Legal
Dealing With Disputes: The case for mediation
It is startling how eager developers, contractors and joint venture partners are to take each other to court, even when there are initiatives designed to encourage them to seek alternative resolutions,…
RBKC fined £120k for empty homes data breach
Council punished for 'serious contravention' of data protection law after inadvertently identifying hundreds of property owners in the wake of the Grenfell tragedy
Somerset agency directors disqualified after cartel investigation
"Agreeing prices with competitors is one of the most serious ways a company can break competition law, as it harms individuals, businesses and the economy", says CMA
Accountant turned property developer sentenced over £260k VAT fraud
Developer exaggerated his expenditure on a residential renovation project in Spitalfields - and got caught by HMRC
Understanding Easements: What you don’t know can hurt you
Uncovering an easement can either be a blessing or a medieval curse - just don’t leave it up to chance, says Goodman Derrick's Morgan Wolfe...
Government looks to regulate the rental sector; proposes mandatory qualifications for agents & criminal sanctions for ‘rogues’
MPs promise a 'new crackdown' on rogue letting and managing agents; offending agents could face prosecution
Watch: GDPR explained in three short videos
On 25 May 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will come into force, overhauling data protection law across the EU, including the UK
HMRC & ASA shut down Stamp Duty avoidance scheme
Anyone found to be using the scheme - promoted by Fiducia Wealth & Tax - will 'be challenged by HMRC and will be charged interest on top of the SDLT due'
Government pledges to ‘come down hard’ on property-owning shell company fronts
Here's what's likely to be included in the 'world first' register of beneficial owners
Real estate intelligence start-up promises new frontier for conveyancers
New PropTech firm Orbital Witness mashing-up satellite imagery and detailed property data...
Nuisance ruling sounds warning for wood floor fans
Flat-owners should be very wary of dispensing with their carpets, says barrister, after nuisance case in Kensington resulted in damages of over £100k...
A Letter from MIPIM: Plus ça change
"It feels like the winds of change are blowing through the property industry and not just down the Croisette this year," says Brecher's Nicky Richmond in a dispatch from MIPIM