If, as the expression goes, I ‘had a hot meal for each time that’ question has come up in my notarial career, I would be a much heavier man. I am pleased, therefore, that my good friend, Jonathan Hewitt (with whom I trained as a Notary at UCL) and my read more...

Buyers of flats are recommended to read the recent guidance provided by the Law Society with regard to the problems which continue to surround fire safety issues with blocks of flats and the requirement, or otherwise, for a Form EWS1, designed by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors to assist read more...

The recent case of Sehayek and another v Amtrust Europe Ltd [2021] highlights the care which should be taken to ensure that a Buyer is covered by a new homes warranty policy wording. In this case, the Buyer bought a newly built property from Grove End Gardens Ltd, however, the read more...

For those Leaseholders in buildings over 17.7 metres high with unsafe cladding, the Government announced on 31 st January 2021 a £30m fund to provide relief from the costs of providing 24 hour fire wardens (“waking watch”). Lessees have in many cases been burdened with sky-rocketing service charges following the read more...

The requirements for obtaining a Spanish aliens’ tax identification number (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) vary depending upon the local police’s requirements, however, since 1st January 2021 (and the end of the Brexit transition period) all Spanish police now require a copy of every page of a donor’s passport to read more...

A recent appeal case decision has underlined why it is essential that self-builders serve the Assumption of Liability Notice and the Commencement Notice on the Local Authority before starting work on a development which would otherwise be liable to CIL. Under the 2010 CIL Regulations, self-builders are able to claim read more...

The existing Equity Loan Scheme run by the Government via Homes England comes to an end on 31st March 2021. From that date, an entirely new scheme will be available for first-time buyers from developers who are separately registered under the new Scheme. The developers will be required to offer read more...

The Government announced on 3rd June 2020 that it intended to extend the 3-year time limit for the refund of the Supplemental 3% Stamp Duty Land Tax charge which is paid when purchasing an additional property. There are a number of caveats to what might at first sight seem a read more...

As of Monday 4th May, for a temporary period, the Land Registry will not require “wet signature” documents and will accept deeds signed in pen, witnessed in person and scanned and sent in PDF, JPEG or similar means to their lawyer who will attach those details to the final agreed read more...

The recent decision in the case of Beaumont Business Centres Ltd v Florala Properties Ltd makes clear that developers of city centre buildings should not assume that the Courts will not grant an injunction for breach of rights of light where they have completed construction of offending works. In such read more...

The Government announced on 24th February that it will introduce legislation for a New Homes Ombudsman, to provide buyers of new homes with a free, independent complaints procedure to resolve problems with newly-built homes. All developers of new homes will have to belong to the scheme (which will be separate read more...

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, if passed by Parliament, will be applicable to new residential tenancies from 1st July this year and existing tenancies from 1st February 2021. The Regulations will not apply to premises let by social or resident landlords, or long read more...

A recent decision by the Supreme Court ( Sequent Nominees Ltd (formerly Rotrust Nominees Ltd -v- Hautford Ltd [2019] UKSC47) determined that it was reasonable for a Landlord to decline a Tenant’s application to apply for planning permission for change of use of a property to residential, where that would read more...

Since 1 January, 2015 it has not been permissible for new septic tanks to discharge into surface-waters (essentially streams, rivers and lakes) however, an exemption was provided for existing, non-polluting, septic tanks, but this exemption expires on 1 January, 2020, by which stage any such systems must be upgraded under read more...

Designed to support the deployment of 5G networks across England, the Government has proposed reforms to the development rights belonging to electronic communications code operators under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015. The proposed reforms, designed to extend geographical network coverage, would allow Code operators read more...

Help to Buy in England was introduced to assist those buying a home on a new-build development. The Government, via Homes England, will provide an equity loan of up to 20% (outside London) and 40% (in London) subject to a maximum purchase price of £600,000 and on which no interest read more...

Powers of Attorney are regularly used by parties located in this country when they want to appoint somebody abroad to deal with matters on their behalf. Examples of where such Powers are used are:- Buying and selling property, court proceedings, administering a deceased’s Estate and dealing with company incorporation. If read more...

A cricket practice ‘net’ erected on 3.6 metre high posts which had been concreted into the ground was put up in the rear garden of a dwelling. The Local Planning Authority issued enforcement proceedings requiring the removal of the structure, on the basis that it was a “building” and required read more...

The Client Money Protection Schemes for Property Agents (Requirement to Belong to a Scheme etc.) Regulations 2019 come into force on 1 April 2019. The Regulations include a requirement for letting agents to join a government approved client money protection scheme, which provides a level of compensation of at least read more...

A recent Court of Appeal case has re-confirmed that if land ceases to be used for an ancillary purpose, it can no longer be accessed via a right of way benefitting adjoining land.  Parker and another v Roberts [2019] EWCA Civ 121 (7 February 2019) involved a case where in read more...