Featured Articles

Subscribers, log in to view your digitial copy.

The winners of the Enfranchisement and Right to Manage Awards 2012 (the ERMAs) were revealed at a glittering award ceremony held at The Congress Centre and hosted by celebrity, Dominic Holland on Thursday May 24th 2012. We received a huge amount of entries for this year's Enfranchisement and Right to Manage Awards, demonstrating the dedication and passion (and competitive nature!) of those working in the industry. During a gruelling session, the independent judging panel compared notes, having individual

News on the Block catches up with the new Head of Sky Communal TV, Brendan Hegarty.     NOTB : With the digital switch over (DSO) now almost complete, what has been  the take-up of communal systems in blocks of flats?   B: Obviously DSO has been very good for us, and the industry over the past year or two. To be honest our view is to look at what comes next.  With the industry people I speak with, there seems to be a certain doom and gloom about what is coming after DSO. We take a very different

The Enfranchisement and Right to Manage Awards 2012 (the ERMAs) recognises the excellence and professionalism of all specialists working in this industry both at an individual and company level. The awards will be presented at a ceremony in Central London on May 24th 2012. We received a huge amount of entries for this year's Enfranchisement and Right to Manage Awards, demonstrating the dedication and passion (and competitive nature!) of those working in the industry. During a gruelling session, the indep

The Government has introduced into law an outright ban on clamping cars on private land. The legislation has been passed in the new Protection of Freedom Act.     In response, the Federation of Private Residents' Associations (FPRA) which represents flat owners in England and Wales has accused Home Office Minister Lynne Featherstone MP of ignoring flat owners and tenants.   Bob Smytherman, FPRA Chairman explained that they had unsuccessfully lobbied the Home Office because:   “1. Residents and

If you are a flat owner wondering why your service charges are too high, the service from your managing agent is lacking, or why you are in despair at what you can do about it, now you know.  It’s your own fault.  Or at least that’s what you may think if you paid attention to the comments from the Government in a recent House of Lord’s debate.   The House of Lords debate concerned service charges and other matters relating to residential blocks of flats. It was the first time for many years that issue

Consort Property Management, has launched a series of fire safety events at its Plough Lane development in Wimbledon.   Plough Lane residents will benefit from advice from the Home Safety team at Wimbledon Fire Station and 360 homes have already been visited since the service launched. The service, run in conjunction with Wimbledon Fire Station, Merton council and the Metropolitan Police, will see all 588 homes offered advice on topics such as kitchen safety and escape route tips as well as being give

Five design students from across the country are celebrating having been selected winners in the first Peverel Retirement Design Competition, ‘Future Ageing’. Students were invited to conceptualise what they thought the independent living retirement development of the future would look like.   Peverel Retirement, which manages 1,500 developments comprising 65,000 properties, launched the national competition in conjunction with the Interior Educators, who are a group of lecturers teaching interior des

A recent decision from the London Leasehold Valuation Tribunal highlights the problems caused when an individual leaseholder persistently brings service charge litigation with little or no prospect of success.The case concerned an application brought by Mr. and Mrs. Aitken for the Appointment of a Manager.  They own two out of the 84 flats in the block, called Park South in South West London.  The building is a 21-storey ex-local authority property with a number of communal facilities including a swimming

A selection of apartment buildings around the country have found themselves in the limelight recently, being used as set locations for television and film productions.   TV Show Hustle and new drama Dancing on the Edge were filmed in and around apartment buildings in Birmingham.  Dancing on the Edge, written by Stephen Poliakoff, is also filming in London and will be aired later in the year.   Meanwhile, the Elektron Tower in London’s Docklands has found itself in a starring role in Danny Boyle’s

Your essential guide to major works.  Some of this features articles include: Considering your major works project  Major works restore block to art deco elegance  Upgrading broadband in your block of flats as part of a major works project Advice for landlords, management companies and managing agents on sending our service charge demands Your essential guide to major works. Independent industry practitioners offer some advice in our comprehensive pull out an

Subscribers, log in to view your digitial copy.