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.

Barratt London's South West London urban village launches brand new Violet Apartments

Barratt London is launching a new phase at its Springfield Place development in Wandsworth, South West London, SW17. Violet House comprises just 20 one and two- bedroom apartments spread over four storeys, with every home having a spacious open-plan living area and a private balcony or terrace. Prices will start from £472,000. Due to complete in Winter 2024, Violet House is expected to be extremely popular, especially with first time buyers who have bought 80% of apartments in earlier phases. This will be

Rendall & Rittner appointed to manage landmark Westminster scheme

Westminster City Council have appointed award-winning property management agent Rendall & Rittner to manage the first phase of homes being delivered under the ambitious regeneration of the Ebury Bridge estate in Knightsbridge and Belgravia. Comprising 226 homes in the first phase, alongside a business hub, concierge service, and reimagined public realm, Rendall & Rittner was recently appointed to deliver full management and mobilisation services. Developed in collaboration with the existing Ebury Bridge c

Proper Talk: ‘Question Time’ at RICS

On 1st October, the fourth ‘Proper Talk’ event took place at the prestigious RICS Lecture Hall in Parliament Square, London. Set in this spectacular venue, the event brought together industry experts for a lively discussion at breakfast time on the latest issues impacting block management. What is Proper Talk? Proper Talk is a collaboration between key industry players: EK Reinstatement Cost Assessments (part of the Earl Kendrick Group), Bridge Insurance Brokers, and JC Property Consultancy. Conceived by

Bromwich Hardy recruits senior property management expert to assist growth

A senior property management expert has been recruited by Bromwich Hardy to provide enhanced support for its growing number of landlord customers. Ewa Koperkiewicz joins the Coventry-based firm as head of facilities management from CTD Tiles, where she was estates manager, bringing with her more than 10 years’ experience in the sector. This includes four-and-a-half years in various roles at facilities management experts Ashdown Phillips, based in East Sussex, and previous spells in the sector at Trophaeum

The ethical dilemma of property management companies skimming commissions on maintenance contracts

The spikes in service charges have recently hit the spotlight, with costs still climbing and many residents financially struggling to keep up. Although property management companies are contending with increasing maintenance and material costs, the industry needs to consider if there is anything they can do to curb the increases for residents.   David Goldberg, CEO of property management company, POD, says one of the key things the industry needs to look at is management companies skimming commissions. Ov

Homesearch Announces Partnership with MRI Software to Elevate Property Data for Estate Agents

Homesearch, the UK’s leading property data platform, has today announced a new partnership with MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software and services. This collaboration aims to deliver direct access to Homesearch’s comprehensive property information natively within the  MRI Sales & Lettings solution, empowering estate agents with unparalleled insights to drive business growth, enhance client relationships, and make smarter data-driven decisions.   Native Integration of Homesearch Property In

Birchgrove and Nobi join forces to introduce innovative fall detection tech

Birchgrove, the UK’s leading developer of rented retirement homes, has become the first senior living provider in the UK to install Nobi’s AI-driven fall detection smart light, doing so in 356 apartments across six of its communities.   Whilst Nobi’s lights are present in the UK care home sector, Birchgrove’s partnership brings Nobi’s lamps to the senior living sector for the very first time.   The light represents a significant technological development for the retirement living space, and by being abl

Property sector helps to propel skydiver to fundraising success for Alzheimer's Society

Andrew Cleverley, a service charge accounts team leader for Principle Estate Management, has hit his fundraising target three times over for a charity skydive. He has raised £3,465 in support of their chosen charity for this year, the Alzheimer’s Society.   The skydive was held on September 22nd at Old Sarum Airfield in Salisbury. Andrew said, “After a weekend of uncertainty due to poor weather, I was really worried the jump wouldn’t go ahead at all, but the hours of waiting were worth it; once I was suit

Landlords urged to protect their tenants and properties as nearly half of renters struggle with mould

Rising concern over mould and damp in rental properties is a real issue which wetter UK weather is only making worse – as the last 18 months are declared the wettest on record. A survey conducted by experts at Quotezone.co.uk has revealed 43% of renters have reported issues with mould or damp. 65% say they have experienced hazards in their homes while renting, with almost one in five saying despite their complaints, the problems remained unsolved. Landlords are being warned that failing to maintain their

New Rankings Success Positions JB Leitch as “Real Specialists in Their Field”

This week the Legal 500 rankings for 2025 were released, which sees JB Leitch hold its high position in Tier 3 for property litigation, alongside some of the largest firms in the country.  For over 30 years, The Legal 500 has been analysing the capabilities of law firms across the world, with a comprehensive research programme revised and updated every year to bring the most up-to-date vision of the global legal market. The rankings are based on a series of criteria including notable cases, capability and

Software that’s taking the hard processes out of managing risk

In today’s fast-paced property management world, fire and safety risk management is more critical than ever. Property managers and risk assessors rely on digital solutions to ensure safety and compliance, but not all risk management platforms deliver the same results.  That’s where RiskZen comes in - a platform that sets a new benchmark for innovation, efficiency, and ease of use. RiskZen is more than just another software tool. Designed by a team of seasoned professionals with considerable experience in

So you've created your Resident Engagement Strategy - what's next?

Congratulations! You've created your first batch of Resident Engagement Strategies, and you’re now hoping to move on to the next item on your to-do list - but did you actually seize the opportunity that creating your RES presented? A good RES should help Boost Engagement A well-executed RES, combined with the power of technology, should act as a catalyst for increased resident engagement.  In my former role as Head of Operations overseeing 10,000+ homes, I used to hear from fellow property managers that “

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