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.

The Appointment of a Manager to take over from a Right to Manage Company

Part 2 of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 makes provision for qualifying tenants to acquire and exercise rights of management of premises through the medium of a  company (known as an 'RTM company') established for that purpose.  The appointment of a statutory manager in relation to residential leasehold premises under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 is sometimes, wrongly, thought of as purely a tenant’s remedy and an alternative to establishing an RTM but, as is apparent from the legislatio

Surge of tenant moves predicted – why agents and landlords must be prepared

There is likely to be a continued surge of tenant moves in the coming weeks as lockdown measures are eased and the rental market's recent recovery continues. Letting agents and landlords are therefore being advised by No Letting Go to prepare for granting a wave of new tenancies while also managing the ongoing impact of Covid-19. The UK's largest provider of inventory services says that an efficiently executed pre-tenancy process can pave the way for a smooth tenancy and increase satisfaction for all stak

Commission Announces Wide-Ranging Proposals For Leasehold Properties

A ground-breaking new intervention from the Law Commission has set out sweeping reforms to leasehold laws, affecting millions of leaseholders across the UK. Making leases easier to extend and freeholds easier to buy, making commonhold workable, and taking control of a block of flats are all included in the review, which was published on 21 July. Spread across three reports, the proposals have been met with mixed reviews from experts after years of increasingly troubling practices from rogue landlords and

Planning is key to getting maintenance schedules back on track

Keeping major projects moving forward during the Covid-19 pandemic needs careful planning, according to experts at MetroPM, the residential estate property managers. Director Ian Smallman said that when lockdown was first announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson back in March, it was difficult to see how construction and maintenance projects could continue. “We have now moved a long way forward and the Government was keen to get the construction industry back to work as early as possible,” he said. “Clea

Law Commission’s blueprint for future of home ownership welcomed by Thursfields

Recommendations for a new and clear direction for the future of home ownership have been welcomed by Thursfields Solicitors. The leading Midlands law firm was commenting after the Law Commission unveiled a plan that included a commonhold regime described as “fit for purpose”, plus a reform of leasehold enfranchisement and the right to manage. Nick O’Hara, managing director at Thursfields, said: “Put simply, the leasehold system is just not working properly for millions of homeowners in England and Wales,

The Oracle Group strengthens its senior team

One of the UK’s leading property marketing and communications companies, The Oracle Group, has strengthened its senior management team by promoting Senior Account Manager, Alice McCutcheon.  Alice joins the Executive Team as Creative Director and will be focused on driving campaign management and digital PR, to deliver strategic campaigns for their broad client base. The Oracle Group is building for its future and working towards expansion plans as it enters its 10th year of operations.   Founder and CEO

Places for People named as one of the best workplaces for Women

Places for People is one of 19 super large organisations in the country to be recognised as one of the 2020 Best Workplaces for Women by Great Place to Work. This is the first time Places for People has entered the award. The award celebrates organisations that promote a fully inclusive work culture, as well as strong representation of women across the workforce and in senior positions. Places for People was named 17 in the super-large workplace (1000+) category alongside the likes of Hilton, Gap, and Hom

Homebuilder donates £1,000 to Derby & Burton hospitals Covid-19 appeal

In support of an emergency appeal to help NHS staff fighting Covid-19 on the frontline, Barratt and David Wilson Homes North Midlands has donated £1,000 to the Derby and Burton Hospitals Charity. The contribution is part of the leading developer’s Community Fund scheme and will help the charity continue its essential hospital and patient support. Tim Diggle, Director at Derby and Burton Hospitals Charity, said: “We are so grateful that Barratt and David Wilson Homes North Midlands have come to the hospita

New PR agency sets its sights on supporting property industry during lockdown bounceback

A Poole-based PR director has set up his own PR agency, with the intention of helping those in the property industry recover from the lockdown. David Sanders, 42, who has recently been made redundant himself, has set up the agency ‘PR42’. It offers a raft of services including a ‘no coverage, no fee’ option. For anyone who takes advantage of this offer there will be no payment due to PR42, unless press coverage is published in pre-agreed media. The agency ‘aims to be as flexible as possible’ and offers ot

MetroPM appoints new director in next phase of growth plans

MetroPM, the residential property management company with offices in Birmingham and Cheltenham, has appointed Ian Smallman as a director. He joins Matthew Arnold, founder and managing director of MetroPM, as the company embarks on its next phase of growth. Established in 2006, MetroPM provides day-to-day estate management services to a growing number of developers, freeholders and resident management companies in the Midlands and South West. Matthew Arnold said: “Ian joins us at a time when we are activel

UK leaseholders concerned new building safety obligations would be a “disaster” if left to residents

Most leaseholders of apartment buildings do not want to take on new responsibilities for building and fire safety, over fears of building neglect and conflict, independent research published today reveals. In contrast to recent reports suggesting discontent in the leasehold sector, research conducted by Savanta Group into leaseholders’ attitudes towards building safety reforms, shows the vast majority (70%) of leaseholders are satisfied with the current rights and responsibilities and believe taking on ad

SDL continues to grow property partners network

SDL Property Partners has announced that three new franchisees have joined its national block management franchise network during the COVID-19 lockdown. The property management specialist has now released details of the three new partners – Middlesex-based Asset India, White Picket Fence Ltd in Croydon and Belvoir London Westminster. Formed in 2011, Asset India is a real estate advisory and development company, that also has offices in India and Dubai. Managing Director, Rahul Dixit, explains he was looki

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