Community Right to Build Funding

Andrew WilliamsNews

Funding of £17m is available for communities to use their new Right to Build. The cash will help local people get their building projects off the drawing board – with an ‘early bird bonus’ for those that move quickly and get plans in early. And a new support hub is offering help and advice. Under the new Community Right to Build, … Read More

Convicted under Fraud Act 2006

Andrew WilliamsNews

Ref: Westminster CC v Herminio Nascimento Herminio Nascimento, the 42 year old former tenant of a two bed property on the Westbourne Park Estate in Westminster was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison and £7,100 legal costs in March this year. The case marks a landmark in the Fraud Act 2006 Herminio illegally subletted the property without the consent of … Read More

More land for Housing

Andrew WilliamsNews

The Government is planning to release enough previously-used public land and buildings to provide sites for over 100,000 new homes by 2015. Over two thirds of the housing is earmarked for surplus land and property from three sources: the Ministry of Defence, the Department of Health and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). The government has also pledged that it … Read More

Commercial Energy Performance Certificates

Andrew WilliamsEnergy Performance Certificates

What is a Commercial EPC? Since 1st October 2008 it has become law that you must obtain a Commercial Energy Performance Certificate, “EPC” if you sell or lease any commercial property. The EPC is a certificate that shows the energy performance of the property in question. The EPC is a document that calculates the amount of energy used by the … Read More

Land owners have one more tax to pay Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)

Andrew WilliamsNews

Local authorities in England and Wales are now able to impose a levy on most types of new development in their areas through the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010.  (CIL) The levy can only be imposed on new buildings and extensions over 100 square metres of gross internal floor space. Liability for CIL The owner of land will be responsible … Read More

‘Beds in sheds’ move

Andrew WilliamsNews

The government has unveiled plans for a national taskforce to tackle the issue of “beds in sheds. They intend to find ways to close down thousands of sheds and outbuildings being rented out illegally to migrants, including some with no right to be in the UK.