Victoria Flats & Houses For Sale & Rent

Property Repossessions Likely to Rise in 2012

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:42:00 +0000

This year is likely to see a rise in the number of people having their homes repossessed.

According to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), continued economic uncertainty is resulting in more and more people falling behind with their mortgage repayments and the end result will be a increase in the number of those forced out of their properties.

Bernard Clarke, communications manager at the CML, said: "An increase in the number of people falling into arrears is likely to also result in an increase in the number of cases of possession.

“We have forecast an increase in the number of mortgages that will be in arrears of 2.5 per cent or more of the outstanding balance at the end of the year, to be 180,000 as opposed to 166,000 at the end of 2011.”

However, he pointed out the issue is not likely to reach anywhere near the level that it did during the recession of the early 1990s.

Despite this, the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) said recently that that this year will see the housing market gradually recover to transaction levels seen prior to the credit crunch.

Property Repossession News

Get Britain Building will Create 16,000 New Properties

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 09:19:00 +0000

Housing minister Grant Shapps has estimated that the government's £420 million Get Britain Building Fund will create as many as 16,000 new properties on sites which have previously stalled due to economic circumstances.

Furthermore, he believes it will also see the creation of around 30,000 new jobs.

The scheme enables developers to either apply for a loan at commercial rates or they can take an equity release, whereby the government makes an investment alongside the building company.

Mr Shapps was keen to stress the scheme is not merely a government gimmick to create the illusion that they are doing something to help the plight of both first-time buyers and the building trade.
"This is not a simple handout - the taxpayer will get a return on their investment, with the homes the country needs built and 30,000 jobs created," he said.

Plans for the scheme were originally set out by the prime minister David Cameron in mid-November.

London Property News

Westminster Council's parking consultation 'contempt'

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:54:00 +0000

Westminster Council spent £400,000 preparing to charge drivers for weekend parking before consultations were complete, BBC London has learned.

The authority has faced protests over plans to charge for West End parking during weekends and evenings.

It has now emerged the six-figure sum was spent on signage despite residents' opinions still being sought.

Labour said residents had been treated with "contempt", but the Conservatives said the costs would be recouped.

Critics say the outlay on signage shows the consultation was meaningless in the first place and the council had already made up its mind to bring in the new charges.

'Total contempt'
It comes after a High Court judge allowed a Judicial Review into the scheme, saying it was possible the council's consultation period had been too limited.

The leader of Labour in Westminster, Paul Dimoldenberg, said: "Westminster's consultation has been shambolic and no wonder the High Court was so scathing of the council's efforts.

"The council has treated residents and businesses with total contempt with £300,000 having being spent on new parking signs even before the consultation period was over."

West End Night Parking Vouchers For Night Workers

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:28:00 +0000

Westminster City Council’s parking team have been listening to the concerns of night workers and is pleased to announce a deal from Q-Park to make safe and secure parking available in the West End for only £2 per hour from 6.30pm to 7am and all night between these hours for £8.

There are currently 1000 spaces in the West End available in Q-Park’s central west end car parks every night, and a key part of Westminster’s forthcoming parking policy changes is to move traffic off the streets, easing congestion and helping traffic flow.The goal is to ensure that Westminster remains a clean, safe and vibrant place to live.

Cllr Lee Rowley, cabinet member for transport and parking, said: “London is a global 24-hour city and is as busy at 10pm as it is at 10am. Having safe, secure and affordable parking for everyone is a key element in changing our parking policies.

“Using casino workers as an example of the night workers we have been keen to engage with, they can get to a safe car park within a five minute walk of work and, if parked all night, they could do so for 64p an hour.

“The council has worked hard in ensuring initiatives like this go ahead and we will continue to listen to the needs of residents and businesses as the changes come in.”
After working with Westminster City Council, Q-Park will be introducing new reduced parking tariffs on 9th January 2012 where evening visitors and workers in the West End can park for only £2 per hour from 6.30pm to 7am and all night between these hours for just £8 in Q-Park car parks at Soho, Oxford Street and Trafalgar Sq. This works out at 64p per hour for a whole night’s parking.

The company is also set to announce further discounts on Sundays for church goers.
New controls in Zone E and G begin on January 9, 2012 and include parking controls being introduced in the evenings from 6.30pm until midnight and on Sundays from 1pm until 6pm.

Click here for more details

Landlord and Tenant News; SAFEagent Schemes

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:39:00 +0000

Landlord and Tenant News: Government pours praise on SAFEagent in new housing strategy.

