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As mortgage rates continue to rise, adopting the right mindset and a willingness to compromise have become vital to getting deals done swiftly and successfully, writes Charlie Davidson, residential property expert with London law firm Bishop & Sewell LLP.  With interest rates soaring at their fastest pace for nearly three decades, many people on both sides of property transactions are struggling to come to terms with the impact on the market. Charlie Davidson, Senior Associate with Bishop & Sewell’s Resid

Inventories will be the last line of defence for landlords worried about having to allow pets in their rented properties, according to one industry leader. Daniel Evans, chair of the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks (AIIC) said: “A detailed inventory showing the condition of a property at the start of the tenancy agreement is the only way a landlord can be sure of the extent of any damage which may have been done by a pet.” The new Renters (Reform) Bill, currently going through Parliament, has

A national trade body recently pledged support for an international conference, which brought together industry experts and academics to tackle moisture, damp and mould in properties. Excess moisture in homes is an issue that needs addressing as a priority, according to the Property Care Association (PCA) which sponsored the 2nd International Conference on Moisture in Buildings (ICMB). Organised by the UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings, the event took place at University College London’s Here East campu

Block Managers rely on their contractors, and a communal cleaner is no exception.   Communal cleaning companies can offer several benefits to a community or shared living space and with so much back of forth, especially in larger developments, it is important that you employ the right time, for the right block.  Clean and hygienic environment: A communal cleaner ensures regular cleaning and maintenance of shared spaces, promoting cleanliness and hygiene. This helps prevent the accumulation of dust, dirt,

The reputation of the team at accountants and business advisors Whitley Stimpson continues to grow after the firm was shortlisted for three more awards. The business which has offices in Banbury, Bicester, High Wycombe, and Witney, has made the Mid-tier Firm of The Year and Payroll Team of the Year categories of the national Accounting Excellence Awards, and in the Apprentice Employer of the Year Awards in the local Cherwell Business Awards. Director Jonathan Walton said: “It is fantastic for the entire t

National law firm Irwin Mitchell is expanding its Real Estate Disputes Team with the recruitment of a new partner, William Scott, who will be based in the firm’s London office. The appointment takes the specialist disputes team to 25, including four partners and four senior associates, based in offices across the UK.  The team is jointly led by partners Danny Revitt and Tim Rayner and sits within Irwin Mitchell’s Property Division which will now number 29 partners and over 150 qualified lawyers. Will will

The next edition of Yaaser Vanderman’s book, Manual on Protest Injunctions: Practice, Procedure and Persons Unknown (v.1.1) has been published and is readily available as a free download via this link. Since the last edition was published seven months ago, the unbounded expansion of the case law in this area has continued. This new edition includes all cases since the last version – 22 at the last time of counting. Judgments in cases such as Shell UK Ltd v Persons Unknown [2023] EWHC 1229, National Hig

The latest research by London lettings and estate agent, Benham and Reeves, has revealed the uphill struggle facing those in search of a London rental property, as currently, just 4% of London rental homes are available on the market for new tenants.  Benham and Reeves analysed current rental market stock availability across London, looking at how the availability of stock has changed and which boroughs are home to the lowest level of homes for rent as a proportion of total rental properties.  The researc

The founders of student accommodation pioneer Scape, Nigel Taee, Tom Ward and Adam Brockley, have today launched ‘Morro’, a new innovative living offering designed to become a global leader in private renting for urban dwellers, with four new developments underway in the UK in key London locations and an additional three developments underway in the USA.   Morro will build on the success of Scape which today operates 30,000 beds for students across the UK, Ireland and Australia with ambitions for further

We are proud to announce that it has once again been honoured with the highly prestigious Arma Ace Award for the fifth consecutive year.  This year’s victory was made all the more special as we partnered with ParkGate Aspen, a renowned property management company, to enter the Major Work’s Project of 2023 award. Their collaborative efforts resulted in a groundbreaking project that captured the attention of the judges and secured us the top spot in this highly competitive category. The Major Works Project

One of the UK’s leading specialist property litigators has today warned that the new and penetrating scrutiny of insurance commissions requested by Michael Gove could have a devasting financial effect on manging agents, who may also be disqualified from FCA-authorisation and RICS membership if they are found to have taken so-called “secret commission”. Richard Glover, Partner, JMW Solicitors, said: “Once again Michael Gove is taking on the fight on behalf of leaseholders and this time, he intends to expos

Andy Hill, the founder and Group Chief Executive of award-winning housebuilder The Hill Group, formally received his OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) at an investiture ceremony held at Windsor Castle on Tuesday, July 11th, in the same week as the company’s 24th anniversary. Earlier in 2023, Andy was named in His Majesty King Charles III’s first New Year's Honours List for services to Affordable Housing, an area of the housebuilding industry where The Hill Group has been a pioneering presen