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Leasehold homeowners have been “misled and taken advantage of” after an investigation by the competition watchdog found “worrying evidence”.   The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has issued a damning report following its probe and said it would take action against housebuilders.   It has also called for a change in the law and for refunds to be paid.   The CMA said many homeowners found themselves in “serious traps” after being misled by developers. It has not disclosed any names so far as it cont

QUESTION My block hasn't had a fire risk assessment for some time. How often are they required to be done and who is responsible? ANSWER The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 is the regulation which most explicitly defines the need for Fire Risk Assessments to be carried out in the common areas of blocks of flats. There are various guidance documents and standards which provide detail on how to achieve compliance with that regulatory requirement, although they stop short on prescribing a specifi

A coalition including 20 organisations, Management Companies and industry leaders have formed to take action. An official letter was delivered to the Chancellor. Fexco Property Services are proud to be a part of this group, here is their official message: As a large participant in the managing agent sector, Fexco Property Services, via our Remus and Crabtree brands fully acknowledge the scale of the cladding issue currently affecting the property industry. As such, we have a planned cladding programme in

A new contract to look after a quality development of luxury flats in Bristol has highlighted Principle Estate Management’s expansion into the south west. The Pier Management Group has appointed Principle to manage the block of flats it has recently purchased at North Road, which is near St Andrews Park. The new build development involved the demolition of previous buildings and the construction of a two and three-storey block which contains a mixture of one, two and three bedroomed flats. This is the sec

MRI Software (“MRI”), a global leader in real estate software solutions, announced the European launch of MRI Living and MRI @Work at Ascend London, the organisation’s largest-ever event in the region, held on February 12-13. The comprehensive residential and commercial property management solutions expand on MRI’s existing technologies for the European market, offering clients additional flexibility to meet the shifting demands of the property industry with an innovative PropTech platform. The MRI Living

Following new evidence that the scale of the cladding crisis may affect up to half a million people, cladding campaigners, residents, property managers and the UK’s largest freeholders have formed an unprecedented coalition to request a multibillion-pound fund to remediate unsafe buildings.   In an open letter to the new Chancellor, the group has called on the Government to step in following failures in the building safety regime that have dated back decades. Without support, leaseholders may be left havi

FirstPort, the residential property manager, has appointed Lee Richards as Director - Build to Rent. Lee joined FirstPort in July 2018 as Head of Property Standards and takes up his new appointment immediately. Managing properties that investors are building specifically to rent (BTR) is emerging as the sector’s fastest growing commercial opportunity in 2020. Prior to joining FirstPort Lee was Managing Director of a national property lettings business, managing large portfolios for clients such as the Min

Property management firm Scanlans has joined forces with cladding campaigners, residents and property owners to form a coalition urging the government to establish a multi-billion pound emergency fund so buildings around the country can be made safe.   The group today issued an open letter to new Chancellor Rishi Sunak urging the government to act over flammable cladding on buildings.   Ian Magenis, a partner at Scanlans, said: “The fall-out from the Grenfell tragedy has proved to be a difficult time for

A new-build scheme of luxury apartments just up the road from the famous Edgbaston Cricket Ground is to be looked after by Principle Estate Management. The Willows are located at 110 Edgbaston Road, on the much sought-after border between Edgbaston and Moseley, and overlooking the popular Cannon Hill Park. The developers of the six plush apartments, thought to have been named after the willow used in cricket bats, appointed Principle after an estate agent’s recommendation. Joe Jobson, a director at Princi

Freeholders going AWOL will be the subject of the next annual Lecture delivered by the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners (ALEP).  The Lecture is aimed at both surveyors and solicitors looking to get an insight into the issue of absentee landlords, and will take place on Thursday 5 March, at 30 Euston Square.   Cases with missing landlords can be disruptive for all parties involved in leasehold enfranchisement, and ALEP’s Lecture tackles this issue and aims to arm professionals w

Central London law firm, Bishop & Sewell, is pleased to announce two new appointments to its management board.   Mark Chick takes over as Senior Partner and Michael Kashis is appointed as Managing Partner for Strategy and Implementation.   Founding Partner, Stephen Bishop, commented as follows: ‘We are delighted to announce these two board appointments, which are a key part of the delivery of our vision for Bishop & Sewell for 2020 and beyond. Michael has exceptional skills in the management arena and Mar

MIPIM is a great opportunity to meet colleagues, connect with new people, and ensure that we are at the top of our game when it comes to industry updates and shared knowledge. To kick-start their Cannes campaign, Earl Kendrick and Matteo Bianchi Studio are jointly hosting a pre-MIPIM Party. If you would like to join them for drinks , nibbles and to meet people in our sector to find out who else is going to MIPIM then you can register your interest here.  DATE: 5 March 2020 TIME: 17:00 – LATE VENUE: Earl K