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With the cost of living going through the roof, getting onto the property ladder has never been more expensive. And it's not just the deposit and legal fees that are burning a hole in your pocket. HCB Solicitors reveals the true costs of moving into your first home, from energy bills and broadband to buying furniture can cost £32,065.32. [1] According to Zoopla’s latest House Price Index, the average cost of a house in the UK is £267,200. This means a first-time buyer could expect to pay up to £26,720 as

There is no doubt that 2024 has seen several changes in the market and hiring within the Leasehold sector. With this in mind, Joe Peat, Senior Consultant in Leasehold Management at deverellsmith has put together some transformations he has been seeing and how this has altered how we attract top talent. A shift back to office working As the UK leasehold property market navigates the post-pandemic shift towards in-office work, retaining top talent demands a strategic balance between traditional practices an

Giving back to the communities in which it operates, Essex property group, Beresfords, has reflected on a year of charitable giving, in which the team’s collective efforts have raised £27,000 for local initiatives. Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT) - charity property dinner An annual property dinner, held at the Down Hall Hotel & Spa, brought together over 180 guests for an evening of fundraising and celebration. Together, significant funds for Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT) were raised, adding to

Commentary from Mark Chick, director of ALEP (Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners) and a Partner at Bishop & Sewell LLP: 2024 has come to a close with some very welcome clarity from the government on leasehold reform. An end to uncertainty? At ALEP’s annual conference in October, the overwhelming sentiment was one of uncertainty - uncertainty which extended across professions but also to the five million plus leasehold flat owners in England. With the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2

Background The King’s Speech on 17 July 2024 promised a number of changes to the current state of leasehold and rental law – some of which we have covered in previous articles. Here we will discuss the proposed changes to No-Fault Evictions under section 21 of the Housing Act 1988. Currently, once the contractual term of an assured shorthold tenancy ends, landlords can evict tenants without providing any reason. They just need to serve a “Section 21” notice on their tenants, providing a minimum of 2 month

Introduction Please picture the scene, following long negotiations and many meetings with the landlord, the tenants have joined together, and set up a new management company, and bought the freehold from their landlord.  They now relax and start to celebrate, all advise received from their advisers, about extending their leases firmly pushed to the back of their heads, while they enjoy their victory and perceived new found freedom, they own their flats, so all of that can wait until tomorrow, next week, n

Just six months after launching its partnership with Centrepoint, mydeposits tenants and team have donated over £148,000 to the UK’s leading youth homelessness charity. The donation is made up of more than £142,000 of interest earned on tenants’ deposits and £5,980 raised by staff who participated in Centrepoint’s Sleep Out 2024. Centrepoint's annual Sleep Out, which took place in November, is a fundraising challenge that doesn't replicate what it's like to sleep rough but gives an idea of the situation a

“The ARL welcomes the release of the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) today and the explicit reference to Build to Rent (BTR) as part of mixed tenure sites which the NPPF states that local planning authorities should support in delivering a sufficient supply of homes. “We have consistently expressed the ability and desire of the rental living sector, including BTR, to deliver additional homes which are in such great demand but also highlighted the challenges that the planning system prese

A survey to capture the voice of women working in property has been launched with women from across the residential property sectors encouraged to contribute. Survey author Susan Gregory describes the ambition of the survey to capture the voice and experience of women working across the property sector and is one of, if not the, largest survey undertaken.  "The survey has been something I have been keen to produce for many years and I am delighted to have finally been able to bring it to life" said Gregor

"We welcome the publication of the NPPF, which outlines how the government plans to overhaul the planning system to meet its target of achieving 1.5 million new homes. In addition to building more properties, we believe a crucial and sustainable part of the solution to the country’s housing crisis is making better use of the homes we already have.   “This country has a severe lack of housing suitable for people in later life. Senior housing needs to be moved up the agenda as it’s a key part of the solutio

Commenting on the National Planning Policy Framework, published today, CPRE chief executive Roger Mortlock said:  'The broken housebuilding market is to blame for the painfully slow delivery of much-needed new homes. When big housebuilders deliberately limit the supply of new homes to maximise their profits, supercharging the current system will not lead to the change the government is looking for.   'The government’s plans risk a huge hike in the number of unaffordable, car-dependent homes. B

“Increasing the supply of housing for those that need it most is always welcome. However, while we understand the Government’s desire and need to increase the housing supply through an enhanced building programme, we would caution against rushing planning decisions and pressing local authorities to build on areas, such as floodplains, that might not be sustainable. “We need to build resilient homes that we can be proud of in years to come and that will combat the rigours of everyday life, and if we rush t