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.

Industry Professionals Launch Tailored Management Support Ltd

Industry professionals Emma Peach and Zoe Southwell have joined forces to launch Tailored Management Support Ltd (TMS), an innovative remote property management service designed to provide crucial support to Managing Agents, Freeholders as well as Right to Manage (RTM) or Resident Management Companies (RMCs). Emma Peach, MTPI RICS, founder of Peach Property Consultancy, brings nearly two decades of experience working with and for managing agents. Known for her successful consultancy, Emma’s expertise ensu

Luxury London Apartments Refinanced with £12.9m Loan

18 luxury apartments in Marylebone and Fitzrovia in Central London have been refinanced, thanks to a £12.9m loan from Secure Trust Bank (STB) Real Estate Finance. The collection of properties is split into two portfolios and belongs to Merchant Land, a 30-year-old property developer and investor based in Central London. The two-year residential property investment loan was drawn in November 2024, and it marks the third time that STB Real Estate Finance and Merchant Land have worked together. The apartment

Build to Rent Code of Practice and Customer Charter enter industry consultation phase

The Build to Rent Code of Practice, the Association for Rental Living-led initiative delivered in response to requests from its membership and wider stakeholder groups, has entered a new consultation phase. First launched in March 2024 for road testing by Association for Rental Living members, the Build to Rent Code of Practice has received universal endorsement of its seven principles and rationale. The Code of Practice aims to elevate standards across the Build to Rent sector, establishing a social cont

Preparing for the ADSL switch-off: the transition to full fibre broadband

The global volume of data transmission is skyrocketing, with more data now being sent every ten minutes than existed before 2003. The UK’s copper communications network, in service since 1876, has reached the end of its lifespan, and in less than two years, the nation will bid farewell to its antiquated ADSL network for good.  The transition to full fibre broadband brings faster, more reliable internet, but for housing providers, it also necessitates critical preparations to ensure uninterrupted services.

Peabody and Places for London complete new social rent homes at Barkingside Yard

Social housing in the London Borough of Redbridge has been boosted by the completion of the first 23 of 98 brand new affordable homes at Barkingside Yard, with the remaining homes set to follow in the summer.  The one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes were built by housing association Peabody in partnership with regeneration specialist Vistry Group and Places for London, Transport for London’s wholly owned commercial property company.  This transformation of a former builder’s yard into much-needed affordab

Comment on the Bank of England’s Decision to Lower Interest Rates

Today’s reduction in interest rates is good news for the property industry and the millions of people wishing to move, remortgage or get onto the housing ladder. Acorn Group, and LRG generally, saw positive trading throughout 2024, with sales figures strong and an increasing number of new applicants. Today’s decision is a strong indication that growth is here to stay. It is reassuring to see the BoE’s positive response to both sluggish growth and the welcome news that inflation is easing – as exemplified

Foxtons retains crown as London’s largest agent

Latest industry figures have once again cemented Foxtons as London’s leading lettings and estate agent brand, with the firm dominating the market across the capital with respect to stock levels, sales volumes and lettings instructions. The data comes from renowned industry source, TwentyCi, with the latest figures revealing which agents have performed best in 2024.* The results are comprehensive, to say the least, with Foxtons ranking top of the table across a number of key industry metrics. In 2024,

Grenfell Families Criticise Decision to Demolish Tower

The decision to demolish Grenfell Tower has been met with strong criticism from victims' families and campaigners, who describe it as a "deeply sensitive" issue. The government has previously assured that no changes would be made to the site before the eighth anniversary of the fire, which tragically claimed 72 lives on 14 June 2017. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner confirmed the decision during a meeting with survivors and bereaved families on Wednesday night. Campaigners React to "Painful" Decision G

Survey reveals deepening rental sector crisis as rents soar and landlords quit

A major new survey conducted by Total Property has revealed a detailed and multi-faceted picture of the growing challenges facing the UK’s private rented sector. The research, which gathered responses from nearly 3,500 landlords, tenants and agents, paints a picture of a sector under increasing strain as it anticipates significant legislative changes with the forthcoming Renters' Rights Bill. Total property is a market leader representing over 40% of the private rented sector. Its brands include governmen

Principle wins another prestigious London appointment

Principle Estate Management has been appointed to manage a Grade II listed mansion block in London in the heart of Knightsbridge. Lincoln House is a prestigious residential development of 48 flats located on Basil Street. Rachael Hornby, property director - London at Principle, said: “Following a rigorous due diligence process, Principle stood out with its growing reputation for managing prime central London buildings and operational excellence. “The landscape of property management has changed considerab

Ollo to bring in Spike platform at rental communities

Ollo, by social impact developers Capital&Centric, are working with Spike to streamline resident onboarding and enhance the living experience across its rapidly growing rental portfolio. Eyewitness Works in Sheffield which featured in Channel 4's The Big Interiors Battle, and Farnworth Green in Bolton have become the first of its communities to benefit from Spike’s end-to-end tenancy management solution, Spike Lettings and tenant engagement portal, Spike Living. Spike Lettings enables prospective resident

42% of landlords unaware of EPC overhaul standards required from them

The latest analysis from epIMS, the EPC and energy efficiency platform developed for landlords, reveals that over 40% of landlords remain unaware that an EPC rating of C is soon to become the minimum standard allowed by law for private rented properties, and more than a quarter don’t know what their current EPC rating is. On 4th December 2024, the UK government announced a consultation on its proposed changes to the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating system which is currently expected to enshrine

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