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.

Sigma Capital Group appoints new London & Southern UK lettings director

Sigma Capital Group, the UK’s leading build-to-rent provider, has appointed a new lettings director, who will lead on the company’s portfolio in London and the South of England.  Charlotte Russell joined the Sigma team in September 2024, with over 20 years of experience in real estate. Charlotte previously spent 14 years at JLL, holding various senior positions in the business, including Area Director – London Lettings.   Charlotte’s role at Sigma will be to lead on developing lettings strategies for Sigm

A better way to do business?

New technology has the power to transform residential property letting and management for landlords and tenants alike, both now and in the future explains Saveli Kotz. Given the rapid growth of residential property letting and management in recent decades it is surprising that the tools to manage the process for landlords have been so limited. But that is set to change with the emergence of ‘landlord platform technology’ - a new, more automated form of property management that makes asset information more

Gemma Gibson Rejoins LRG as Shared Ownership Resales Manager for SOWN

Gemma Gibson has recently re-joined Leaders Romans Group and taken up a position within SOWN as Shared Ownership Resales Manager, based in Maidenhead. Gemma works on behalf of housing providers and those who have bought shared ownership properties and who are looking to sell.  Her role involves working across the whole of the country with the leaseholder looking to sell their share. This can be as part of the ‘Nomination Period’ of shared ownership or beyond. This role entails overseeing the entire sales

From Interior Designer to Licence to Alter Enforcer: A day in the life of Rupert Bennett

5:45 AM: The Crack of Dawn I wake up to the sound of something tiny but insistent. Ah yes, that would be my 12-week-old border terrier. Before my feet have even hit the floor, I’m letting him out for his morning wee, which involves me standing groggily in the garden wondering how such a small creature has such an urgent bladder. I resist the temptation to check my emails - there will be enough of that later. Coffee is next. The first of many. I don’t talk to anyone until I’ve had my coffee. Apart from the

The Property Institute Annual Conference 2024: Shaping the Future of Residential Leasehold

Don’t miss out on The Property Institute (TPI) Annual Conference 2024, the must-attend event for property management professionals, taking place on Thursday, 24th October at Convene, 133 Houndsditch, London. The event starts at 8:30am and concludes with a drinks reception at 6:00pm. This flagship event offers unique networking opportunities where you’ll connect with industry experts, policymakers, and leading suppliers. Engage with fellow property managers and sector trailblazers on crucial topics. Be

Lichfields strengthens London office with new appointment

Leading UK planning and development consultancy has announced the appointment of a new Associate Director as it continues to expand its operations in the capital in response to growing demand. Andrea MacGregor-Barbour has joined Lichfields and is based in the company’s London office. She will work closely with Ian Anderson, Senior Director, and the rest of the team to support and develop the company’s portfolio of commercial projects. She joins from Marks & Spencer (M&S), where she spent 17 years as Town

UK renters prefer city living and sustainable amenities, but financial barriers to homeownership remain, MRI Software research reveals

Continued investment in built-to-rent, landlord oversight of energy usage, and digital tenancy processes and comms key for the future of the industry. Highlights of the report include: A third of renters (33%) now state that they do not plan to own their own home eventually, up from a fifth (20%) in 2022. Over four out of five renters (80%) stated affordability factors as the main reason for not buying their own home. Renters’ preferences for living in the city rose to 33% in 2024, up from 25% in 2022

mydeposits customers donate over £66,000 to Centrepoint

Life can be tough for tenants, with average UK private rents up by 9% in the 12 months to July 2024, and the average renter on a lower income than the average outright owner or mortgagee, meaning that their housing costs swallow up a much bigger slice of their income.   Despite this challenging climate, compassionate mydeposits customers have in the first three months of the scheme’s partnership with Centrepoint, donated over £66,000 of interest earned on their deposits to the UK’s leading youth homelessn

Watling seeking offers over £10 million for part-completed St Albans development

A partly completed residential development in St Albans has been put on the market for offers over £10 million. Watling Real Estate is selling the site known as Viciniti on Cape Road on behalf joint administrators Lee Lockwood and Jamie Miller of RSM Restructuring Advisory in Leeds. The freehold part-built development has planning permission granted for 37 dwellings, consisting of a range of one and two bedroom apartments and three and four bedroom townhouses. Jamie Lamond, director of Watling Real Estate

RENDALL & RITTNER TO MANAGE ICONIC ART DECO BLOCK IN CHELSEA

Leading property management agent Rendall & Rittner has been appointed as the new managing agents and Maintenance Trustee of Nell Gwynn House in Chelsea. The development comprises 430 luxury apartments set behind an impressive 1930s façade, with many of the apartments available for short term let. Further expanding Rendall & Rittner’s remarkable London portfolio, management of Nell Gwynn House began on the 1st of April 2024. Built in 1937, Nell Gwynn House has since been home to a variety of famous reside

PATRIZIA Partners With Spike to Enhance Resident Experience At Its Marietta Woods Development

Spike is delighted to announce that global investment manager, PATRIZIA, has become the most recent client in Ireland to utilise its award-winning resident engagement portal at its Marietta Woods development.  Marrietta Woods, located in Dalkey, a coastal village, ten kilometres south of Dublin city centre, comprises of 101 spacious and very thoughtfully designed apartments, nestled among stunning mature woodland. Residents benefit from a private dedicated pavilion, which houses a gym and residents' loung

Bridge Insurance Brokers expands London property team

Bridge Insurance Brokers has added four senior executives to its London property team. Lloyd Glover has been appointed as a Senior Client Service Executive, bringing over 10 years’ insurance experience to his role, which will be to assist in the growth of the Real Estate and Commercial divisions of the business. Nadia McAree and Stephen Porter are both joining Bridge as Account Executives, across the FlatGuard, Real Estate and Commercial divisions of the business, bringing a combined 20 years of experienc

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