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The Ringley Group was recognised as Green Champion of the Year for 2010 at The Negotiator magazine awards. Managing Director, Mary-Anne Bowring said “We have pin-pointed the nearest car club to each development, recorded what recycling facilities are on site, put together a dossier on bike rack solutions and started installing bike racks which can be vertically mounted so take very little space indeed. In 2011 we have plans to roll out to composting to larger sites, divert rainwater goods to water buts

Landlord Action commented that the Government may be offering the private sector landlords an option to receive Local Housing Allowance directly if rents are reduced, and only temporarily. For the landlord, this option presents a low risk solution to receiving rent, but would come at the opportunity cost of lower returns on rent. It is uncertain whether it would be favourable to tenants on benefits, however. Landlords could either welcome a steady stream of rental income for a lower return, or insist on

There are several residential house price indices used in the UK and several have consistently reported diverging results. The fragmentation of residential property benchmarks generates widespread variation in the direction and magnitude of price changes, as well as the average price level of properties. Of the seven indices followed by Bloomberg, including Halifax and Nationwide, only 5 out of the last 22 months showed consistency in the direction of residential house prices in the UK. According to F

The National Insulation Association (NIA), representing over 90% of the UK’s home insulation industry including installers and manufacturers, reported that an independent survey has found over half of UK residents remain unaware that over 50% of the heat they are paying for in their homes can be lost through uninsulated cavity walls and lofts. Neil Marshall, Chief Executive of the NIA advised: “Home insulation is the single most effective method to stop the heat escaping and to save money on domestic en

Zoopla.co.uk reported the number of ‘discounted’ properties for sale had increased by 13% over last 3 months with a further £500m slashed off UK asking prices since August of this year. The average reduction was 6.1% from initial asking price and 8% on properties over £1 million. Swindon had the highest percentage of ‘reduced’ properties on market, while Manchester had the highest average discount on properties for sale. Nicholas Leeming, Commercial Director of Zoopla.co.uk, said sellers are becoming in

According to Easyroommate.co.uk, flatsharers are five times more likely to move across the country compared to their non-sharing peers. Flatsharers also provide the UK with a young mobile workforce of 209,000 each year. One in five landlords have seen an increase in the number of flatsharers looking to move because of work since recession.

Independent property consultants, Sandfords, says that average rental prices have increased by over 12% year-on-year as demand continues to exceed supply. They attribute the exodus of buy-to-let investors from the market in the last few years, but landlords are beginning to return, encouraged by higher yields and increasing mortgage availability. Andrew Ellinas, director of Sandfords, comments: “This will have an impact on rental price growth, which I expect to slow in the second half of 2011 as more prop

The winners of the Block Insure Property Management Awards 2010-11 were revealed at a glittering award ceremony held at Lord's Cricket Ground on Monday 6th December 2010.  A full report will follow in Issue 53 of News on the Block.   THE WINNERS ARE...   London Property Management Company of the Year, sponsored by SLC Solicitors  WINNER: RingleyHIGHLY COMMENDED: Crabtree Property Management and Granville & Co.FINALISTS: Granville and Co, Rendall and Rittner, Crabtree, Chainbow, Mainstay and Ringley

The planned 2.5% increase in VAT is an unwelcomed additional cost to the price of both buying and selling a property and particularly comes at a bad time given the softness in the market. However, Douglas Sleaper, Group Sales Director for Townends Estate Agents part of the Badger Holdings Group believes the increase will not be significant enough to unduly upset the housing market or deter those wishing to move from doing so. Sleaper estimates the average associated moving costs, such as surveying, conv

Research from the Worldwide Property Group suggests that the public is split regarding the potential direction of UK interest rates. Half believe rates will be increased in the next 12 months and the other half believes rates will be unchanged. In the survey, 67% (considerably higher than the 12 month average of 57%) indicated that the current low level of interest rates has actually increased their desire to buy property. Buyer confidence in the property market remains high with 83% holding the opini

Jelf, the specialist insurance advisers for block managing agents and individual property owners, has launched a new proposition aimed at simplifying the insurance process for the property sector. According to Nigel Richardson, Jelf Property National Sales Director, “One of the main problems facing block managing agents today is rising premiums. We can help them alleviate this and also work with them to reduce their administration, help them to win new clients and to speed up claims delivery.” Jelf, i

Research from Zoopla.co.uk suggests that renting is more expensive buying across 80% of the cities/towns in Britain, which is up 74% since July 2010. The average tenant pays 9.9% more than an owner with a 5% mortgage, whereas the previous gap was 8.7% in July 2010. The underlying factors behind the widening gap between renting and buying are twofold: 1) The severe shortage in mortgage credit availability in limiting entry into home ownership; 2) The re-financing of existing homes with current low intere