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.

Braemar Estates becomes Rendall & Rittner

Following its purchase by leading managing agent Rendall & Rittner, Braemar Estates will become Rendall & Rittner creating one fully integrated business. Rendall & Rittner acquired Manchester-based managing agents, Braemar Estates, at the end of last year, bringing the group’s total portfolio of managed properties to more than 60,000 across the UK. Initially, the two companies were operating under their own names, but the move to unite them as Rendall & Rittner allows the company to grow nationally under

Principle to manage top Walsall apartment block

Principle Estate Management has won the contract to manage a highly regarded apartment block in Walsall. The company has been appointed by Fishers, a lettings agent based in Harborne, Birmingham, to look after Melrose Court on Mellish Road, near Walsall town centre. Melrose Court is a three-storey property containing 21 flats that was built around 18 years ago by Kendrick Homes. Fishers – which has been operating for over 100 years – does not undertake block management but one of their clients owns Melros

Rendall & Rittner go platinum

Rendall & Rittner, a leading managing agent, is proud to announce it has been awarded a Platinum accolade - the Investors in People (IIP) standard, and is in third place, out of only 18 real estate companies in the UK to be awarded this level, demonstrating the commitment to high performance through its good people management. The company, which currently employs 360 members of office staff and over 2,000 on-site staff at more than 60,000 residential properties throughout the UK, moved up the scale from i

Nottingham law firm makes crucial senior appointment in its residential property management department

Award-winning property management law firm Brady Solicitors has recruited property dispute resolution specialist, Catherine Gritt, as Head of Litigation. Catherine brings a decade of specialist property and commercial litigation expertise, including six years in the national property litigation team at Squire Patton Boggs and, most recently, at Fraser Brown solicitors in Nottingham. In her new role as Head of Litigation at Brady Solicitors, Catherine is responsible for overseeing the swift and effective r

Why Section 21 is necessary

With landlord facing seemingly unending legislation and more and more taxation it is imperative that they are able to regain possession of their property if necessary without facing scrutiny or the need to provide a reason.  Currently there is a nationwide campaign headed up by Generation Rent and supported by Salvation Army and Crisis amongst others. The campaign has over 50,000 signatures so far calling for section 21 to be scrapped. No-fault evictions Section 21 evictions, also known as no-fault evicti

Selective licensing

Selective licensing is a location-based government provision that requires landlords in selected areas to hold licenses that enable them to legally rent their property. If your property is in an area that has implemented selective licensing then you’ll need to apply for a license.   The Housing Act 2004 gave individual councils the power to implement selective licensing. You can view the legislation in full here.   Each council will have their own scheme and will be important to find out from the local au

JPC Law acquires Terence St J Millett

JPC Law is delighted to announce that it has expanded its residential and commercial real estate services through the successful acquisition of central London practice Terence St J Millett.  The Partners of Terence St J Millett; Derek Wilkinson, Paul Skilbeck, Ian Sinclair and Pauline Riley, along with their team, will continue to practice as part of the JPC Law residential real estate team, strengthening the firm’s leading expertise in high value conveyancing work. Derek Wilkinson at Terence St J Millett

Prime £12 million office development in Solihull to be managed by Principle Estate Management

Principle Estate Management has won the contract to manage a major office and residential development project in Solihull. Sapphire Court is made up of six interlinked blocks totalling 88,375 sq ft on a 3.93-acre site on Streetsbrook Road in Solihull town centre. The part-occupied office development was bought by Streetsbrook Property Developments LLP, part of Investin plc, for £12 million in June, and Principle has now been appointed to manage the property. Half of Sapphire Court is currently empty, with

Q&A - Flat Doors

QUESTION I'm chair of a management company looking after 35 flats. We are going to replace our flat front doors which are non-compliant with fire regs. Do the doors belong to the individual flat owners and if so, what rights does the management company have to replace them? The board of directors is made up of 6 flat owners. We'd like to change the style slightly but want to have all the new doors the same style. Can individual flat owners demand to choose a different style for their own door? ANSWER Than

Pennycuick Collins grows block management team

Pennycuick Collins has bolstered its residential block management team with the appointment of Property Manager Annie Egan.  Annie joins from SDL where she worked in the estate management team and has a degree in law from the University of Wolverhampton. This brings the number of professionals engaged exclusively in residential service charge and block management to 15 in total, making Pennycuick Collins one of the largest players in the Midlands market.   Speaking about joining the firm, Annie said:  “

WIN an over bonnet shed storage unit!

We are running a competition for Over Bonnet Shed for three lucky winners to win a over bonnet shed storage unit worth £995!!  What is it? For those with a garage, over bonnet storage is a great way to create new storage space. For the increasing number of people choosing to live in apartments, many developments often offer limited storage at or near your car space.  For more information on the units please click here. In short, Over Bonnet Shed will give you an over bonnet storage shed for free, if you..

In selecting your recruiter, do your due diligence now

It may be the last thing you consider when looking for a member of staff. You need someone quickly, the outgoing property manager is on a month’s notice, you hope you find the right PM for your block management firm and that they’ll stay. For a long time. Whether you are an expanding firm of managing agents and need more staff or you’re on the hunt for a replacement for a tricky portfolio, more than ever good property managers are few and far between. And too many think the grass is greener rather than ro

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