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Following the sad news of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, her funeral is to be held on Monday 19th September. To help the country pay its respects, the day has been declared a Bank Holiday. To show our own mark of respect, the News on the Block offices will be closed for this day.  If you have an urgent enquiry please email vikki@newsontheblock.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.  Our offices will reopen as normal on Tuesday 20th September 2022.

Residential property prices continue to skyrocket – under 30s are now spending over 30% of their salary on rent, while the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite. Rightly, tenants are expecting more bang for their buck than ever.  As disposable incomes feel the squeeze, property managers need to get creative to find a competitive edge. One source of inspiration is the commercial property market, which is still in the midst of a revolution in purpose. New players – particularly those in the flex office ma

Rental Properties in the UK will have to demonstrate their green credentials through higher ratings on energy performance certificates by 2025, increasing from an "E" rating to a "C" rating by the deadline. And older, draftier properties could be hit hardest as improvements to loft and wall insulation, windows and doors and even replacement of some white goods and boilers may be on the cards. Gavin Perrett, Director at Hawkhurst Invest, a property investment consultancy based in Essex said,"In March this

Instant online valuation specialists, The ValPal Network, claim that in a slowing market an effective lead generation plan will be more important than ever.  Leading industry experts forecast that a housing market slowdown is rapidly approaching. Although Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the cost-of-living crisis has in recent years caused drastic changes to society as a whole, the property market has bucked this trend and largely remained resilient.  But all the signs are now pointing to something of a

Flying the nest, starting a career and beginning to fend for oneself financially is usually an exciting chapter in life for many young adults. However, over the past year, the worsening economic state of the UK has destroyed many young people’s sense of hope and has replaced it with feelings of anxiety, frustration and anger.  With rising inflation, the cost-of-living crisis has deepened as we’ve seen the price of basic necessities such as food, fuel and energy bills skyrocket. What’s more, house prices h

This article was first published on the HomeOwners Alliance website. Are you buying or do you own a leasehold flat or house? Then you need to be aware of the different on-going leasehold charges. Our handy guide sets out the questions you need to ask if you are buying and what to be aware of as an owner. Buying a home is probably the biggest financial transaction of your life. There is pulling together the cash for a deposit, mortgage set up fees, conveyancing fees, stamp duty, moving costs. The list go

DM & Co. Lettings is on the lookout for more developments of multiple properties after reporting a tremendous run of success in recent weeks. Gabrielle Argue, head of lettings and property management, said: “We are very keen to talk to landlords with multiple properties which are either vacant or require a rent review. “Our recent successes demonstrate increasing demand for our services.” At Carlton Lodge, a luxury development of 14 apartments in leafy, much sought-after Moseley,  DM & Co. Lettings has le

After a summer of hustings, debates, and garden party faux pas, a new Prime Minister finally entered Number 10.  It is probably safe to say that our new leader, Liz Truss has a lot on her plate, so we thought it might be helpful to set out a few thoughts on how her new government might want to approach its planning & housing So, more in hope than expectation, please find below our miniature manifesto: Close the Revolving Doors at DLUHC (for a while...) England is in the middle of an acute housing shortage

The News on the Block team are deeply saddened by the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Thank you for your service and dedication to this country ma'am. Our thoughts are with the Royal Family during this very sad time. Rest In Peace Your Majesty.

Innovative shared ownerships sales agency SO Resi Partnerships has won a coveted First Time Buyer Readers’ Award during this year’s ceremony which took place in London on Friday 2nd September.   The national agency beat strong competition from some of the industry’s biggest names to be crowned winner in the ‘Best Provider to the First Time Buyer Market’ category, in front of a record audience of more than 500 people at the Marriott Hotel in Grosvenor Square.   The award recognised SO Resi Partnerships’ pi

This week JB Leitch is celebrating winning two awards in the Property Management 50 2022 accolades which recognise the excellence and contribution of leading individuals in raising standards in the residential property management industry.  Further to celebrating their 25th anniversary in May, specialist property solicitors JB Leitch have further cause for cheer this week as Business Development Director Karen Bolland and Legal Director Phil Parkinson received awards in the Supplier and Influencer categ

The introduction of new rules requiring improved Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) may force some landlords in the short term to sell their buy to let properties due to a perfect storm of rising compliance costs and the cost of living crisis. In an uncertain economic climate they may well choose to cash in their chips now while they know what they have, rather than take the risk of riding out the current economic storm. But the news isn't all bad as the availability of suitable rental property could p