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Property professionals facing a backlog of mandatory electrical checks for new tenancies can get back on track by partnering with a national provider of Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs). This is according to PropCert, which says that as agents continue to deal with unprecedented rental demand, they will soon have to start preparing for the extension of The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 in April 2021. With this in mind, agents could sta

QUESTION Is it possible to purchase a flat and extend the lease at the same time? I want to buy a flat but have been informed that the lease is very short. ANSWER Yes, it is possible to do that! There are different ways of potentially achieving this. Each has different commercial risks attached that you need to consider and potentially negotiate in respect of first. Hopefully, one of them works for you. If your seller qualifies to claim an extended lease, then contractual arrangements can be put in place

Principle Estate Management has recruited a specialist property manager to handle some of its complex and also some smaller properties as the business continues to grow. Sadduf Houston  had previously worked at Curry & Partners and CPBigwood for the last 12 and a half years, working up through the ranks from property assistant to property manager. Ms Houston’s appointment maintains Principle as the UK’s fastest growing residential management company with her being the 11th recruit in 2020, taking total st

The Legal 500, widely acknowledged as the world’s largest independent legal referral guide, has published it's rankings for 2021. Based on a broad series of criteria, including strong technical ability available for the most complex and innovative work, client recommendation and results, the rankings provide a comprehensive view of the merits of best law firms across the world. This year, Liverpool based property solicitors JB Leitch are celebrating being elevated to Tier 3 Leading Firm status for propert

In previous articles we have considered how terrorism has changed and is changing as a phenomenon and what terrorism really means (including how it is formally defined) and why both those considerations are important to us as insurance professionals. In this article, we consider the motivations for opting to protect against terrorism and purchase terrorism insurance. We will also briefly consider the possible reasons for opting against buying coverage and why in some cases, these may be based on dangerous

The government must provide further clarity on cladding compliance if tens of thousands of flat owners are not to be frozen out of the housing market indefinitely, experts at block management firm MetroPM are warning. Since the Grenfell Fire tragedy, the construction industry, surveyors, management companies and lenders have worked together to produce EWS1, a new form designed to show that for apartment buildings over 18m, a risk assessment on the external wall system has been undertaken by a suitable exp

An historic foundry in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter that was converted into nearly 100 luxury apartments is to be looked after by Principle Estate Management. The contract to manage the Grade II-listed Derwent Foundry, which dates from the Edwardian era, has come from Simarc Property Management Ltd. Principle already manages multiple sites for Simarc, one example being plush apartments each worth approximately £3 million in an exclusive block at Acre House in Covent Garden, London. Derwent Foundry, situ

TNA Building Services are proud to be working with Leaksafe Solutions to install leak detection systems to over 400 properties in a managed block in West London.  The leak detection systems are being installed to all areas where there is a potential for an escape of water such as under baths and showers, behind toilets and to kitchen areas. The system will provide a valuable early warning via text message of any issues giving the option for residents or building managers to respond, isolate water and dram

Neil Cobbold, Chief Sales Officer at PayProp, comments: After six months and two extensions, the ban on evictions come to an end on September 20, with courts to hear rental property repossession cases again from the following day. The resumption of evictions will be a welcome milestone for landlords who have had to wait six months to take action against tenants with serious rent arrears or those committing offences of anti-social behaviour or domestic abuse. Letting agents will need to make sure that land

MRI Software (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, and Priority Technology Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:  PRTH) (“Priority”), a leading provider of merchant acquiring, integrated payment software and commercial payment solutions, have completed the previously announced sale and acquisition of Priority’s RentPayment business, which is comprised of the RentPayment.com™, StorageRentPayment.com™ and DuesPayment.com™ real estate payment brands. Going forward, Priority will provide ongoing payme

A new advice line for businesses supporting employees experiencing or at risk of domestic abuse has been launched by crisis support charity Hestia. 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men will experience domestic abuse at some point in their lifetime with 10 per cent of victims reporting abuse at work (TUC, 2014).  The Everyone’s Business Advice Line will be a point of contact for businesses, supporting them on how to approach disclosures of domestic abuse by their employees, particularly in light of Covid-19. They w

In Place of Strife, a leading mediation service provider, has rebranded as IPOS Mediation. The award-winning dispute resolution chambers, with offices in London and Dublin, has  changed its name as part of a new strategy to strengthen the company’s mission and modernise the business.   By rebranding, IPOS Mediation aims to ensure that the company’s services are communicated clearly to a wider audience, and that their industry-leading expertise is recognised across all sectors.   Mark Jackson-Stops, Head o