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As Covid-19 continues to affect tenants’ finances, more landlords are facing rent arrears – a problem expected to worsen over the coming weeks. A new report by rental payment automation platform PayProp, compiled using payment data from letting agencies across the UK, shows that four in five agencies have seen the share of tenants in arrears grow since March. Landlords will need the support of letting agencies to ensure they have a comprehensive record of all arrears and communications with tenants, accor

This article was first published on the Winckworth Sherwood website.  The Right to Manage (RTM) was introduced in 2002 giving flat owners the ability to collectively take over the management functions in respect of their building without having to prove fault on the part of those responsible for management under their lease (usually their landlord) or paying a premium. So it provided a very useful alternative to collectively claiming the freehold at cost for those flat owners who do not have lease appoint

A government move to allow additional floors to be built on residential blocks of flats without planning permission has received a cautious welcome from Principle Estate Management. The UK’s fastest growing residential estate management business was commenting after housing secretary Robert Jenrick said he would allow up to two storeys to be added to blocks from this summer. Building upwards currently requires planning consent, which involves checks on how well designs fit with nearby homes and the potent

MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, announces that CLS Holdings plc (CLS), a FTSE 250 commercial property investment company, will deploy MRI’s property management technology platform across its operations in the UK, Germany and France. CLS will leverage the MRI solution to rationalise its property and finance processes and systems to improve business agility and overall efficiency, and to enable its business growth strategy to be achieved in a cost-effective manner. “MRI was

The Court of Appeal delivered a significant decision that gives landlords the ability serve Section 21 notices to evict tenants where gas safety certificates were not provided at the outset of the tenancy agreement. The case - Trecarrell House vs Patricia Rouncefield – reverses an earlier decision that effectively gave tenants the right to remain permanently in a home if a landlord failed to provide a gas safety certificate before the tenant took up occupation of the property. The decision will be an enor

Despite all the recent complications COVID-19 has brought JPC Law are immensely proud to welcome four new solicitors to our team together with a new practice area of Business Immigration:  BRINDA GRANTHRAI, Partner Brinda joins JPC as a Partner in our Real Estate Team where she will deal with a broad range of property work for mainly high net worth individuals and onshore and offshore SMEs with a particular focus on the acquisition, development and disposal of high value commercial and residential propert

The mere utterance of the word commonhold usually instils terror and panic into the heart of most right minded property lawyers.  Understandable, since so only about 20 commonhold developments have been created since Trevor Aldridge's 2002 Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act introduced the concept of freehold flats and community ownership of the common parts.   It never caught on because there was nothing beneficial to developers in it. The  more traditional legal environment of  granting long leases had

James Paul has written a white paper on the treatment of VAT when doing a reinstatement cost assessment.  In recent years, one of the most talked about aspects of reinstatement cost assessments (otherwise known as insurance valuations) has been the subject of VAT. Should VAT be included in the surveyor’s calculations, and why is it a contentious issue? In this white paper, James Paul MRICS, Director, EK RCA, looks at the applicability of VAT in a residential block of flats scenario, from the point of v

Having made her name streamlining the property market in Shetland and working for some of Scotland’s most prolific property firms, Rhea Balfour has recently launched her own boutique property concierge firm in Edinburgh. RJB Property Consultants and Surveyors will provide a qualitative selection of bespoke property services to property owners and investors across the city of Edinburgh, supporting clients with buying, selling, renovating and maintaining property. An AssocRICS qualified surveyor, Rhea has o

The Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners (ALEP) is proud to be celebrating 13 years at the forefront of the enfranchisement sector.  ALEP founder and director Anna Bailey said: “I am very proud of how far ALEP has come since my brother, Alex Greenslade, and I launched it in 2007; It is now an award-winning association with more than 260 members – four of which have joined during lockdown. It’s a fantastic achievement by my ALEP colleagues and all our members over the years who have co

FirstPort, the UK’s leading residential property manager, has bolstered its senior team with two new appointments.  David Young joins the business from Centrica in a new role of Chief Operating Officer, while Michael Venus takes up the role of Director of HR.  Both David and Michael will sit on FirstPort’s executive board, supporting Chief Executive Nigel Howell. The appointments come as the business continues to pursue its growth agenda.  Last year FirstPort announced that Equistone Partners Europe Limit

Do Some Good, a portal set up by professionals from SAY Property Consulting, deverellsmith and Greystar to pool real estate support during the COVID-19 crisis, is this Pride month supporting akt, a charity supporting young LGBTQ+ people aged 16-25  facing or experiencing homelessness or living in a hostile environment, find a safe place to live.  Since the outbreak, akt has seen a spike in cases due to young people being confined and inadvertently, or forcibly, being outed to families and guardians who di