Cast away: divorced men responsible for rising tide of houseboat demand August 5, 2018 The blazing summer has added to attractions of life on the water, and enabled houseboat sales to escape the wider slump in the capital’s residential property. “It’s been a bumper year for houseboats,” said Lana Wrightman, spokesperson for London’s largest waterside property estate agent, Riverhomes. “It’s like musical chairs trying to keep up with demand. [...]
Legal Q&A: How can a group of 10 leaseholders contribute fairly towards the purchase of the freehold of their building? July 23, 2018 There are a few issues to consider here. If all of your leases are on similar terms and have the same amount of years left to run, there is scope to agree that you all contribute equally towards the purchase price. However, there are also reasons why the leaseholders should not contribute equally. For [...]
Legal Q&A: As an occupier, what rights do I have as a tenant or an owner when it comes to dealing with noisy neighbours? July 21, 2018 There will rarely be a direct claim against your landlord for noise coming from an adjoining flat. One myth is that this nuisance constitutes a breach of your landlord’s covenant for “quiet enjoyment”, whether in your tenancy agreement or (if you are an owner) lease. But this does not mean “peace and quiet” – [...]
Property of the Week: Crime queen PD James’ house in Holland Park is on the market for £4.95m July 20, 2018 If you’re finding inspiration hard to come by, you could do worse than take up residence in the home of one of the most famous crime writers in the world. Holland Park Avenue, Holland Park, £4.95m “Appointed OBE in 1983 and Baroness James of Holland Park nine years later, PD James lived at the address [...]
Home with a view: Seaside houses with a sight of the water sell for nearly a third as much as the properties around them July 19, 2018 While much of the English coast conjures up images of rainy weather and cold waters, new research suggests that houses with a view of the sea are likely to fetch nearly £70,000 more than those without one nearby. Data from Rightmove has found that properties under £1m in seaside towns with a sight of the [...]
Stunted house price growth dragged down by London slump July 18, 2018 House price growth in May slowed to its lowest annual rate in nearly five years, according to figures from the closely-watched Office for National Statistics (ONS) house price index. On average house prices across the UK have risen three per cent in the year to May 2018, falling from 3.5 per cent in April and [...]
London’s house price slowdown worsens as summer slump hits July 16, 2018 London's house price slump has deepened as the market enters its traditional summer lull, with experts signalling a boon for prospective first-time buyers. The average asking price of a house in the capital is down more than £11,000 compared to this time a year ago, marking the sharpest annualised fall since January. The closely-watched Rightmove [...]
New report shows falling house sales persist amid ‘subdued’ London market July 12, 2018 June marked the 16th consecutive month of falling house sales in London, according to the closely watched survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics). Prices in London continued to decrease, albeit at a lesser pace than the previous reports. The report, which shows falling prices as well as sales, suggests London’s "subdued picture [...]
1 in 3 Londoners have no retirement: How property could be the answer to a fruitful retirement July 11, 2018 | Sponsored Most people dream of a comfortable, long retirement, but with the current state pension sitting at just £125 per week, and the full new state pension (for a man born on or after 6 April 1951 or a woman born on or after 6 April 1953) just £168 per week, the reality is somewhat sobering. [...]
Opinion: Look behind the headlines to the data and London house price falls are nothing to worry about July 10, 2018 “Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are pliable.” This refrain from Mark Twain is as true now as it ever was, especially when it comes to assessing what’s going on in the London housing market. Headlines such as “London Falling: House prices in the capital experience lowest growth since financial crisis” might have sent shivers [...]
