Policy
“One Stop Shop” for infrastructure planning opens for business
A new "one-stop-shop service for planning consents" will, according to Whitehall, make major infrastructure projects easier to get off the ground by reducing the number of bodies developers need to consult…
Letting Agents: Lackeys of the State?
A £10,000 fine if immigration details are wrong? For Pete's sake, give letting agents a break says Trevor Abrahmsohn...
The ramifications of the immigration problem facing the UK are horrendous.
New immigration laws to tackle “beds in sheds”
"Tough" measures that will see lettings agents take a front-line role in tackling immigration, announced in yesterday’s (8 May 2013) Queen’s Speech, have not gone down well in the industry (read what…
Office Politics: Most of central London exempt from new permitted development rights
Areas in seventeen local authorities - including vast swathes of central London - have been exempted from new rights that make it easier to convert offices into resi, due to "exceptional economic circumstances".
Flood Warning: Still no deal for insurers as deadline approaches
After four of the wettest years on record, the flood insurance market could be facing a seachange moment.
Funding for Lending extended for a year
The Bank of England and HM Treasury announced yesterday (24 April 2013) an extension to the Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS).
Commons approve not-quite-planning-free extension plans
The House of Commons has voted (by 265 to 221) to accept the amended Growth & Infrastructure Bill, which was passed by the Lords on Monday (more here) and which gives homeowners the permitted development…
Intestacy Rules: How will the proposed changes affect rural property owners?
As the government announces potential changes to Rules of Intestate, Clive Beer of Savills Rural summarises the far reaching implications for rural property owners...
Johnson names housing developer panel
Boris Johnson has named the 25 developers chosen to sit on his new land procurement panel, which is being set up to "accelerate the delivery of housing in London by making it faster, easier and cheaper…
Lords sign off on new permitted development rights
The House of Lords has agreed to the last-minute amendments to the Growth and Infrastructure Bill, paving the way for new Permitted Development Rights that will allow homeowners to build up to eight metre…
What is a flat? Smith & Dennis v Jafton in a nutshell
So now we know when a house is not a "house" (more on last year's Hosebay ruling here), what then constitutes a "flat" in the eyes of the law?
Redressing the Balance: New rules for letting agents are “step in the right direction”
Tenants will soon receive a right to challenge "rogue" lettings agents, with the government today demanding that all agents sign up to an approved redress scheme.