I recently tried to source a carpenter for a relatively small project in the house. I don’t know one personally so I did the usual thing of asking friends and neighbours if they could recommend a good local one. I compiled a short list and contacted them (some more successfully than others). Again, as per the norm, I finally manged to get a couple around for a quote. This took a little bit of time but thankfully I’m not in any great hurry. And I was even more thankful of this fact when they told me that the earliest they could do the work ranged from September to November.

Here at Dynamo we have many relationships with a variety of investors. From those who have been building their property portfolios for decades through to those who are taking their first steps onto the property ladder. Each have different short, medium and longer-term goals which will inevitably be affected by changes in circumstance, finances and future aspirations. As such, an integral role in this advice process is understanding the motivations behind these investments, the risks involved and potential exit strategies along the way.

The past year has taught us that scenarios and attitudes to money can change quickly and, from a landlord perspective, it’s important for advisers to really get to know their clients and understand where the new generation of landlords may emerge from.

I know how difficult it is to plan ahead at the moment and how the booking of any holiday may still seem a little presumptuous. However, after seeing a couple of back-to-back days of sunshine I’m sure I’ve joined the vast numbers of people across the UK in thinking – if only.

With the vaccine programme speeding ahead, there is growing optimism that some kind of travel will be permitted sooner rather than later. The popularity of breaks within the UK is set to continue with staycations – or simply holidays as I like to call them – likely to remain high on the agenda of many people, if and when they are allowed.

The recent crisis has made us all review the way we live our lives in some shape or form. Without getting too introspective, although the impact of the pandemic on our potential freedom and mortality has not radically changed the way I look at certain things, it has definitely made me far more appreciative of them.

One such area is the environment. The immediate change in our ecosystem was enlightening during the initial lockdown and whilst this hasn’t been forgotten in many quarters, other factors may have temporarily forced it down the agenda. This is understandable in such an uncertain world but it’s important to continue highlighting certain areas of this all-important environmental crusade when and where we can.