Helping Innovate Property (HIP) – Blog, Housing Market News and Articles

General elections in the United Kingdom are significant events that shape the economic, political, and social landscape of the country. One area that is particularly sensitive to the outcomes of such elections is the property market. The interplay between government policies, economic confidence, and market dynamics can lead to various shifts in property values, transaction volumes, and investor sentiment. This blog post will delve into the various ways general elections influence the UK property market, exploring historical trends, potential policy changes, and the implications for different market segments.

There may be some instances whilst you are living in your home that you want to know the boundaries of your property. You may be looking into an extension on your home or you may have some extravagant landscape gardening in mind. It is important that you understand the rules behind property boundaries in the UK to avoid any property boundary disputes.

Most people prefer to work with a fresh canvas. Imagine painting your masterpieces on someone else’s painting. This is probably why brownfield sites are not the most desirable land to start building projects on, commercial or residential. Greenfield sites are a clean slate, previously unbuilt upon and typically are cheaper and easier sites for construction, but as the countryside in the UK rapidly disappears and the population increases, it is time for developers to start re-considering brownfield land.

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The UK is a country that supports the notion that a patch of land that belongs to an Englishman is his castle and, for the most part, homeowners can add, subtract and adapt their property at will. There are some projects that do require some form of planning permission, however, and this blog takes a look at the rights of both the homeowner and the neighbour.

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This is one of those expressions that is not as exciting as it sounds… The Party Wall. It really has nothing to do with a party at all. In fact, it is very misleading with how exciting it actually is as it really is the opposite of exciting. The Party Wall Act is to do with your home and restrictions on your extension. The premise behind it is to protect both you and your neighbours from outrageous extensions in your neighbourhood, but you could also be handed a hefty bill if you don’t follow the correct procedure with your extension.

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In the majority of cases when it comes to extending your home or converting your loft, you will find you don’t need planning permission due to your development rights. However, when planning an extension you will always need to check because it will depend on the size of your new plans.

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Unfortunately, these days we are all, through necessity, more security conscious then we have ever been. We always lock our doors and our cars, we don’t leave valuables where they can easily be seen and when out and about we are alert to the risk of pickpockets and, as the now depressing familiar announcement goes, we make sure we “keep our personal belongings with us at all times. We are careful when going online and everyone seasoned web surfer knows how to spot a phishing attempt, so we ought to be pretty well equipped to repel attempts at fraud and theft. But how many of us consider whether we are protecting our houses from being stolen?

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When doing any work on a property, from a large project to a minor modification, ensuring the work adheres to planning permission should be top of the priorities list. If not it could cause a major headache.

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Being in debt can be one of the most frightening experiences there is. If you’re in debt you can end that fear – right now. Not tomorrow, not next week, not ‘when I get a chance,’ – literally in the next few minutes. Being in debt can mean a future full of uncertainty and worry so understanding how to start tackling debt can end all that and put you on the road to a debt-free life.

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When purchasing a flat in a block, particularly where there are communal areas such as stairwells and landings, there will usually be a liability to pay service charges (also called maintenance charges). This is an annual payment (though it is often paid in quarterly or monthly instalments) and it is a contribution toward the upkeep of the communal parts of the building and any shared services such as lifts or a concierge. It is paid to the landlord or management company, often via a managing agent.

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Despite the ready availability of wills and will writing services, most people in the UK, about 70% in fact, die “intestate” (without a will). People may make their wishes know to family and friends and hold on to a romantic notion that those wishes will be respected, so that there is really no need to go to the expense of having a will prepared. Unfortunately, this is all too often not the case. Many people put off writing a will because they find it morbid, a reminder of their mortality, however you should bite the bullet and get it sorted, especially if you own your home.

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