SAFEagent, the scheme launched this year to protect both landlords' and tenants' financial interests, has this week received glowing praise from the government.

In a statement released by Westminster detailing the government's new strategy for housing, SAFEagent, which launched to much acclaim in May, was described as a scheme which is driving up industry standards.

It was also stated that many landlords and tenants often do not realise the benefits of choosing a letting agent that is covered by the client money protection initiative.

“The SAFEagent scheme promotes consumer awareness of the issue and helps them to identify agents with protection, through the SAFEagent badge," the document noted.
“It shows how much can be achieved quickly and cheaply through simple and effective ideas driven by industry not the government.”

Since the scheme came into force, housing minister Grant Shapps has been extremely vocal in praising what SAFEagent is doing and has encouraged more letting and property management companies to sign up.

John Midgley, chair of the SAFEagent Steering Group, said that the governments continued backing was a "fantastic endorsement" of SAFEagent and he thanked Mr Shapps for his support throughout the past few months.

“We’re delighted that the government recognises that the industry can generate and implement proactive, innovative ideas which are in the interest of the consumer rather than relying on imposed regulations which would lead to further red tape and cost," he stated.

“SAFEagent is a simple and sensible approach to raising consumer awareness of Client Money Protection and it’s one that is working."

At present more that 1,600 agents and management firms have joined the scheme but Mr Midgley urged more to make a positive difference to the industry by joining up.

This September Lord Taylor of Holbeach, a Conservative peer and House of Lords whip, said he was "delighted" the government was endorsing SAFE and added that consultation is in place to make such protection initiatives a statutory requirement for all agents.

Landlord and Tenant News

UK House Prices Are Set To Fall in the next 5 Years

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 11:35:00 +0000

UK house prices are set to fall for another 11% in the next 5 years, according to property experts.

British broker firms believe that house prices in the UK will fall by more than 10% in the next 5 years back to the level seen a decade ago.

In the opinion of property experts, those are not only difficulties accessing mortgage finance and weak economic growth that will keep house prices down. Increased cost of living, especially in big cities like London will also negatively affect house prices growth.

According to brokers' estimates, house prices will fall to 170,000 in 2016, down from 184,000 in 2007.

Meanwhile, rent rates are expected to rise dramatically as many Brits will be unable to buy a property of their own.

Westminster Residents Have More Payment Service Options At The Post Office

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 11:24:00 +0000

Westminster City Council has launched a ground-breaking scheme which will enable residents to pay for a far greater range of services at the Post Office.
The new agreement means residents can now pay for everything from parking tickets to council tax at the Post Office, as well as expanding the number of payment points (from 3 to 26) for residents wishing to pay for a range of services by cash or cheque.

The innovative deal has sparked interest from the Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs Minister Edward Davey who said: “This is a great example of a local authority thinking outside the box to improve the quality of its payment services for residents. This is a role model I would like to see replicated across the country.”

Westminster cabinet member for customer services and transformation Cllr Melvyn Caplan said: “This innovative deal with the Post Office will give Westminster residents more choice of where to make their cash or cheque payments across the borough. The fact residents can pay a wide range of services in one spot – everything from council tax to parking permits – also increases convenience and efficiency.”

The Post Office’s head of regulation strategy Mike Granville added: “We are pleased to bring on board Westminster City Council, which joins the large number of companies that already trust and rely on the Post Office to manage payments services on their behalf. Innovative contracts like this deliver access and convenience to the customers of the council’s services as well as ensuring that more people come through the doors of our Post Office branches, which will help to sustain our valuable branch network into the future.”

Victoria, Marylebone and Westminster Benefit from Free WiFi Hot Spots

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:02:00 +0000

Nokia has set up 26 hotspots to support the service and these are largely concentrated around West End shopping areas. Victoria, Marylebone and Westminster will also get access points. The firm said people would not need to register or sign in to use the wi-fi.

From today until the end of 2011, the public will be able to use the high-speed service in certain parts of the city courtesy of the phone firm.If the two-month trial is deemed a success, the Finnish company plans to turn it into a fully fledged free wi-fi service early in 2012.

The initiative is one of many that will eventually see London dotted with hotspots offering free net browsing.

Free wi-fi is widely already widely available in London but it tends to be via solitary access points in shops and hotels. In addition some ISPs, such as BT, give their subscribers free wi-fi via their own-brand wireless services.

The fragmented nature of existing services has led the Greater London Council to encourage boroughs to set up free wi-fi along the busiest streets. Projects for wi-fi in Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea as well as Hammersmith & Fulham and other regions are believed to be in the closing stages of negotiation.

