Featured Articles

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

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 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

Sigma Capital Group plc, one of the leading build-to-rent providers focused on family housing in the UK, has launched its private rental sector (PRS) market research report, which reveals the nation’s behaviours and attitudes around renting. The Rental Experience: Setting the Standard, is based on in-depth qualitative and quantitative data collection concluding with a survey of more than 2,000 renters. The research reveals everything from who the modern-day renter is, to what barriers they feel they face

This article was first published on the Winckworth Sherwood website. On 8 July 2020, Rishi Sunak announced that Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) will be cut in a bid to boost the housing market and purchaser confidence. Reduced rates of SDLT will immediately apply to the purchase of residential properties in England and Northern Ireland from 8 July 2020 until 31 March 2021 inclusive (the ‘qualifying period’). Full details are yet to be made clear but we set our initial understanding of these changes.` The redu

The Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners (ALEP) has reviewed the Law Commission’s three highly anticipated reports concerning the future of leasehold and Commonhold reform. The three reports recommend reforms to: leasehold enfranchisement; the right to manage; reinvigorating commonhold. Leasehold home ownership has been under media and political scrutiny over recent years and the three reports contain a number of recommendations that would “significantly improve the position of homeowner

Continuing Professional Development is recognised as fundamental to the development of knowledge and skills needed to perform in a professional context. In every industry, professionals are expected to proactively keep their skills up-to-date and enhance their knowledge. Being part of an industry’s CPD programme, demonstrates a level of commitment and capability which is much sought after by employers. We at IRPM are committed to supporting our members’ efforts to continually develop, be it from the comfo

The Law Commission of England and Wales has today [21 July 2020] published recommendations to transform home ownership for millions of people in England and Wales. It has been estimated there are at least 4.3 million leasehold homes in England alone. If enacted our reforms would help those owners and pave the way for a system where flats are sold with freehold title (as part of a commonhold).  These reforms – laid out in three reports – work in tandem with planned changes from the Government to create fit

Radical reforms allowing flats to be sold with freehold title (as part of a commonhold) have been proposed today by the Law Commission.   A raft of changes have been suggested after a two-year probe into leaseholds. The investigation followed furore around the sale of houses on estates with leaseholds which had ground rents that were due to double every 10 years.   Thousands of families say they are stuck in homes that are virtually impossible to sell due to the leaseholds.   The Law Commission proposals,

Katie Orr of JB Leitch's litigation department, looks at recent case law to provide insight into whether a leaseholder was in breach of covenant for allowing short-term lets of a property only to be used as a private dwelling.  This articles was originally published on the JB Leitcch website. BREACH OF COVENANT: APPEAL AS TO WHETHER A SHORT-TERM ‘AIRBNB’-STYLE LET WAS IN BREACH OF LEASE COVENANTS (TRIPLEROSE LTD V BEATTIE & ANOR - 2020) The latest in many cases relating to properties let on a short term b

Associate Kirsten Blower of specialist property solicitors JB Leitch, looks at recent case law on the question of whether a landlord who employed subcontractors to read electricity meters and manage billing processes for electricity, was entitled under the terms of the lease to recover the costs of such subcontractor from leaseholders by way of surcharge on electricity costs… REGULATION OF RESIDENTIAL SERVICE CHARGES UNDER LONG LEASES & IMPACT OF THE ’18-MONTH RULE’ (NO.1 WEST INDIA QUAY (RESIDENTIAL) LIM

Organisers of the re-arranged Toolkit for Property Managers conference at the University of Oxford’s St Hugh’s College have announced a new date for event. The conference, which was originally scheduled for March 2020, has a new date of April 9-11 with a full programme of over 40 different sessions available for attendees. Cassandra Zanelli, partner at PM Legal Services who are organising the conference, said: “We’re really looking forward to welcoming people to St Hugh’s in April next year so we can all