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Fish Need Water

London Property Experts

Before starting FishNeedWater, James’s most significant encounter with estate agency was standing in an agent’s office ripping up their contract into tiny pieces. In his decade-long career as a financial adviser and mortgage broker, he’d heard plenty of clients venting about agents, but after experiencing their ‘service’ first-hand he became convinced he could do it better. So he started looking f

or a co-founder, and discovered a kindred spirit in Anthony – an IT expert, and a keen landlord who’d had nothing but poor experiences too. Anthony became ARLA qualified, the pair intensively learnt everything they didn’t yet know about the business, and in 2010 FishNeedWater was born.

30/09/2025

KEEPING YOUR BUYER KEEN
Boredom, uncertainty, impatience, annoyance… of all the reasons for a sale to fall through, these are the most frustrating and perplexing, but also among the easiest to avoid.

A brisk and transparent pace keeps buyers engaged, confident, and less likely to question their decision or look elsewhere, so use these tips to maintain momentum.

- Instruct a solicitor as soon as you put your home on the market and ask them for the Property Information Forms. Upon receipt, complete and return them immediately.

- If your buyer’s solicitor raises any additional questions, which is quite normal, answer them as soon and as comprehensively as you can to keep the wheels turning.

- Keep in touch regularly with your estate agent and solicitor, even if it's just to say "no news yet." Your agent should mirror this with your buyer and update you on all discussions.
Before choosing an estate agent, ask them how they maintain contact throughout a sale. If their answer isn’t at least “a minimum of once a week, even if nothing's changed”, you can probably do better.

Is your move set up for success? Let’s talk!

☎️ 020 8690 7766
📮 [email protected]
Read more on our Blog : https://www.fishneedwater.com/blog/avoiding-fall-throughs-keep-your-sale-alive-and-on-track

29/09/2025

MAKING CHAINS WORK
Nobody dreams of getting involved in a chain, but given that around 75% of transactions involve one, they're firmly entrenched in moving up and down the property ladder.

Nonetheless, as the number of homes in a chain increases, so does the potential for a sale to fall through, so it's essential to follow a process to manage all the links effectively.
- Get a clear picture of everyone in the chain, from the first-time buyer at the bottom to the downsizer at the top, which often means talking to every estate agent involved.

- Talk with your agent regularly to check they're keeping in touch with all parties in the chain. Transparency about progress and any hurdles helps to manage expectations and build trust.

- If hiccups occur anywhere in the chain, try to be flexible and understanding where possible: this can encourage others to stay calm and committed, rather than look for an exit.
While you can't control every link in the chain, you and your agent can be a positive influence on how it runs, significantly reducing stress levels and improving your chances of a successful completion.

Is your move set up for success? Let’s talk!

☎️ 020 8690 7766
📮 [email protected]
Read more on our Blog : https://www.fishneedwater.com/blog/avoiding-fall-throughs-keep-your-sale-alive-and-on-track

28/09/2025

VETTING OFFERS PROPERLY
Getting an offer on your home is exciting! However, every buyer and bid—whether you have one or many—needs to be thoroughly checked for credibility, paying particular attention to:

- Ensuring your timescale matches that of the offer(s) coming in, so you don’t end up weeks or months into a sale, only to discover that your buyer can’t move when you need to.

- Proof of funds for cash offers or deposits; a mortgage agreement in principle from a lender; and confirmation that all the money is readily available and not subject to selling other assets.

- Checking out the chain if your buyer is selling a property, so ensure that every link is strong and stable. You’ll find much more on that later in the blog.

The best estate agents will speak to financial advisors, request bank statements, or ask for solicitors’ letters to check out funds, and get buyers to confirm in writing that no hidden obstacles or delays exist.

Is your move set up for success? Let’s talk!

☎️ 020 8690 7766
📮 [email protected]
Read more on our Blog : https://www.fishneedwater.com/blog/avoiding-fall-throughs-keep-your-sale-alive-and-on-track

27/09/2025

SUPPLYING MATERIAL INFORMATION
Most sellers we meet are unaware of the new Trading Standards regulations covering what needs to be declared when a home goes on the market. Here’s an overview of the required information:
- Provide key information like your home’s tenure (freehold/leasehold), council tax band, construction type, and any restrictive covenants or known issues from day one.

- Share full details of connected utilities like electricity, gas, water and drainage, along with broadband availability, and mobile signal coverage.

- For leasehold properties, state the ground rent, service charge, and lease length readily available, as these are critical details for mortgage lenders and buyers.
Supplying all this information upfront reduces the risk of a buyer U-turning after a sale is agreed, and you can delve deeper into the subject with our Changes to Selling Homes blog.
Is your move set up for success? Let’s talk!

