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The start of 2022 is now here, encouraging agents to put in place methods that can help business growth and success throughout the new year.   Openview – Powered by VTUK predicts that automation will be used to change agency for the better next year and beyond.   In recent years, the property market has benefited by making use of automation and technology in everyday processes. Advanced software and applications enable agents to work efficiently, effectively and carry out processes in a fast, efficient, t

A leading property agency has welcomed new government plans that mean flat owners will not have to pay to remove dangerous cladding from lower-height buildings. But Metro PM, a residential property management company with national coverage, said the estimated £4 billion costs may well have to be funded by the Treasury as it was unclear how alternative plans to make developers pay could work. The controversy arose after the Grenfell fire, which killed 72 people in 2017, when flammable cladding and other fi

Developers have been given an early March deadline to create a fully funded plan of action to help the cladding crisis, with further measures to be put in place by the Government. The announcement from Michael Gove MP at the House of Commons this afternoon (10 January) said he is giving developers the chance to ‘do the right thing’ or he would ‘impose in law’ ways to make them pay for the cladding crisis. So far residents in blocks 11-18m high haven’t been eligible for government support to remove unsafe

Sheffield property law specialist firm, Mason Thomas Law has secured membership to the Law Society's Conveyancing Quality Scheme - the mark of excellence for the home buying process. Mason Thomas Law underwent rigorous assessment by the Law Society in order to secure CQS status, which marks the firm out as meeting high standards in the residential conveyancing process. Having the industry-recognised CQS standard assures home buyers that they will receive a reliable, efficient service from Mason Thomas Law

The HML Group are delighted to announce that during 2021, we acquired SDL EM Ltd & CP Bigwood LLP from the SDL Group, a business with circa 7,000 units under management.   In the latter part of 2021, we successfully rebranded and merged both entities into HML Property Management.  We have worked hard to retain as many staff as possible from SDL Property Management as we understand the important role they hold with regards to the delivery of customer care. This is an exciting opportunity, stemming mutual b

As 2021 drew to a swift close, there is much speculation about what 2022 will have to offer.  Despite the emergence of the Omicron variant, which has caused wobbles in financial markets across the world, and the reimposing of restrictions and travel bans, the Bank of England decided on Thursday to increase rates back up to 0.25% from record lows of 0.1%. This comes in the face of soaring inflation and is the first rise in nearly three years, after Brexit/election uncertainty and then Covid had puts plan

People-first technology will be vital to customer experience. Technology underpins the way society operates and how we can support our customers. Ours is an industry that has historically been slower off the mark when it comes to digital engagement, but now is the time to make sure our industry is at the forefront of tech and digital solutions. FirstPort has spent the last year designing and building cutting-edge technology to support our new ways of working to transform customer experience, making it sli

Taylor Wimpey to strike out terms that mean ground rents double every 10 years in latest CMA victory for leaseholders. Affected leaseholders’ ground rents will no longer increase and will remain at the amount charged when they first bought their home. Investigation into Barratt Developments ongoing. Taylor Wimpey – one of the UK’s leading housing developers – has voluntarily given formal commitments to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to remove terms from leasehold contracts that cause groun

DMS Metering Solutions and Data Energy are partnering for the first Energy Metering, Data Collection and Heat Pump breakfast seminar. Date and time Wed, 23 February 2022 08:30 – 11:30 GMT Location 30 Euston Square London NW1 2FB During our breakfast seminar we will be covering: Energy metering technology selection with DMS Metering Solutions Data collection and billing with Data Energy Heat pumps with Infinitas Design Ltd Places are extremely limited and must be booked in advance. We cannot accep

The CEO of a leading ground rent investment firm received an award from Boris Johnson hours before the controversial No.10 Christmas party of 2020. Mark Hawthorn, of Landmark Group, was handed the accolade from the Prime Minister for setting up Xmas Party Heroes charity. The digital platform encourages companies to give money from cancelled Christmas parties to hundreds of charities. It has emerged that during a visit to Bolton on December 18, 2020 Johnson handed Mark the award for raising £1.3m for c

A modern property design company has instructed Principle Estate Management to look after its new mixed-use in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter. Principle will manage Liv Projekt’s units at 1 and 2 Legge Lane which includes nine townhouses, four “live and work” units which the developer is retaining to rent out, and a further commercial unit. The residential units include one two-bedroomed townhouse marketed at £550,000 and eight three-bedroomed townhouses marketed from £675,000 to £895,000. Robert Simonds,

Our last issue of 2021 has now been published and is available to read online. This issue includes a special NOTB Awards feature, including all of the winners and photos from the event.  This issue includes some of the following articles:  Ministers ‘covered up’ fire risk of Grenfell cladding Over 200 attend ALEP virtual conference How to avoid the legal headaches of running a RMC Love thy connected neighbour! Technology helped people feel safer in the pandemic Technology’s role in the future of social