YOUR Mortgage has joined forces with estate agency, Bradford & Bingley, to produce the ultimate guide to finding the best estate agent.

The guide covers a number of issues such as the estate agent’s duties, the charges you should expect to pay and the services you should receive for your fee, plus the benefits of local knowledge and experience.

Paula John, editor of Your Mortgage, said: “Estate agents are one of the professions we love to hate, but it’s important to remember that they do have a significant role to play and that good agents are worth their weight in gold.

“Our guide explains what your agent should be doing to provide you with a good service and thus it’s hoped it will help you find an agent who is an expert in their field and make the whole home buying and selling process a lot easier.”

The Guide to Estate Agents is available by calling free on 0800 113333 quoting YMG1.

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HALBREN Homes is developing a new village site in Upchurch.

A former builder’s yard will feature 16 homes, comprising four, five and six-bedroom detached properties and three-bedroom mews houses.

According to Halbren Homes, every effort has been made to blend the distinct character of the development with existing environs.

The sales office is open Friday to Monday, 10am to 5pm. The agent is RPC Land and New Homes (01322 228891).

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Over the past five years working from home has soared in popularity, according to research from National Statistics.

More than two million people in the UK now work from home at least one day a week.

But insurance broker Peoples Choice advises “homeworkers” to contact their insurance company to ensure they are adequately covered and not inadvertently crossing the boundaries between household and commercial insurance.

In general, those who work from home using a computer will be adequately covered by a standard household contents policy - as long as the computer is itemised on the policy if it is worth more than £1,000.

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RENTS for properties let by Strutt & Parker have increased by an average of 15.6 per cent over the last year.

A recent survey by the firm shows that the average monthly rent for detached properties, which make up the largest part of the rentals market, has increased by 8.6 per cent to £1,062. Semi-detached properties have gone up by 15.3 per cent to £626 a month and terraced houses have risen by 23 per cent to £566 a month.

The survey also found that the majority of properties the firm has for rent were built in the 18th and 19th centuries, with rents higher for older properties than for modern ones.

Looking at the length of tenancies, there was a small increase in the number of short lets - 93 per cent of tenancies were for less than two years, compared with 86 per cent in 2001.