☎️ 020 8690 7766
📮 [email protected]
Read more on our Blog : https://www.fishneedwater.com/blog/avoiding-fall-throughs-keep-your-sale-alive-and-on-track

estateagent

26/09/2025

WHY SALES FALL THROUGH
With sales often taking months to complete, and either party able to withdraw without penalty before exchanging contracts, you'd think the system was designed for sales to collapse.

However, most buyers don’t simply walk away from their dream home on a whim. There's usually more to it, and these are the reasons why most sales fall through, along with some ways around them.

- Negative survey: Many can be pre-empted by addressing any outstanding repairs and presenting your home in tip-top condition, ensuring a swift surveyor sign-off.

- Legal issues: Search result surprises, odd rights of way or strange clauses in old leases can cause delays. Most are resolvable with time and patience, so keep calm, keep talking, and carry on.

- Mortgage problems: It’s surprising just how many buyers fail a mortgage lending test, despite their confidence in their own position. Ask to see their agreement in principle.

- Conveyancing delays: Only use a solicitor who works in a modern way with email AND telephone, tell them your timescale upfront, and answer their questions promptly.

- Chain breakdowns: Sometimes it's pure bad luck, but it can also be down to hastily arranged sales without proper vetting. Ensure your agent checks every link before accepting an offer.

In our experience, the strongest factors that hold a sale together are the initial setup and the way everyone is kept informed. These are non-negotiable, no matter what challenges a sale may face.

Is your move set up for success? Let’s talk!

☎️ 020 8690 7766
📮 [email protected]
Read more on our Blog : https://www.fishneedwater.com/blog/avoiding-fall-throughs-keep-your-sale-alive-and-on-track

estateagent

25/09/2025

Did you know that around 30% of home sales in the UK fall through? It’s one of the worst rates in the world and causes a lot of heartache.

Having plumped your cushions and tidied every day to prepare for viewings and find a buyer, watching your sale collapse can be a real blow, leaving you upset, out of pocket, and unsure of the future.

Here’s where having a great estate agent on your side can make all the difference, so join us for a peek at our process for agreeing sales correctly and managing them all the way through to completion.

We're going to cover:

- Why sales fall through

- Supplying material information

- Vetting offers properly

- Making chains work

- Keeping your buyer keen

It’s all about laying strong foundations, minimising risks and maximising your chances of a smooth and successful sale. And with that in mind, your guide to avoiding fall-throughs starts right here.

Is your move set up for success? Let’s talk!

☎️ 020 8690 7766
📮 [email protected]
Read more on our Blog : https://www.fishneedwater.com/blog/avoiding-fall-throughs-keep-your-sale-alive-and-on-track

estateagent

24/09/2025

VALUING YOUR TIME
Are you a landlord or a property manager? One builds wealth and freedom, while the other manages people, handles problems, and maintains legal paperwork.

The roles can get conflated, but not without restricting the time available for each one. To put it in perspective, think about the following:

- If you’re a DIY landlord, consider whether the personal cost of finding contractors, managing repairs, keeping up with legislation and risking fines for mistakes truly adds up to good value.

- Even the relatively mild fine of three months’ rent for deposit admin errors is more than the cost of a managing agent for two years. £30,000 fines and even prison await more serious infractions.

- If you’re unhappy with your existing managing agent, you don’t have to stay with them. Try our guides to BAD MANAGEMENT and CHOOSING A LETTING AGENT to explore your options.

Time is the one commodity that you can’t simply manufacture, and having more of it is the way to thinking bigger, having less stress, and living the life you want to live - you can’t put a price on that.

Could your buy-to-let cost less to run? Let’s talk!
☎️ 020 8690 7766
📮 [email protected]

Read more on our blog: https://www.fishneedwater.com/blog/landlord-cost-savings-slash-your-buy-to-let-expenses-today

23/09/2025

BOOSTING INCOME AND CUTTING TAX
Even the most award-winning exercise in cost-cutting is only dealing with half of your property’s potential. For a fully effective performance, you also need to focus on optimising its income.

Ask yourself these three questions:

- Is the rent below the current market value? If you can legally review what your tenant pays, check comparable properties in your area to see if an increase is fair.

- Can you upgrade anything? Making improvements can significantly boost your rental yield, and our LUXURY LETTINGS blog is full of ideas to help your property reach its full income potential.

