Featured Articles

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.

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

The St Basils Woof Run is back, preventing youth homelessness one obstacle at a time

It’s back!  St Basils Homelessness Charity have once again chosen Brueton Park, Solihull as the venue for their fun filled Doggy event. The ‘Woof Run’ is an entertaining obstacle course for our furry four legged friends, big and small, young and old. It’s a family friendly event, everyone is welcome, and your pooch will get a medal, along with a finish line picture as a souvenir of your fun day.  This year’s event will be held on Sunday 12th March, with money raised from dogs getting sponsored to do the e

Car park, drives and road around Solihull apartments resurfaced by Principle Estate Management

A major resurfacing project has been successfully completed around an apartment block in Solihull looked after by Principle Estate Management. The works saw more than 55 tons of tarmac laid on the car park, drives and road at Barley Green, a block of more than 70 apartments off the Milcote Road, near the town centre. Matthew Harris, a senior property manager at Principle, explained that the project had been agreed because surfaces had not been replaced since the apartments were first built in the 1960s. M

Rapleys continues growth strategy as affordable housing consultancy joins the business

Rapleys has today announced that it has welcomed s106 Affordable Housing (S106 AH) into its business in its third corporate expansion in just six months. Rapleys has been on a strategic growth drive having added property consultancy firm Aston Rose in December and planning practice CSJ in October. Rapleys also rebranded and repositioned the business in November with residential one of four core divisions. S106 AH will become part of the development consulting team, further strengthening the partnership’s

The Proper Awards - September 2023

The Proper Awards is back again for their third year and they want you, yes YOU, to enter!  The Proper Awards is an annual awards ceremony honouring the property industry’s top suppliers. Judged entirely by customer reviews, rewarding the highest-scoring applicants with a Proper night out, a Proper celebration and a Proper Award! The Proper Awards is the only property awards dedicated to suppliers – the categories include: Brokerage, Construction, Consultancy, Financial, Human Resources, Interior Design &

When is Service Charge Not Payable Due to the Building Safety Act 2022?

Camilla Waszek, Senior Associate at specialist property solicitors JB Leitch, provides some key considerations regarding the Building Safety Act and service charge recovery… A clear function of the Building Safety Act 2022 (“BSA”), and in particular Schedule 8, is to seek to limit the costs payable by leaseholders, and particularly qualifying leaseholders, in respect of contributing towards the cost of works to remedy “relevant defects”. There are many issues that require clarification by way of further R

Barnet Council launches sustainability campaign to become net zero borough by 2042

BarNET ZERO, the new borough-wide campaign to help Barnet become one of London’s most sustainable boroughs is launching on 16 Jan. The campaign has been designed to bring residents, communities, and businesses on the borough’s journey to Net Zero, through advice, information and support. The initial five-week campaign will look at each of these areas, showcasing some of the work already taking place across the borough, and how individuals can take small (or large) steps to become more sustainable. Launchi

IRPM Annual Seminar 2023 – Back and Bigger than Ever!

IRPM are excited to be back at the QEII Centre, London for the IRPM Annual Seminar on the 11th of May 2023. Like all of the past IRPM Seminars, our 2023 seminar will be touching on the most pressing issues facing our sector and professionals. We'll have industry experts giving you the most up-to-date information and guidance throughout the day.   IRPM and ARMA Members can take advantage of our exclusive Member rate and book their place for only £139! Topics we will be delving into: Building Safety Ment

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