Featured Articles

Issue 134 of News on the Block has now been published and is available for subscribers to read online. This issue of News on the Block includes a special Property Management Awards 2024 winners feature. Some of the articles in this issue include:  Government leasehold plans are given a broad welcome The brains behind The Gym Lounge Careful what you wish for - Are green initiatives actually better when it comes to protecting your residential properties? Building your resident engagement strategy How I

Payne Hicks Beach announces the three new Partners in key roles across Private Client and Property. Peter Lamb joins joined the Property team as a Partner earlier this year with expertise in commercial property law. Peter has worked on a broad range of transactions for major organisations, entrepreneurs and individuals and covers various aspects of commercial property law domestically and internationally. Phineas Hirsch joins the Private Client team adding his international expertise to the renowned team

Utopi, a leader in data solutions and ESG technology, today announced a strategic partnership with Spaceflow, the premier tenant experience platform for residential, commercial, and mixed-use properties. This groundbreaking collaboration unites two award-winning PropTech pioneers, poised to redefine the resident experience within the Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) sector. By integrating Utopi’s granular, real-time data and control capabilities with Spaceflow’s cutting-edge tenant experience ap

Co-living developments are gaining momentum in London, offering a modern solution to the capital’s housing challenges, according to new research findings by Lichfields. The report, A New Way to Live: Co-living in London, highlights the sector’s ongoing growth and benefits while calling for greater policy support to ensure its long-term success. Whilst only 25% of London boroughs have adopted or are developing planning policies which explicitly support co-living, the sector is thriving. Of 34 large-scale c

The Association for Rental Living (ARL) – the membership body for all institutionally backed, professionally managed purpose-built rental living sectors – has confirmed the appointments of its new Non Executive Board. As of the ARL’s Annual General Meeting on 26th November 2024, the new Board has formally taken over the ARL’s governance, control and strategic direction. Highly experienced consultant and non-executive director Helen Kings has been appointed Chair of the ARL and is now responsible for takin

From the 9th December, fees for accessing HM Land Registry information are set to increase for the first time in 10 years, including a £4 increase for electronically inspecting an individual register or plan – one of the most vital and commonly accessed data sets the Land Registry offers. To understand what cost implications this is going to have for homebuyers and property industry professionals alike, Moverly, a provider of material information and digital property packs, has analysed historical data fr

Former Savills Director, Trevor Adey has launched a new property management business specialising in estate and block management across the North of England.  Focusing on challenging the existing approach to property management, Placekeeper is a managing agent commited to delivering residential management services which deliver better places for the residents and communities that use them. Utilising experience across the housing, development and planning sectors, after 20 years at Savills and other leadin

Property Redress, one of the UK’s leading independent redress providers for the property industry, is celebrating a decade of significant growth, with more than 20,000 member offices. To mark this achievement, Property Redress is unveiling a fresh brand, new website, and updated resources, all aimed at enhancing user experience and cementing its position as a key player in the property sector. As part of the rebrand the brand will no longer be referred to as the Property Redress Scheme, or ‘PRS’, as the f

EVC, the experts in fully-funded destination charging solutions for electric vehicles (EVs) announces its rebrand to Roam.  The change reflects Roam’s broader ambitions for 2025, including European expansion and rolling out the next stage of its £165m commitment, announced last year, to install 100,000 fast and rapid EV chargers across hospitality, workplaces, multi-dwelling residentials, leisure and retail sectors. Since Roam started in 2020, the company has made significant steps in providing a nationwi

Since its introduction in 2004, commonhold has been met with resistance, with only a small number of developments adopting the framework, compared to millions of leasehold properties. Anushka Nicholas, Head of the Leasehold Enfranchisement team at Blacks Solicitors, shares insight on what commonhold ownership is, how the legislation differentiates from leaseholds and the challenges and benefits of embracing this framework.  What is commonhold ownership?  Commonhold ownership allows individuals to own thei

For over a decade, permitted development rights (PDRs) have been a crucial aspect of the planning system. PDRs have shown to be beneficial in responding to need – for example, regenerating high streets post-Covid and providing a tool for addressing the housing crisis. PDRs allow certain types of building work and changes of use to be carried out without the need for a full planning application.  But while many in the development sector are familiar with PDRs for residential extensions or office-to-residen

The rental sector is undergoing perhaps its most radical transformation ever, with a significant increase socially responsible investing. The rise of  Build to Rent (BTR) schemes and institutional investors has ushered in a new era for the private rented sector (PRS), driven by a combination of political change, economic shifts, and a strong desire for sustainable development. The role of policy and political change One of the many catalysts for this new ‘breed’ of property investors has been the recent p