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[extra:quotes:boxoutcopy=1] Ponds can be attractive features for any garden or open space. However, if they are not managed properly they can become polluted, overgrown and attract pests. To prevent this it is important to carefully consider ongoing management and maintenance plans. Good water quality is key to the healthy life of a pond and must be kept clean to provide suitable habitat for animals and plants. Water can be cleaned naturally, through planting special water plants to filter impurities

ARMA, the trade body for managing agents, has stepped up its search to replace David Hewett as Chief Executive. Peter Dening, Chairman of ARMA has stated that the association is “...at a crossroads ...”. Specialist recruitment agency, Saxton Bampfylde has been retained for the search. Hewett’s successor will be reporting to the Council of ARMA, and tasked with recommending and implementing policy amongst other key responsibilities. Salary and the number of candidates who have so far applied have not been

12 Property Managers at the Residential Management Group have passed the final examination to become full members of the IRPM. This represents 10% of the total number of all examinees, and means the candidates can now utilise the designatory letters MIRPM. Special mention goes to Charlotte Howlings who completed both Parts 1 and 2 of the examination within a few months of each other. In addition, Alex Mawson-Murphy achieved 88% which was the highest mark of the 12 RMG employees.

Construction has the highest number of fatalities for the year (50, with a rate of 2.4 deaths per 1,000 workers). The life of a construction worker can be extremely hazardous – with fatalities involving electrocution, being hit by falling objects and being trapped underneath vehicles according to statistics compiled by the Health and Safety Executive and analysed by No win no fee lawyers Claims Direct. In the services sector there were 47 fatal injuries (0.2 deaths per 1,000 workers).

The role of the managing agent is central to the management of a Residents Management Company (RMC) or Right To Manage (RTM) block. Often the role of director is taken by an unpaid volunteer with little or no prior knowledge of company law, their duties, responsibilities and potential personal liabilities. The board of directors will expect the agent to carry out its wishes and it is therefore imperative that the agent fully understands the relationship and also the company’s constitution. Every company

The Construction Act is changing and if you are not prepared you may find yourself out of pocket. If you do not issue the correct notices under the Act, as a client you could be forced to pay for commercial construction and maintenance works which have not been properly carried out and you will be unable to correct the position until the next pay date. The new Construction Act has changed the way payments are made, and you will need to update your internal procedures and notices. There is also a greater

Award winning property company, The Ringley Group, who have recently been shortlisted for another award (a National Training Award by Investors In People), are working with the London Apprenticeship Company (LCA), to offer apprenticeships for people aged 16-23.

An Absolute prohibition on subletting is rare but can be found in some leases. If present, then it is hard to avoid. It is not a term that an individual leaseholder could apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal (LVT) to vary under section 35 of the Landlord & Tenant Act 1987. An absolute bar on subletting could be the subject of an application under section 37 of the 1987 Act, provided a substantial majority of the leaseholders are in favour of variation. The most common clause requires the leaseholder

[extra:quotes:boxoutcopy=1]   Solvency II is the biggest regulatory challenge currently facing European insurers and replaces 13 existing EU insurance directives. EU member states must transpose Solvency II into their own national laws and insurers must show that they meet all of its requirements by 31 October 2012. Solvency II is a new system of supervision for assessing the overall financial position of insurers to ensure that they are better equipped to cope with adverse developments worldwide. I

[extra:quotes:boxoutcopy=1]   When Colonel Tim Collins addressed the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment, poised just south of the Iraqi border, his message was one of respect. Respect your enemy and you will succeed, be ferocious in battle but magnanimous in victory, and allow them dignity in death. This was the start of the war of “Hearts & Minds”. I’m not suggesting that standing in the Kuwaiti desert on the eve of a war bears any similarity to the role of an Estates Manager. However, in our

Many leases are often poorly drafted and defective. For example, the lease may not specify the party responsible for some repair and maintenance within the demised premises, or who pays for work that needs to be done or more commonly, may allocate service charges in proportions that do not add up to 100%. Landlords, leaseholders and property managers should know that remedies are available to resolve a defective lease situation. Generally, there are two ways to vary leases: By obtaining the consent

NOTB: Tell us a little bit about your background. I come from a customer services and support background, with a number of years spent in the IT sector. I have been involved in the leasehold sector since 2004. NOTB: So, how did leasehold matters first spark your interest? My interest in leasehold issues was sparked by simply wanting to re-decorate the kitchen of my flat. I needed to find out how to contact the freeholder or the managing agents, eventually learning that the freeholder was deemed ‘absen