Beware boomerang bills

Landlord wins tribunal over £5m repair row

Leaseholders of eight blocks of maisonettes which underwent a £5 million repair and refurbishment have lost their bid to avoid paying thousands of pounds towards the cost of the work.

Landlords urged to be more open with leaseholders

Private property management associations should work with social landlords to improve the way they consult about leasehold service charges in London.

FIT and proper

Globe trotter

Joe Montgomery swapped the civil service to help lead a worldwide membership body that connects funders with developers. But what’s in it for UK regeneration? Lydia Stockdale asks him.

Shining stars

We reveal details of the winners of the 2011 UK Housing Awards

Dealing with disputes

The standard process for resolving construction disagreements isn’t always the most appropriate, explains Tom Wrzesien, a dispute resolution specialist at law firm TLT

Time bomb

Social landlords should beware the 18-month limit to recover service charges, says Emma Duke

Exit strategy

Tenants are wholly responsible for exercising break clauses, says Matthew Lake

The get out of jail free card

Associations that enter into leases with councils must beware as authorities have a get-out clause, says Jacqueline Knox, director at Wragge & Co

The order of importance

The Localism Act allows councils to decide who they allocate homes to, but beware of discrimination, warns Samantha Hall, senior associate at Trowers & Hamlins