April 21, 2009 on 1:32 pm | In News | No Comments
A huge 93% of respondents to a survey conducted by the RICS and Lambert Smith Hampton believe that empty rates are ‘exacerbating the financial difficulties of many property companies and occupiers.’ Jennifer Rigby, Property Week – 21 April 2009 A year on from the introduction of the new legislation, the RICS and LSH’s Empty Property [...]
April 21, 2009 on 9:43 am | In News | No Comments
It amazes me how many commentators are fixated wholly on first time buyers’ chances of getting mortgages as the lead driver of the future direction of house prices. I think they are wrong. David Lawrenson, Letting Focus.com – 21 April 2009 For quite a long time now I have said that in the future, the [...]
April 20, 2009 on 9:25 am | In News | No Comments
In the first of a series of debates, our writers Lorna Bourke and Tony Bonsignore go head to head over whether we should encourage buy-to-let. Add you own comments in the box at the bottom… CityWire.co.uk -19 March 2009 In the first of a series of debates, our writers Lorna Bourke and Tony Bonsignore go [...]
April 20, 2009 on 9:13 am | In News | No Comments
Planned business rates increases could ‘destroy an extra 19,300 jobs and kill off an additional 582 retail businesses, according to an analysis by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) on the economic impact of business rates increases. Deirdre Hipwell, Property Week – 20 April 2009 The independent analysis, conducted by the Centre for Economics and Business [...]
April 16, 2009 on 7:54 pm | In News | No Comments
At the depth of the last housing market recession in 1993, 1.5 million households or more were estimated to have negative equity. Most sat tight, saved, continued to pay their mortgages and eventually recovered their equity position. And, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders, this is what most of today’s borrowers with reduced or negative [...]
April 16, 2009 on 7:34 pm | In News | No Comments
RICS is to launch a consultation into the transparency in professional fees in the property sector. Laura Chesters, Property Week – 16 April 2009 At the end of last year the RICS established a Transparency Working Group (TWG) to look at the subject of transparency in property transactions and services. As a result RICS is [...]
April 15, 2009 on 9:49 am | In News | No Comments
Real GDP growth slowed noticeably in all countries in the Central and East Europe (CEE) last year and it is now the most vulnerable emerging market region, according to DTZ. DTZ said the region’s vulnerability to the credit crunch was so high because of the countries’ heavy reliance on external finance. It said much steeper [...]
April 15, 2009 on 9:46 am | In News | No Comments
Business leaders have reacted in anger at Government proposals to fill empty shops with art displays rather than removing the tax burdens driving firms under in the first place, sending thousands to dole queues each week and leaving suburbs looking like ghost towns. Sam Collins News – PropertyTalkLive.co.uk – 15 April 2009 An estimated 15% [...]
April 15, 2009 on 9:39 am | In News | No Comments
A LANDLORD has no right to carry out an intrusive survey, even though the lease states he can enter the property. The recent case of Heronslea (Mill Hill) Ltd v Kwik–Fit Properties Ltd (February 2009) clarified that the landlord’s right of inspection did not extend to sinking boreholes. Iain Laing, The Journal, nebusiness.co.uk – Apr [...]
April 9, 2009 on 12:55 pm | In News | No Comments
The changes made ten years ago have been a disaster for the civil justice system and need a radical rethink Lawrence West, QC, TimesOnline.co.uk – 9 April 2009 Access to justice is central to the democratic process — and procedural rules are the gateway to that justice. We have now had ten years of the [...]
