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“Goodbye! We are now leaving this world. Goodbye! I hope I haven’t disappointed you. Goodbye to all!” Those were the final words of London chauffeur Mohammed Neda as he called his loved ones on his mobile phone, realising that he was not going to escape the inferno engulfing Grenfell Tower. After helping others to safety, Mohammed, found himself on the top floor of the block with no way out. His testimony was the first of dozens being heard by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. Headed by retired judge Sir Martin

The government has pledged to spend £400m to remove potentially dangerous cladding from more than 150 high-rise tower blocks across the UK. As the first anniversary of the Grenfell Tower disaster approaches, Theresa May told MPs that councils and housing associations would be given the cash from Whitehall coffers to carry out the work. But government funds for privately owned blocks was ruled out. She added that it would be wrong if the cost of removing the cladding meant housing providers had less money

Newlyweds the Duke and Duchess of Suffolk will be spending married life in a 21-room apartment in Kensington Palace after it was given a major renovation. Around six months of work on Apartment 1 was coming to an end as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle prepared for their big day. It means the couple will now be next-door neighbours to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – William and Kate. The apartments are so close together they are linked by adjoining doors. Earlier this year came the first hint that Harry

A couple have been told they cannot turn the cellar of their maisonette into a room because their lease does not include the subsoil beneath the building. In Gorst v Knight, the court heard that Mr and Mrs Gorst wanted to increase the height of their cellar from 5ft to 9ft to make it habitable. The local council had approved the plan, but the freeholder was against it and this led to a legal dispute. A court has now rejected the plan because the lease did not include the subsoil beneath the building. Mark

Property industry leaders have urged the new Secretary of State for Housing to continue the good work of his predecessor in raising the profile of the sector. James Brokenshire was announced as the new secretary of state to replace Sajid Javid, who was named the Home Secretary following the resignation of Amber Rudd. Leaders from across all spheres of the industry encouraged Mr Brokenshire to hit the ground running and get on with implementing measures that were highlighted in last year’s housing white pa

Directors of a newly formed RTM company may be both apprehensive and excited at appointing a managing agent and keen to see an immediate impact on their development. How can you, as the incoming managing agent, handle their expectations and ensure a solid start to your working relationship? Colin Hussey, of Brady Solicitors, explains how managing agents can successfully manage leaseholder expectations, especially when dealing with early hurdles such as recovering outstanding service charge arrears. Leaseh

Pennycuick Collins has secured the management of Chadwick Manor, Knolwe from 1stJune 2018.  Chadwick Manor, approximately 1 mile due north of Chadwick End village, was built in 1875 for Gilbert Wilkes (1829-1882) and his family. According to the Birmingham Daily Post, 21 April 1883 the architect was Edward Holmes. Gilbert Wilkes's eldest son John, then aged 20, laid the foundation stone for Chadwick Manor in 1875. The Wilkes family fortune came from brass and copper mills at Bordesley, Birmingham with the

In response to rapid growth, estate and block management company POD has announced two new senior hires. Both joining the business from FirstPort, the UK’s largest managing agent, Ryan Collier will take the position of Operations Director, bringing a wealth of specialist experience in the large-scale developments and build-to-rent sector, whilst Andrew Froy has been named Director of Business Development.   A passionate and talented leader, previous roles have enabled Ryan Collier to develop a comprehen

It is often the case in collective enfranchisement claims that issues arise over communal areas. The recent appeal of The Corporation of Trinity House 2016 v 4-6 Trinity Church Square Freehold Limited [2018] EWCA Civ 764 highlights a problem concerning precarious rights over communal gardens and how these should be dealt with in collective claims. The statutory provisions that govern what can be acquired are found in Section 1 of the 1993 Act.  It allows tenants to acquire property which is not included i

As the country is increasingly developed and becomes covered by roads, pavements, and buildings, this increases the load we place on our struggling sewer network, treatment systems and watercourses from pollutants originating on the traditionally drained impermeable surfaces. At Albany Surveyors many of our Clients are striving to reduce their environmental impact. One way to achieve this is to lay permeable paving, patios and/or driveways. Permeable paving is a relatively recent introduction and is one o

Millstream Management Services (MMS), the leading provider of retirement housing management services in the UK, has appointed Wendy Martin as its new Area Manager for the South. Wendy will be responsible for MMS’ team of Lodge Managers across its Southern region, managing retirement properties for a mixture of large and small developers, Housing Associations, Right to Manage (RTM) companies, Residents Management companies (RMC's) and investors. Wendy is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing and h

Join Doyenne & YLP Summer Party on Tuesday 19th June at Jaks Mayfair for networking drinks until 9pm and then a DJ until 1am and yes, “Boyennes” are invited! When: 19 June 2018, 18:30 – 01:00 Where: Jaks Mayfair 43 S Molton St, Mayfair, London W1K 5RS, UK Follow the link below to secure your FREE ticket, these events sell out in record time so don’t miss out... https://www.leaseholdsocial.com/events