Latest blog posts

A Bit of HistoryAnyone who's ever erected a fence in clay soil using timber posts knows that you can hammer these into the ground when the clay is soft and the posts will stand firm but when you check your fence at the end of a dry summer your previously firm posts will have worked loose because the clay soil around them has dried and ... Read more >>

We are regularly instructed to prepare valuations on leasehold flats located above commercial premises. The shortage of properties at the lower end of the housing market makes the purchase of this type of property increasingly popular. However, the presence of the commercial element below makes the task of providing an accurate valuation more ... Read more >>

One of the valuation issues that is unique to the freehold enfranchisement process is the potential for the existence of compensation for development value. In smaller blocks and period conversions development value will often arise from the potential to convert the roof space as an extension of the upper flat, to develop the basement as an ... Read more >>

With space in London at a premium and house prices seemingly always rising, extending your property is seen as an attractive alternative to moving. Whilst there are always numerous costs and factors to consider when planning such work, owners of leasehold flats have an even more burdensome task in comparison to their freehold/house owning ... Read more >>

We looked at typical defects to chimney stacks on the blog a few years ago so today I wanted to cover a related topic – what the legal responsibilities of the owners are when it is a shared chimney stack that has been affected.Chimneys tend to be more exposed to the weather than other parts of a property and therefore prone to defects such ... Read more >>

Well the good news is that Brexit is no longer the biggest political story of the years. Donald has trumped it, taking the White House in a landslide victory over opponent Hillary Clinton. So, what does this mean for London’s property market?One lesson we have all learned from the 2008 financial crisis is that the global economy is now more ... Read more >>

The Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED) applies to companies that own residential property in the UK. The charge is levied annually, and depends upon the value of the property at the relevant valuation date. The valuation date 1st April 2012 for properties acquired before that date. For properties acquired after 1st April 2012 the valuation ... Read more >>