- Are you missing out on any tax benefits? Start with our LANDLORD TAX TIPS blog, and speak with an accountant to ensure you claim every possible deduction.

True profit has three pillars: income, expenses and investment. By giving them all your focus, you can inject your rental property with the best possible shot at prolonged and limitless growth.

Could your buy-to-let cost less to run? Let’s talk!
☎️ 020 8690 7766
📮 [email protected]

Read more on our blog: https://www.fishneedwater.com/blog/landlord-cost-savings-slash-your-buy-to-let-expenses-today

22/09/2025

MINIMISING MAINTENANCE COSTS
One of the most effective ways to minimise maintenance costs is to identify problems early on, and we know the best way to do that is to make regular inspections at least every six months. You can also:

- Ensure that boilers, heating systems and appliances are checked each year, and review any service contracts to see if there are better deals to be had.

- Swap out any cheap appliances. In our experience, parts of budget brands tend to fail sooner, while even a 2-year-old model from Bosch or AEG is likely to give you a hassle-free decade.

- Provide your tenants with instruction manuals and clearly state that they are liable for any costs arising from misuse. Being direct about this encourages awareness and conscious responsibility.

With some simple planning and preventative maintenance, you can avoid costly emergency repairs and keep your tenants mindful and happy—both of which protect your bottom line.

Could your buy-to-let cost less to run? Let’s talk!

☎️ 020 8690 7766
📮 [email protected]

Read more on our blog: https://www.fishneedwater.com/blog/landlord-cost-savings-slash-your-buy-to-let-expenses-today

21/09/2025

INSURANCE AUDIT
Now that insurance premiums have begun to come down, it's a good moment to ensure you aren't paying more than you should for your cover. Here are some tips to get the best result.

- Check whether your existing policy is either due for renewal or offers a pro-rata refund when cancelled within the current term.

- Use online comparison tools like MoneySupermarket or MoneySavingExpert to get an idea of current offers and coverage, including voluntary and/or compulsory excess options.

- If you find a cheaper deal, go back to your existing provider and see if they’ll match or beat it - it’s astonishing how the threat of losing a customer can produce an instantly better deal!

A simple review can save you hundreds of pounds a year, and often provide better coverage—a fine pair of rewards for a few minutes of work.

Could your buy-to-let cost less to run? Let’s talk!
☎️ 020 8690 7766
📮 [email protected]

Read more on our blog: https://www.fishneedwater.com/blog/landlord-cost-savings-slash-your-buy-to-let-expenses-today

20/09/2025

MORTGAGE DEAL REVIEW
With seven reductions in the Bank of England’s base rate since December 2023, now’s the perfect time to review your borrowing as a better deal could well be waiting in the wings.

Whether you’re looking to simply switch lenders or remortgage to finance additional purchases, follow these steps to get the best deal and avoid limiting your options.

- A ‘whole of market’ independent financial advisor as they access every available product. Brokers also have exclusive deals that aren’t available direct from lenders.

- Fixed rates are cheaper, but check for early repayment penalties in case you want the freedom to sell in the reasonably near future without losing thousands in redemption fees.

- Explore whether any application fees outweigh the benefits of switching to ensure that you don’t end up trading valuable flexibility for only a few pounds in savings.

Even a fractional reduction in your interest rate can save you thousands of pounds over the lifetime of your mortgage, so it’s wise to ensure that your biggest expense is as low as it can be.

Could your buy-to-let cost less to run? Let’s talk!
☎️ 020 8690 7766
📮 [email protected]

Read more on our blog: https://www.fishneedwater.com/blog/landlord-cost-savings-slash-your-buy-to-let-expenses-today

19/09/2025

With mortgage rates at their lowest in years, insurance premiums finally coming down, and new legislation on the horizon, the planets are aligned for a review of your rental property.
This is your opportunity to slash costs, increase income, and set up your buy-to-let for maximum profitability - not just for now, but for many years to come.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at five key areas where you can get more out of your investment.
- Mortgage deal review

- Insurance audit

- Minimising maintenance costs

- Boosting income and cutting tax

- Valuing your own time
A profitable property is a successful one, so let’s get on with finding those hidden savings for an immediate financial refresh and return.

Could your buy-to-let cost less to run? Let’s talk!
☎️ 020 8690 7766
📮 [email protected]

Read more on our blog: https://www.fishneedwater.com/blog/landlord-cost-savings-slash-your-buy-to-let-expenses-today

Address

1-2 The Parade, Felbridge House, Dog Kennel Hill, East Dulwich
London
SE228BQ

Telephone

+442086907766

Website

http://www.fishneedwater.com/

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