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A stunning development of 150 apartments at the famous Joseph Lucas building in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter is to be looked after by residential property management company MetroPM. MetroPM has been appointed to manage the units at New Hampton Lofts, part of the converted former car parts factory on Great Hampton Street. The Grade II-listed building forms three and a half sides of a quadrangle around a central piazza that is within walking distance to St Pauls Square and Birmingham city centre. Faraz A

If you’re managing a block with developer-installed EV chargepoints, you may be congratulating yourself for having side-stepped the well-documented problems around installing chargers in residential blocks. In fact, you may not have got off as lightly as you thought says Jamie Willsdon.  The market for electric vehicles has really taken off in the last few years, bolstered by government grants and the drive towards net zero. And it is likely to be given even more of a boost by recent hikes in petrol and d

London has continued to dominate the list of the most attractive cities for buy-to-let landlords for the second year running, with property markets attracting more than any other part of the UK.  Policy data and insight from almost 100,000 policies from leading landlord insurance provider Simply Business shows that landlords still view the capital as the biggest opportunity for buy-to-let properties in 2022, with over 39,000 buy-to-let insurance policies taken out in the capital. Birmingham and Manchester

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

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

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 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

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 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 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, 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

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