There are also ongoing talks to put wi-fi on London tube stations so passengers can browse the web while they wait for a train.

There is also a plan to provide free wi-fi in and around London for the 2012 Olympics to help visitors and tourists find their way around and to make it easier for the sights and sounds of the games to be shared.

BBC NEWS

Buy to Let Investors Should Check Potential Profitability Margins

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:11:00 +0000

With there now being the highest level of buy-to-let mortgage products on the market for three years, one property expert has advised landlords to ensure they do the proper research before signing an application.

David Whittaker, managing director at Mortgages for Businesses, an independent portfolio manager for UK investors, says that while average yield from a buy-to-let house is now a steady 6.3 per cent, landlords will only achieve a good margin if they first think about product suitability and the region in which they are buying.

"While it is attractive for landlords to lump in, it will be determined by that landlord's view of the market and the region," he stated.

He also warned that falling house prices could mean that current rental yields are not sustainable in the long run and property investors should consider this when assessing their potential profitability margins.

Earlier this month, a survey by property firm Paragon found that rental yields in the West Midlands and London were far out performing the national average at 7.35 per cent and 7.32 per respectively.

Landlord and Tenant News

Olympic guerilla advertising threat – stronger powers needed for London

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 09:52:00 +0000

London risks being over-run with illegal adverts during the Olympics unless local authorities are given greater powers to tackle opportunistic product placement, it was warned today.

The call comes from Westminster council which this week has written to Bob Neil, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, as well as Lord Coe, urging for a shake-up of existing laws. It follows a spate of ambush advertisement campaigns in the city, and at major sporting events, in recent years.
Currently councils have limited powers for seeking the immediate removal of illegal adverts and councils are often left with no option other than to apply for an injunction from the High Court. This delays removal and incurs significant cost and wastes officer time.

While advertisers who flaunt planning rules can be fined, the maximum £2,500 fine is not sufficient as a deterrent, particularly when compared to the revenue generated by prominent adverts at global sporting events.

The council has called for an extension of new powers, introduced to tackle these issues in designated areas around Olympic venues, to be extended across all of London – this includes being able to immediately remove advertising that does not have the relevant consent.

Westminster has seen a number of incidents of ambush advertising in recent years, notably when Cricket Australia projected an image of two of their players onto Big Ben in the lead-up to the 2010 Ashes series. Other major sporting events have also been targeted by the trend, with two people being arrested at the 2010 Football World Cup after 36 women wore bright orange outfits to promote a Dutch brewery during a match between Holland and Denmark.

“We pride ourselves on London’s appearance. Never will this be as important than during the Olympics, when the eyes of the world will be on us. We must have real powers to prevent the city’s streets being daubed in product placement by opportunistic advertisers.”

Under existing laws public outdoor advertising must be granted consent by the local planning authority.The council recently had success in changing a legal loophole that means consent is now needed for adverts displayed inside phone kiosks located in conservation areas.

Pre Sale or End of Tenancy Property Maintenance and Makeovers

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 09:37:00 +0000

Pre Sale or End of Tenancy Property Maintenance & Makeovers

Paramount Maintenance Sevices offers a pre sale or end of tenancy maintenance and makeover service with specialists covering all trades. Whether it is your own home or a number of properties you manage, our professional multi-skilled maintenance team can save you time, money and the need to hire a range of different building and maintenance contractors.

As our client, you will receive professional, yet friendly & courteous service. Your perception of our performance is always the reality and we will communicate with you frequently to meet your expectations. We believe first and last impressions count. This means we’ll turn up on time and clean up on the way out.

Follow the link for more information on Paramount's Property Maintenance Services

Westminster Residents Could Face £20,000 Fine for Letting Rooms During London Olympics

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 12:14:00 +0000

Londoners hoping to rent out their homes during the Olympics are being warned they could be breaking the law and left facing a fine, reports the BBC

BBC London has uncovered stark variations in councils' positions on the practice.

Some have warned they will crack down on people renting out properties - but others have said it is not a problem.The National Association of Estate Agents is calling for a review of the law on short term lettings.But at the moment Londoners face a postcode lottery as to whether they can rent out their homes for the games.

Juzar Jeevanjee lives in Haringey, one of the areas where the council has said it will not crack down on people letting out their homes.He said: "Obviously there's a huge opportunity for earning extra money here with lots coming in for the Olympics who can't afford hotels."From what agents have told me, I could double or triple what I could get at the moment, so it could be happy times."

