.

With many finding, during the pandemic, that they’re looking to move out and potentially splash out on a bigger house or apartment, now could be the time to find the proverbial change down your sofa to help you afford that extra space.

Rental property is going quickly at the moment, with many having the same idea. Anybody that has had a browse on a property website recently will have seen just how quickly new rental property is being taken off the market due to demand.

That’s likely to accelerate as the government continues with its roadmap out of lockdown, with (hopefully) all measures being lifted before the end of June.

Here we’ve put together our top tips for you to give your finances a spring clean to be able to afford that extra space for the summer.

Check your direct debits

It’s estimated that Brits are wasting millions by not checking what’s leaving their accounts each month via direct debit.

Whether it’s an old gym membership that you may have cancelled, a phone insurance policy, or a bank account that you pay for which you’d forgotten about, it’s time to double check that everything leaving your account is accounted for.

Claim your tax relief for working at home

It’s been fairly well covered in the media and by the likes of savings guru Martin Lewis, however, there are many that still aren’t aware that they can claim a tax refund for working at home, due to the extra cost of electricity and other household bills.

You can either claim £6 per week for the previous tax year (potentially £312) or, alternatively, you can look to claim back exact expenses if you can demonstrate that they exceed that threshold and are down to you working from home.

To claim your refund simply go to the government website and fill out the online form, which takes about five minutes.

Check if you’re due a refund on your gas and electric

Most gas and electric companies will charge you a monthly direct debit based on your estimated usage. They’ll usually take your readings every three months to calculate this, however, if you haven’t given a reading for a while you may have been overpaying.

The amount you’re owed will depend, of course, on your usage, but we’ve seen examples of clients claiming upwards of £500 before, so it’s worth a check.

Further to this, it’s always worth having a shop around the market for a better deal if you’re out of contract and, if you’re savvy, you can also claim money back by signing up through a cashback site.

Better property for 2021

If you’re looking to join the thousands across the UK that are looking for bigger and better rental accommodation in 2021, then these tips may well help you go that extra mile.

If you’re looking then our advice is to get in touch with one of our estate agents as properties are going extremely quickly.

We’ve got our current properties listed on the website, but it’s always worth speaking to somebody so we know what you’re looking for and can get in touch with properties that may be coming on to the market in the future.

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