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The Government has taken a backward step after climbing down on a commitment to end the leasehold system this year. That is the view of Alan Draper, a leading campaigner for leasehold reform, after it was revealed the radical move would not now be happening due to a lack of parliamentary time. That is despite repeated promises from Housing Secretary Michael Gove to push through legislation to scrap leasehold schemes in 2023. Alan, Managing Director of property management firm Common Ground, said: “Despite

With more and more people becoming liable for inheritance tax (IHT), experts at Whitley Stimpson are urging families to consider using a little used loophole to reduce its impact. Under the “normal expenditure out of income exemption” rules, individuals can donate sums of any size if they can be considered part of “normal expenditure.” This means the amount donated should be in line with the individual’s general outgoings and made on a regular basis from their income which could consist of pensions, divid

Brits are being urged to continue to save cash they were putting aside for a new home despite the recent announcement of zero-deposit mortgages. The frugal experts at NetVoucherCodes.co.uk are warning those thinking of taking advantage of zero-deposit mortgages to do their homework and if they can afford to put a deposit down, to keep repayments and interest lower. They’re also urging them to be realistic about monthly repayments and not to get carried away by not needing a deposit. Zero-deposit sch

Folk, the co-living brand on a mission to set a new standard for renting, is launching its third site in the capital, Florence Dock, in Battersea. The building, which already has a waiting list of 2000 people, is expected to be completed in April and open for renters to move in from June, and is located riverside in SW11, just a ten-minute walk from both Clapham Junction and Wandsworth Town Stations. Florence Dock will feature multiple roof terraces with views of London, a huge co-working space, high spec

Inspired Villages, UK leader in the later living space, has bolstered its leadership team as two of the company’s originators join the C suite. Neal Dale (pictured left) takes on the role of Chief Development and Property Officer and James Cobb (pictured right) will become Chief Customer Officer. Reporting into the CEO, the roles will be at the forefront of delivering Inspired Villages’ growth ambitions through its pillars of buying sites well, building on time and budget whilst driving an unerring focus

On May 10th, the Building Centre is launching a new thought-provoking exhibition, Retrofit 23, to spotlight the challenges and benefits of the deep retrofit of residential buildings. The exhibition is inspired by the urgent need to address residential retrofitting following the government’s urgent commitment to reduce the UK’s energy demand by 15% by 2030, as well as the long-term goal of becoming a net zero economy by 2050. Retrofit refers to the process of making alterations on an existing building to r

Inventories play a vital role in protecting tenants from the dangers of house fires, according to a leading industry figure. Rescue services attended 33,390 domestic fires last year in Great Britain. Daniel Evans, chair of the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks believes running through safety protocols at check-in and conscientious monitoring during tenancies can prevent fires and, potentially, save lives. He said: “As far as fire safety is concerned, there are two things at play for landlords. O

McCarthy Stone, the UK’s leading developer and manager of retirement communities, has welcomed back two senior directors. Brendon O’Neill has returned to the business as Divisional Managing Director (DMD) for McCarthy Stone’s Southern region. The appointment comes as former DMD Shane Paull became the company’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) on 3 April. Brendon was previously DMD for McCarthy Stone’s South East division and is hugely experienced in the housebuilding sector, having held similar roles at B

The head of a national trade body has called on the UK Government to clarify whether its new Social Housing Bill will provide protections for Armed Forces personnel and their families. Stephen Hodgson, Chief Executive of the Property Care Association, has written to Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove MP - who has championed the new Social Housing Bill - and to Tobias Ellwood MP, Chair of the Defence Select Committee. In the letter, Mr Hodgson asks whether the new Bi

Leading South East law firm Furley Page has promoted four lawyers to Senior Associate in its latest round of promotions.  From the start of May, Daniel Bridgland, Sarah Woolnough, Rachael Stibbe and Costs Lawyer Richard Waters have all been promoted to Senior Associate.  Daniel Bridgland joined Furley Page’s Real Estate team in April 2022 following almost a decade as the head of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs team at another Kent law firm. With more than 20 years’ experience advising clients in K

The Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Professionals (ALEP) has written to the Government to call for an urgent amendment to the Building Safety Act 2022 (‘BSA'), which it says is currently causing doubt and uncertainty for leaseholders and the professionals trying to advise them.  ALEP’s letter to Rachel Maclean, Minister of State (Housing and Planning) highlights a key concern over the definition of a ‘qualifying lease’ under Section 119 of the Building Safety Act, which states that the lease n

Have you or your staff ever felt scared, afraid or threatened when going out and about in their working day? I know I have and I know my team have too – and that’s a difficult thing to deal with. Did you know that I have invested in the safety of my team – and myself – using the Hollie Guard Extra app? Why? Because in our business sector, as with many, lone workers are often out late at night, and they can feel threatened when faced with aggressive or threatening clients or even random people as they try