Recent Articles in Problems and Complaints Checklists

New legal decision to impact flat owners?
Apr 24, 2019

The Upper Tribunal has handed tenants an important victory concerning ‘common parts’ including roof spaces and airspace leases in leasehold enfranchisement. The Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) has held that a lease of the airspace above, and the subsoil below a leasehold block of flats must be classed as "common parts" of the building when deciding if they were to be acquired, in a decision that could potentially have a profound impact on the property sector. This means that freeholders may not able to sell 'air space' to people who wish to develop on top or below an existing block of flats. This is particularly important if it remains law as the Government is relaxing planning rules on building on rooftops, for example, to help create more homes in London.

Abolishing Section 21
Apr 16, 2019

Yesterday (15th April 2019), the government outlined plans to consult on new legislation to abolish Section 21 in a bid to end so called ‘no-fault’ evictions. Although this is not a surprise move, it is one that, if goes ahead as suggested (i.e. full abolition of Section 21), will be game-changing for the private rented sector.

Property update from Philip Hammond's Spring Statement 2019
Mar 14, 2019

The Spring Statement from Philip Hammond wasn't the most exiting event of the day, but at least it was a rare bit of 'respite' away from the disaster that is now Brexit - or maybe not! Much of the statement repeats pledges and consultations on more changes to property taxation from previous budgets, but there is some news on where investment is going into areas such as Nottingham, Derby, Portsmouth, Southampton and the likes of Stoke on Trent. 

Kate's comprehensive property price update for February 2019 - data from the UK house price index
Mar 7, 2019

Nearly all the indices are now heading to a ‘zero’ increase year on year, bar UK HPI which measures the market some months behind the rest. These figures would normally relate to ‘talk’ in the media of a house price crash, but as most of the reports point out, the market is surprisingly resilient considering the level of uncertainty, not just from Brexit but this month from a poor economic performance.

Soft or hard landing for the Property Market in 2019?
Mar 7, 2019

While Theresa May seems to be battling for a soft or hard Brexit, the property market this year could go one of three ways...