Planning rules are being further relaxed. With the Government seeking to have the country build its way out of its housing (and Treasury) shortages, rules on vertical extensions are being eased substantially. From September, owners of 2-storey detached homes can seek approval for a 2-storey extension using the simplified method ‘prior approval’ process, instead of …
The government have announced details of a £2bn Green Homes Grant which will be available to hundreds of thousands of home owners and landlords. Under the new scheme which will be available from September, the Government will pay at least two thirds of the cost of eligible energy-saving home improvements, up to a maximum of …
WATTS HAPPENING? The rules are changing, and Parnalls’ Ryan Lemon and Iain Robinson are amped to tell you more. The burden on residential landlords increased at the start of July; a 5-yearly electrical test is now mandatory* before a landlord can grant most new tenancies. This includes most farm tenancies and licenses as well as …
Parnalls’ property lawyer Iain Robinson has identified some of the obvious and less obvious effects of the changes to Stamp Duty Land Tax unveiled yesterday by the Chancellor: Residential property under £500k is now SDLT-free, except for second home-owners and landlords. An SDLT cut usually pushes prices up: a lower tax bill means buyers can …
The property market in England has re-opened. Under special conditions, estate agents can now open, viewings can be carried out and removal firms and conveyancers can restart operations. Throughout the crisis, Parnalls has remained fully operational and our Residential and Commercial Property teams are well prepared to handle all types of property related enquiries, with …
COVID-19 has had a profound (but hopefully not long-lasting) impact on both our business and personal lives. Due to the restrictions placed on movement and unnecessary travel, many businesses are facing lower footfall/demand and therefore reduced income which is seeing some businesses temporarily close. Similarly, with workers either having no income or being on reduced …
A recent survey found over 40 per cent of all sellers are concerned about gazundering, a practice which tends to increase in a flat or falling property market. Here Claire Wicks, a residential conveyancing expert with Parnalls Solicitors in Launceston, looks at this problem and offers some advice on how to ensure you sell your …
More people are opting to start their own business or to join the gig economy, and the past decade has seen a 74 per cent rise in the number of people working from home. Running a business from home can give you flexibility and make for a good work-life balance. It can also be an …
If you have a garden big enough for another property, you may be thinking about how a new building could allow you to downsize or to sell on and bank the profit. ‘There are several things you need to consider first,’ says Claire Wicks, Chartered Legal Executive in the Residential Property team of Parnalls Solicitors …
Recent stories in the press have focused on some of the problems associated with leasehold houses, and the government has now promised to ban the creation of any new ones except in limited circumstances. But what should you do if you already own a leasehold house? One possibility is to buy the freehold. Here Jenny …
