News

Selling your home with a "Full Service History"

Having a car with a full service history can add value to your vehicle. Adopting the same approach to selling your home can have similar results.

The introduction of Home Information Packs two years ago means that certain basic items of information have to be available before a property can be marketed. However, home owners should be aware that in an increasingly tough market buyers (and their solicitors) are getting more and particular about the information that they receive about your property.

Auction purchases - flourishing during the recession

Going once, going twice, sold! What can be more exciting than buying a property at auction?

This is a question that you might now be able to ask an increasing number of your friends and colleagues, as buying a property at auction becomes less and less the preserve of the seasoned investor, and a more accepted way of buying an investment property or even a home to live in.

General Permitted Development Rights

Householders currently enjoy significant permitted development rights which largely remove the need to apply for planning permission for someone looking to alter or extend their home within certain ‘permitted development’ levels.

Under Planning legislation as a general rule all developments require planning permission. However, certain types of development are low impact and it is considered unnecessary for those people wishing to carry out such developments to make an application for planning permission. The permitted development rights therefore save time and resources by ‘automatically’ allowing certain types of development thereby reducing the burden on the householder and council alike. .

Energy Performance Certificates for Rented Properties

From 1st October 2008 all landlords in England and Wales will be required to provide an Energy Performance Certificate for their property. Failure to do so will incur a £200 penalty.

Under new legislation, landlords without an EPC cannot market their property to prospective tenants.

A Helping Hand on the Property Ladder

As the property market continues on its downward trend and mortgages become harder to secure, parents may be caught up in the decision of whether to assist their children in purchasing their first home.

First time home buyers are finding it increasingly difficult to raise funds for a deposit and the associated costs in purchasing and parents are often the first port of call when the ideal property is found.

Every Cloud.....

Over recent weeks you cannot have escaped stories in the press predicting doom and gloom for the property market. There is no doubt that over recent months there has been a tailing off in the level of activity in the property market generally. However, it is not all bad news.

With property prices stabilising and settling at a less inflated level than we have seen in recent years, now is a good time to consolidate, to make those improvements to your home which will make them more valuable and more marketable when the market does pick up. This is particularly true for leasehold properties.

Rights of Light Seminar - 4 June 2008

On 4 June Ashworths held the latest in their series of developer orientated seminars.

The seminar was presented by Andrew Frances, a leading Barrister specialising in Rights of Light claims.