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QUESTION I live in a small block of 4 flats, which has purchased the freehold and Right to Manage some years ago before I bought my flat here. It is set up as a Ltd company, and we self manage, and we are all equal directors. We pay a monthly service charge into a bank account from which repairs are funded. The issue is that there is absolutely no structure, transparency or adherence to rules in the way the building/ company is managed, and we have one problematic owner/ director, or rather they are a

Shared ownership has been around for over 20 years in various guises and offers people the security and stability that the private rented sector doesn’t provide. Unfortunately relatively little is generally known about this form of tenure and there remain some major misunderstandings about it. Whether or not shared ownership works depends on each individual circumstance at any given time – much like private renting or owning outright. It’s simply a housing option that works for many, but not for some. H

There are few certainties for property managers, other than things rarely go to plan. Complications are varied and frequent – leaseholders don’t always pay service charges on time or in full, contractors fail to meet their obligations and agents may retain documents and money at handover that they shouldn’t. To resolve these issues quickly, it is essential you have an expert legal team you trust, who will adapt to your changing needs and offer clear, tactical advice. Forging a relationship with a solici

Many home owners experienced a miserable start to this year as a result of the recent weather events and most of us should be thankful that we were not trying to roast a turkey whilst standing in a foot of water over the festive period. Unfortunately the effects of these events is likely to lead to a significant influx of cases presented to the First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) as block insurance becomes significantly more challenging because of an impending crisis in respect of flood cover. Insurer

Exercising the right to buy the freehold of a building containing flats is often a complex process. The Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 provided flat owners with a route to compelling the sale of the freehold, by creating the Right of First Refusal (RFR). The Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 provided another avenue for flat owners to assume ownership of the freehold, a right called Collective Enfranchisement. But there are important differences between the rights provided by the two

Paragraph 56 of lord neuberger’s judgement in Daejan Investments Limited v Benson has provided welcome relief to the property management sector. In a recent case, a landlord obtained dispensation from the First-tier Tribunal following the consultation requirements imposed by Section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. In this case, the landlord’s managing agent was in dire need of replacing a pump-set and associated electrical equipment that supplied the landlord’s building with water. The landlord f

Immigration issues seem to be constantly in the news at the moment. The onus is on businesses to check that their employees have the right to work in the UK, and getting it wrong can be extremely costly and can result in imprisonment. Did you know that the UK Border Agency (UKBA) can arrive unannounced at your premises to review your personnel files, to check that you are not employing illegal workers? It can issue fines, almost immediately if they find inconsistencies, of up to £10,000 per illegal worker

Recently-launched Croydon venture, Leasehold Valuers has a new Director of Valuation. Steve Jones MRICS, is a Leasehold Reform specialist and RICS Registered Valuer, and has extensive experience in lease extension and collective enfranchisement throughout England and Wales. He joins the firm from John D Wood & Co. Leasehold Valuers was launched in September 2013 to meet the growing demand from smaller conversion blocks and individual leaseholders wishing to enfranchise. It provides advice on the valuatio

Specialist legal property management firm Brady Solicitors has appointed two new lawyers to its Nottingham office. Property litigation solicitor Matthew Wayman joined Bradys in December from national law firm Irwin Mitchell, bringing several years’ experience in handling complex property disputes for both residential and commercial clients. Former property manager Michael Young joined Bradys in January as a trainee solicitor, bringing a hands-on insight into the property management world. Michael was pre

Sheffield solicitors, Taylor & Emmet LLP has appointed a new partner, property management specialist, Cassandra Zanelli, to add to the existing range of services offered by its business litigation team. Having worked with landlords, management companies and leaseholder collectives from across the UK and Northern Ireland, Cassandra has a wealth of property litigation experience, including the installation of debt recovery systems. Rob Cooke, Taylor&Emmet’s head of property litigation, said: “Cassandra is

Many “accidental landlords” are putting their tenants in potential danger and themselves at financial risk by not fulfilling their legal duties to maintain their rental properties. Key findings of research carried out by AXA among accidental landlords (those who did not originally buy with the intention of renting out their property, or who are forced to continue renting out because they cannot sell at present), reveals: A third of those questioned get their boilers checked less than once a year, and 23

Property maintenance company ProTech Property Solutions has merged with specialist cleaning services provider GOL Group. The new firm keeps the ProTech Property Solutions name. The two companies, which merged on January 1, were run by the same senior partners. However, according to one of them, Peter Gray, now Managing Director of the new ProTech Property Solutions, many clients found it confusing to have the different firms handling different services, so it was decided to bring the brands together to o