Comment
New committee members
Four new members joined the Property Section committee in May 2017. They introduce themselves and their goals as committee members and for the Section
Features
Strong foundations
A new version of the Consumer Code for Home Builders was released in April. Noel Hunter explains how the code works, and how it applies to both home builders and homebuyers
Speaking to power
The legislation around compulsory purchase powers is piecemeal, and orders are under increasing scrutiny due to the volume of large-scale controversial projects like a new Heathrow runway. Trevor Ivory and Sophie Stewart look at the historical context and what might lie ahead
In good repair
Danielle Drummond-Brassington and Natalie Appleby outline some simple practice points to help you avoid the pitfalls around dilapidations, and ensure you provide the best possible advice to your landlord and tenant clients
Buyers beware?
Consumer protection regulations which came into force in 2008 have gone largely unnoticed by conveyancers, but they could have a major implication: the overriding of caveat emptor in transactions where the buyer is a consumer. Lawrence Heller explains
The gold standard
A new edition of the Standard Commercial Property Conditions of Sale was published in May. Stephen Jackson outlines the changes and improvements included in the new edition
Sign of the times
Warren Gordon looks at new Land Registry proposals to roll out the use of electronic signatures for registrable documents, and the potential implications for security and fraud in conveyancing transactions
Run to ground
High ground rents in new leases are an increasing concern in the leasehold sector, especially when they provide for periodic increases. Rawdon Crozier and Ibraheem Dulmeer give an overview of the topic and solicitors’ duties
Fighting words
The ripples are still being felt from the recent cases of Purrunsing, P&P and Dreamvar. How are law firms responding, especially in the current limbo before the P&P and Dreamvar appeals? Maria Shahid investigates
Direct hit
The fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive will be transposed into law in England and Wales on 26 June. But, Alex Ktorides cautions, property practitioners may still not be aware of the potentially significant effect of the directive on their work