Welcome to the Factotum blog, where we discuss everything from changes in Edinburgh, current legislation and legal requirements to the best place to grab some lunch.
Factotum are experienced letting agents for short term, long term, holiday and festival lets. A family business, Factotum have been managing an extensive range of Edinburgh properties since 1985. From traditional townhouses to mews houses, studio apartments and new developments, Factotum can accommodate individuals, private groups, corporate and student lets.
While residential letting is the core of our business, we also have years of experience of property factoring, main contracting, maintenance and upgrades through our network of trusted sub contractors and trade suppliers.
Property Properly Factored Since 1985 – that’s why more landlords are choosing Factotum.
We all know that Edinburgh is a legendary city, and we’ve all heard a myth or two. It never stops raining, the Royal Mile is a mile long, and rubbing Greyfriars Bobby’s nose is a sure way to bring good luck. But how many of these so-called facts are actually true? MYTH 1: It […]
The Fringe, Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh International Book Festival, Edinburgh Art Festival… there’s no doubt that the Edinburgh population grows considerably every August. Visitors flock to our capital to soak up the atmosphere, the art, the architecture… but what about festival accommodation? So when you’re visiting Edinburgh – where do you book festival accommodation? A […]
The revised Payment Services Directive (2015/2366/EU) (PSDII) was transposed by all Member States into national law on 13th January 2018. Universally welcomed by consumers it has, nevertheless, had a detrimental effect on some business sectors. A small corner shop selling low value goods at a 5% margin is likely to turn down a credit or […]
As of the 31st January 2018, all letting agents in Scotland will be subject to The Letting Agent Code of Practice (Scotland) Regulations 2016. The Code requires the Letting Agent’s clients (landlords) to act in concord with the agent, in terms of probity in their business and personal dealings. Section 31 compels the agent to […]
The Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016 that was passed by the Scottish Parliament earlier this year comes into force on 1st December 2017. It will become the de-facto tenancy and replaces the Assured and Short Assured Tenancies we have employed since 1988 (and before). These will remain in force but no new ones can […]
Do I require linen? Do I require pots, pans and crockery? What essential furniture is necessary? These are just a few of the questions we get from landlords looking to rent out their flat. Factotum has compiled a list of what is essential for both short term and long term properties. Short Term, Festival and […]
We make it no secret that we love dogs at Factotum. Our office Springer, Sam, is often joined by other staff dogs including Jackson the Jack Russell, Hanks the English Bulldog and Chica the Cockapoo. We’ve written about our favourite dog walks, our favourite dog-friendly places to eat and drink. Now it’s all about our […]
Deposits can be a topic of disagreement between tenants and landlords. It’s always the ideal to have 100% of the deposit returned to the tenant at the end of a lease. So how would a tenant go about making sure they get a full deposit returned? There are a few common issues that landlords and […]
Recent changes in government property taxation, stamp duty and income tax have undeniably sent out mixed messages as to the government’s view of buy-to-let landlords. On the one hand, they continue to postulate on their commitment to a healthy PRS (Private Rented Sector) confirming what a vital role the sector provides and acknowledging the desperate […]
Factotum is our name, our brand, our everything – but what does it actually mean? The origin of Factotum is from medieval Latin: • ‘Fac’, the imperative of ‘facere’ meaning ‘do’ • ‘Totem’, the neuter of ‘totus’ meaning ‘the whole thing’. ‘Do the whole thing’, translating roughly as ‘master of everything’. In modern English, Factotum […]