Property legal Q&A: What legal issues should I consider before I let a leasehold flat in a mansion block? January 23, 2017 Question: I own a leasehold flat in a mansion block and am considering letting it on a daily/weekly basis. What legal issues should I consider before doing so? Answer: The success of Airbnb and similar providers of short room/property rentals has increased significantly over the past few years, but there are several factors to consider [...]
Commercial rental growth on the UK’s most exclusive shopping streets has fallen January 23, 2017 Commercial rents in London's most exclusive areas slowed to its lowest in 2016 in the final quarter of the year, new figures have shown. Rental values on so-called prime commercial property fell to 0.4 per cent between October and December, the lowest quarterly growth in a year. During the full year rents increased 3.7 per cent. [...]
Bovis shares have risen on hopes Berkeley will buy it January 23, 2017 Shares in housebuilder Bovis rose in morning trading after its biggest shareholders suggested a takeover by a rival. Shares were up 3.6 per cent at 826p in mid-morning trading after it emerged this weekend that Schroders had written to rival Berkeley Group to propose an all-share merger. The suggestion follows a shaky patch for Bovis, which [...]
Interiors: Get home gym inspiration from these funky designer health clubs in London January 21, 2017 Gym brands are spending millions on interior design, facilities, music and mood to impress us and keep us coming back. These days it’s all about creating a club atmosphere, making you look and feel fantastic. Where you train is a lifestyle choice. In and around the City, you have your pick of the bunch, from [...]
Five things you should know before you buy a leasehold property January 21, 2017 In its effort to turn Generation Rent into Generation Buy, the Government has announced a £1.4bn fund to build 40,000 new ‘affordable homes’. Typically, these tend to be leasehold flats, especially for first-time buyers wanting to live in city centres. But how many buyers taking their first step on to the property ladder understand fully [...]
New Builds: New homes on the market this weekend in London from Help to Buy in Chiswick to luxury flats in Holborn January 20, 2017 500 Chiswick High Road, Chiswick From £420,000 Twenty-five apartments are going on sale tomorrow as part of the Government’s Help to Buy equity loan scheme for first time buyers. With private outdoor space, a concierge and underground parking, it’s a relatively affordable opportunity to buy into Chiswick, a smart west riverside area that’s popular with [...]
British Land’s share price falls as occupancy rates dip January 19, 2017 British Land's share price fell today after it said that its occupancy rates have fallen, with tenants signing up for shorter leases. In its third quarter trading update, the commercial property giant reported a 97 per cent occupancy rate, with an average lease length of eight years. However, this compared to an occupancy rate of 98 [...]
Here’s what will happen to house prices if markets crash this year January 19, 2017 This year may have been record-breaking for the FTSE 100 so far – but the year is yet young, and with Brexit negotiations and Donald Trump's presidency still to come, a lot could go wrong. So online estate agent Emoov has helpfully donned its tinfoil hat and worked out what could happen to UK house prices if [...]
This is the only part of the country where house prices are falling January 19, 2017 Home sales in the UK fell in December and prices continued to drop in London's most prized neighbourhoods, despite rising in the rest of the country. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) has said that expectations for sales over the next three months were "pared back" and that central London is the only part of [...]
Mortgage lending to first time buyers increases as stamp duty bites landlords January 17, 2017 Buy to let landlords continued to shun the property market towards the end of last year, allowing more first time buyers to take out home loans. The number of loans taken out by landlords fell 10 per cent year-on-year in November, according to figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), suggesting that tax changes [...]
