Legal
Nearly half of London letting agents break the law
46% of London letting agents inspected in the last 15 months "do not comply with the law"; rogue agents have paid more than £1.2m in fines in that time.
Electronic signatures are valid, rules Law Commission
"An electronic signature can generally be used in place of a handwritten signature," confirms The Law Commission, "as long as the usual rules on signatures are met"
Olshan boss sues celebrity interior designer for ‘walking off the job’
Andrea Olshan of Manhattan-based Olshan Properties claims Vicky Charles 'began to separate herself' from projects in NYC and the Hamptons 'to work for more A-List clients such as the Duke and Duchess of…
Developers contribute £6bn a year to community infrastructure projects
New CIL reforms mean local councils now have to declare developers' contributions and how levies are spent
Russia moves to seize ‘the ultimate Scottish residence’
One of Scotland's most luxurious country houses, The Tower of Lethendy in rural Perthshire, has found itself at the centre of an extraordinary High Court battle between the Kremlin and a billionaire oligarch...
Required Reading: The VAT reverse charge for building & construction services
A major change to the way VAT is collected in the building and construction industry comes into play on 1st October 2019 [delayed to 2020].
The Insurance Act 2015… Who knew?
It was the biggest change to insurance law in a hundred years, apparently, but it passed a lot of people by at the time - including top property lawyer Nicky Richmond
Neo Bankside residents appeal Tate Modern privacy ruling
Viewing platform nuisance claim to go back to court next year
‘A changed world’: What effect will leasehold reform have on landlords, leaseholders & tenants?
As the Government moves forward with plans to overhaul the established leasehold system, Property Vision's Charlie Ellingworth & Philip Harvey explore what leasehold reform will mean for landlords, leaseholders…
On Leasehold Reform: A brief history and next steps
Reforming the leasehold system has been moving rapidly up the government’s agenda, and whilst welcomed by the domestic leasehold owners and tenants, the vast range of proposals are causing some concern…
Urban commons are under siege in the age of austerity – here’s how to protect them
The UK’s surviving urban commons are precious green spaces, says law professor Christopher Rodgers, but the laws that protect them are confusing, complicated and in some cases outdated...
Beyond Capital Appreciation: What are Asian investors looking for in post-boom London?
Lawyer Chris Myers explains why capital appreciation and rental yields are no longer the only considerations for investors looking to buy in the UK capital - 'value-add' is now a fundamental part of the…