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.

Why Do You Need a Surveyor For Licences to Alter?

Status Quo The role of Landlords Surveyor regarding Licences to Alter when considering a Leaseholder’s intention to carry out alteration works are understood by all involved. The surveyor will follow the same processes of assessment, reporting and monitoring which is a very efficient and proven approach to service delivery. But is there room for improvement? Surveyors thrive on process and structure which serves all parties very well. Having a structure and process in place is a very effective way of mai

deverellsmith launch employee survey across the property industry

London, UK – April 2022: deverellsmith, the London based recruitment and talent solutions partner for the property industry, announced that it has launched a survey which aims to uncover property professionals’ opinions and attitudes towards remuneration, employee benefits and career opportunities. The industry is experiencing one of the biggest talent shortages in a generation, counteroffers are more prominent than ever, employers are battling to recruit talent and reduce attrition and wage inflation is

Central and local government increasingly willing to embrace PropTech

A recent local government event highlighted the sector’s steady digital transformation – evidence that authorities at all levels are increasingly willing to consider and adopt tech solutions.  That’s according to PayProp, whose MD Neil Cobbold was invited to speak at the event in question at the end of March (the Institute of Government and Public Policy’s Second Annual National Local Government Event).   The day-long event included speakers and exhibitors from local councils, tech firms, suppliers and ot

“I’ve inherited EV Charge Points - Now what?”

If you’re managing a block with developer-fitted 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 diese

First Look: Rockwell reveals Vetro’s show apartments at sales launch on Saturday 23 April 2022

On Saturday 23 April, Rockwell will unveil its highly anticipated show apartments at Vetro, with a public sales launch for a selection of its limited edition, beautifully crafted and considered homes on West India Dock Road, Westferry. For the first time, potential buyers will have an opportunity to view some of Vetro’s inspired collection which will comprise 8 one-bedroom, 33 two-bedroom and 6 duplex penthouse apartments just two minutes from the shops, restaurants and bustling heart of Canary Wharf, and

Rendall & Rittner appoints new Community Engagement Officer

Rendall & Rittner has recently appointed Denzil Baisden as its new Community Engagement Officer. His role will be key to strengthening the sense of community experienced by residents living in developments managed by the leading managing agent. After spending five years working as a hotel concierge for Hilton, Denzil first moved to Rendall & Rittner in 2009. Initially working as a member of the concierge team, Denzil moved to the Head Office to work in the Estate Operations team. Having briefly left to wo

Merger creates one of the UK's largest residential service charge accountancy teams

“As The Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA) partners, Fortus are particularly strong in the specialist area of Service Charge, and our coming together means we’ll be among the largest Residential Service Charge accountancy teams in the UK. It’s partly their commitment to this specialism that led us to conclude they were the right fit.” Director Dave Brown, formerly of Thomas David. With nearly 200 years of legacy service and experience, the Executive team at Thomas David were exploring ways

Electric vehicle growth is a highly charged issue for developers – Principle

Developers and estate property managers need to keep abreast of fast changing fast charging advances in the world of electrical vehicles (EV), experts at Principle Estate Management are warning. Bob Simonds, director at Principle Estate Management, said not only do developers need to factor in EV charging into new builds, they also need to be aware of the implications and associated costs of retro-fitting existing buildings. His comments come as the motor industry recorded only a 1% increase in overall ve

Energy Crisis: Why uncapped energy costs will hit lessees hard

It has been a turbulent 6 months for the UK energy system and the challenge faced from soaring wholesale costs has escalated significantly. Energy prices have quadrupled in the past year, and now utilities are one of the most significant items of expenditure in a service charge budget, putting increased pressure on property managers as there is limited protection for lessees. But what can be done to ensure supplies are both secure and competitive? The energy crisis was initially driven by a perfect storm

Belvoir acquires Kettering estate agency

Belvoir estate agency, which has offices in Corby, Kettering and Coventry, is expanding with the acquisition of Simon Musto Sales and Lettings. Simon Musto, which has an office in Sheep Street, Kettering, has been established in the town for over four decades and boasts two members of staff, both of which stay in position. Simon will remain in the business, mainly working from home as a remote agent. Belvoir managing director Bobby Singh Braich said: “We are delighted to announce this acquisition as it gi

Buy-to-let tax changes five years on: One third of landlords’ portfolios less profitable, with over a tenth now looking to sell

Landlords’ portfolios are not generating the same income as they once did, a new report reveals, as many are concerned about the future of the rental market. A study of over 600 UK landlords from Simply Business, one of the UK’s largest providers of small business and landlord insurance, found that one in three (33%) landlords said their properties are not as profitable due to the reduction of buy-to-let mortgage tax relief, which started in April 2017.  Controversial tax changes have increased costs for

SO Resi Solihull offers a gateway to the exciting city life of booming Birmingham

Birmingham is making headlines as excitement around the 2022 Commonwealth Games builds – sparking a regeneration that looks set to result in the highest house price inflation in the country over the next five years. With HS2 promising a commute of less than an hour to central London, not to mention the raft of blue-chip companies recruiting in the region, there has never been a better time to move to the area. SO Resi Solihull is a new shared ownership development that formers part of the wider Oakhurst V

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