Featured Articles

The property sector faces a number of challenges over the coming year, says Caroline Turnball, and Asset Skills is working with employers, professional bodies and trade associations to address the skills and qualifications required to meet the needs of the future. With the UK population hitting the 60 million mark and a large proportion of those living alone, the provision of housing on a shrinking land supply means that developers have to look at new and innovative ways to address the housing shortage

When John Hills was asked by communities secretary, Ruth Kelly, to review the social housing sector and what role it could play in 21st century housing policy, housing professionals saw an opportunity to re-think the purpose, the delivery and the outcomes of social housing. The resulting report, Ends and Means, was published on 20th February and the debate is set to continue. Social housing plays an important role in the overall landscape of housing provision in this country, with just under four millio

In the first of a series of plain-English legal articles, Shaun Jardine of Brethertons Solicitors highlights an area of law of most interest to landlord and tenant – getting paid for major works (if you are a landlord) and making sure you only pay the legitimate amount due (if you are a tenant). This month’s article looks at the legislation from the tenant’s perspective. Next month we look at the same subject but from the landlord’s point of view. The laws under the spotlight are: Commonhold & Leasehol

On 25 January, DCLG issued a consultation paper, Home Information Packs: Towards 1 June, setting out how DCLG intends to ensure the “smooth introduction of HIPs on 1 June”. The following changes have been proposed, says John Mills of the Association of Retirement Housing Managers. The first marketing of a property will be allowed with a smaller number of documents such as an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), Sale Statement, Evidence of Title and Index provided there is evidence that other documents h

John Peartree, recently appointed chief executive of the Federation of Private Residents’ Associations, talks exclusively to News on the Block Q: Tell us a little about your background and how you came to your role at FPRA? A: Much of my working life was spent abroad, in the employ of food companies, initially in marketing and advertising and later in general management, which lead to involvement in property. I worked for a wine and spirits’ company in South Africa, a frozen food company in Australia an

Leaseholders win the battle but not the war, issue 30. I read with interest your article on the recent decision by the Lands Tribunal in Sportelli.  Mr Goldstone is quoted as saying: "The Sportelli decision is fundamentally flawed because it applies the same 5% rate whether dealing with a flat in a prime block in Chelsea or a small flat in a deteriorating block in a suburban area". I feel this misses the point.  All ground rents are very secure against the asset on which they are paid.  It therefore matt

The Little Red Book – Who’s Who in Property Management With the May issue of News on the Block magazine (no.33) we will be launching a new, separate publication called The Little Red Book – Who’s Who in Property Management.   This will be a comprehensive listing in the form of a directory of property management agents in England and Wales, A5 in size. The publication will be updated and published again in November. If you would like your property management company to be listed in The Little Red Bo

The Complete Guide to Renovating and Improving Your Property, 2nd edition By Liz Hodgkinson ISBN: 0749448709 Paperback, 224pp, Published December 2006, £10.99. Kogan Page The Complete Guide to Renovating and Improving Your Property helps readers make the right decision about every aspect of property improvement – what is worth the effort and what will be a good investment. Informative and enjoyable, it provides expert advice on a wealth of topics, including arranging finances; finding a good builder; proj

A strange sort of month this – the weather is fluctuating more than a guilty man’s graph on a lie detector test. This is bringing its own challenges, as the freak weather means buildings are being tested to extremes by the wind and the rain. The consequences will be felt through insurance premiums and the only people who lose out in the end are the leaseholders, both in terms of damage, disruption during remedial works and the added burden of cost. It’s up to us property managers to keep the fallout to a

Mark Chick, a partner at Bishop & Sewell LLP specialising in leasehold reform and landlord and tenant matters, explains new developments in LVT practice and procedure. There have been changes in LVT practice and procedure relating to lease extension and freehold purchase claims. Most of these came into effect as of January 2007 but the changes relating to listing are being applied only to new cases (i.e. applications received since the start of this year). Under the new procedures once an application i

Facts: The appellant was the freeholder of two blocks of flats in Walsall, West Midlands. When the appellant purchased the flats they were both suffering from a lack of maintenance by the previous owner, such that the local council had required extensive works to be done. During the course of the works, it became clear that the freeholder had insufficient advance payments from leaseholders to enable it to complete the works. It therefore sought a determination under s.27A Landlord and Tenant Act 1985

BREAKING NEWS   LITTLE FOR LEASEHOLDERS IN LAST BUDGET FROM BROWN In this special News on the Block eAlert we highlight some of the main announcements in the Budget to impact leaseholders along with more reaction from the residential property industry. In what is widely expected to be Gordon Brown’s last budget before making a bid for Labour leadership, the Chancellor offered little to excite leaseholders. Stephen Peete, Chief Executive of the Loughborough Building Society, was forthright in his reacti