Naked houses: Unfinished homes give buyers a discount price – but are they practical? July 24, 2019 In case you hadn’t noticed, Britain is in the grip of its worst housing crisis since the 1940s. The verdict, delivered in a recent report from the Centre for Policy Studies, will be endorsed by anyone who has endured the vagaries of the London rental market, where a ‘cosy one-bed’ can be a garage with [...]
The bigger they come: The amazing story of Wentworth Woodhouse, the largest home in England July 24, 2019 You’ve heard of Chatsworth, and Castle Howard, that Brideshead dream. You’ve heard of Blenheim Palace, the Duke of Marlborough’s monumental home. But what about Wentworth Woodhouse, the biggest house in England? Wentworth Woodhouse, the former seat of the Earls Fitzwilliam, could have been a house lost to history. Five miles from Rotherham, it sits in [...]
UK mortgage approvals rise in June July 24, 2019 The number of mortgages approved in the UK reached one of it’s highest levels in the past two years in June. Last month the number of mortgages given the go-ahead for house purchases rose to 42,653 up from 42,407 in May and close to April’s two-year high of 42,792, according to data from UK Finance. [...]
Spending watchdog slams failure to sell public land for homes July 24, 2019 The UK’s public spending watchdog has slammed the government for failing to sell enough public land for houses to be built on, saying it has prolonged “the nation’s housing crisis”. Read more: UK house sales plummet in June, held back by Brexit ‘ball and chain’ The government set itself the target of selling enough publicly-owned [...]
UK house sales plummet in June, held back by Brexit ‘ball and chain’ July 23, 2019 House sales crashed 16.5 per cent in June, as the property market took a “wait-and-see” attitude to transactions amid Brexit uncertainty. Monthly HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) figures showed British residential property sales fell to 84,490, more than one-sixth down on the same period last year. Read more: London house prices suffer worst plunge in [...]
Wework grabs €62m from EU in Brexit deal for London office spot July 23, 2019 Office sharing giant Wework is set to net a €62m (£55.7m) windfall when it takes over the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) former London headquarters, following the body’s relocation to Amsterdam. A deal secured earlier this month will see Wework sublet 280,000 square foot in Canary Wharf’s 30 Churchill Place, creating one of the world’s largest [...]
Legal Q&A: I want to make alterations to my flat, but joint freeholders are blocking this. What can I do? July 22, 2019 This is a common problem encountered by flat owners who want to make improvements to their flat but are faced with objections from the other leaseholders in the building. To overcome this hurdle, there are a number of things to consider. Firstly, will the type of alterations to be carried out affect the structural integrity [...]
BT reveals new City headquarters as it plans to move by end of 2021 July 22, 2019 BT will move its headquarters to a new site in the City following the £210m sale of its London offices last week. Read more: BT agrees £210m sale of London headquarters The telecoms firm said its new headquarters will be based in a new 320,000 square foot building near Aldgate East station at 1 Braham Street, [...]
Mortgages with terms over 40 years jump 20-fold July 22, 2019 The number of approved UK home mortgages with a term of more than 40 years rocketed in 2018, rising over 20-fold to 3,483 from just 162 the previous year, according to analysis by London estate agent Ludlow Thompson. Read more: Mortgage approvals dip in May but remain above average The figures are the latest sign [...]
Pinch brings boutique British interiors to Pimlico’s design district July 19, 2019 Pimlico Road Design District is fast becoming a galaxy of interiors stars. From designers Rose Uniacke, Nicholas Haslem and Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, to the delectable fabrics and wallpaper of Soane Britain, and the luxury textiles of de Le Cuona, each shop and showroom is unique, and there’s a contemporary energy to a district [...]