October 2019 Property Surveying Newsletter

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In this month’s Property Surveying Newsletter … we look at restrictive covenants, find out where it is safe to plant trees and look at the frightening events of October 31st

The Property Market Monthly Fact File

The property market fact file is a collection of data compiled each month by our Chartered Surveyors and the propertysurveying.co.uk team, reflecting survey data, statistics, trends and information from the property market. This provides a single place where anyone with an interest in UK property can find the information they need.


Brickwork decoration on older propertyLegal: Restrictive covenants preventing sale of property

Upper Tribunal case arising from restrictive covenants attached to one of two neighbouring London properties, formed from a single double-fronted Victorian home.


Homeowner says Persimmon Homes solicitor failed to highlight restrictive covenants

A homeowner in Pembroke has complained about her discovery of several restrictive covenants on her property. Even though she used a solicitor, is there a liability question when she claims she wasn’t informed about the covenants when she bought the new build property?


Give trees the right home to prevent subsidence and heave

As the case of the homeowner in Sandbanks, Dorset, has recently proved, planting the wrong kind of tree in the wrong location can be expensive. We look at subsidence and heave, and discuss how far away it is safe to plant trees and how high your fully grown tree is likely to reach.


Velux window in bedroom of modern homeVelux window – product warning

Velux Company Limited has issued a product warning on a specific type of small pane Velux window, produced and sold between 1997 and 2003, that might be found in the home.


RIBA Stirling Prize awarded to ‘modern masterpiece’ in Norwich

A project in Norwich has been awarded the RIBA’s biggest award for a 105 home development that could ‘drive the housing revolution’ and ‘shows us how it can be done’.


Let painted walls breathe

Keeping your home’s gutters, rainwater downpipes and drains clear and in good condition is by far the best way of ensuring your home stays free of damp. But painting your property’s external walls with the wrong type of paint can cause it to act as a waterproof barrier.


Connectivity a key driver of house prices

It has emerged that one of the most significant impacts on property prices is the ability to get to work easily. The Land Value and Transport report focused on the relationship between transport and property values in the North of England, a region with 15 million people and over 7 million homes.


Home heating and how to minimise winter bills

As summer recedes and we contemplate those long winter nights, it’s worth taking a look at the way in which we heat the home. Tempting though it is to simply turn up the thermostat and close the curtains, this could result in higher than necessary energy bills with little result.


Buildings on the Portsmouth water frontPutting people first at a car-free Portsmouth peninsula

Portsmouth City Council is planning to build a car-free community with 4,000 homes in a project designed to ‘put people first’ by changing the way people travel. The project began as an approach to realising the government’s target for thousands of new homes and it is hoped the scheme will become a ‘beacon’ for elsewhere in the UK.


University students living sustainably on campus

At Staffordshire’s Keele University, a group of students is embarking on a one year project that will teach them how to live sustainably. The mainly student-led project, known as the ‘Sustainability Bungalow’, is located on the university’s campus, in the former home of the caretaker.


image of old property in Dartmouth, DevonShould you invest in property for your retirement plan

Property investment sounds like a dream and the idea of having a portfolio of properties to renovate, while living off the rent of tenants, sounds ideal. However, private landlords across the UK are feeling the squeeze and landlords are increasingly selling up.


Increased demand for hotel of mum and dad, as more adults return home to save money

A recent survey has revealed the number of young adults aged 20-34 who live with their parents or are returning back home to live them. As the cost of living soars, the comfort of living ‘back home’ may be tempting or necessary.


And finally …

Make sure your home is insured this halloweenThe frightening costs of October 31st

With the scary last day of October looming up on us at the end of the month, people across the UK are living in trepidation of the events that take place on Halloween. We look at how to avoid one of the most expensive ‘tricks’ we can all protect against.


Written by Independent Chartered Surveyors
of the UK wide network of Property Professionals

The Property Surveying Newsletter is a free service by PropertySurveying.co.uk for those with an interest in the UK Property Market. As well as being posted online here, it is emailed direct to our subscribers all across the country.

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