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Get the answers to your questions and stay up to date about apartment building management with our featured articles and NOTB guides, on topics such as service charges, right to manage, buying your freehold, major works, building insurance and other issues about blocks of flats.

High praise for Principle from new client on idyllic river island location in Cambridgeshire

Directors of a premium collection of 146 homes on an unusual river island setting in Cambridgeshire have praised Principle Estate Management for its swift start in looking after its properties. The development is a private estate of leasehold and freehold properties based within a protection zone at Skipper Way on The Island, sitting on the Great River Ouse that runs through St Neots. Joe Jobson, joint managing director at Principle, explained that Principle had been initially appointed to start as the ne

ALEP award barrister honorary membership

The Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners (ALEP) has awarded an Honorary Membership to highly-regarded barrister Richard Alford in recognition of his contributions to the debate around leasehold enfranchisement and reform. Richard Alford of Tanfield Chambers becomes the fourth barrister to be awarded Honorary Membership of the Association. Richard has an established and growing practice focusing on property and landlord and tenant work. He thrives on difficult cases and tricky points of l

MetroPM appoints director’s twin daughters as new apprentices as part of company expansion

Expanding property management firm MetroPM has appointed the twin daughters of one of its directors as new apprentices. Bella Smallman will be working with the property team at MetroPM, which has offices in Birmingham and Cheltenham, while Lilli Smallman will be working with the company’s finance team. The twins, who are aged 19, are the daughters of Ian Smallman, a director of MetroPM, and will be studying towards Level 3 Customer Service apprenticeships with Protocol Group while working at the company.

Housebuilders face a costly hurdle over sustainable drainage

Housebuilders have described new rules forcing developers in England to adopt sustainable drainage systems to prevent flooding as ‘ill thought out'. The government has announced it will amend the flood and management act to make sustainable systems, referred to as SuDs, mandatory on all new housing development by 2024. Currently, SuDs, which typically use soakaways, grassed areas, permeable surfaces and wetlands to reduce pressure on public sewers, are required for developments of ten homes or more. The N

Equans appoints from within to run North West Operating Unit

Leading energy, services and regeneration company Equans has appointed Steven Gregory to run its North West Operating Unit, based in Salford. Steven joined the business at the beginning of 2019 and led the new build and construction operations in the North West, before becoming the Director of core operations in the region. His work in the region led to his promotion as Regional Director for the North West business at the end of 2022 as part of Equans’ strategy of investing in and supporting its people. E

ELM Group grows team to support key 2023 business objectives

ELM Group is delighted to announce the appointment of Angela O’Shea as new Area Manager for its brand-new portfolio of properties. The new role, which started at the beginning of January, will see Angela manage a portfolio of 12 estates, with capacity for new estates expected to join the Group’s portfolio during the first half of 2023. After previously spending over six years as the Estate Manager, managing a Beechcroft estate at Croxley Green, Angela brings a wealth of experience and skills to the role,

Hyperoptic cuts price of UK’s fastest social broadband tariff

Hyperoptic is making fast, reliable broadband available to more households by permanently reducing the price of its 150Mb full fibre social broadband tariff from £25 to £20 per month. Hyperoptic’s Fair Fibre 150Mb plan is already the fastest broadband available on a social tariff – more than twice the speed of any plan the major providers offer. Hyperoptic also offers its Fair Fibre 50Mb plan for £15 per month. The company’s Fair Fibre social broadband tariffs are available to any eligible new or existing

Odevo continues U.S expansion with addition of market leading Texas based property management company

Odevo, an international leader that is driving change in the traditional property management industry throughout the UK and globally, continues its rapid expansion in the U.S. market with the addition of successful Texas-based Spectrum Association Management and five additional new brands joining the Group. These new arrivals offer a range of market-leading core services, as well as select new Homeowner Association (HOA) management-related services. Odevo was formed when leading UK managing agent Rendall

FirstPort named among UK’s top employers for fifth consecutive year

Residential property services provider, FirstPort, has retained its status as a Top Employer in the UK. FirstPort, which employs 3,300 staff across England, Scotland and Wales, has been awarded the prestigious certification by the Top Employers Institute for the fifth consecutive year. Being certified as a Top Employer showcases an organisation’s dedication to a better world of work and exhibits this through excellent HR policies and people practices.  The Top Employers Institute programme certifies organ

Brady Solicitors growth continues into the new year with two new hires

Brady Solicitors are delighted to announce the appointment of a new Head of Enfranchisement, Analise Broomhall, and a new Enfranchisement Solicitor, Rebecca Say. Working at the  firm’s Nottingham offices, both Analise and Rebecca will be providing enfranchisement services, right to manage applications, and providing support to a busy lease extension team.    “We are thrilled to welcome Analise and Rebecca to the team. Enfranchisement and lease extensions are a continually growing area of work for us, with

MetroPM appoints director’s twin daughters as new apprentices as part of company expansion

Expanding property management firm MetroPM has appointed the twin daughters of one of its directors as new apprentices. Bella Smallman will be working with the property team at MetroPM, which has offices in Birmingham and Cheltenham, while Lilli Smallman will be working with the company’s finance team. The twins, who are aged 19, are the daughters of Ian Smallman, a director of MetroPM, and will be studying towards Level 3 Customer Service apprenticeships with Protocol Group while working at the company.

New Year New Hire at Jackson Sims Recruitment

The Real Estate team headed up by Recruitment Director Daniel Williams has added a fifth member to the team, Joe Wilson. Joe’s focus will be to keep up with the hiring demands of the build to rent and student accommodation markets. With a background in Customer Service, Joe comes with significant experience working and developing relationships with people. He also has first-hand experience in the property industry, having previously worked for an Estate Agency.    If you need help with any real estate rec

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