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Planning permission has been granted by Manchester City Council’s planning committee for the room2 Hometel project, a pioneering £78 million development set to transform 12-16 Piccadilly in Manchester. The approval of the application – which was led by global real estate advisor, Avison Young, on behalf of developer, Lamington Group – marks a significant milestone in the creation of the UK’s first net zero carbon tower, which will combine contemporary design with historic preservation to deliver a unique

UK householders can use an interactive tool created by British Pest Control Association (BPCA), to help them identify potential infestations. The ‘House of Pests’ is an online resource that maps out where common pests are likely to be found and provides links to further information on specific species within the BPCA’s A-Z of Pests guide. Anyone who suspects there may be a pest present in their home can visit bpca.org.uk/HouseofPests and use the tool to help narrow down what the issue might be. Natalie Bu

Just released, a letter sent form the Minister of State for Housing and Planning Matthew Pennycook to the Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, Leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, Leader of Cambridge City Council, and the Leader and Deputy Leader of Cambridgeshire County Council. The letter shows a continuing commitment from the new Government to growth in Greater Cambridge – but this is not without its challenges. William Nichols, Regional Director in Lanpro’s Cambridge office comments: In

QUESTION  I (with my partner) currently own a leasehold flat - built in 2017. We have a lease which currently has 140 years remaining on it.  Within our lease, and what I am mostly querying, is my ground rent charges, and the likely difficulty we would face should we come to remortgage/sell.  My ground rent from 01/01/2014 (despite not being built until 2017, as it was when the lease was originally drawn up) was set at £250 PA. Within the lease, there is a clause to rent reviews each 10 year period rising

Future Group are thrilled to announce that Jason Webb has been promoted to Managing Director of Future Fire Systems, a recognition of his exceptional contributions and unwavering dedication. Jason joined Future Group in 2020 as a Senior Fire Systems Engineer, bringing with him a wealth of experience and expertise in the field of active fire protection. Over the past four years, Jason’s relentless hard work and innovative thinking have driven significant growth within the department. Under his leadership,

Despite the many positive developments in modern residential management, a major and long-term industry issue remains largely unaddressed. Today, residential landlords are still having to pay exorbitant lettings fees charged by many property agents. These can be as high as twenty percent once tenant finding, management, contract and referencing fees are taken into account. It is time to champion the needs of the landlord in a market where many high street agents are still hiding their fees and often doubl

What is in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024? Essentially, all of the much talked about changes are there including the 990-year lease extension, abolition of the two-year rule and the change in qualification criteria for mixed use buildings. In addition, we will see the end of marriage value for leases under 80 years and the end of the ability for the landlord to recover their costs from the tenant under a standard statutory claim. There are also changes that relate to property management. The v

Castlemere Developments is committing more than £1.8m to a new five-apartment airspace development in Wimbledon Chase. The Windsor-based property developer has already invested more than £400,000 to purchase Vision House, an art deco building located on Kingston Road. The scheme at Vision House will feature one three-bedroom, two two-bedroom apartments and two one-bedroom apartments. The apartments will cost from £385,000 up to £650,000 once on the market. Having completed the purchase of property on Augu

The deadly invasive plant that's currently infesting UK property and land. Learn why this 'living fossil' is one to look out for! Now is the season for Horsetail (or Field horsetail), a highly vigorous growing invasive plant that can ruin lawns, devastate fields, kill animals if ingested and threaten biodiversity. It only takes 2 or 3 small shoots to create a dense carpet that is very difficult to get rid of. What is Field horsetail? Horsetail is derived from huge, tree-like plants that thrived 400 millio

As we enter the final stretch before the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) regulations likely come into effect in 2030, it is clear that this piece of legislation is going to have a significant impact on both landlords and tenants across the UK. While the goal of MEES – to improve the energy efficiency of the nation’s building stock and drive down emissions towards our net zero goals – is an important one, the reality is that many landlords are feeling the pressure to get their properties up to t

This bank holiday weekend, two significant fires broke out in apartment buildings in Dagenham, Essex, and Blackwall, East London. In Dagenham, a fire erupted early on Monday, severely damaging a block of flats in Dagenham, Essex. Over 100 firefighters responded, rescuing 20 residents. The building required a full evacuation. Four people were treated, with two hospitalised.  The fire, which heavily damaged the building, has raised concerns over existing fire safety issues. An investigation is underway to d

Cosmic Charging is proud to announce its official launch. Focussed specifically on providing funded EV solutions to the residential block management and property management industry, Cosmic Charging is committed to delivering the most advanced technical and commercial solutions to meet the growing resident demand for EV infrastructure. As the shift towards electric vehicles accelerates, the need for accessible, reliable, and efficient charging solutions within residential properties has never been more cr