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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

David Wilson Homes Southern has supported Basingstoke Foodbank, part of the Trussell Trust, with a donation of groceries to assist their work during a challenging time. Based at the Tempus Business Centre in Basingstoke, the foodbank has two distribution centres within the town and is still striving to support those in need during the Covid-19 crisis. Items donated by David Wilson Homes, based nearby at its Gillies Meadow and Spiers Meadow developments, included instant mash, tinned meat, spreads, toilet

Principle Estate Management has appointed an experienced property expert to support its recent growth into the south-east of England. Tony Rozario’s new role as property inspector was created after the number of developments the Birmingham-based company manages across the country reached more than 200 – with many of these in and around London. Mr Rozario has more than 13 years of experience in the property sector in London and the south-east working on everything from inspections to inventories, creating

Birmingham-based Urban Village Capital has overcome the obstacles of lockdown to deliver full completion of its latest luxury £14m apartment development. Knight's House, a stunning nine-floor former office block in affluent Sutton Coldfield, features a total of 63 apartments - including 12 penthouses, and continues the company's upward spiral and ambition to be a major player in the private rental sector. Having announced practical completion in November, Urban Village Group has had to negotiate the issue

So far, 2020 has certainly been a time of massive change, with a key shift toward focussing on the health of our staff and loved ones, and no-one can deny that it's been a tough year to date for everyone! As managing agents, property management is essential for the health and safety of buildings and residents. Our work has had to continue as much as possible to the same standards as our customers expect, and with a few changes to the way we operate, backed by reliable contractors, it has been a relatively

This month marks thirty years since Duncan Rendall and Matt Rittner founded their residential property management company, Rendall & Rittner. It has grown to become a market leading independent business, responsible for a growing portfolio that currently stands at 70,000 units. Despite the backdrop of current challenging circumstances, the business continues to develop and, with its network of regional offices across the UK, Rendall & Rittner is fast achieving its goal of becoming a truly national company

Funding of £6.4 million has been secured by The Studios24 - the first company to deliver a major co-living development in the Midlands - it was announced yesterday.   Cynergy Bank has agreed the refinance package for the London-based property company’s £12.5 million residential development in Wolverhampton.   The Studios24 has transformed a dilapidated 12-storey office building into one of the UK’s leading co-living developments. The £12.5 million project, at Birch Street, recently reached practical compl