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Issue 119 of News on the Block has now been published and is available to read online. This issue includes a special Health and Safety feature.  This issue includes some of the following articles:  Rising inflation and property prices tax warning Commercial property partner Richard Moxton who has spent 43 years in the industry has retired With recent evacuations at swimming pools, Andy Kay looks at what managing agents can do to prevent a major incident Are you ready for changes to fire door inspecti

PBM Property Management has been selected by Bellway Homes Limited North London to take over the management of 110 units at The Foundry, a collection of 1 and 2 bedroom apartments set within a gated development in the town of Hemel Hempstead. The development has an excellent location, with the town’s railway station being under two miles from home. The M1 is a short drive away, whilst the picturesque Gadebridge Park is just around the corner, offering the perfect place to escape. The area has plenty of

Miller Homes, one of the UK’s leading private housebuilders, has recently appointed sector expert, Stephen Stone as a senior Non-Executive Director to the board. Stephen has had a highly distinguished 40-year career in housebuilding, most notably as CEO of Crest Nicholson PLC between 2005-19, and more recently as Chair of Keepmoat Homes. Among his other non-executive roles include The Home Builders Federation (HBF) and National House Building Council (NHBC), giving Stephen a deep insight into the UK housi

Thousands of first-time buyers will miss out on a help-to-buy loan due to the government introducing a new deadline for reserving a property by the 31st of October. Originally consumers could reserve a home by the end of December if the new building was completed by the end of March 2023. Home Builders Federation, HBF, policy director David O'Leary said: "Some developers were planning on keeping plots to come to fruition by the end of the year. They are shocked and disappointed in the way this had been co

Owen Judd, who joined MetroPM in April last year, has successfully completed his Level 2 Foundation Leasehold Management Exam set by the Institute of Residential Property Management (IRPM). Mr Judd joined Metro PM following nearly two years on a customer service apprenticeship with Principle Estate Management. Faraz Ahmed, associate director of MetroPM, which has offices in Birmingham and Cheltenham, said: “We are really pleased with the commitment Owen has shown and we will support him throughout his lea

Pinnacle has today released its latest law firm review, highlighting international trends in the industry’s proposal management practices, with insights and analysis from eleven AM Law 200 firms. Following the success of its last two reports exploring law firm proposal management process in the UK, the specialist law firm technology partner has expanded its reach to investigate and understand the challenges and opportunities that U.S. headquartered firms face when tackling proposals. The key themes are dr

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 will make it a legal requirement from 23 January 2023 for responsible persons for all multi-occupied residential buildings in England with storeys over 11 metres in height to: Undertake quarterly checks of all fire doors (including self-closing devices) in the common parts; and, Undertake – on a best endeavour basis – annual checks of all flat entrance doors (including self-closing devices) that lead onto a building’s common parts. The regulations will also r

Cloud-based solution for the property industry, Openview - Powered by VTUK, is encouraging agents to embrace customer relationship management (CRM) solutions to keep up in today’s market and streamline those ‘must-do’ tasks.     The firm makes the claim following the recent Queen's Speech which highlighted priorities in the housing market for the months ahead. With big changes to regulations already underway and ongoing challenges in a ‘rapid’ market with low stock, the pressure is continuing to be placed

Oakfield Estate Agents, which has offices based across East Sussex, is marking a quarter-century in business with the launch of a major rebrand as it celebrates its success while looking to the future.  Neil Newstead, its founder and CEO, launched Oakfield Estate Agents in 1996 with business partner Stephen Ruxton-Cocker, from a small office in Hastings. Today, there is a head office in St Leonards, but branches in Eastbourne and Bexhill-on-Sea have also been opened.  The agency sees itself as an integral

A new online resource that provides the latest in-depth analysis and findings around the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, has been launched by planning and development consultancy Lichfields.   The https://lichfields.uk/the-levelling-up-and-regeneration-bill/ website will offer quick, easy and free access for local authorities, housing and construction developers, decision makers and observers and other industry stakeholders, to news and coverage of the Bill alongside expert analysis, technical insight

Two leading names in the lettings sector have issued a joint call on agents, landlords and tenants to look into how the eviction process could change once the government’s latest proposed reforms are introduced.   In the recent Queen’s Speech, the government reiterated its commitment to scrapping Section 21 ‘no fault’ eviction notices during the next Parliamentary session.  And now Paul Shamplina, star of Channel 5’s Evicted! Nightmare Tenants, founder of Landlord Action and Chief Commercial Officer at Ha

Renowned South-West developer Burrington Estates has continued its impressive recent construction programme by starting on-site at its latest Maer View development in Bude, North Cornwall. The team at Burrington Estates has been highly active in recent years, responding both to heightened buyer interest in the South West and demand for the company’s particular brand of homes that are both design-led and place sustainability at the forefront. Recent successes in the local area have included The Heaths in I