charge for an overdraft!! The banks have to make money, but their latest scheme is to yank up the stakes with hundreds of thousands of small businesses, the very ones Prime Minister Brown says he wants to help is disgraceful.

Estate agents can try and charge any commission rate but usually will settle for the local market rate.

Believe it or not sole agency rates in Central London through to NW3 and NW8 are double that of WD7 and WD6, most agencies are now independents (again) and that's how it is. There has never been any talk of the government regulating our fees but banks who are most people agree the villains of the peace really need draconian measures placed on them otherwise small businesses will fail or stagnate and the R word will become self prophesising. How ex Premier Tony Blair would have dealt with Armageddon we will never know and I have my doubts sadly about Mr Bicycle Clips as well.

I may be hip hopping but it was the Conservatives at County Hall who voted to close Radlett Fire Station? I was there sitting next to the impotent Conservative MP of Hertsmere, James Clappison, wearing his "Save Radlett Fire Station NOW" t-shirt which I designed - what a muppet.

JOE KINNEAR

Moving on, each month I invite readers of my market report to write in with any observation contributions. For want of a better word one numbskull seems very hung up that Newcastle United Football Club's manager is my cousin Joe Kinnear.

He sent me an email spitting venom and amongst matters made a specific point about who really cares if Joe Kinnear is the cousin of Barry, Martin and Ian Allsuch.

Well to date 43 readers of my report have in different shapes and forms asked if I can obtain (through Joe) signed autographed shirts of the Newcastle team!

On the subject of football being on the coal front, I visit many properties weekly and I am delighted that in studies, playrooms and children's bedrooms the world and nations favourite sport is very evident by way of posters, autographed shirts and other fascinating memorabilia.

It's nice to see how with football people remain loyal and the number of Tottenham supporters remains high locally despite their unreal position.

BARRY AND JONATHAN ALLSUCH PRESENDING EMMA WITH BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE VOTED LADIES PLAYER OF THE MONTH FOR MARCH 2005.

A regular visitor to our office is football commentator and encyclopaedia, David Pleat, who lives in Radlett and bought a lovely home from us about 5 years ago. Concluding my thoughts on soccer I bumped into Arsenal ladies and Eire International Emma Byrne outside Barclays Bank recently. I've made it no secret that the sponsorship deal Barry Allsuch & Co had with Arsenal ladies a little while back worked to everyone's mutual advantage and I might be springing a surprise in that direction (credit crunch and all) in the near future.

PROPERTY MARKET

What can I say? Well one thing is for sure Radlett has not been immune to tumbling property prices. Prices being achieved a year ago and now are simply unstastainable. At Barry Allsuch & Co we still remain well staffed, positive and pro-active, but clients have to realise that a property is simply worth what someone is prepared to pay for it.

If that figure is unacceptable to a vendor fair enough. I do not wish to be a prophet of doom but I really cannot see property prices locally , (Sheffield, Newcastle and John O'Groats are not in my sphere of operation) levelling out until spring 2010.

The key factor to watch out for is when the market is adjudged to have hit the bottom and when confidence returns.

There will be exceptions. Large new builds, the so called "top end" of the market and really well located and well presented properties are holding up to a point.

On the subject of the top end Barry Allsuch & Co have just recently taken on probably the finest property we have ever had the distinction to offer, namely Glebe House, Aldenham.

The grandeur of this property cannot be put into print :•  3 ½ acres •  Classic Queen Anne style décor •  Swimming pool •  Tennis court •  A wealth of reception rooms •  8/9 Bedrooms •  5 Bathrooms and all in complete seclusion 1 ½ miles from Radlett. We already have two interested parties (both overseas) and a beautiful brochure is available upon request. This is one property I am very confident in selling, and shortly. Meanwhile the general market will be a hard slog.

In Radlett agents are co-operating with each other, although a sole agency is still the best route for a vendor, but a vendor needs to be careful. Liable laws restrain me, but one agency in particular is still irresponsibly over valuing middle of the road properties presumably to get instructions.

They are in effect saying what vendors want to hear, but the truth will come out, and once the vendor realises they have been duped they get mighty angry.

Most advice is that sole agency agreements are always renewable. Don't sign lengthy ones e.g. 3 months, and if the agent looks like he is not going to produce the goods, give notice 14 days prior to the agency ending, otherwise the agent (as has happened) can ask for another two weeks over the 12 weeks.

On the mortgage front, lenders are still being awkward, do they have any money or not seems to be the big question, but I have not lost a sale due to a lack of a mortgage coming through.

However I am not dealing in an area or with properties where 90% + mortgages are required.

First time buyers are having it hard and although most of our properties are for second time buyers and higher they are propped up by first time buyers.