While hybrid working isn’t a new concept, many businesses may not have considered the impact it could have on their insurance cover. What are the key areas of business insurance that you may need to review now that hybrid working has become more commonplace?

National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team (NTSELAT) and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), have stated that the use of ‘POA’ or ‘price on application’ in property listings contravenes consumer protection legislation.

The UK Government’s legislative response to the Grenfell tragedy has now received Royal Assent but excludes some leaseholders from the new Building Safety Fund. Ministers had previously promised that leaseholders would be protected from the costs of cladding remediation, but landlords owning multiple properties have been prevented from accessing the fund as they are viewed as being of “significant wealth”.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has launched a consultation to test the design of the EBSS, ensure that support is provided as widely as possible in a simple and cost-effective way and that the recovery mechanism is clear and efficient.

HOUSING REPORT: Although agents’ stock is still historically low, more new properties are coming to the market bringing with them new buyers and a lift in sales being agreed.

The UK Government’s ban on charging ground rent on new leases in England and Wales will come into force on 30 June 2022.

Agents have a range of options available to them for selling a property. Choosing the right one can have a huge impact on the price achieved, the satisfaction of buyers and sellers with the process, and the reputation of the agent.

The UK Government has today, 13 April 2022, revealed a wide-ranging agreement that will see industry contribute £5 billion to address the building safety scandal.

Are proposed changes to the thresholds that short-term holiday let businesses must meet to be eligible for non-domestic rates (NDRs) sufficiently clear?

The Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act will create a register upon which all foreign owners of UK property must declare their true beneficial ownership and verify their identity with Companies House. Those who do not declare their beneficial owner will be subject to restrictions on the sale of property and may face up to five years in prison.

The UK Government's three-year Boiler Upgrade Scheme opened on 1 April, offering grants of up to £6,000 to property owners in England and Wales towards the cost of low carbon heating systems.

Bringing together existing guidance into a single document, the new guide for electronic signatures of deeds and documents, renames Witnessed Electronic Signatures as Conveyancer-Certified Electronic Signatures and makes minor changes to steps in the signing process.

Statistics show new-build completions in the year to June 2021 are up 10 per cent on the previous 12 months, but still well below pre-pandemic levels.

The Scottish Government is introducing a new Register of Persons Holding a Controlled Interest (RCI) in land on 1 April 2022 which is part of their commitment to improve transparency and will be free to access.

As part of its approach to tackling perceived issues arising from second home ownership and short-term holiday lets, the Welsh Government has proposed to introduce local variations to the higher rate of Land Transaction Tax (LTT).

On 14 March 2022, the UK Government announced that UK individuals, charities, community groups and businesses can record their interest in supporting Ukrainians fleeing the war through the UK Government’s new Homes for Ukraine scheme.