Britain's Best Apartment Building Management Resource

Somewhere in many commercial property portfolios sits a small collection of front doors that was never really part of the plan. Many large and small retailers inherit residential property portfolios by default as part of mixed-use lease arrangements, creating a portfolio of residential assets alongside their core retail operations, or have purchased the entire freehold which by default gives them a residential portfolio.

As heat network regulation gathers pace, a major operational challenge facing property managers is securing access to residents’ homes to fit or replace meters. Terry Johnson, Operations Director at Insite Energy, explores the problem.

Residential property management continues to evolve. New technologies, changing resident expectations and emerging risks are creating fresh challenges for flat owners, landlords and management companies.

There is much to welcome in the Government's renewed commitment to leasehold reform. Greater transparency, stronger consumer protections and meaningful consequences for poor practice are long overdue. The September announcement of plans for an independent regulator of property agents, alongside licensing, appropriate qualifications and controls on certain administration and permission fees, is an important signal of intent. For leaseholders who have experienced unreasonable charges or inadequate management, the promise of change is understandably encouraging.

Ireland is approaching an important milestone in addressing legacy building defects. The proposed Apartment and Duplex Defects Remediation Scheme Bill is expected to be published before the end of 2026, marking a significant step towards establishing a statutory framework to support the remediation of eligible defects in residential buildings.

Buying a rental property through a limited company does not necessarily keep your personal assets beyond a lender’s reach. If you are purchasing or refinancing a buy-to-let property, you may be asked to sign a deed of guarantee and obtain independent legal advice before the mortgage can complete.

Beresfords Group’s Land division has appointed Alex Kensit as Land Consultant, strengthening the team’s ability to identify land opportunities, advise landowners and assess the development potential of sites across Essex and the South East. 

The report highlights progress across Pinnacle's environmental, social and governance priorities, reflecting the company's purpose of transforming communities and changing lives through the homes, neighbourhoods and workplaces it manages and maintains nationwide.

Communal heating improvements can involve substantial expenditure, yet the savings promised at the outset do not always materialise. With new approaches to funding, performance guarantees and network ownership emerging, is it time to rethink how residential heating projects are delivered?

Modern flat ownership comes with a range of responsibilities that many people do not fully appreciate until a problem occurs. From escape of water incidents and storm damage to liability claims and legal disputes, understanding the right insurance arrangements is an important part of managing risk within a residential block.

The Government's newly announced Your First Home scheme looks set to be accessible to first-time buyers across the vast majority of England, with new research from Yopa revealing that estimated average first-time buyer household earnings fall below the scheme's income threshold in nine out of every 10 local authorities.