In June 2018, referencing firm HomeLet said that Wales was alone among the regions in seeing rents decline annually, amid a background of rental growth remaining below the rate of inflation.

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Regional growth in the rental sector

Figures quoted by the firm demonstrate that rents were raised by 1.8% annually to an average of £924 per month, under the current inflation rate of 2.4%.

While growth plateaued in the south-east, Wales alone saw a yearly fall to £603 a month (down 0.8%).

The highest year-on-year rise was found in Northern Ireland, up 5.1% to £641 monthly.

Rents on a monthly basis were raised by 0.5%, growing in 10 regions out of 12, with a 4.1% increase to £689 notable in the West Midlands.

Rents in Wales fell on a monthly basis to £603 by 0.2%, while the north-east experienced a drop of 0.8% to £529.

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The chief executive of Homelet, Martin Totty, commented that he believed there will be many factors to bear in mind in the private rented sector over the next quarter. This includes both supply and demand for properties having an impact on average rents.

Government taxation changes squeezing private landlords have yet to be announced, he pointed out, and more regulation is in the pipeline that may also discourage private landlords from taking part in this important sector and start to reduce supply.

He said that a squeeze on the number of rental properties available will not be beneficial for tenants if it results in rents increasing. However, demand for properties to rent remains high, and in the near term, it is likely to be positive for property owners.

Totty mentioned that while some landlords may decide to sell up, many others view the situation as a chance to improve their yields. Demand still outstrips supply, a fact that many participants in the several government consultations have broadcast.

The benefits of property inventory software

Property inventory software can help landlords to manage their portfolios more efficiently with an eye on profits. It streamlines property management administration with IT solutions.

You may be able to schedule visits and client bookings, and completing inventory reports and right to rent documents becomes simple.

You could investigate https://inventorybase.co.uk/.

Software can be found both online and as an app, putting useful features at your fingertips.

No matter what size your business is, managing vendor relationships is key to its success, allowing you to build positive relationships with suppliers and get the right price for the goods and services you buy.

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1. Cost vs. quality

The right price is not always the lowest price. It’s the one that provides you with value for money in return for a high-quality product – something your customers are likely to prefer. Ask vendors to provide detailed information on their products so you can understand their worth, not just the cost.

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2. Commitment

You’re more likely to get a good price from vendors if they feel that they’re building a long-term relationship with you that will benefit not only your business, but theirs as well. Let your vendors know that you are committed to working with them and won’t switch suppliers without talking to them first.

3. Win-win agreements

When you negotiate with vendors, make sure you know the outcomes they want to achieve, as well as your own goals. This way, you’ll find it easier to agree a deal that works for both of you. If you only look at it from your point of view and don’t give at all, the vendor may walk away from the deal, which won’t do you any good in the long-run.

4. Good practice

Once you’ve got agreements in place, it’s important you manage them, and your relationship with your vendor, well in order to ensure it runs smoothly. If you don’t already have one, start using a vendor management system such as https://www.contractswise.com/ to help you securely store contracts and track performance against them.

5. Share information

When you work closely with a vendor, you’ll get more out of the relationship if you let them know your business priorities and future plans. These don’t have to be detailed or break company confidentiality, but should be enough to allow vendors to identify ways that they can add value and help you achieve your goals.

6. Understand your vendors

Getting to know your vendors is a good way to build long-term relationships that benefit both organisations. Find out about their business plans, what they want to achieve and growth plans – they might be introducing a new product line, for example, that you’d be interested in buying.

A distinct genetic pattern has been discovered that could determine whether men with advanced prostate cancer could benefit from immunotherapy. The research results could be a significant breakthrough in treating the most serious forms of the disease.

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What is immunotherapy?

The idea behind immunotherapy is to harness the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. It does this by ‘alerting’ the immune system to the presence of abnormal cancer cells, so they can be destroyed. Our bodies do not recognise cancer cells as foreign, because they are generated by healthy cells.

However, while it can be highly effective, researchers have struggled to find an effective way to use immunotherapy to treat prostate cancer.

What did the study find?

Researchers at London’s Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and the University of Michigan analysed the DNA of the tumours of 360 men. In 7% of these tumours, copies of the CDK12 gene were not present. This indicated the tumour had an increased number of immune cells than other types of advanced prostate cancer and could therefore respond to immunotherapy.

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What are the next steps?

Researchers now hope to expand their study, with the aim of developing a genetic test that could be conducted prior to treating a patient with immunotherapy drugs, to determine whether they could be effective.

The findings of the study come at a time of exciting developments in the field of immunotherapy. For example, a recent clinical trial conducted by ICR and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust found that a new immunotherapy drug can extend the life of men with no other treatment options.

Discoveries such as these highlight the importance of voluntary and paid research studies to making life-saving breakthroughs. Indeed, Regius Professor of Cancer Research at ICR, Professor Johann de Bono, has been reported as calling for “larger clinical studies” to look at immunotherapy.

Healthy volunteers are used in clinical trials, such as the Paid Research Studies by Trials4us, as part of the lengthy process of getting new drugs to market. Patients can also ask their clinical team about any trials for which they may be suitable.

It is clear that immunotherapy is a real ‘game-changer’ for treating certain cancers and other diseases. However, when it comes to exploiting its potential, doctors and researchers are just scratching the surface.

Running a business means you’re busy, super busy, so how will you possibly make time to add writing a blog for your website? However, here are some compelling reasons why your business should most definitely have a blog:

1. As the owner of a business, it’s the perfect way to connect with your customers. Blogging offers a much more informative, personal and honest way of keeping in touch with customers than social media or networking. You can keep them up-to-date with your latest news, new products, your business ethos and industry news.
2. Blogging also has effective marketing benefits. Significant revenue can be found from blogging and associated activities. Why would you not want to get in the act?

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3. Getting started is probably the hardest part but once you do, you’ll wish you’d done it sooner. It also gets easier to know what to write as you respond to emails, comments and even customer suggestions. This will energise and invigorate you, helping you to better understand what material your customers relate to. For all help with your website, consider a Cardiff Website Designer like https://ambercouch.co.uk/
4. Blogging is a way of boosting productivity in areas you might not expect. Once you start writing blogs, you’ll soon find inspiration comes out of nowhere. You’ll come up with great blog titles when you’re just going about your everyday life and be able to relate them to your business or your customers.
5. They are also a useful way to measure success. You’ll soon see the results in your advertising and marketing efforts and can then blog to others about how you did it!
6. Your customers will find it easier to hold your accountable. Sometimes this can feel harsh but for the most part it’s truthful. They will keep you focused on your goals as blogging is such a public-facing activity.

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7. Why would you not engage in an activity that your competitors have been doing for some time? If you want to stay ahead of the game and retain a competitive edge, you need to do what others are doing but do it better. Without a blog, you’re already behind as a business. If you have something to say, then say it and get your business brand out there. Whatever industry you’re in, someone somewhere will benefit from your advice and expertise.
8. Establish yourself as an expert in your field. Customers will come to you and your blogs for tips, information, advice and news the more you blog. You’ll become a trusted source, your Google ranking will improve, and your business will grow.