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Conservatory: Planning Permission & Building Regs

Shaughney Loveridge
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There are certain situations when you will need to apply for Planning Permission prior to the construction of the conservatory and / or obtain Building Regulations Approval before work commences and final ‘sign-off’ once it has been completed.

Buying or selling a property with an oil tank- Essential Guide

Sandra  Wesolek
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Are you buying a property with a domestic oil storage tank, or maybe you already own a property fitted with one and are thinking about selling? If so, this article provides important information.

Essentially an oil storage tank is a container used to hold oil before it is used, for a domestic property the oil is generally used for heating the property.

It’s important to know and understand the type of tank and the pipework arrangement. Based on the location of tank and its use, it can be classified as a surface, above or underground tank. The materials used will depend on the intended use, the environment, safety, location, and other legal requirements. 

Purchasing a Retirement Property

Laura Allright
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As we continue to live longer many people consider downsizing as their family homes no longer fit their needs.  For example the family home is too big to maintain, or it does not suit their physical needs.  When looking to downsize many now consider buying a retirement property. 

The majority of retirement properties are leasehold.  Often purchasing a retirement property will be the first time a person has owned a leasehold property and therefore they need to be aware of what this entails

EPC Changes for Rental Properties

Madelaine Prior
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The Government has announced plans to introduce new regulations for the minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings on all rental properties in the UK. All landlords and prospective landlords considering the purchase of a buy-to-let property should...

New Changes to Stamp Duty Land Tax and How They will Affect You

Kaitlyn  Saunders
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The government has introduced new changes to Stamp Duty Land Tax which has reduced the amount of Stamp Duty payable on property purchases in most cases. These changes came into effect on 23rd of September 2022 but only apply to England and Northern Ireland as Scotland and Wales have their own tax provisions. Unlike the Stamp Duty holidays in 2020 and 2021, it seems these changes will be in place for the foreseeable future.

Buying a Listed Building - What you need to know

Heidi Aitken
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We are very fortunate that our office is based in the spa town of Cheltenham, a town filled with beautiful historic buildings. Just counting properties within the borders of Cheltenham Borough Council there are over 2602 listed buildings...

Advice for moving to a new property during the COVID lockdown

Heidi Aitken
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In this unprecedented time, the government has clarified its advice on moving home during the lockdown.  The essence of this advice is where possible to delay moving. This applies to both homebuyers and renters. Transactions that have already...

Leasehold Property: Good or Bad?

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There have been numerous recent reports in the media concerning problems arising from the ownership of leasehold flats and houses. What is a Leasehold Property?   It is a property which is owned by way of a lease and the owner of the lease is known...

First Time Buyer SDLT Changes

Jess Reynolds
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During the 2017 Autumn Budget the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the First Time Buyer Stamp Duty relief which came into effect as of the 22 nd November 2017.   There has been a mixed response to this new incentive which has been widely...

Way to combat property fraud?

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There have been a number of cases recently that have hit the headlines for the fact that people have fraudulently claimed to be the owner of property and sold said property to an unsuspecting buyer. This results with the ‘seller’ making off with...

Property and Family Fall Out

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Problems can be caused when informal arrangements are made by family members concerning the ownership or occupation of property. Comments are often made such as, 'No, we don't need a legal document drawing up - we're family'. Two recent cases...

Buying a Listed Building

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Are you thinking of buying a listed building? The following are some useful tips when considering purchasing a listed property. 1. What is a listed building? In simple terms "listing" means that the building is on a national register as a...

Charges when Selling or Buying Leasehold Property

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When you buy, own or sell a Leasehold property, many of your rights and obligations will be set out in your lease. One of your obligations will be to make certain payments to the person or the organisation responsible for administering and managing your...

Are you a landlord or is your property left empty?

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If so then your property is at risk of property fraud... The City law firm Mischon de Reya has been ordered to pay one million pounds to their client who was tricked into buying a property in London from a rogue tenant who had posed as the owner. The...

Protecting against conveyancing fraud

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It has been reported by the Solicitors' Regulation Authority (SRA) that cyber crime within the conveyancing sector is the highest in the profession, with a massive £7 million being lost by clients last year alone. The fraudsters target emails. By...