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Breaking News - Mark Carney set to unveil new strategy of 'forward guidance'
Use the link below to go straight to our blog, where we'll keep you up to date with the announcement and our analysis of the potential economic and
property market impact.
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The Property Market Monthly Fact File - August 2013
The property market fact file is a collection of data compiled each month by our Chartered Surveyors and the propertysurveying.co.uk team; collating survey data, statistics, trends and information from the property market. This aims to help many persons with an interest in property gain an accurate view of what is happening in the UK property market as a whole.
To read the monthly fact file, click here.

High Court ruling on Bedroom Tax is ‘devastating news for disabled adults and children’
Ref. R (on the application of MA & Ors) V the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Birmingham City Council [2013] EWHC (2213)
The so called ‘Bedroom Tax’ has been in the news ever since its introduction on 1 April 2013 - with critics bemoaning the changes as being discriminative and potentially forcing people out of their homes. That challenge to the Government’s reforms has now taken the form of a Judicial Review in the Courts, where the High Court has now passed down judgement…
To read the whole article, click here.

High Court Ruling indicates costs of Residents Parking permits to be curtailed due to Illegal raising of Revenue by Council Ref. Attfield v London Borough of Barnet [2013] EWHC 208 In the High Court, Mrs Justice Lang has ruled that it was illegal for a Local Authority to be able to make a pre-planned financial surplus from parking permits. The precedent set will impact councils across the country and, what’s more, Barnet council have decided to appeal – at further cost to the taxpayer… To read the whole article, click here.

Court of Appeal discusses difficult Human Rights Issue over Squatters’ occupation of Land
Ref. Malik v McGahan and Persons Unknown [2013] EWCA Civ 798
Squatting on land or in commercial property, however, remains a civil issue and the Court of Appeal has been asked in this case to assess whether the Human Rights Act 1998 may be used as a barrier to a Landlord regaining possession of his land. The result is a precedent that will interest social landlords, landowners, commercial property owners and their legal advisors…
To read the whole article, click here.

Fracking and Shale Gas – The Legal Position and What to Expect
Fracking is being touted by many as the solution to Britain’s ‘energy crisis’ – a difficult balancing act between providing Britain’s electricity needs at a reasonable cost, whilst meeting European imposed carbon emission reduction targets. We look at why, despite a myriad of options open to its opposers for objection, fracking will likely continue apace…
To read the whole article, click here.

Battle rages for Balcombe Village Over F-word
In a small village in West Sussex, named Balcombe, a significant struggle rages between local protestors and Cuadrila Resources – the company who discovered vast reserves of shale gas underneath Blackpool and who are now looking for more in the South…
To read the whole article, click here.

Thousands of homebuyers being denied mortgages due to the on-going invasion of Japanese Knotweed Thousands of homebuyers are being denied mortgages because of the ever growing problem of Japanese Knotweed whilst homeowners spend thousands of pounds trying to clear the infestation. Meanwhile the destructive weed reduces the value of terraced family home by £20,000- without even being on the same land… To read the whole article, click here.

Guidance Changes over Solar and Wind Farms should give Communities Greater Say
As a reaction to outbreaks of NIMBYism across the country, the Department for Communities and Local Government has made clear the importance of communities in the decision making process for planning applications that concern renewable energy installations. To do so, they have published an amended guidance document which we discuss here….
To read the whole article, click here.

Aerial Imaging Company reveals 6000 beds in sheds…in one town alone Slough Borough Council has become the first local authority to pay for specially adapted planes to fly over the area and provide a thermal imaging map identifying huge numbers of sheds potentially being used to house illegal immigrants. Could spy planes be buzzing above your town soon? To read the whole article, click here.

Nearly a Quarter of 50’s worry about losing their home
A recent survey by Age UK has highlighted some worrying statistics for the over 50s, but why is this and should you be worried?
To read the whole article, click here.

And Finally....

In case you missed it…..
Bland meets Dull, twinned with Boring
In a sort of strange reverse psychology, the Australian region of Bland Shire and the towns of Dull and Boring are attempting to come together to stir up tourism, trade and general interest. The move leads to no end of banal possibilities and the exciting potential for a world wide network of tedium…
To read the whole article, click here.