The COVID-19 Coronavirus Guide for Property Problems

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Category: General

Everyone knows how the Covid-19 outbreak is a game-changer in many respects, including the management of properties.

Therefore, here is our overview and go-to-guide on the matter.

Whether a tenant now not able to pay bills, landlords having rental and value losses, or property advisors stuck in the middle.

The official government Covid-19 guidance for landlords and tenants can be found here, and the main piece of legislation passed by the government in March on a general not just property basis is the Coronavirus Act 2020 (and associated practice direction). Plus, HSE advice here, and NHS here.

Plus, the RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) have guidance here, ARMA (Association of Residential Managing Agents) have help...

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The Council’s Power to Request Property Repairs Through the Section 215 of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990

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Category: General

This is a clever little trick up the sleeves of a Local Planning Authority to ensure property owners keep on top of their maintenance - that's serving a Section 215 notice under the Town & Country Planning Act 1990.

Although the planning system is mainly about gaining permission for new buildings and changes, this allows a planning authority to also step-in if needs be forcing a property owner to buck-up their ideas and get their property looking ship-shape.

It isn’t that common, but handy to know when it can apply and how to respond if you do ever receive such a formal notice.

In particular, there are three factors to note all beginning with the letter ‘R’:

1. The Receiving Party

They’re technically issued to the property owner...

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Making the Most of Property Measurements, or Paying the Price

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Category: General

Having the right measurements for a property is one of those things that people can take for granted, but and not fully realise the consequences if these are wrong.

So, people may say that a flat is a certain size, or a commercial property such-and-such a square footage in area – but don’t know where these came from, and how accurate they are really.

Maybe they’re from latest sales particulars or just picked up from a file – who knows.

Well one property advisor JLL reported a few years ago when new international measuring standards were beginning in the UK that there were differences in reported areas of up to 24%. That’s a staggering difference, that will have a huge knock-on effect with rental values and valuations, plus, all other...

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