But Juliet Rowe, who lives in Westminster, would be in a very different situation if she wanted to rent out her apartment for a short period.Westminster effectively bans short term lets of 90 days or under unless planning permission is obtained - but this is rarely given.If she were to rent out her home anyway during the games, she could face a fine of £20,000 and even a criminal record.

Ms Rowe does not plan to do this - but said it was enormously disappointing.She said: "It seems everything you try to do in this city you get told off.It's so expensive to live here - and it would be nice to make some extra cash.

Westminster Council told BBC London it was important to preserve the rental market for longer term residents.

London Network Rail Complete Victoria Shopping Centre Purchase

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 11:23:00 +0000

Network Rail has completed the leasehold purchase of Victoria Place shopping centre at Victoria station in London for £91.8m, reports propertyweek.

The 83,000 sq ft shopping centre was bought from William Ewart, and Network Rail now intends to reconfigure the retail space to reduce congestion in the station and create a link through into the shopping centre.

The shopping centre lies directly above Victoria station which Network Rail owns the freehold of. The scheme provides retail space over three levels, which is anchored by Sainsbury’s and comprises 35 units and 11 permanent kiosks.

David Biggs, Network Rail’s director of property, said: “It’s one of the first steps to deliver our vision of creating destination stations where travellers, shoppers and families can enjoy unique retail experiences in exciting contemporary surroundings fit for today’s demanding customers and rail passengers.

“Retail in stations continues to go from strength to strength. Our sales results consistently show growth levels well above the high street. We have the essential locations and high customer traffic to help brands perform to their full potential.”

South London HMO Investment Property

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:38:00 +0000

Streatham Investment Property For Sale, Lambeth

Gleneldon Road
Streatham
London
SW16

NIA: 11198 sq/ft*

£ 2,600,000
Freehold

Gleneldon Road is located in Streatham in the London Borough of Lambeth. The subject property is situated on the south side of Gleneldon Road and is bounded by residential units on Gleneldon Road to the north and east, by gardens and thereafter residential units to the south, and by Bournevale Road to the west.

The property is easily accessible via public transport. There are a number of bus routes operating on Streatham High Road (A23) and Tooting Bec Road (A214) providing access to the surrounding areas and Central London.

Streatham Railway Station is located approximately 0.26 miles to the south on Streatham High Road (A23), which provides services to London Victoria and London Waterloo. Tooting Bec Underground Station (Northern line) is approximately 1.4 miles to the north west of the subject property. The immediate area is primarily residential and benefits from a range of independent shops, bars and restaurants.

The properties comprise four semi detached Edwardian houses that have been broken up into 30 flats (22 x studios, 7 x 1 beds & 1 x 2 bed) on an assortment of tenancies (1 x Regulated, 1 x assured, 28 x ASTs)

The buildings benefit from a large rear gardens and off street parking.

Rents average £109 pw, Current Local Housing Allowance Rates are £184.62 pw for studios and 1 bedroom apartments and £230.77 pw for 2 bedroom apartments.

Current Income £171k pa Potential ERV £277k pa
Potential Break-up value circa £3.6m

NIA 11,198sq.ft and GEA 13,815sq.ft

All offers should be exclusive of any VAT which may be charged on the purchase price.

Lambeth HMO Investment Property For Sale

MPs and Peers Establish All Party Parliamentary Group for Private Rented Sector

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 11:49:00 +0000

The RLA reports that forty-eight Members of Parliament and Peers from across the political parties have today established a new All Party Parliamentary Group for the Private Rented Sector.

The Group will aim to inform policy better towards private rented housing at a time when changes to housing benefit, regulatory issues and the increasing demands being placed on the sector are highlighting the growing significance of private rented housing.

Speaking ahead of the Group’s formation, Conservative MP for Poole, Robert Syms who has led on forming it said:

“With waiting lists for social housing continuing to increase and home ownership remaining difficult for many, private rented accommodation is becoming increasingly important to meeting the UK’s housing needs.The establishment of this All Party Group will enable MPs and Peers from all parties to engage directly with landlords and tenants to consider issues of importance and where appropriate, agree on recommendations for action by government. ”

Westminster Council Calls for Tough Action Following Riots

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 10:39:00 +0000

Westminster council is set to seek to evict any council tenant found guilty of taking part in riots in the city, housing bosses announced today (10th August).
Cllr Jonathan Glanz, Westminster City Council’s cabinet member for housing, said: “Social housing is a privilege, not a right and as such we will look to evict social housing tenants convicted for criminal behaviour during the riots.

