Blogs

Four-year ban for London rogue landlord

The government estimates that there are 10,500 rogue landlords currently operating in England. In recognition of this serious problem within the private rented sector, the Housing and Planning Act 2016 introduced new powers for local authorities to crack down on the worst rogue landlords who repea....

Blowing the whistle (and unfair dismissal)

On 27 November, the Supreme Court ruled that a Royal Mail employee had been unfairly dismissed for whistleblowing six years previously. The landmark judgement overturned a previous Court of Appeal ruling stating that the appellant, Ms Jhuti, had been dismissed as a result of poor performance. ....

Will a tennis court or swimming pool add value to my property?

If you’re looking to buy, or already own, a property with significant acreage, chances are you might be looking for ways to enhance your family’s enjoyment of your land and even to augment your property’s value. Frequently, high-net-worth clients will ask us about the planning implications of....

No-fault evictions – a thing of the past?

On 21 July, the government launched its consultation on the abolition of Section 21 Notices (more commonly known as ‘no-fault evictions’), with the aim of improving security for tenants in the private rented sector. The consultation ended last month and, with the government currently analysing ....

Surge in rural home conversions

Data from the Local Government Association (LGA) has revealed a big rise in the number of old farm buildings, particularly barns, being converted into single or multiple homes. A threefold rise since 2015 has brought more much-needed homes to the countryside and a useful long-term future for many h....

…or does Herts house more stars?

Our last blog on celebrities making Essex their home named several West Ham players, as well as former Amstrad boss and Spurs owner Lord Alan Sugar, but there’s more to life than football, isn’t there? Now it’s Herts’ turn to come under light-hearted scrutiny and perhaps take us into differ....

Essex the top celeb magnet…

On the doorstep of our Loughton office is an area of Essex known to home-buyers as ‘The Golden Triangle’. The three points of this triangle of prime real estate are Loughton, Buckhurst Hill and Chigwell, all conveniently situated on the London Underground Central Line. Their lanes and streets a....

Family business – finding the exit

One day in August the London Stock Exchange was buzzing with news that the shares in a company well-known across Essex and Hertfordshire had surged by about 50 per cent. The company, Suffolk-based brewer and pub operator Greene King, had received a takeover bid of 850 pence per share from an intern....

Buying a listed property – what do I need to know?

We feel very privileged to have offices located in Hertfordshire and Essex, two counties absolutely packed full of heritage properties with origins often dating back centuries. Many of these properties are ‘listed’, meaning that they “may not be demolished, extended or altered without special....

Million-pound homes – part 2 – how to own one

Our expert Residential Property team has seen a relentless increase in the volume of homes in Essex and Herts changing hands for £1m-plus. We’d never blog about clients’ financial affairs, but can still offer some general points on buying in that price range. For instance, help often comes fro....

Million-pound homes – part 1 – where to find one

Property market coverage in the recent first edition of our Private Wealth Guide looked at some locations in Essex and Hertfordshire where homes worth over £1.5 million aren’t unusual. Places like Loughton, Brentwood and Chigwell in Essex, or Rickmansworth, Harpenden and Radlett in Herts, certai....

Simplifying IHT – mission impossible?

Some 18 months ago the Chancellor as was, Philip Hammond, asked the Office of Tax Simplification to review the Inheritance Tax regime and suggest ways to simplify it. Earlier hopes that he’d completely abolish the unpopular levy on inherited wealth soon faded. It was too much to expect that a tax....