Featured Articles

Get the answers to your questions and stay up to date about apartment building management with our featured articles and NOTB guides, on topics such as service charges, right to manage, buying your freehold, major works, building insurance and other issues about blocks of flats.

Walking the walk to net zero

Watts Group is a trusted adviser on sustainability, but our team knows being committed to carbon reduction is about more than helping clients. We have to “walk the walk” in our own business too.  It means bringing in sustainable practices and committing to challenging targets across the Group’s operations involving nearly 100 people in seven UK locations. At the start of the journey, the leadership team set up a climate group led by Iain MacLaren, the Group’s Lead Director for Scotland. An early step w

Significant Change to Right to Manage Case Law

In February the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners (ALEP) intervened in the landmark case of A1 Properties v Tudor Studios. The case was an appeal by an intermediate landlord (A1 Properties) which had not been served with a Right to Manage (RTM) claim notice by Tudor Studios Management Company Limited due to an ‘inadvertent’ omission. A1 Properties, which has no management function, appealed to the Supreme Court on the basis that failure to serve an RTM claim notice on an intermediate

New Team Member for Lyfe Safety Systems

Lyfe Safety Systems are excited to announce that their team is growing. Thanks to the trust and recognition from their amazing clients. Join us in welcoming Neil Mitchell as the new Operations Manager. With 22 years of experience climbing the ladder in the fire industry, Neil brings invaluable expertise and passion to the team. Neil shares, “I’m eager to use my experience and skills to drive success in my new role as Operations Manager at Lyfe Safety Systems!” Lyfe Safety Systems are absolutely delighted

New Prop Tech Department at JSR

Jackson Sims Recruitment are very happy to announce a New Prop Tech Department at JSR headed by Daryl Lipman. Daryl has spent the last five years working across sectors including Build-to-Rent (BTR), Real Estate recruitment, and PropTech recruitment. With experience in both traditional real estate and PropTech recruitment, he has supported businesses of all sizes, from pre-seed startups to unicorns preparing for their IPO. Passionate about building strong professional relationships, Daryl excels in

Lichfields announces key promotions across the UK

A leading planning and development consultancy has announced a raft of new promotions across the UK. Lichfields has promoted 15 employees which include Jade Scott-Meikle, based in the company’s Edinburgh office, Chris Smith, in Newcastle, and Rachel Clements in the London office, to Planning Directors. In other roles, Zoe Simmonds (Leeds), Georgia Crowley and Maddie Lane (London) and Dominic Crowley (Newcastle) are now Associate Directors. Sophie Bisby, Lily Galek, Alice Green and Rosie Williams (London),

Renowned property specialist launches exclusive real estate offering in Dubai

A leading London-based property management specialist has announced the launch of its premier real estate offering in Dubai. SBA Properties, the sister company of SBA Property Management, will offer a strategic approach to property investment in Dubai and further afield, with a diverse portfolio of properties to cater to distinctive investor needs. From luxury apartments in the heart of Dubai’s business district to exclusive waterfront villas, SBA’s opportunities for wealth building include service accomm

Top 10 tips to keep cool in apartment during heatwave

Soaring temperatures are expected over the next few days as Brits prepare for what forecasters say could be the last heatwave of the summer.  We all know keeping cool in warm weather can be difficult, but that’s especially true for those living in an apartment or flat with limited ventilation.  Help is here however, and nobody is better equipped to provide advice than the housing experts at Grainger plc, the UK’s largest provider of private rental homes. Lewis Morris, Senior Resident Services Manager at G

Construction under way on 84 new affordable homes to let

Work has started on an Ealing Council project that will provide 92 new affordable homes in Northolt and help tackle the borough’s worsening affordable housing crisis. 84 of the homes will be let at London Affordable Rent, which is priced to suit the budgets of local people on low incomes. Those homes will be available to rent by some of the almost 8,000 families currently on the council’s housing waiting list. The development, which is located on the grounds of the old Northolt Grange Community Centre, al

Principle Estate Management expands into north west with latest acquisition

Principle Estate Management is spreading its national reach further following the acquisition of a Lancashire-based block management company. Following Principle’s purchase of Myhill Newman in London in March 2022, the acquisition of FMS Estate Management Ltd in Poulton-le-Fylde marks the next stage in the company’s continuing growth. Since its launch in Birmingham in April 2018, the business has grown from founder Brett Williams to now more than 65 staff who manage almost 20,000 units across the UK with

Starmer surge: Assessing Labour's first 4 weeks in power and its impact on the property market

Marketing Director, Perry Jax, at award winning property investment company Alesco, commented on Labour's first four weeks in Government, the shift in buying habits from property investors and how the Bank Rate of 5% has influenced property. “In the month since the Labour government came into power, we’ve seen a significant shift in the buying habits of property investors. Confidence among buyers and sellers is growing, with an increase in homes for sale and buyers paying a larger share of the asking pric

Specialist management firm Parkfords Management awarded contract to manage the prestigious Century Tower development in Chelmsford

After a competitive tender process, Parkfords Management has been appointed to manage Century Tower in Chelmsford on behalf of the newly formed Right to Manage company. Michael Lawton, Director of Parkfords, explained, "This is a significant win for our Essex office. Over the last 18 months, we have made rapid strides, consistently securing new contracts and setting new benchmarks for customer service and client interaction. By focusing on transparent communication, prompt issue resolution, and personalis

Birmingham’s tallest building will also be one of the healthiest and safest thanks to BCU’s latest AI and construction research

At 155 metres tall, One Eastside is set to become the highest building in Birmingham’s soaring skyline when it is completed in 2026.  It will also be one of the healthiest and safest thanks to a new research partnership between Birmingham City University (BCU) and specialist residential developer Court Collaboration.  Digital construction and AI experts at BCU are creating a virtual 3D model of the skyscraper – known as a digital twin – so they can monitor, visualise, and predict air quality and energy co

© 2025 News On The Block. All rights reserved.

News on the Block is a trading name of Premier Property Media Ltd.

We use cookies to improve your experience on our site. By using our site you consent cookies.