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Issue 132 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 feature to celebrate the winners of our Enfranchisement & Right to Manage Awards. We also have an additional Insurance feature in this issue.  Some of the articles in this issue include:  ERMAs 2024 Winners Feature  Government sets deadline to end EV charger funding Funding New government urged to address leasehold issues Creating a legacy of excellen

Leading property management company, The FirstPort Group, has launched a new London Residential Real Estate team aimed at supporting resident-managed developments across the capital. This new London powerhouse is comprised of a senior management team with nearly 60 years’ combined experience working with Resident Management Company (RMC) and Right to Manage (RTM) Directors. Victoria Peake, who will be heading up the team, commented: “The distinctive needs of resident-managed developments are clear. Th

Recent government announcements on housing, infrastructure and planning, with the explicit recognition of the importance of the Build to Rent sector make the Association for Rental Living (ARL) Annual Build to Rent Conference 2024 more important than ever. The ARL has now released details of the key speakers and themes of the 2024 Conference. Regarded as the must-attend event for the Build to Rent (BTR) and wider rental living sector each year, this year’s conference will take place in London on 7th Nove

While the original 1935 order of the Monopoly board was loosely based on property values at the time, new research has revealed what the board could look like with modern 2024 property values. The research by gaming experts at 1337.Games analysed the average home value in each area on the classic Monopoly board using property data from Bricks&Logic, ranking each Monopoly street’s value from highest to lowest to see what the board's order would look like nowadays. It was found that Mayfair remains the most

Law firm, SE-Solicitors has announced the expansion of their Debt Recovery practice following the acquisition of a specialist Residential Property Recovery business from Allsquare Law. The acquisition brings over a strong, highly experienced team led by Andy Goater, with over 25 years’ experience, Andy has significant expertise in ground rent and service charge recoveries, advising both property managing agents and freeholders nationally with discretion and professionalism to help them achieve successful

Blacks Solicitors has advised Heywood Homes on the acquisition and development of a site in Holmfirth, which will boast 35 “Low Carbon” homes with a gross development value of almost £13 million.  The development of the site is being facilitated and supported by the £5 million of finance from Homes England with Blacks providing advice to Heywood Homes on this funding.  The collection of 35 new homes is nestled in the Holme Valley, close to Holmfirth and will be known as Bluebell Meadows in reference to th

Today was yet another big day in the world of planning - it has brought not just a written ministerial statement providing more details on Labour's planning reform agenda - which can be found here - but also a much-anticipated consultation on the revised NPPF. Let’s dig into the detail… Building the homes we need: The Written Ministerial Statement  There is a LOT in the written ministerial statement - so what is set out below are very edited highlights only - and those are limited to changes that are not

The ARL welcomes today's announcement of plans for a revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Angela Rayner, particularly applauding that the Government will be doing more to support mixed tenure sites including build to rent – a sector that has the potential to deliver around 2 million additional homes across the UK.  As the body representing the BTR sector, the ARL acknowledges that this is a positive announcement, but nee

Brady Solicitors are pleased to announce the arrival of Emma Wilson as the new Chief Commercial Officer and Jonathan Whittle as the new Technical Head of Arrears. Both Emma and Jonathan bring with them a wealth of experience within the property and legal industries respectively, with Emma having over 20 years’ experience within the property and consultancy sectors and Jonathan over 20 years in civil litigation. Having held the roles of CEO, Managing Director and consultancy head previously, Emma has helpe

Leaders Romans Group (LRG) is pleased to announce the advancement of Hazel Marriott to the role of Director – Finance Integrations. In this position, Hazel will lead the finance integration team and oversee the onboarding of newly acquired entities, enhancing our strategy for acquisition growth. Hazel Marriott has been an integral part of LRG for over seven years, demonstrating her dedication and versatility through various roles within the finance team Among her notable achievements, Hazel successfully l

Leaseholders’ roof inspection bills are set to be slashed by 85 percent, thanks to advanced drone technology launched this week by block and estate managers LRPM. The firm is working with drone technology company Birds Eye View Aerial Surveys to carry out aerial inspections, cutting costs from £2,000 down to £300. For commercial and residential buildings, it is generally recommended that roof surveys are carried out every 2 to 4 years depending on the age and condition of the building. This usually requir

Essex law firm Birkett Long LLP has launched its redesigned website, aiming to deliver an enhanced user experience and bolster online engagement. Birkett Long’s website has evolved significantly since its initial concept. The current structure, introduced in May 2016, has been continually refined. Recognising its pivotal role as a primary resource for clients, the law firm is dedicated to strengthening its online presence to ensure enhanced security, reliability, and accessibility. “We’ve embarked on this