News and insight
Practice news and notes on the standards, legislation and decisions that affect the buildings we look after. For worked examples, see our case studies.
Measured Surveys and Drawings Before You Design
Every alteration, extension or conversion starts with drawings of the existing building. If those drawings are wrong, everything built on them goes wrong too. Here is why a measured survey should come first.
Making the Rectification Period Count
Practical completion is not the end of a building project. The rectification period that follows is the owner’s chance to have defects put right at the contractor’s cost. Here is how to make the most of it.
JCT 2016: What Changed in the Minor Works Contract
The JCT Minor Works Building Contract 2016 was released at the end of June 2016, the first of the new JCT 2016 suite. Here are the changes owners and contract administrators of smaller projects need to know.
After the Referendum: Building Costs and Programmes
The UK voted to leave the European Union on 23 June 2016. For owners with building projects in the pipeline, the immediate questions were about costs, materials and labour. Here is how to keep a project on track through that uncertainty.
Flood Re: What It Covers and What It Does Not
Flood Re launched on 4 April 2016 to help households in flood risk areas find affordable insurance. It does not cover every building. Homes built from 2009, larger blocks of flats and commercial property sit outside it.
Break Clauses After M&S v BNP Paribas
On 2 December 2015 the Supreme Court decided that a tenant who breaks a lease cannot recover rent paid in advance for the period after the break date unless the lease says so. Tenants planning a break, and landlords receiving one, should plan early.
Part Q: Security for New Homes, Including Conversions
From 1 October 2015 a new Part Q of the Building Regulations requires new homes to have doors and windows that resist unauthorised entry. It applies to conversions as well as new build, which matters to developers turning offices and barns into flats.
Arnold v Britton: Reading a Service Charge Clause
On 10 June 2015 the Supreme Court decided Arnold v Britton, a dispute about a service charge clause that produced a very harsh result for leaseholders. The message for landlords, managing agents and leaseholders is simple: the words of the lease come first.
CDM 2015: Principal Designers Replace the CDM Coordinator
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 came into force on 6 April 2015. They give clients clearer duties and replace the CDM coordinator with a principal designer. Here is what owners and managing agents need to do.
Life Cycle Costing and Maintenance Plans
In March 2014 RICS published NRM3, rules for estimating and planning the cost of building maintenance. For owners and managing agents, it was a prompt to plan repairs years ahead instead of reacting to failures.
Certificates of Lawfulness for Listed Building Works
From 6 April 2014, owners of listed buildings in England can ask the council to confirm that proposed works do not need listed building consent. It gives certainty, provided the application is well prepared.
Storm Damage to Roofs: Getting the Claim Right
After the repeated storms of winter 2013 to 2014, many owners were dealing with damaged roofs and leaking ceilings. Here is how to make the building safe, protect the claim and avoid the common reasons storm claims are reduced.
From the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to the First-tier Tribunal
From 1 July 2013, service charge and major works disputes went to the new First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) instead of the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal. The forum changed, but the need for good evidence did not.
Converting Offices to Homes Without a Planning Application
From 30 May 2013, many offices could be converted to homes under permitted development, subject to a prior approval process. It was quicker than a full application, but the building still had to work as housing.
Daejan v Benson: Section 20 Dispensation After the Supreme Court
On 6 March 2013 the Supreme Court ruled that a landlord who failed to consult properly on major works could still be granted dispensation, if leaseholders had not been prejudiced. Here is what that means for landlords, managing agents and leaseholders.
The Green Deal: Paying for Energy Improvements
The first Green Deal finance plans became available on 28 January 2013, letting owners pay for energy improvements through the electricity bill. Before insulating an older building, make sure the work suits it.
The End of Zero Rated VAT on Listed Building Alterations
From 1 October 2012, approved alterations to listed homes were standard rated for VAT. Owners of listed buildings then paid 20 per cent on alterations as well as repairs, so budgets and phasing needed a fresh look.
Measuring Works Properly: The New Rules of Measurement
In April 2012 RICS published NRM2, new rules for the detailed measurement of building works, due to take effect from 1 January 2013. Clear measurement helps clients get comparable tenders and fewer disputes.