Solicitors Archives

If it looks too good to be true…

by Paul Addison on January 21, 2021 No comments

Happy New Year, we just wish it was under happier circumstances than from within the depths of our third national lockdown!

You know how the saying goes, if it looks too good to be true, it usually is. We’ve become aware of many buyers falling victim to false advertising for land sales, and want to help you and your clients avoid suffering the same disappointment and wasted investment.

Running for the hills

The rotation of restrictions, lockdowns, homeschooling, home working and a craving for outside space, combined with the changes to stamp duty led many buyers to the property market in 2020. Whether ditching the city, the suburbs or a home that just didn’t feel fit for purpose anymore, buyers were keen to change things up and bag themselves a slice of the countryside.

Many of those buyers were and still are looking for a more rural outlook, and have been seduced by tantalising offers of land with development potential. It’s easy to see why. What a wonderful idea, swap the flat in Streatham and embark on your own seemingly affordable Grand Design. Unfortunately, some landowners seeing the demand for rural locations and the urgency to escape the cities wasted no time in taking advantage of the situation.

94% of people want the best service possible, what are you doing?

by Paul Addison on May 4, 2018 No comments

Per the Solicitors Regulation Authority, a law firm’s status encompasses more than just the cost in choosing a conveyancer, with the largest-ever behavioral trial on price and decision-making in legal services.

The trial exposed that 6% of customers choose the cheapest solicitor, and 1% because for value for money.

Just under 75% of the public chose a conveyancer based on the suggestions of associates. Having said this, it is maintained by the SRA that the findings “underpin its transparency agenda”, highlighting data that consumers make better decisions when a firm’s website quotes their prices.

First 100% affordable housing site revealed by Khan

by Paul Addison on September 20, 2017 No comments

A site in Walthamstow, formerly industrial, has been released for development with 100% affordable homes for first-time buyers, announced Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London.

In May 2016 when Sadiq Khan took over as the Mayor of London, he instructed the Greater London Authority to buy the former Webbs Industrial Estate after it had been derelict for seven years.

Of 13 bidders attracted, the housing association Catalyst was selected as the favored bidder.

1,700 New Homes Planned for Westminster

by Paul Addison on September 18, 2017 No comments

Proposals to build 1,700 new homes and community hub in the Church Street area have been announced by Westminster City Council.

Both residents and businesses in the local area have been sought after by the council to get their view on the draft masterplan.

The masterplan includes the identification of nine regeneration sites and has the aim of building on current development sites over the next 15 to 20 years.

£21 million released by Burnham to make Manchester greener

by Paul Addison on June 23, 2017 No comments

Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, has assigned £21 million for a European Regional Development fund, to go along with his plans to make Manchester the world-leading green city.

This money will be put towards projects that will be exhibiting their capability decreasing carbon emissions.

Additionally, the money will be going towards Burnham’s goals of reducing carbon emission and creating low-carbon homes, businesses and infrastructure.

Indoor air quality is deemed as ‘a planning issue’

by Paul Addison on June 14, 2017 No comments

The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has been encouraged to take into consideration indoor air quality (IAQ) for his London Plan.

In the future, this could lead to developers needing to achieve a certain IAQ when trying to get planning permission.

For buildings of a certain size, the Clean Air London campaign has requested that Khan includes IQA levels in his revised London Plan.

293,127 New Homes Granted Permission

by Paul Addison on April 27, 2017 No comments

In 2016, planning permission was granted for 293,127 new homes.

Since 2006 when the HBF Housing Pipeline survey began, this is the highest yearly total, and is also a sign that an upsurge in house building will continue in the future.

Depending on how many houses have been completely developed 3 to 4 years in the future, generally gives you an idea to the number of permissions granted.

A delay would suggest the time taken to direct the planning system from an outline permission to the stage construction can commence.

Candy cane red and white striped London Townhouse decorated

by Paul Addison on April 25, 2017 No comments

It has been ruled by the High that a woman can ignore a council order to repaint her London townhouse after she decorated it in red and white stripes to look like a candy cane.

In 2015, the town house in Kensington was painted in candy stripes by Zipporah Lisle-Mainwaring, a property developer.

A notice to repaint it white was served after The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea deemed it ‘out of keeping’ with the rest of the zone.

3% rise discovered in planning authority decisions

by Paul Addison on March 28, 2017 No comments

An overall of 435,600 planning applications have been decided.

112,100 different applications for planning permission were sent to district level planning authorities from September to December 2016, which is a 1% increase from 2015.

From October to December 2016, data has shown that there was a 1% upsurge from 2015, with 93,600 decisions, according to the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Research suggests that empty garages in London could provide 16,000 homes

by Paul Addison on January 23, 2017 No comments

It has been suggested in data gathered through Freedom of Information (FOI), that out of the 32 London councils, 24 own 53,640 lock-up garages in the capital, and 41% of these are either empty on disrepair

Below are the percentages of their garages lying empty: