Property

An innovative scheme which hides scaffolding behind flowers and strawberries has found its first project to shield. St Mark’s Church in Mayfair is currently undergoing a £5 million makeover, and to conceal the project and improve the environment Grosvenor has teamed up with building company Arup to unveil an innovative ‘living wall’ which could reduce air pollution by 20 per cent. Seeds were planted late in June and the 80 square metre front has now flourished into a wall garden made...

A new project can be exciting but it can also be incredibly daunting. There are so many things to consider, plan and prepare for before it can even begin to take shape. Whether you are plotting your own ‘grand design’ new-build, undertaking a renovation job or even just a looking to complete a comprehensive assessment of your land, there are several important things to organise and coordinate well in advance. One of the most important, if not the most important,...

Millions of households across the country could be literally giving burglars a helping hand, according to a new report. Over the last 12 months, more than a half a million British homes have been broken into, with each theft netting thieves an average haul worth £2,267. But despite these shocking figures only a third of people have a burglar alarm or security windows, less than one in five rely on light timers and one in ten has external security cameras....

By Bea Patel, TLE Property Editor and Director of Shop for an Agent - the estate agent comparison site. More than four hundred-thousand landlords who pay the basic rate of tax will be forced into a higher tax bracket from April 2017, as planned changes to landlord taxation come in to force. The news comes as the National Landlord Association (NLA) met with Housing and Planning Minister, Gavin Barwell. Landlords can currently deduct mortgage interest payments, letting agent fees, insurance...

By Bea Patel, TLE Property Editor and Director of Shop for an Agent - the estate agent comparison site On 4 October 2016, The Property Ombudsman (TPO) scheme released its latest annual report revealing an increase in the number of consumers contacting the scheme for help. In the Ombudsman’s first annual report following her appointment last year, Katrine Sporle provides an overview of 2015, which confirms the scheme: Received 16,265 enquiries from consumers seeking advice. Resolved 3,304 formal complaints (a...

Britain is a nation at war with each other, according to new research, with one in four admitting to arguing with their neighbours. Bust-ups are happening on an almost daily occurrence over land boundaries, noise and trees, the study found, with car parking, loud music and pets key aspects of contention. Rows have also started over bonfires, anti-social behaviour and building work. But when they aren’t arguing, it also emerged half of UK adults barely know those next door, with three in ten admitting...

By Bea Patel, TLE Property Editor and Director of Shop for an Agent - the estate agent comparison website An alarming 64 per cent of UK homeowners renovating their property were unaware that not being properly insured when undertaking building work could put them in breach of the terms of their mortgage. A further 55 per cent didn't tell their home insurer when doing structural work to their property, resulting in a potential £2.77bn of uninsured property in the UK....

By Bea Patel, TLE Property Editor and Director of Shop for an Agent The youngest city in Europe, with 50 per cent of its population under the age of 30, Birmingham is a city full of drive, ambition and entrepreneurialism. This is already clear from the city's booming life science, creative and tech industries. Now, Birmingham is lining up to show Britain's cities how to future-proof against the coming economic uncertainty when the UK finally begins the formal process of...

The real 4 Privet Drive from the Harry Potter movies has gone on sale in Martins Heron, Bracknell. The detached family home was picked from hundreds for use as the Little Whinging set in 2001 and is now on the market for £475,000, the Independent has reported. Complete with the cupboard under the stairs, Potter fans now have the opportunity to re-live the repressed childhood of the boy wizard in the house of the horrible Dursleys. However, buyers will have three other...