Latest blog posts

It’s the response that most worries owners notifying their neighbours of works falling under the Party Wall Act - not only a dissent but the appointment of a separate surveyor. I know of a couple of examples where a building owner has simply cancelled their works as a result, which seems extreme, but the loss of control really does seem to ... Read more >>

Here at Peter Barry, we serve hundreds of notices in any given year. Once a neighbour receives a notice they are a range of response options. Whilst to us as Chartered Surveyors these seem straight forward and obvious, we take plenty of phone calls that suggest that to the majority of people it is in fact not. This article will look to unravel ... Read more >>

We have previously covered worked examples of how a typical lease extension works but never freehold purchases (enfranchisements) as these are more complicated. It shouldn't really be this way, so this article will look at a typical scenario that Peter Barry encounters with a focus on simplicity. Part 1 - The Basics Of all the flat owners in ... Read more >>

Here is our simple 3 part guide to valuing your loft space. Part One - Who does this affect? If you own a house or are the freeholder of your building, this blog does not apply to you. It does apply to you if you are a leaseholder who has a loft space above their flat and there is an opportunity to convert, often adding a further bedroom and ... Read more >>

The desired outcome for any owner serving party wall notices is a consent - it allows them to take advantage of the benefits of the Act, such as the right of access, without having to stump up for surveyors’ fees. However, adjoining owners consenting to party wall notices is still a relatively rare thing, I’ve not run the numbers but my sense ... Read more >>

Budget day has been announced for March 11. Will the Chancellor go ahead with the 3 percent surcharge on non-resident properties? Will he realise the Prime Minister's pledge of removing the stamp duty (SDLT) burden from buyers of properties below £500,000? What about the possible cut in the current 10% paid between £925,000 and £1,5m to ... Read more >>

The recently published RICS Residential Market Survey has found that the Conservative's December election victory is now translating into positive effects. In its report,  17% of RICS members reported rises as opposed to falls in buyer enquiries. In addition to this, 31% of members expected transactions to rise over the next quarter. 61% of ... Read more >>