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.
Buying a Commercial Building: What a Pre Acquisition Survey Covers
A commercial building can hide expensive problems behind a tidy reception. A pre acquisition survey tells a buyer what they are taking on, what it will cost and what to negotiate.
When Credit Tightens: Setting Repair Budgets in Uncertain Times
The Northern Rock crisis of September 2007 put finance and confidence in the news. Owners and managing agents should not abandon repairs, but they should plan and phase them carefully.
After the Summer Floods: Reinstating With Resilience
The floods of June and July 2007 left many owners facing a long reinstatement. Drying properly and rebuilding with resilience in mind can reduce the damage next time.
CDM 2007: What Clients of Building Work Had to Do
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 came into force on 6 April 2007. Commercial clients, landlords and management companies took on clear duties that could not be handed to someone else.
Flat Roofs: Repair or Replace?
A leaking flat roof does not always need replacing, and a patched one does not always last. Summer is the right time to inspect, diagnose and decide.
Part L 2006 and Work to Existing Buildings
The new Part L of the Building Regulations came into force on 6 April 2006. For owners of existing buildings, the biggest change was that alterations and extensions carried wider energy obligations.
The Housing Health and Safety Rating System Replaces the Fitness Standard
From 6 April 2006, councils in England assess housing conditions using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System rather than the old fitness standard. Landlords should look at their homes through the new lens.
Repair, Reinstate, Redecorate: The Three Parts of a Dilapidations Claim
Most dilapidations claims at the end of a commercial lease fall into three parts: repair, reinstatement and redecoration. Knowing which covenant each item rests on helps landlords and tenants settle sooner.
Planning Permissions Were Cut to Three Years, Not Five
From 24 August 2005, new planning permissions and listed building consents in England must normally be started within three years rather than five. Here is what owners and developers should do about it.
Choosing the Right Building Contract for Smaller Works
During 2005 the JCT was issuing its contracts in a new 2005 edition. Whatever the edition, the right form for smaller works depends on the size, complexity and risk of the job, and on having someone to administer it properly.
Rising Damp Is Rarer Than You Think
Damp patches at the foot of a wall are often blamed on rising damp, but the real cause is more often condensation, leaks or bridged ground levels. Diagnose the source before paying for treatment.
What a Condition Survey of a Block of Flats Should Tell You
A good condition survey of a block of flats is more than a list of defects. It should explain what is wrong, how urgent it is, what it will cost and when, so that the freeholder, agent and leaseholders can plan.
Access for Disabled People: The Physical Features Duty
From 1 October 2004 service providers might have to make reasonable adjustments to the physical features of their premises under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Owners and tenants needed to review access.
The Duty to Manage Asbestos Came Into Force
On 21 May 2004 regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 came into force. From then on, anyone responsible for maintaining non domestic premises had to find, record and manage asbestos.
Repair or Alteration? Working on a Listed Building
Owners of listed buildings often assume that repairs need no consent. Like for like repair usually does not, but works that affect the building’s character do. Knowing where the line falls avoids a criminal offence.
The New Section 20 Consultation Rules
New regulations on consulting leaseholders about major works and long term agreements came into force on 31 October 2003. Landlords and managing agents who get the process wrong risk recovering only £250 per leaseholder.
After the 2003 Heatwave: Clay Shrinkage and Subsidence
The August heatwave set a new UK temperature record. On shrinkable clay, a hot dry summer and thirsty trees can lead to subsidence. Here is how to recognise the signs and what to do before making a claim.
Sound Insulation Testing for Conversions: The New Part E
The revised Part E of the Building Regulations came into force on 1 July 2003. Flats and houses formed by conversion faced pre completion sound testing, so the detailing had to be right from the start.