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Winter is the time to start planning. It may appear that nothing is going on right, but you couldn’t be more wrong, plan ahead and you will reap the benefits. The garden has little appeal in winter, however a garden should now be looking structured, tidy and just showing those first signs of spring. Planning, preparation and a good maintenance programme are essential. Communal gardens in town provide a challenging environment, intensive planting means intensive problems, pests and diseases are more prev

The enfranchisement legislation is complex and mistakes can occur. As a consequence claims against professionals including solicitors, surveyors and barristers are relatively commonplace. Clients are often looking for someone to blame and from whom they can recover their losses. A professional owes a duty to its client and therefore professional negligence occurs where a professional fails to perform his responsibilities to the required standard. What can be claimed? A professional will enter into a

In most blocks the landlord instructs the managing agents. This lack of accountability by the paying leaseholders gives rogue agents the scope to exploit the situation through such misfeasance as (a) demanding service charges for substandard or non-existent services/works (b) imposing high administration charges and (c) requiring on account payments for works without carrying them out. Each leaseholder should review their service charge accounts annually and identify any unusual items of expenditure. Th

After pressure from tenants, two of the UK’s largest commercial landlords, Land Securities and British Land are trialing a reduction in service charges in response to the economic downturn.  The move has been welcomed by the British Property Federation.  Whether this trend will be mirrored by the residential side of the industry remains to be seen.

Over 10,000 homes in Hammersmith and Fulham are set to benefit from a new efficiency partnership designed to radically transform the lives of social housing tenants and local leaseholders.  About £4.7 million in efficiencies are predicted through refurbishment and repairs of homes, improvements in leaseholder management and customer services, and delivering sustainable efficiencies.

Chartered Surveyor Peter McEachran, a partner at Graham and Sibbald sees no improvement to conditions in the property market any time soon.  He says, “The Government should encourage the banks to improve credit facilities for secured lending purposes. In particular, only once there is a ready availability of 90-95% loans will we see a significant turnaround in the market".

Communal buildings, such as blocks of flats, are at risk from increased claims following a reported rise in crime as the recession bites.  Home Office and police statistics show a sharp rise in crime in the second half of 2008, particularly break-ins, burglaries and malicious damage.  One  major insurer, Zurich Municipal, is already urging landlords and freeholders to check their insurance policies and risk management processes in response.  Building owners need to be prepared for attacks on their

1. Review security assessments, take a fresh look at what is needed and make sure that adequate protection is in place. Ensure staff take even more care in securing the building when they leave and take precautions such as putting valuable items and portable IT equipment in a secure place in the building. 2. Regular inspections of empty buildings should be conducted; the frequency depending upon circumstances and whether there is a history of problems. The potential for liabili

Get the right agent: In a tight market, marketing your flat with the best agent is crucial.  Choose one with a track record of sales, ignore those who compete to outvalue your flat. Beyond the HIP:  Dazzle purchasers by having to hand a well-organised folder with all the relevant information concerning your flat including service charges, insurance, reserve funds, warranties, proof of works, and contractor agreements.  Tidy-up:  Remove all those personal po

According to a recent survey, three out of four homeowners are delaying maintenance work because of these fears.  The survey of 1,000 people revealed two thirds of women and half of men questioned feel nervous when trades people come into their homes. People living in the East of England are the most concerned about money, while residents of the East Midlands fret the most about their personal safety. Welsh residents worry the most about both issues. Tim Meyer, UK manager of www.eGenie.c

BMW used the groundbreaking elastic skin technology on a recent show car and believes it could pave the way for car manufacturing in the future. A team at BMW Group Design Munich created the 'GINA Light Visionary Model' car, which has a surface made of stretchy elastic fabric. Unlike conventional cars, which are made from sheet metal, the innovative surface is flexible, lighter than metal and uses far less energy to manufacture. It takes about two hours to stretch the skin over the concept car and

The report entitled 'Government Review of Regulation and Redress in the UK Housing Market' was written for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) by Professor Colin Jones, at Heriot-Watt University. The research looks at problems across the housing sector that are damaging consumer confidence. Jones calls for the simplification and strengthening of existing redress provisions to help improve the public's awareness of their rights. Jones criticises current arrangements