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The season of goodwill is also a period can be a worry for property owners. No amount of digital information can replace human eyes, intuition and experience. For example, seven years ago, when I moved out of agency into proptech, the buzz words were ‘digital twin’. But, as usual with such things, the gestation period seems very long. The issues being wrestled with are the same as for any other digitisation – finding a common language and dataset to be trusted by everyone.   Remote monitoring of sensors a

Tickets for the return of a renowned property management residential conference have been released. The Oxford Weekender is organised by Property Management Legal Services in partnership with the Institute of Residential Property Management. It will take place next from March 22-24, 2024, and is one of the most popular events in the property management calendar. More than 40 key-note addresses, workshops and updates from industry experts will be included at the conference based in historic St Hugh’s Colle

New research from a leading construction professional body shows a large proportion of people would not buy a newly built property due to concerns over quality. The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has published its ‘New Build Housing: How regulation can improve the consumer journey report. It explores public perceptions of new build homes along with levels of awareness of the standards housebuilders must adhere to and where to turn for help when they’re not met. Its findings highlight how housebuil

As promised in November’s Kings Speech, the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (“the Bill”) has now been laid before Parliament.  Amongst other things, the Government has stated the aim of the Bill is to make it easier and cheaper for leaseholders to extend their leases and buy their freehold.  Many clients are asking what this bill means for them. In particular, leaseholders want to know if they should bring a lease extension or enfranchisement claim now, or if they should wait – a question which is very

Principle Estate Management has recruited a senior business development manager with more than 12 years’ experience as the company continues its expansion into London and the south of England. Jack Swann joins Principle from the Alexander Faulkner Partnership, where he has worked as a senior new business account manager since April 2019. Mr Swann, has a BSc (Hons) degree in Real Estate Management, a course accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and has previously worked for SDL Bigwoo

Energy and technology group Octopus Energy has joined forces with The Hill Group, the award-winning five-star housebuilder and Clarion Housing Group, the largest social landlord in the country, in a landmark strategic partnership to revolutionise sustainable living in the UK. Hill and Octopus Energy are developing the nation's most extensive 'Zero Bills' housing development, comprising 89 meticulously designed homes at Hollymead Square in Newport, Essex. Residents will pay no energy bills for a minimum of

Single family rental developer and operator, Casa by Moda, has partnered with long-term technology partner Spike to utilise its market-leading resident engagement portal, Spike Living across its upcoming Casa developments.  Casa, Vista Park, situated in Glasgow, Scotland, is Casa by Moda’s first neighbourhood to launch, and has begun welcoming its first residents. The development comprises 156 new homes, made up of a mixture of one and two-bedroom apartments, alongside two, three and four-bedroom houses f

The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill is now working its way through parliament, providing welcome details about how the Government will tackle leasehold reform, but many leaseholders still have questions about when and how they should take action.  Bishop & Sewell LLP’s next legal webinar will provide leaseholders with essential information about the proposed reforms, their potential impact and what this means for those in the process of buying their freehold, extending their lease, or contemplating

Osbourne Pinner, one of London's best law firms, has reacted after a recent survey by Alan Boswell Landlord Insurance Statistics found that 1 in 4 landlords are thinking of selling their properties in 2024.   The survey found that just over half (52%) of landlords are looking to keep their property portfolio the same, 26% are expecting to sell more properties than they buy and 22% are looking to expand next year.   The industry has been in the spotlight during 2023 as the Renters Reform Bill was introduce

People who boost their income through online trading are being warned of a new crackdown by HMRC. Internet-based marketplaces such as Vinted, Depop and Etsy along with longer established sites such as eBay and Amazon are growing in popularity, and many are now using them regularly as a “side hustle” to earn extra cash. Until now this extra income may have slipped under the radar but from 1st January, HMRC is forcing seller platforms to report data on sellers’ earnings or risk a hefty fine. And if anyone e

Yesterday, the second reading of the Leasehold and Freehold Bill was read in parliament.  Linz Darlington, leasehold expert and founder of leasehold extension specialists, Homehold believes that the bill falls short of its own policy objectives.  "A key policy objective of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill is to make it cheaper and easier for people to extend their leases and buy their freeholds. However, the legislation is deafeningly silent on the prescribed rates that will dictate the cost of doin

Voice of the Facility Manager survey shows overwork a major issue, yet more than half of respondents largely enjoy their roles and nearly 40% are looking to technology to boost efficiency. A survey of 750 European facility management professionals by , a global leader in real estate software solutions, reveals that mental health is the biggest challenge they face, with 39% pinpointing it as a critical issue. This feedback is unsurprising given that heavy workloads and increased job demands have likewise e