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Private and corporate landlords are not claiming back tax on energy efficient improvements they have made to their rental properties, according to a recent HMRC press release. Landlords can claim back the costs of buying and installing energy saving items in the properties they rent out against their taxable profi ts. Richard Mannion, of accountants Smith & Williamson, said “Landlords can claim back up to £1,500 for each dwelling house so this can include each residential flat within a block of flats.”

A warm homes Bill aimed at ending fuel poverty was blocked by the Government as too few MP’s turned up to vote on its future progress. The proposed Bill had significant implications for leaseholders around the country, many of whom struggle to heat their flats economically. A household is said to be in fuel poverty if it needs to spend more than 10% of its income on fuel to maintain a satisfactory heating regime (usually 21 degrees for the main living area, and 18 degrees for other occupied rooms). Bob Sm

The niche Market for cleaning blocks of flats is competitive and very demanding. The residential block cleaning market differs from commercial cleaning in the respect that residents are more influential and personally involved in the standards and quality of service that are provided. One tenant’s opinion of what is required may differ from their neighbours and a service must meet all resident’s requirements. Contract cleaners are usually acting under instruction from Property Managers and are represe

Latest industry research suggests that over half of the blocks of flats in the UK are still unprepared for the digital switchover. This could mean that many thousands of leaseholders will be struggling to find a television signal when the analogue signal is switched off in 2012. The research was carried out by Sky’s Communal Television team. Sky’s specialist team visited 129 blocks, each containing between 4 and 66 separate flats (a total of over 3,000 individual homes), and undertook in-depth physica

From 6 April 2009, changes to the often criticised Home Information Pack came into effect. Sellers of leasehold property will not be obliged to provide any further information regarding their flat in additionto the standard HIP other than a copy of the lease (the inclusion of which became mandatory in January 2009). Although mandatory answers to questions about the management of the property were mooted by the Government, this has now been indefinitely waived. Kate Nicholls of The Council of Property Sear

As part of its ongoing strategy to increase focus on service delivery and efficiency, Deacon - one of the UK’s leading specialists in insurance for blocks of flats - has given its Claims Department a complete overhaul. Under the guidance of Claims Manager, Matt Wyatt, the inhouse Claims Department has implemented a major recruitment drive, recently taking on a team of new handlers. Combined with the introduction of new operational and administrative initiatives, the Claims team is able to ensure that p

Thousands of flat owners can sleep somewhat easier now that the Government has taken steps to protect their service charge deposits. In Issue 43, News on the Block’s headline article (Are your service charges safe?) reported about the risk posed to service charge funds held in the deposit account of a bank or building society that fails. Now, the Government has confirmed that service charge funds are eligible for protection under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to a maximum of

Consumer rights television programme, BBC Watchdog, has recently broadcast two programmes about the management of common parts in blocks of  flats. Disgruntled flat owners from around the UK appeared on the programme to complain about the poor levels of  service they had received from their property management companies. Flat owners appealed for help to protect their interests and advice was given from industry experts including the Federation of Private Residents’ Associations. Consideratio

The Enfranchisement Awards 2009 were held at a Central London venue on 18th May 2009.  The Awards celebrated excellence in the UK leasehold enfranchisement and lease extension industry and were presented by award winning BBC radio sports presenter, Garry Richardson. The independent panel of judges was comprised of Paul Marsh, the President of the Law Society of England and Wales, Robert Levene the Chief Executive of the Federation of Private Residents Associations and Georgiana Hibberd, the Associate

The Enfranchisement Awards 2009, are aimed at recognising excellence in the industry, and are the first independent awards in the residential leasehold property sector. The Awards are sponsored by Langley Taylor, Pemberton Greenish, Tanfield  Chambers, Bircham Dyson Bell, Marr Johnson and Stevens LLP and Wallace LLP. Interest in leasehold enfranchisement and lease extensions has been fuelled by a variety of factors over recent years including the recent property boom, changes in legislation and an active

BBC Watchdog - Property Management Program on Managing Agents Property management and the regulation of managing agents has been given high priority by consumer-rights program BBC Watchdog. In a program first broadcast on 20th April 2009, BBC Watchdog, focussed on groups of leaseholders who had experienced problems with their managing agent. The program was a follow-up to an earlier program called Mould Growing in Flats about leaseholder Carrie Murray and the problems she was facing in her building

1 Obtain information Firstly locate your lease. If you cannot find it, try your solicitor or thereafter the Land Registry. The lease should define the physical areas of your flat and the costs for which you are responsible by way of service charge. Collate all the service charge documents you have received from your landlord (and managing agent), in date order. 2 Consider the documents Read the lease and service charge documents and note how, for example, they show estimated or actual costs incurred