“If householders or their children are proven guilty of looting the capital’s shops, setting our streets alight or wreaking havoc in our communities then they will face the consequences of their actions.

“Tenants have a responsibility to uphold standards – if the perpetrators are old enough to be out alone smashing up our streets, they are old enough to be responsible for their eviction.

“The vast majority of social tenants are hard-working, law abiding people who pay their taxes and raise their children to have respect for other people and their property but others who chose to declare war on our streets and communities must take responsibility for their own behaviour.”

Housing minister Grant Shapps has also shown his support for stronger action and today said he will back social landlords who evict tenants involved in any rioting

Victoria Public COnveniences; Westminster Council Introduces New Poicy

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 11:18:00 +0000

Westminster Council is to save taxpayers more than £2million while planning to preserve public conveniences across the city.

Plans are being drawn up which will see the council’s 21 permanent sites being leased out to a private company while the council will continue to provide mobile urinals in the West End at the weekend.

It will also continue to provide 18 accessible facilities on street level.
The council will also continue to provide temporary public conveniences during Notting Hill Carnival.

Currently it costs the council £2,115,000 a year to run the 21 conventional sites even though local authorities have no statutory duty to provide public conveniences. This has led to a significant decline in the number provided nationally with the problem particularly acute in London. The capital has seen the biggest decline in the number of local-authority run public toilets – a closure rate twice that of the country as a whole.

However Westminster has bucked this trend by providing a high quality and extensive network of public conveniences throughout the city and are visited 8 million times a year. The council has previously won the “Loo of the Year” award and is a current member of the British Toilet Association’s “Champions League” for having 21 4* and 5* rated public conveniences, and the council believes these proposals will allow this provision to continue.”

Some of the toilets cost the council more than £1 a visit, and the council has had to focus its resources elsewhere.

Mansion Tax Policy Still Favoured by Vince Cable

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 08:20:00 +0000

Business Secretary Vince Cable has signalled his continuing support for a new tax on high-value properties.

Mr Cable told Liberal Democrat activists that making the tax system more progressive - with a heavier burden falling on the better off - was "absolutely integral" to Government's economic reforms.

With high earners able in large measure to escape taxation by moving their wealth around the world, he said that targeting "property and land" was one way of ensuring they were made to pay.

In opposition Mr Cable had proposed a so-called "mansion tax" levied annually on properties worth more than £1 million - later raised to £2 million - but the policy quickly unravelled.

However addressing the Social Liberal Forum in London, Mr Cable made clear that he had not abandoned the idea of some form of new tax on property.

Read more:

Active Westminster Free Leisure Passes

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 13:25:00 +0000

Free swimming and big discounts on sport and leisure activities are on offer to young people in Westminster, council chiefs announced.

Under Westminster Council’s ActiveWestminster Passport programme, children and young people aged 0 to 19 years old can take advantage of free swimming across the city as well many discounted sports including badminton, squash, netball, basketball, cricket and tennis.

The scheme also allows participants to claim 20% off DVD and CD rentals at the borough’s libraries.The passport can be used for free swimming at Jubilee Sports Centre, Marshall Street Leisure Centre, The Porchester Centre, Queen Mother Sports Centre and Seymour Leisure Centre.

Discounts on other activities will also be available at these centres as well as at Paddington Recreation Ground, Academy Sport, Moberly Sports Centre and Little Venice Sports Centre with more to follow.

Cllr Steve Summers, Deputy Cabinet Member for Sport and Leisure, said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for Westminster’s young people to get more involved with sport and take full advantage of Westminster’s excellent leisure facilities.

“With the Olympics coming to London, there is no better time for Westminster’s children and young people to take up a new sport and have fun.”
Visit www.westminster.gov.uk/activepassport or call 020 7641 2012 for the latest offers and discounts and a list of participating sport and leisure centres and venues.

Westminster Cycling Campaign Annual Meeting

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 10:23:00 +0000

The Westminster Cycling Campaign aims are improving conditions for cycling and encouraging cycling in Westminster
The local group of the London Cycling Campaign are going to meet at Thursday 9th June at 19:00 near the bandstand, Serpentine Road, Hyde Park

Private Residential Landlord News; Local Councils Target HMOs

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 19 May 2011 13:26:00 +0000

Local authorities all over Britain are targeting planning laws to control private landlords turning their properties into small Houses in Multiple Occupations – six months ahead of the time when they will be needed most.

The RLA has identified over two dozen councils invoking Article 4 directions prohibiting HMOs.

