Reference Briefings
Why London needs overseas property buyers
Foreign dosh - around £3bn of it in 2011 according to Jones Lang LaSalle - "underpins" the entire London property market, argues London First, which lobbies on behalf of businesses in London.
Letting Away With It: The murky world of “secret commissions”
After a property maintenance firm claimed to "blow the whistle" this week, former lawyer Jonathan Monjack calls for an end to "secret commissions" throughout the rental sector...
Making a Mint: Property investment lessons from the Crown Estate
What can property investors learn from the Crown Estate's remarkable success, asks Nicky Richmond...
Root & Branch: Why the UK’s outdated property tax system needs a serious overhaul
Stamp duty is now at a level that jeopardises the economic viability of a property purchase; a sliding scale would make far more sense, says David Hannah...
The Law Review: Floods, lightening and taking a chancel
Mishcon de Reya's round-up of the latest legal happenings in the property world.
Lost in Translation: Notes on advising foreign buyers
With unprecedented levels of overseas investment into the UK property market, the opportunities for good advisors are there, but the risks for the unwary are considerable.
Required Reading: How to Buy and Sell Short Leases
Short leases; big opportunity or tall order? We asked Child & Child's Katie Cohen and Mo Hakim and Prosper Marr-Johnson of Marr Johnson & Stevens to put together the definitive crib sheet...
Give and Take: The need-to-know on new permitted development rights
Several new permitted development rights, including office-to-residential and extended extensions, came into force on 30 May to allow certain works or changes of use without the need for planning permission.
The Law Review: Judicial reviews, squatters, office-to-resi and social media
Mishcon de Reya's Real Estate team gives the skinny on the latest machinations in property law, including office-to-resi permitted development rights, changes to the judicial review system, squatters,…
Required Reading: Stamp duty land tax and prime residential property
Anthony Hennessy of Brecher deftly guides us through the SDLT maze, summarising the factors that owners of high value property should now be considering...
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?
Act by 5 April 2013 to wipe out capital gains on second homes, buy-to-lets and shares
Individuals who have investment properties, second homes or shares standing at a gain should consider taking action before 5 April 2013 to trigger those gains in this tax year.