Opinion: Why we should follow the French by considering guardianship as a way to fill empty homes with those in housing need December 17, 2018 Christmas is the time of year when the misery of homelessness becomes apparent to everyone. Many homeless people are in this position as rising property prices and rents across London, combined with the housing shortage, has made affordable accommodation in decent locations a mere pipe dream for many young and low-paid people working in the [...]
Focus On Bow: A population boom and the commercial success of nearby Stratford is boosting plans for new homes in E3 December 17, 2018 It may seem like a distant memory now, but the London 2012 Olympic Games promised a lot in the way of legacy. It anointed six east London areas – Newham, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Greenwich, Barking & Dagenham and Hackney – ‘Growth Boroughs’ and predicted that the money pouring into Stratford would emanate out to [...]
2019 Property Forecast: Here’s what the experts are predicting will happen to house prices next year December 17, 2018 It’s that time of year again, when people guess what’s happening next year. Only, it’s particularly entertaining this year because no one really knows what’s going to happen next week. Still, most of the UK’s big estate agencies have had a go, looking at house price growth in the UK and abroad, what effect Brexit [...]
New homes: Our pick of the new builds going on sale in London this weekend December 17, 2018 New developments on the market this week Ternary Place, Ealing From £118,500 for 30 per cent of a one bedroom flat (fmv £395,000) Viewings for the last five apartments available to part-buy, part-rent are taking place this Saturday. There are 12 one and two bedroom flats on sale through Shared Ownership a four minute walk [...]
The Merry Wives of Windsor review: The RSC’s bubbly production at the Barbican is Shakespeare for the TOWIE generation December 17, 2018 If you don’t think Shakespeare comedies are, well, a laugh, then this version of The Merry Wives of Windsor is for you. Derided by critics as the time Shakespeare phoned it in, this production by the Royal Shakespeare Company takes those toffee noses and rubs them in smut. And it’s delicious. It begins with a [...]
Brits face paying for a visa waiver to travel to the EU after Brexit December 14, 2018 Brits travelling to the EU after Brexit face a €7 (£6.30) fee to holiday abroad without a visa, it is reported. The charge will come in in 2021, when Britain’s two-year transition period with the EU ends and the UK officially leaves the EU. If the UK’s transition period is extended beyond 2021, then the [...]
Legal Q&A: I live outside the UK and I am considering buying a pied-a-terre in London. Would it save UK tax if I bought it through a company, or should I buy it in my name? December 13, 2018 Until a few years ago, the general advice for a non-UK resident buying UK residential property was often to buy through a non-UK company. A key benefit was that it would provide a shelter from inheritance tax (IHT). Non-domiciliaries only pay IHT on UK assets and if the property was held by a company, the [...]
Andy Warhol’s £6m selfie and how we can all now be famous for 15 minutes December 13, 2018 | City Talk One day in 1963, Andy Warhol walked into a New York photobooth and took what have become the world’s most famous selfies. One of these trailblazing self-portraits has just been sold at a Sotheby’s auction for just over £6m. These selfies perfectly suited Warhol’s vision of the pop art era of the late 1950s and [...]
The Drinks Master: A guide to the wines of the lesser-known Jura region, France’s best kept wine secret December 12, 2018 Often, when I talk about the region of Jura, the reaction is, “Oh, that nice little Scottish island famous for smoky whisky?” But the Jura I’m passionate about is the lush, verdant sub-Alpine region of eastern France, nestled in the shadow of the Swiss Alps, about 50km east of its more famous vinous cousin, Burgundy. [...]
Holiday Homes: Thinking about buying a ski home? Read our guide on prices, places, powder and trends December 11, 2018 As the ski season descends upon us, it’s time to take a look at the best places to buy a ski home in the world, just in case you hit the slopes and never want to leave. Thankfully, we’ve got all the latest facts and figures at our disposal, thanks to the World Research team [...]