Category: Property Market Section

Parkour

PropertySurveying.co.uk – Parkour is a training discipline that developed out of military obstacle course training. It has since developed into a craze across Europe.

Practitioners aim to move from one place to another, negotiating the obstacles in between. These obstacles are typically mundane objects of the built environment (houses, buildings, fences, ramps etc.) It hit the news lately with the death of a 24 year old girl, who plunged to her death 17 storeys below on her first Parkour lesson.

Basic construction error results in £25k+ in fines after tenant nearly poisoned

Chesterfield Surveyors– In a case that came to fruition just before Christmas 2012; Chesterfield Borough Council has been ordered to pay more than £25,000 in fines and costs after a cataclysmic construction error almost cost the life of a tenant on Stand Road, Newbold, Chesterfield.

Find out the full story in our newsletter, to be sent out to all subscribers next week.

For details on how to subscribe to our newsletter, follow this link.

Manchester Apartment Block Lies Dormant Whilst Housing Crisis Continues

Manchester Surveyors – Saltford Court, a tower block in Ancoats, Manchester was abandoned and unused after Manchester council closed it in the 1990s. A private developer purchased the building in 2006, but so far no action has been taken to bring it back into use.

Local residents want and need change. The block could be made into more than 100 much-needed apartments at an affordable price, so perhaps there should be a legal limit on how long a Developer can hold empty property before it is compulsorily auctioned?

If you want to bring an empty home back into use, contact your local manchester Surveyor.

Two Year Wait Ends for Whitehaven Hospital Redevelopment

Cumbria Surveyors – After a two year wait, Laing O’Rourke, one of the UK’s leading construction firms, has finally signed the contract for the £90m West Cumberland Hospital redevelopment in Whitehaven. The signing of the deal means that a £70m contribution from the Treasury can now be unlocked and will be released throughout the project in phases.

The project should have a wider benefit to the economy, including to related industries like property surveying. To find a local surveyor in Cumbria, click here.

Welcome News of Bounce in Housing Market

Property Surveying

A recent study from Lloyds TSB revealed that almost two-thirds of towns in England and Wales have seen year-on-year increases in house sales.

Home sales rose in 324 of the 500 towns tracked in the first half of 2012, compared with the first six months of 2011.

That is more than double the 151 locations where sales increased in the first half of 2011.

The port town of Felixstowe in Suffolk enjoyed the biggest homes sales increase, at 60%. Closely followed by ­Brighouse, in West Yorkshire, with a 53 per cent rise.

The Great Debate – To Build or not to Build?

PropertySurveying

The issue of whether or not Britain should be attempting to build its way out of a recession is the crux of a significant debate in the British media and property industry. In this article, we look at some of the key arguments and give you the opportunity to voice your own opinions.

The response so far has been fantastic; join the debate by having your say at the bottom of the article.

Proceeds of Crime Act – Brent to Receive Over £500,000 for Illegal Landlord House Conversion

Property Surveying

Norwich Crown Court has this month reached a decision on a case concerning a landlord in Brent, London who converted a house into 12 flats without the appropriate planning consent. He faces well over £1.4m in fines.

£500,000 of this will be due to Brent Council and the total of £1.4m constitutes the largest damages order ever seen for an incident of this type – reflecting the earnings Mr Ali illegally made from renting out the properties.

Follow this link or the one above to find a surveyor in London if you are planning on purchasing property or converting property to flats. A Chartered Surveyor will be able to advise on planning implications and meeting Building Regulations.