General - netMAGmedia Ltd

Landlord fined for failing to licence a Bath HMO

Tuesday, 24th July 2018

A Bath landlord has been fined £24,000 after failing to licence and manage a House in Multiple Occupation, which council investigators found to be in poor condition and had fire hazards. Allan Green, of Credenhill Road, London, was charged with... View Article

Property manager and asbestos surveying company fined for inadequate refurbishment

Tuesday, 24th July 2018

A property management consultancy and an asbestos surveying company have been fined after an inadequate refurbishment and demolition survey was provided for a major refurbishment project including partial demolition. Dudley Magistrates’ Court heard the survey undertaken by Home Inspectors Southern... View Article

Birmingham to spend £31m on sprinklers in council’s tower blocks

Tuesday, 24th July 2018

More than 200 residential tower blocks in Birmingham are to have sprinklers fitted “as a matter of urgency” after the city council’s cabinet approved plans to install them. The work is expected to cost £31m. It was initially approved last... View Article

Number of tower blocks with flammable cladding could be more than double official figure

Tuesday, 24th July 2018

The number of high-rise tower blocks with dangerous cladding could be more than double the official figure, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has claimed. Government figures show there are 323 buildings over 18 metres with ACM cladding, of which... View Article

Spending watchdog slams faults in Universal Credit system

Tuesday, 24th July 2018

The Government’s flagship benefits scheme has been savagely criticised by the National Audit Office, who say Universal Credit is unlikely to deliver the planned savings for the taxpayer but is inflicting untold misery on tens of thousands of claimants through... View Article

Kate Henderson replaces David Orr at NHF

Tuesday, 24th July 2018

Kate Henderson, the current chief executive of the Town and Country Planning Association will replace David Orr as the next chief executive of the NHF. Ms Henderson will take up the post in early October. During her time at the... View Article

Government proposes longer tenancies but no rent controls for RPS

Tuesday, 24th July 2018

A minimum tenancy term of three years for privately rented homes is being considered by the Government as a way of giving people greater security in the fastest growing sector of the housing market. A consultation exercise on the minimum... View Article

Homelessness could end within a decade

Tuesday, 24th July 2018

Britain could put an end to homelessness within 10 years if the Government adopts and implements specific policies, according to the homeless charity Crisis. They also claim the policies could save the public purse billions of pounds. The charity estimates... View Article

CIH boss challenges Government to adopt bold solutions

Tuesday, 24th July 2018

The Chartered Institute of Housing has developed an ambitious set of proposals to revitalise the social housing sector in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire with calls for a significant growth in both investment and support. With a Government... View Article

Barratt London open doors to opportunities at High Street Quarter

Monday, 23rd July 2018

Barratt London has partnered with students from Kingsley Academy to help transform the hoarding at the developer’s High Street Quarter scheme in Hounslow. The housebuilder set up the opportunity with the local school, in conjunction with the Children Accident Prevention... View Article

New retirement housing development draws inspiration from Pride and Prejudice

Monday, 23rd July 2018

Hanover Housing Association, one of the UK’s leading national providers of housing and services for older people, has begun work on a new age-exclusive development in Bath that will bring a range of homes that combine classic style with the... View Article

Construction skills programme for Salford school pupils receives £17,500 funding boost

Monday, 23rd July 2018

A programme giving school pupils aged 14-16 the confidence and skills to succeed in the construction industry has received a funding boost of £17,500 from Liberty Group. The School Links Programme run by City West Housing Trust provides access to... View Article

BRE announces Crest Nicholson development as the first Home Quality Mark certified home

Monday, 23rd July 2018

BRE has certified the first Home Quality Mark (HQM) approved residences, Lancaster Grange, in Bricket Wood, Hertfordshire. The landmark seal of approval on the 100-unit development, by Crest Nicholson, provides buyers with the added assurance that their new home is designed, built and will perform... View Article

Planet and property: Thinking green when it comes to Build to Rent

Monday, 23rd July 2018

Atlas Residential takes strong environmental approach to Build to Rent Greener living enabled at Bow Square, Southampton Atlas’ commitment to Plastic Free July encouraging green thinking Highly regarded Build to Rent operator Atlas Residential is pushing for the private rented sector to... View Article

Resi.co.uk adds £79 million to the value of British homes since 2016 launch

Monday, 23rd July 2018

Data from Resi.co.uk, the online architectural platform that’s making great home design faster, cheaper, and easier for the UK, reveals its plans have led to renovations which have added £79.9 million to the value of British homes since launch in 2016.... View Article

RGU student’s Torry housing proposal wins second prize in international architecture competition

Monday, 23rd July 2018

A third year architecture student from Robert Gordon University’s Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and Built Environment has placed 2nd in an international architecture competition for his innovative housing designs for Torry in Aberdeen. Angus Chow (21) came runner up in the Unbuilt Housing 2018... View Article

Charles Holland Architects win London Bridge public realm competition

Monday, 23rd July 2018

Charles Holland Architects have won a design competition – organised by the London Festival of Architecture (LFA) and Team London Bridge – to improve wayfinding and the public realm outside London Bridge station. The competition was open to architects, designers and... View Article

Quote of the Week – 23rd July 2018

Monday, 23rd July 2018

“For me, architecture is not just creating a space to protect people but to make them dream as well” – Mario... View Article

Construction woes continue as June figures show no improvement

Friday, 20th July 2018

The value of new construction contracts in June reached £4.4 billion, a decrease of three per cent compared to May and the lowest performing month across construction for more than five years. Housebuilding, the industry’s biggest sector, fell to its... View Article

Comment on the latest Equity Release Council figures

Friday, 20th July 2018

The latest Equity Release Council figures show that lending in Q2 2018 is close to £1bn. Steve Wilkie, managing director of Responsible Equity Release, comments: “It’s staggering to think that seven years on, an industry that lent less than £200m in... View Article