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.

Renter’s Rights Bill and No-Fault Evictions

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

Avoiding Tax pitfalls: Freehold Purchase in Flat Management Companies

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

mydeposits tenants and staff donate over £148,000 to Centrepoint

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

ARL response to the revised National Planning Policy Framework

“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

First-of-its-kind survey launches to capture the voice of women in property

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

Make better use of homes we already have, says Birchgrove CEO Honor Barratt

"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

HOUSING/GREEN BELT: CPRE responds to government

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

Government planning reforms should not lead to decisions being rushed through.

“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

Lloyds Living agrees forward funding for Hill's debut Build to Rent development

Award-winning housebuilder, The Hill Group, has agreed its first Build to Rent forward funding deal with Lloyds Living, marking an important milestone in the company’s expansion into the growing BTR sector. This inaugural project, in partnership with Lloyds Living, is for 264 rental apartments in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. It forms one phase of a masterplan comprising 576 apartments, led by Hill in Stevenage town centre. The one and two-bedroom apartments are split across three buildings, and have exclusiv

Beresfords celebrates success at winter masquerade ball

Essex property group, Beresfords, has signed off the year in style with an exclusive awards dinner to mark the achievements of its people in 2024. Bringing all 177 members of the team together for an evening of celebration and entertainment, colleagues donned formal attire and masks for the festive masquerade-themed evening. Attendees enjoyed a champagne reception, delicious catering, and performances from an electric violinist and professional ballet dancers before starting the annual awards ceremony to

Property Predictions for 2025

Martin King, Managing Director of The FirstPort Group, looks at the top property trends set to influence the industry in 2025. The Rise of Resident Management Companies (RMCs) We are likely to see a continued rise in the formation of RMCs, which are placing residents at the heart of the decision-making process. At FirstPort, we welcome this trend. The growing number of resident-managed developments empower residents to take greater control over the management of their developments. As managing agents, we

Former Tonbridge night club development site for sale with Watling Real Estate

Watling Real Estate has been instructed to sell a part-built residential development in the popular and historic town of Tonbridge in Kent. It is on the former site of SOS, Tonbridge’s only nightclub in the Hub Creative Space, which also housed a gym. Jamie Lamond and Tom Colyer in Watling Real Estate’s London office have been appointed to sell the development, which was owned by Avebury Avenue Ltd, on behalf of joint receivers Martyn Ewing and Adam Stephens of Evelyn Partners. Offers are invited for the

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