Landlords are being stymied by local authorities from attempting to offer a market solution to what homeless charities are warning could be a serious problem.

Planned changes to the Shared Accommodation Rate kick in next January and will mean that an estimated 88,000 25 to 34-year-olds on housing benefit will have to seek shared HMO accommodation, virtually all of which would be in the private rented sector.

From the New Year, changes to the rules mean that single people up to the age of 35 will no longer be able to live in their own self-contained rental flats. Instead, it will only cover shared accommodation.

But landlords who are currently renting properties out to a single household will now have to seek planning permission in a growing number of towns and cities if they want to let the same property out to three, four or five people sharing.

HMO Property News

Westminster to begin legal proceedings against Parliament Square protest camp

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Mon, 16 May 2011 18:14:00 +0000

The first step towards the removal of the protest camp on the pavement of Parliament Square is due to be made in the High Court today (9 May) by Westminster Council.
The council believes the group of people, some of which have been protesting for up to ten years, are obstructing the highway as well as blighting a World Heritage site.

In January 2011 the council served letters upon 11 protesters who have placed or have been using structures on the footpath in Parliament Square, which in the council’s opinion were causing an obstruction of the highway, informing them that the council would seek an injunction in the High Court unless the structures were removed. The structures were not removed and the Council began proceedings on 15 February 2011.

Today the council will appear in court for a directions hearing.
If the injunction is granted and the protestors refuse to move their tents and other objects they will be found in contempt of court and could face an unlimited fine or imprisonment.

Leader of Westminster Council, Cllr Colin Barrow said: “The council has been attempting to have the protestors’ obstructions removed from Parliament Square for several years and are determined that this world heritage site is returned to all Londoners and visitors once and for all.

“We fully support the right to protest and will continue to accommodate peaceful protestors.

“But what we will not accept are people camped out on an area of great national significance for years on end, blighting the area, obstructing the highway with tents and other structures making

London Property Market Remains Strong

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 12 May 2011 14:10:00 +0000

Although recent Housing market surveys show that UK residential property prices are falling,the London Property market London remains strong;

The latest house price index from the Halifax shows that average property prices fell 1.4% in April, compared to the previous month. There has also been a quarterly move down of 1.2% and a drop over the year of 3.7%.

The Halifax HPI now has the price of an average house as £160,395.Last week the Nationwide index had home prices also falling but at a lower rate of 0.2% with an average price of £165,609.The Land Registry, which only has figures available to March, has the monthly decline in prices at 1.1% with an average price of £160,996 with an annual fall of 2.3%.

But while average national property prices are generally expected to continue falling, the outlook in London is somewhat different.

The volume of homes for sale in London is low in relation to demand, partly due to a lack of new homes being built in the capital.

More overseas nationals and investors are actively buying homes in London, due to low interest rates, rising rental returns and a weak sterling, which makes London attractive for property investment.

Westminster launches Olympic Hero’s sporting programme

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 13:59:00 +0000

Every secondary student in Westminster will have the opportunity to be coached by a world class athlete, council chiefs have announced.

Under Westminster Council’s ‘Sporting Hero’ programme 300 students from 10 schools across the borough will be coached by the athletes who will also provide guidance on how they can achieve their sporting dreams.

The athletes include Britain’s top long jumper JJ Jegede, European champion boxer Hannah Beharry and leading sprinters and Rikki Fifton and Montell Douglas who helped launch the programme today at the Grey Coat Hospital School.

Students who take part in the project will go on to represent their school at the Westminster Sports Unit Athletic Championships at Battersea Park on 24 May.

The scheme is part of the council’s ‘Active Westminster’ programme which aims to support and guide talented young people in Westminster to excel in their chosen sport.

Westminster Council Confirms Rise in Utility Bills for Tenants and Leaseholders

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 09:49:00 +0000

Tenants and leaseholders in Westminster will see increases in their heating and hot water bills of around a five pounds a week, council bosses have confirmed.

This is because energy costs are rising substantially, spikes in global demand and ongoing political instability in the Middle East.

Around 5,000 households with communal heating systems will be affected. The council and CityWest have written to all affected residents.

Over the past few years Westminster Council and CityWest Homes have sought to protect residents from rises in energy prices and to cushion them from price hikes with the expectation that prices would fall back from historic highs.

But the council today said it could not subsidise energy bills indefinitely as money spent on this area means less cash for estate improvements while it was likely that energy prices would continue to rise for the foreseeable future.

For more on the council plans click here