Required Reading: Japanese knotweed & the law
Japanese knotweed has long been a concern for homeowners, but the recent judgment in Downing v Henderson, which hit the headlines this week, highlights some of the problems it can cause particularly...
View ArticleSDLT - Black and White, or (50) Shades of Grey?
Matt Spencer and Charlotte Jeanroy published in ThoughtLeaders4 Private Client Tax Magazine discussing Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
View ArticleSupreme Court and service charge certificates - pay now, argue later
In the case of Sara and Hossein Asset Holdings Ltd v Blacks Outdoor Retail Ltd the Supreme Court upheld by a 4:1 majority the Landlord’s claim for unpaid service charge and that the service charge...
View ArticleUpdate on the requirements on commercial landlords to meet the minimum Energy...
As of 1 April 2023, commercial landlords will need to make sure their property has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of at least E or face possible penalties. The government estimates that...
View ArticleBiodiversity Net Gain: friend or foe?
The 10% mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirement for new developments is fast approaching. Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) confirmed last week that enforcement is...
View ArticleAre you avoiding property inheritance tax?
Those born between the years 1946 – 1964 (often referred to as ‘baby boomers’) are set to pass on £2.1 trillion of housing wealth in the coming decade.
View ArticleRenting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 – the new regime for ASTs in Wales
The type of tenancy and the rules for renting a home in Wales changed with the implementation of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 (‘The Act’) which came into force on 1 December 2022. The Act aims...
View ArticleLong live our new King, long may he reign (over your property)
Aside from the £330m the Guardian has estimated King Charles owns in private property, did you know the Crown could ultimately take ownership of your property.
View ArticleRenters Reform Bill: New landlord database to expose tax mishandling
The Renters Reform Bill threatens the creation of a new landlord database, exposing those landlords who may have (perhaps inadvertently) incorrectly handled their tax affairs.
View Article“Quicker, clearer and simpler” – modernising the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954
In March 2023, the Department for Levelling Up, House and Communities announced that it had commissioned a Law Commission review of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (“the LTA 1954”). The general mood...
View ArticleIs Co-Working Good for You?
Since the advent of COVID-19 and the explosion of hybrid working, co-working has been praised as an innovative disrupter to the real estate market. However, does co-working really offer a viable...
View ArticleYour 10 point plan for investing in property in England
If you are looking to invest in the English property market, there are a number of factors for you to consider.
View ArticleKey considerations for negotiating a commercial property lease in the UK: A...
In this comprehensive guide to negotiating a commercial property lease in the UK, property lawyer Matthew Copeland and commercial property estate agent James Forster, provide invaluable insights into...
View ArticleContracting for Price Fluctuations
The Building Cost Information Service reported that construction material price inflation peaked at 26% in June 2023. Political instability, extreme weather and recessionary pressures saw the...
View ArticleHow to maintain privacy & confidentiality when buying, selling or improving a...
For those buying, selling or carrying out improvement works on a prime residence, it can be very important to maintain privacy and confidentiality, particularly if you already have a public profile....
View ArticleSo you’ve made a million through crypto investing....Now what do you do?
If you have been able to safely make your way through the minefield of the possibilities of being de-banked, finding yourself the subject of probing questions by the NCA, or having your assets frozen...
View ArticleSpring Budget analysis: changes to Empty Property Relief will put further...
In the Spring Budget, the Chancellor announced that from 1 April 2024, business premises must be re-occupied for at least 13 weeks rather than 6 weeks in order to qualify for a further period of empty...
View ArticleGoing under offer: How to buy a prime property from a receiver
This blog was first published by PrimeResi on 12 March 2024. In light of recent economic conditions, there have been an increasing number of high-end properties, in London and across the country, being...
View ArticleIncreased Civil Penalties under the Right to Rent Scheme: Implications for...
The Immigration Act 2014 governs the ‘Right to Rent’ across the private sector in England. All landlords have a responsibility to verify the immigration status of prospective tenants. Failure to...
View ArticleUnpicking Hunt’s axing of MDR
Tax experts could have been forgiven for taking a sharp intake of breath when chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced that multiple dwellings relief (MDR), a staple of the residential stamp duty land tax...
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