30/03/21
As schools break up for the Easter holidays this week - and chocolate filled weekends approach for many, this has got our team thinking about the contribution chocolatiers Cadbury have made to the housing sector… The chocolate box village of Bournville adopts a unique approach to development and…
30/03/21
The proposed changes to the Right to Buy (RTB) policy put forward by the housing sector a couple of years ago has been published by the government in recent weeks. While the changes are welcomed, experts in the housing sector are of the view that an opportunity has been missed to go even further.…
30/03/21
The Public Health (Coronavirus) (Protection from Eviction) (England) (No. 2) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 were due to be in force until 31 March 2021. That has now been extended to 31 May 2021. To recap, the Regulations ban most evictions unless the notice, writ or warrant of possession relates to…
29/03/21
On 8th July 2020, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a temporary stamp duty holiday for properties in England and Northern Ireland that cut the rate of stamp duty to zero percent for all properties £500,000 or under until 31st March 2021. Rishi Sunak has now confirmed an extension until…
18/03/21
On 3 March 2021, the UK Budget was announced for the financial year 2021/2022. Included in this was the announcement that the Government intended to launch a Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) taskforce, backed by £10 million of seed funding. This announcement not only highlights the Government…
24/02/21
New build properties often get bad press with stories of poor quality making the headlines, highlighted in the recently published story of the Developer who was forced to rebuild all four external walls of a property. The New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) has launched this week, led by Natalie Elphicke…
24/02/21
Forbes' Merseyside County Lines & Social Housing Conference took place over two days on 9th and 10th February 2021 in conjunction with Merseyside Police. With over 400 attendees across the two day conference, it was clear to see the importance of tackling cuckooing and county lines across…
24/02/21
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court handed down its long-anticipated judgment in relation to the action brought against Uber by drivers claiming to be workers as opposed to self-employed contractors. The judgment provides the answer to whether 'gig economy' workers can be classed as '…
24/02/21
The Housing Secretary, Robert Jenrick, has announced the ban on evictions, save for exceptional cases, will be extended to 31 March 2021. It had been due to end on 21 February so we expect to see updated Regulations released shortly. There were some changes to the exceptions when the ban was…
24/02/21
Building insurance / warranties are an essential consideration for any development. There are a variety of providers available, all with their own products and add-ons which should be considered to ensure you choose a policy which suits your development's needs. It is important to have discussions…
12/02/21
On 4 February 2021, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) handed down judgment in the case of Allay v Gehlen. The case not only addresses the issue of discrimination and workplace harassment but also highlights the importance of providing appropriate training to employees. Training needs to be adequate…
11/02/21
The government has revealed that it is investing an extra £3.5billion in addition to the £1.6billion already pledged towards the removal of unsafe cladding in high-rise buildings which are taller than 18 metres. This will mean that leaseholders in such buildings will not be charged "for…
10/02/21
National Apprenticeship Week began on 8 February. This year's theme is 'Build The Future.' With 20 years of experience in progressing employees through apprenticeships, Forbes Solicitors has helped build futures and this year has been no different and has been as successful, despite the…
19/01/21
A claim to an employment tribunal must usually be made within 3 months less 1 day. This is known as the 'limitation date'. For example, if an employee wants to claim for unfair dismissal, they have 3 months less 1 day from the date their employment ended to make the claim. However this is with…
19/01/21
The existing Help to Buy Equity Loan Scheme is set to be replaced with a new Help to Buy Equity Loan (2021 - 2023) on 1 April 2021. The new scheme will be extended to first-time buyers only along with the introduction of regional price limits. First-time buyers who apply for the loan must use it towards…
19/01/21
December was a busy month for those involved in data protection compliance. Therefore, we've set out a short summary of the most relevant updates for our RP clients. Brexit As you will no doubt have heard, the UK and the EU reached a trade and cooperation agreement on Christmas Eve. That…
14/01/21
In 2017, the government announced plans to tackle leasehold exploitation following an investigation by The Guardian in 2016, which found that some developers were using contracts on leasehold houses to double ground rents every 10 years, thus making it difficult for leaseholders to sell their homes on.…
