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Colin O’Reilly has joined Qube Global Software as sales director, bringing with him 27 years’ experience in the property software market.  Colin has worked for large US companies for the past 10 years, including his previous roles as regional sales director for Yardi Systems and EMEA sales director for MRI Real Estate Solutions. Prior to that he was part of the management team for property management software specialist Fraser Williams, which was bought by Qube in 2005. “I’m delighted to be worki

As part of its vision to become the ‘legal firm of the future’, Brethertons has announced four new partners within the firm. Three of the partners are non-lawyers – an innovation allowed under the firm’s new Alternative Business Structure. This status also benefits clients by permitting the firm to offer a wider range of services than ordinary law firms. Instrumental in this new path is deputy CEO, and now partner, Sally Jones. In just one year, the firm says Sally’s vision for a modern, fit-for-pur

Former government minister Sally Keeble is to join the Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA) as its new independent regulator. She will chair the regulatory panel which oversees ARMA members and determines disciplinary outcomes of cases involving member firms.  ARMA is the leading trade association for residential leasehold managing agents in England and Wales. The current regulator, Keith Hill, said: “Sally is expertly placed to take over a role which is crucial for the standing and integr

Residential asset management specialist Mainstay has been appointed by Aviva Investors to manage its REaLM Fund. The fund comprises a growing portfolio of some 36,000 predominantly residential ground rents, purchased by Aviva since 2011. Following an extensive market evaluation and tender process, Mainstay has been appointed to provide asset management, ground rent collection and sourcing. Together with its existing ground-rent business, the contract to asset-manage Aviva’s portfolio makes it one

The Institute of Residential Property Management has announced that Andrew Bulmer is set to become its new CEO. Mr Bulmer will stand down from his current role as UK residential director at RICS and take the helm of IRPM at the end of this month. “IRPM is now the default ‘go-to’ body for industry-relevant qualifications in the expanding residential leasehold and build-to-rent sectors,” said Bulmer. “I will build upon the fantastic work of Janie Strange and Jeff Platt, who were among the founding me

Landlords could face fines of up to £150,000 if the properties they rent fall below minimum energy-rating standards when new laws come into force in 2018. Under the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) regulations, which will be brought into effect from 1 April 2018, it will be unlawful for landlords to grant new leases for properties which have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating below ‘E’, unless the building is exempt. From 1 April 2023, MEES will then apply to all lettings, both

Former Manchester United and England international Gary Neville has unveiled a controversial £200m project to knock down an entire city-centre block in Manchester. The 41-year-old ex-footballer plans to build two skyscrapers, a luxury five-star hotel and a plaza for a new district. The project is expected to create more than 1,000 new jobs in the area if planning permission is granted. Neville said: “There’s obviously lots of obstacles to overcome, first and foremost the consultation side and the pl

A recent nationwide study has shown a big North-South divide when it comes to people’s domestic cleaning habits. The results show there is some truth in the belief by Northerners that they are cleaner than their Southern counterparts. The survey of 200 households from each region by London Cleaning System confirmed those in the South spend the least amount of time cleaning their homes, with the average cleaning time spent each week in Greater London at only three hours and 50 minutes. By comparison,

The Property Redress Scheme (PRS) has reached a major milestone and welcomed its 5,000th member, just two years after it was launched. PRS is one of three government-authorised consumer redress schemes available for the property market. While it is a legal requirement for letting and estate agents to be a member of a redress scheme, the PRS is also open to other property professionals. PRS celebrated its milestone with its 5,000th member, estate agent Anthony Hamilton in  Basingstoke. The London

Project managers based in the capital of North Korea, Pyongyang are reported to have taken extreme measures to ensure their workers complete construction projects on time. Radio Free Asia claims the workers are being supplied with methamphetamines, also known as ‘meth’ or ‘ice’, to increase the work rate. Sources say there is severe pressure to meet deadlines and complete projects before winter, as thousands of workers were hired for the redevelopment schemes. This will include more than 60 struc

Social worker and mother-of-one Heidi Chalkley, 40, was tragically crushed to death by automatic garage doors in an underground car park as she left her block. It is believed she was visiting a friend who lives at the Ruth Bagnall Court in Cambridge. The friend, who was with her at the time, frantically tried to pull her free with the help of passers-by, but Ms Chalkley died “immediately” after being trapped in the rolling metal shutter. Cambridgeshire Coroner’s officer Paul Garnell said the woma

Landlords have hit back at claims by housing charity Shelter that more than a million renters are victims of law-breaking landlords. The survey of more than 3,250 renters by Shelter and YouGov uncovered a range of problems with landlords committing offences ranging from unlawful behaviour to serious criminal offences. While reports of landlords entering homes without permission and deposits not being properly protected were among the most common issues, Shelter said many cases of more shocking behavio