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Building Management Resource

As I stood in a cold dark wet car park of a block of flats on a December evening with my male colleague and a male director of a Management Company to discuss our proposal to take over the management of the block, it suddenly happened, I forgot the directors name and a hot flush hit me out of nowhere.  Do I make an excuse and leave? Do I run back to the car? Do I take my coat and scarf off? Do I take extraordinary interest in the intercom control panel so I can gather myself for a few minutes? – yes I do that!

When a leaseholder passes away, property managers are often left navigating an awkward and uncertain period, particularly when service charges remain unpaid and no grant of probate has yet been issued. This interim stage can feel like a legal limbo: the lease still exists, the obligations continue, but there is no formally appointed party to pursue. Understanding what you can and cannot do during this period is key to protecting your position without overstepping legal boundaries.

The UK residential sector is currently facing a quiet crisis. We are seeing a significant number of talented Property Managers—individuals with years of experience and deep industry knowledge—seriously considering leaving the field entirely. The reason isn't a lack of skill; it’s a saturation of stress.

Ringley Group, a leading operational real estate company specialising in residential and Living sector management, has appointed Build-to-Rent (BTR) industry leader Harry Downes to accelerate the growth of its UK Living business.

There are few residential addresses in the UK as instantly recognisable as the Barbican. A world-renowned Brutalist icon in the heart of the Square Mile, the Grade II-listed Barbican Estate is celebrated as a premier example of visionary post-war urban planning: a bold “city within a city” defined by its striking concrete-and-green aesthetic, elevated walkways, tranquil water features and remarkable sense of place.

As of 6 April 2026, the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 are officially in force, marking one of the most significant changes to residential fire safety management in a generation. Introduced in response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, the Regulations fundamentally shift how building owners and Responsible Persons must approach evacuation planning. It places vulnerable residents firmly at the centre.

In January the Government published its Draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill: the first stage in its fulfilment of a manifesto promise to abolish leasehold. 

New research from business rates experts at Colliers reveals that government measures allowing councils to charge double council tax on second homes are having unintended consequences—impacting local government financing and costing the public purse an estimated £383 million per year.

Some residential properties in the UK do not have a formal fire strategy document. Some may have never had one in the first place; others had one drawn up at the design stage that no longer reflects how the building is actually constructed, occupied, or managed. 

The Government has announced new legislation to prevent private residential tenants from being swept into the scope of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) on rent as an unintended consequence of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (RRA 2025), which comes into force on 1 May 2026.

Most people in the residential sector focus on the front end. Planning consent. Development. Delivery. Sales. But far less attention is given to what happens next, once the building is occupied, the developer has exited, and responsibility shifts to long-term management.