All Ask the expert articles
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ProfessionalWhat are the pitfalls for investors as student accommodation booms?
Student accommodation, once an ‘alternative’ or ‘specialist’ asset class, is evolving into a mainstream investment, attracting a variety of global institutional investors. More data and the sheer volume of deals paint a similar picture of real estate investors’ growing desire to gain exposure to student accommodation strategies and capabilities.
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Professional
How do criminals use commercial property to launder money?
When it comes to money laundering, London and residential property take the lion’s share of headlines, but making dirty money clean is an activity that is widespread across the UK, with prosecutions associated with commercial property common.
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Professional
Could senior living schemes play a key role in reviving high streets?
Following L G’s recent plans to convert a former Bath Homebase store into retirement living housing, there has been much discussion on whether senior housing could form part of the mix to revive UK high streets.
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Professional
Will corporate disclosure rules affect the battle to retain talent?
New UK legislation coming into force soon will require more disclosure of beneficial ownership, which is going to make it much more straightforward to identify the individuals behind corporations.
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Professional
Will regulation help the industry to meet net-zero-carbon target?
Decarbonising our built environment is vital to reaching the UK’s net-zero ambition.
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Professional
What are three key elements of the proposed Environment Bill?
The government published its Environment Bill in October, which it says will grapple with the biggest challenges of the modern era.
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Professional
How would post-Grenfell sprinkler proposals affect project costs?
We now have the response to the consultation on fire safety post Grenfell, with news that all new blocks of flats extending six storeys or higher could require sprinkler systems under proposed government plans.
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Professional
Are we set to enter age of the instant electronic property deal?
The Law Commission report on the ‘electronic execution of documents’, published in September, provides welcome clarity to practitioners as to the legal status of electronically executed documents. In a nutshell, it says that unless there is a legal bar to executing a document electronically, then such execution is fine.
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Professional
Will debate over the London Plan lead to a review of the green belt?
You will no doubt have seen the headlines about reduced housing targets, increased demand for industrial land and the need for a green-belt review in the inspectors’ response to the London Plan.
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Professional
Do CVAs create an unfair market for solvent retail tenants?
CVAs have certainly generated mixed feelings on the high street. In the past few weeks, high street landlord British Land has rapidly settled a challenge to Monsoon Accessorize’s CVA, allowing the struggling retailer to cut its rents by 25% to 65% across half of its stores.
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Professional
How will Quality of Life Foundation help the UK to build better homes?
The built environment plays a huge role in shaping people’s lives and how they feel, as well as having an impact on the wider environment.
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Professional
Can co-living schemes fit into property’s existing legal regime?
The rise of co-living is a revolutionary development in rental markets, offering a number of perks without the drawbacks of renting. Rather than just offering a place to live, it is a social movement based on a sense of community and collaboration.
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Professional
What can be done to boost supply of housing in outer London?
London is facing a housing crisis. The population is growing but the capital cannot deliver enough homes – especially affordable.
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Professional
How can landowners protect themselves against trespassers?
Earlier this year, the government announced draft measures to increase police powers to deal with unauthorised encampments and launched a review into making trespass a criminal offence – both proposals undoubtedly welcomed by the property industry.
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Professional
How can procurement mitigate the risks of office development?
According to the latest Deloitte crane survey, activity in the office sector continues apace, with 3.5m sq ft started in London alone over the six months to May – a 38% increase on the previous survey last autumn.
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Professional
Is there still value in keep-open covenants for retail landlords?
The fragility of the retail sector poses a real difficulty for landlords in protecting the value of their assets. Many retail leases include keep-open covenants but enforcement can be problematic with only limited options available: seeking an injunction, claiming damages or forfeiting the lease.
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Professional
Would CVAs prove a good bet for troubled bookmaker chains?
When William Hill announced that it was consulting with landlords over plans to close 700 betting shops, other big retail bookmakers such as GVC Holdings (parent company of Ladbrooks Coral) and Betfred made similar noises. This follows the government’s decision to cut the maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs). ...
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Professional
How can tenants rid themselves of unwanted office premises?
Earlier this month, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) withdrew its appeal against the High Court ruling that its lease was still valid and Brexit did not operate to frustrate it.
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Online
The time for change: what to expect from the property agent working group’s report
Since the Regulation of Property Agents Working Group first convened last year, details of its deliberations have been scant. However, the group is now preparing to share its report – an important development in the government’s leasehold and sector reform agenda.
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Professional
Will Building Safety consultation transform construction sector?
The government’s 192-page consultation paper on the Building Safety Bill, while not a light read, should not be skipped through or ignored.
