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.

King's Speech - Linz Darlington from Homehold comment on housing reform

Today in the King’s Speech the King revealed that ministers will bring forward a bill to reform the housing market by making it cheaper and easier for leaseholders to purchase their freehold and tackling the exploitation of millions of homeowners through punitive service charges. Linz Darlington, lease expert and founder of Homehold, lease extension specialists says: “The promises of making it cheaper to purchase a freehold is fantastic news, and hopefully this will also extend to lease extensions. “This

Response to the announcement of a Leasehold and Freehold Bill - from ALEP

Mark Wilson founder member of ALEP, RICS Registered Valuer and Managing Director of myleasehold While reform to the leasehold system is very much welcome, it is crucial that the Government addresses potential reform with  caution.  Other than the easy win of changing lease terms from 90 to 990 year term, the proposed content, such as we are aware of to date, is random and confusing and this is exacerbated by leasehold being an emotive issue.   With so many moving parts and with so much regulation already

Government encourages blocks of flats sector to place insurance through FlatGuard or four other brokers

FlatGuard has named as one of just five UK insurance brokers that have signed up a voluntary government pledge for the benefit of residential leaseholders. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC) announced at the end of October that “a number of the most prominent insurance brokers, that provide buildings insurance for multi-occupancy buildings, have each stepped-up to address the concerns around the value and transparency of commissions and commission sharing. Each of these brokers

Leasehold reform and Renters’ Rights are at the heart of the King’s Speech today- comments from Irwin Mitchell

“It’s difficult to imagine that anything of significance will be achieved following today’s announcement, other than further irritating certain MPs with unrealistic expectations, along with all the vested interest groups within the residential property sector. This includes those proclaiming the need to abolish a ‘feudal system’, those wanting certainty and a better way to structure new developments, those wanting significantly greater protections from abuse for leaseholders, and those wanting to protect

Odevo continues rapid expansion with addition of leading property manager Pinnacle Property Management (PPM) to its UK network

Odevo, the international residential property management group continues its rapid growth with the addition of Pinnacle Property Management (PPM) in the UK. With PPM joining Odevo, following on The Vegner Group’s recent addition to the group, Odevo’s homes under management have now reached 1.1 million globally. Under the leadership of CEO Mike Moore, Pinnacle Property Management has assembled an impressive team of close to 100 professionals dedicated to delivering exceptional service. Pinnacle Property Ma

It's Black Friday at News on the Block

It's Black Friday at News on the Block, and we're offering unbeatable discounts! Subscribe, list your business, or attend Leasehold London 2024 – all at incredible prices. Don't miss out on these limited-time offers!  News on the Block is thrilled to announce a Black Friday extravaganza, offering an incredible 50% discount on all subscriptions. This limited-time offer extends until the end of November. To avail of this fantastic deal, simply use the code "BLACKFRIDAY" when you subscribe online. Stay infor

ALEP comment on Government intention to introduce a Leasehold Bill in King's Speech

Mark Chick, Director of the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners (ALEP):  We are pleased to hear confirmation that the Government intends to introduce a Leasehold Bill in next week’s King's Speech as this brings an end to much speculation.  But we urge caution; leasehold is an extremely complex aspect of property law. It has been in place for centuries and impacts on almost five million individuals and it is therefore vital that the introduction of any Bill is more than a headline-grabbe

Dani Green joins Comptons Solicitors

In an exciting development for Comptons Solicitors specialist Lease Clinic department, we are delighted to introduce our newest addition to the team, Dani Green.  As we continue to expand our horizons and strive for excellence, the arrival of Dani promises to bring fresh perspectives and expertise to the already dynamic team of James Compton, Sarah Jennings and Ahmed Anwar.  Dani is an accomplished professional with a wealth of experience of acting for Landlords and Tenants in lease extensions, collective

ELM Group expands portfolio of UK retirement properties with major new acquisition

ELM Group announces the major acquisition of retirement property which sees the property management company stand to substantially increase the number of estates it owns across the country. As part of the formal sales process facilitated on behalf of leading UK housing provider Orbit, ELM Group has acquired 1,368 units across 30 local authority areas, taking its portfolio of properties across the South of England from over 3,300 to 4,638 units – representing a combined growth of nearly 50% across owned an

Righting the Wrongs of the Building Safety Act

The 2022 Building Safety Act, hastily drafted following the Hackitt Review Building a Safer Future, contains some technical issues which are beginning to impact on leaseholders and cause considerable doubt and uncertainty. Specifically, confusion surrounds the definition of a ‘qualifying lease’ under Section 119 of the Building Safety Act, which states that to qualify for remediation a lease must have been granted before 14 February 2022.   It was good news for leaseholders and the professionals advising

The Uncertain Future of 4.9m Residential Leases

The 4.9 million residential leases in England and Wales could face significant change if new legislation is announced as promised next month. Almost 80% of lawyers and property professionals support change, but the complete abolition of leasehold would be impossible in one move and politicians should be realistic about this with the public, according to the professional body, ALEP.   The Government is committed to leasehold reform and plans to bring forward a Leasehold Reform Bill in the King's Speech on

Places for People acquires new homes development in Doncaster

Places for People has acquired a site in Doncaster where it will build 59 affordable new homes. The leading placemaker and social enterprise concluded the deal to purchase the site from Godwin Developments with planning consent already in place. This comes as part of Places for People’s plans to increase delivery to over 5,000 homes a year by 2028. The 3.5-acre site on Watch House Lane, Bentley – an area of Doncaster - has been vacant for over ten years. Places for People will transform it into a vibrant

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