BREAKING NEWS – top 5 stories 12/05/2021
QUEENS SPEECH HAS NEW PLANNING BILL AT ITS HEART
Following yesterday’s Queens speech, a bill likely this autumn will look at ending section 106 agreements, utilise a coding system, with councils having to zone land as renewal, protection, or growth, with growth meaning that ‘automatic’ outline planning would be implicit.
Clearly this is going to cause a major punch up, though over 40,000 individuals were involved in the consultation document that was a precursor to this move.
Will this be a case of more soundbites? Than substance? – the government can talk about easing up and helping speed the process of new home development, then at the local level the realities of all stakeholders come into full focus. What would be more useful would-be local planning to get on the same train as those in Whitehall, only they never will.
Knowing a number of people who deal with large scale planning and development the stranglehold that the red tape at a local level has is unlikely to be lessened by any government move. Every government looks at housing, health and education, and every government fails to deliver, it is just the system.
1,000 USERS AND GROWING, INVENTORYBASE ACADEMY EXTENDS ITS CPD COURSE PORTFOLIO
Since launching in late 2019; InventoryBase Academy has had over 1,000 candidates complete training from their suite of training courses aligned to the real estate industry.
Available to both the letting and estate agent industry; the training ranges from GDPR for Inventory Providers, advice and support in the field with NSPCC Safeguarding Awareness through to safety in the home with Fitness for Human Habitation and the most popular CPD course; Learn How to Produce Professional Property Reports.
To learn new skills, enhance their knowledge base or to gain a better understanding of the property reporting industry are just a few of the reasons why both new and experienced professionals enrol with InventoryBase Academy.
What has become clear, as society begins to take, what is hopefully, the final tentative steps towards the end of this challenging period, is that people are no longer just looking for careers, but for roles that interest them, that meets their need to work flexibly and that can fit around family and other commitments.
With high demand for properties; the private rental sector is growing rapidly. With an estimated 6 million people expected to rent by 2025; there is a very real need to ensure that suppliers are skilled in their role.
But inventory clerks & property inspectors must also be knowledgeable of the wider industry and the legislation that underpins, supports, and protects both the landlord, the tenant, and the deposit.
To help address these needs; today InventoryBase Academy have added two new courses to their portfolio of training options:
Deposit Disputes – Apportioning Liability
The course will help users understand the dispute process, the key responsibilities when compiling both the inventory and check out reports and the process and documents that enable the deposit adjudicators to make an informed decision should the tenancy deposit go to dispute.
Commercial Inventories – How to Cost the Report
As inventory clerks react to the changing property landscape and diversify their service offerings; this course brings together the underpinning information and legislation around commercial property reports. The course content will help inform and provide a basis for clerks to develop a cost option that best suits and aligns with their service model.
Launching the two new CPD accredited training options, the Head of InventoryBase Academy; Sián Hemming-Metcalfe says:
“I know only too well how difficult and equally rewarding the role of a property report provider is. It is so much more than people expect and can be both demanding and diverse with no two days ever the same. What is clear, is that despite the benefits of a flexible self-employed role or as an employed or in house-inventory clerk, they all require training and more importantly, support and guidance that not only meets the needs of the service provider but those of the client.
The expectations of the industry continue to increase as the sector becomes more regulated and without a support network; clerks often find themselves managing the stresses and strains alone so InventoryBase made a commitment from the very outset to make training and support a priority. Skilled and dedicated to their task; professional inventory providers don’t just set the standard; they deliver it.”
Helping inventory clerks to demonstrate those skills and be confident in their role is one of the key aims for InventoryBase Academy.
With thousands of hours of support logged; the addition of the two new courses builds on that commitment to deliver CPD training that gives inventory professionals, landlords and property managers confidence in their services.
You can find more about the courses and support available by visiting InventoryBase Academy.
MORE BROWNFIELD SITES NEED TO BE DEVELOPED
According to a recent analysis nearly conducted by Romal Capital, (‘We are building a new community with a lifestyle offering that combines the buzz of urban living with waterfront sophistication and relaxing park life’.) 60% of people who were asked felt that brownfield sites or derelict areas should have development on them to bring them into a use.
MORTGAGE SOLUTIONS PUBLICATION – REPORTS THAT SOME SOLICITORS ARE CHARGING DOUBLE
According to Samantha Partington writing in ‘Mortgage Solutions, ‘Solicitors are quoting premium prices for carrying out routine conveyancing work with some homebuyers facing bills that are double the cost of pre-stamp duty holiday levels.
Brokers across the country have reported rising legal fees for simple purchases as solicitors take advantage of the homebuying frenzy. Private Finance director and mortgage consultant Chris Sykes says one of his clients received a quote for £8,000 plus VAT for legal fees for a straight forward purchase.
“The borrower was a first-time buyer, and the seller had no onward chain. There were no Help to Buy ISAs involved, and it was a freehold, so no leasehold to review. In fact there was nothing complex about the transaction at all.” After speaking to Sykes, the borrower went to another firm and was quoted £3,500 for the legal work’.
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT 3 OUT OF 4 PROPERTY INVESTORS BUY ‘OFF PLAN’
According to recent research it is estimated that over 705 of property investors but property at planning stage rather than at built stage. This has been hastened by the pandemic and the inability to do much else.
Given that investors are either landlords or property businesses building portfolios or similar this is a significant amount of the new home sales sector.
If you have a view – please let us all know by emailing me at editor@stagingsite.estateagentnetworking.co.uk – Andrew Stanton Executive Editor – moving property and proptech forward.
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