Policy
Out of the Shadows: Reforming Rights of Light
The Law Commission describes a 'right of light' as an easement that gives a landowner the right to receive light through defined apertures in buildings on his or her land.
Another country clamps down on foreign buyers
Hot on the heels of Australia's proposals to stem the tide of foreign buyers snapping up its top-end real estate, Taiwan has announced plans to impose a whacking great 30% tax rate on overseas property…
Australia to curb foreign property investment ‘within weeks’
Australia will be unveiling plans to put the brakes on foreign investment into its resi property market "within weeks" in a bid to curtail soaring prices.
Required Reading: Stamp Duty Reform and the Prime London Market
The long-criticised slab rate system for Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) was abolished in the Autumn Statement in December 2014, seeking to bring fairness to property purchase costs and benefiting 98% of homebuyers.
Government outlines London’s short-term lettings shake-up
The government has been laying out its plans to ditch the "confusing" restrictions on short-terms lets in the capital.
Policy Statements of Intent: How the main pre-manifesto positions stack up
Housebuilding, property taxes and tenancy lengths in the private rented sector have been flagged up as the "bones of contention" in the major political parties' pre-election banter.
SDLT and All That: UK home buying costs Vs the rest of the world
Despite last year's Stamp Duty overhaul ladling some extra bulk on to the cost of buying a top-end home in Britain, the UK's prime buyer's burden is still pretty competitive in the global marketplace,…
Government to ‘clear the attic’ with £6bn property sell-off
Francis Maude has been setting out plans to "clear the attic" by selling off vast swathes of redundant real estate from the government's portfolio.
Clegg to reboot mansion tax in bid to balance national books ‘fairly’
Nick Clegg is practicing a speech that seems likely to reboot the Lib Dem's mansion tax plans...
Westminster names new Senior Planning Chairman
There's been a "minor reshuffle" at Westminster City Council, following the decision by Ed Argar to step down from his post.
Devenish
Doing a Grosvenor: The Making of Mayfair’s Mount Street
How do you reposition a sleepy backwater into one of the world's top luxury destinations?
How the iceberg home melted away
Homeowners and developers should still be able to build good-sized subterranean extensions, but the days of the mega-basement are dead and buried, says Ed White...