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EUROPEAN FLOODING AUTHORITY REQUESTED Europe needs a continental-wide flood prevention authority to co-ordinate member states measures to stop a repetition of August’s disastrous inundation, says RICS, the leading international body representing property professionals. RICS chief executive, Louis Armstrong, said: “Rivers do not recognise borders so decisions on planning and flood control in one country can rapidly become a major problem for another country downstream. RICS wants to see a central body with

CLAMPERS CLAMPED Under the new Private Security Industry Act 2001, which is intended to make provision for the regulation of the private security industry, there will soon be in force provisions that will control the cowboy clampers. Under Section 6 a Managing Agent or Landlord will be guilty of an offence if it uses and unlicensed person to clamp or take vehicles away. The penalty could be imprisonment for up to six months or a not insubstantial fine on a summary conviction and, on an indictment, impris

By Desmond Taylor The short answer to the question posed at the heading of this article is – yes! In the past a view has perhaps gained currency that being a director particularly an inactive Directors or non-executive Directors does not carry much risk. We now know this is no longer the position. Recent financial disasters such as those befalling Equitable Life and Split Capital Trusts (to name but two) have shown that directors are very much in the firing line when things go wrong whether they are exe

By Desmond Taylor Without doubt the payment of rent and service charge must rank as a priority debt together with mortgage interest. Failure to pay can ultimately lead to an order for possession of the subject flat. However if through misfortune or otherwise you are faced with a mounting burden of bills how do you control the situation? Although it is a small minority of people who really have problems and need professional help many others would be helped by some simple guidelines. For example if you

NENERGY EFFICIENT NEW HOMES HELP FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING The use of gas, electricity and coal in the home affects global warming. Modern houses are increasingly becoming energy efficient, largely through the work of the National House Building Council which has carried out an energy rating assessment on 45,000 new homes. Features making new homes energy efficient include improved insulation, energy efficient boilers, better draught proofing, double glazing, low energy light bulbs and more efficient appliance

By Desmond Taylor If you are going through or contemplating divorce and it is clear that no agreement over your home can made, the first point of call is to establish whose names are on the title deeds to the property. If you are unsure who owns the flat, a solicitor can make a search at the Land Registry for you. If the Deeds have both your and your spouse’s name on them, you have a legal interest in your flat. It may be a 50/50 share or some other proportion. If your name is not on the title deeds-

Erika Laffan, an experienced Property Manager, considers some of the issues affecting flat owners. Nothing seems to irritate or upset leaseholders more than service charges but. In this regard, the Property Manager can rarely end up as the best guy on the block because no-one likes shelling out money whether it is to the Inland Revenue or to those responsible for looking a residential building. But someone has to do the job of looking after the building and in a way it is a vital role because it protect

NEWS ON THE BLOCK MAY/JUN 2002 BARBICAN BIRTHDAY The Barbican Arts Centre in the middle of the Barbican estate celebrates its twentieth birthday in April. The arts centre currently houses the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Guildhall School of Music. A special exhibition celebrating the twentieth anniversary will be held centre, running until the middle of April. The estate itself, at time of construction, was one of the most controversial housing projects to be built. I

Email whitelistThe email whitelist An email whitelist (sometimes referred to as a safelist) is a list of the sender names and addresses the recipient will accept emails from. The spam filters that come with email clients recognise a number of senders and keywords and create white and black lists. When a spam filter keeps a whitelist, mail from the listed addresses and domains will be allowed. Adding an email address to your whitelist is simple, all you have to do is add the address to your contact list.