Knowledge hub

Pick a topic

Using drones to reduce survey costs

Since the stamp duty holiday in July 2020, a bold move designed to keep the housing market moving during the pandemic, stamp duty rates have slowly risen back to where they were pre-Covid. As house prices and the cost-of-living increases at an astounding rate, this tax has become even more…

Introducing the Maintenance Portal: FAQ

Jennings & Barrett recently introduced a digital maintenance portal, allowing tenants to report non-urgent maintenance requests at any time. This change has been implemented following a review of processes that concluded that the former method of maintenance requests, in which tenants could phone in requests or email in requests, was…

Standing Charge Prices Predicted To Rise: How It Affects Your Block

Standing Charge Prices Predicted To Rise: How It Affects Your Block Standing Charges Predicted To Increase For 2026/27 Business electricity bills are set to significantly increase due to upcoming changes to the Transmission Network Use of System (TNUoS). This means that communal electricity supply costs will go up due to…

Resident Profile Surveys for High Rise Residential Buildings

Why we’re asking Residents in High-Rise Buildings to complete a Resident Profile Survey As part of our commitment to ensuring building safety — and compliance with new regulations — we are asking every resident in our high-rise blocks to complete a Resident Profile Survey. This may feel like another form…

Updated Fire Door Guidance 2025

Updated Government Fire Safety Guidance Confirms J&B’s Fire Door Advice In August 2025, the Government issued updated guidance clarifying the duties of Responsible Persons under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 regarding flat-front doors, confirming that Jennings & Barrett’s advice remains appropriate and aligned with the most recent government guidance.…

New level of financial visibility available for Directors

Directors can now benefit from higher levels of financial visibility Our Accounts and Operations teams have enhanced the Directors’ Blocks Online Portal functionality, providing greater visibility into company and block finances. Most developments with Directors are now able to access a new “reporting” tool within Blocks Online to view a…

New Mandatory Identity Verification Process for Company Directors

New Companies House “Mandatory Identity Verification Process” For Company Directors – Act Soon To Help Us Keep Filing Companies House will soon require Company directors to verify their identity to file confirmation statements. The new verification process will roll out between November 2025 and Autumn 2026, affecting: All Company directors…

Clearing Arrears to Deliver £1.2m external redecoration works

Recovering £15,000 each from 91 Leaseholders to deliver overdue external redecoration works Left: The block as pictured when J&B took over management. Right: The block following £1.2m of external redecoration work, completed during J&B’s management. Before approaching Jennings & Barrett in 2021, this South London estate – a 1930s residential…

Prepare Your Property for Sale

The garden on the left (advertised by Jennings and Barrett) shows regular maintenance. The house on the right would benefit from clearing any rubbish, trimming the hedges, cleaning and weeding the patio and potentially replacing the fence. Top Tips to Prepare Your Property for Sale! Selling a property isn’t as…

Inclusive Resident Engagement & Emergency Planning

Inclusive Resident Engagement & Emergency Planning 1 year ago Why we’re asking if anyone living in your property has a health condition or communication barrier that may prevent them from understanding fire safety procedures, or independently following fire safety procedures as part of our drive to keep contact details updated.…

Changes to Eviction Services for Landlords

Changes to Eviction Services for Landlords Following recent and upcoming changes to Renters’ Rights and the eviction process, it has now become necessary to update our eviction process. This change ensures that eviction services can reflect the changing Tenant & Renters Rights’ Legislations, whilst achieving possession of your property as…

Our Approach to the Building Safety Act

Compliance, Made Easy: Our Approach to the Building Safety Act 2022 January 14, 2025 The Building Safety Act (2022) has created additional responsibilities regarding protecting residents within High Rise Buildings. Under the Act, Accountable Persons must apply to register high-rise residential buildings (buildings over 18+m/seven storeys with two or more…

An Introduction to The Building Safety Act 2022

The Building Safety Act (2022) January 14, 2025 The Building Safety Act (2022) has created additional responsibilities regarding protecting residents within High Rise Buildings. Under the Act, Accountable Persons must apply to register high-rise residential buildings (buildings over 18+m/seven storeys with two or more residential units) with the new Building…

Recent and Upcoming Changes to Lettings Law and Eviction Processes

Recent and Upcoming Changes to Lettings Law and Eviction Processes January 14, 2025 The landscape of lettings law and eviction processes in England has undergone significant transformation in recent years, and further changes are on the horizon. From stricter compliance requirements to the phasing out of Section 21 notices under…

leasehold-reform-plans-welcomed

Jennings & Barrett Welcomes Leasehold Reform Plans November 22, 2024Yesterday, the Labour government announced an “overhaul” of the current leasehold system in England and Wales. The overhaul moves to: Give more power to the buyers of flats. Enable unit owners to manage their buildings automatically, without need to go through…

New Digital Bookings System for Residential Lettings: FAQ

New Digital Bookings System for Residential Lettings: FAQ September 3, 2024Jennings & Barrett are moving towards a new digital bookings process to enable a smoother viewings experience for existing tenants, potential new tenants, and office staff. Find out more about the process here.  Q: How does the process work? A:…

Industry Update: ARMA & IRPM become TPI

ARMA and IRPM have merged together to form The Property Institute, a professional body for residential property managers in England, Scotland and Wales. The merger was initially announced in March 2022. As a result of the merger, The Property Institute has now launched new branding, replacing all ARMA branding across documents…

Introducing New Lewisham Selective Licensing Services

April 29, 2024View our Lettings ServicesView more Lettings Management Content: New Selective Licensing Scheme Services for Landlords in Lewisham Jennings & Barrett are launching a new Selective Licensing service in preparation for the new Lewisham Selective Licensing Scheme launching 1 July 2024. The service builds on our previous experience in…

What happens when a leasehold expires?

A leasehold is a type of property temporary ownership where the tenant has the right to occupy and use the property for a certain period of time. The leaseholder does not own the land or property but only gets the right to use the property.

What happens when a leasehold expires?

A leasehold is a type of property temporary ownership where the tenant has the right to occupy and use the property for a certain period of time. The leaseholder does not own the land or property but only gets the right to use the property.

Capital Gains Tax Changes: What It Means For Sales Of Second Homes

The Spring 2024 budget, announced Wednesday, 6 March, has cut the Capital Gains Tax rate on residential property disposals. The change, which starts on 6 April 2024, means that individuals, trustees, and personal representatives who are liable to pay higher Capital Gains Tax rates on residential property gains will be…

Essential Tips for Effective Estate Management

London is the city where every brick has a story, and every corner holds a piece of history. Now, imagine being the custodian of some of these coveted properties in the heart of this iconic metropolis.

Improved management of a gated development

Since the stamp duty holiday in July 2020, a bold move designed to keep the housing market moving during the pandemic, stamp duty rates have slowly risen back to where they were pre-Covid. As house prices and the cost-of-living increases at an astounding rate, this tax has become even more…

What are the rules for communal areas in flats?

A communal area is recognised as any area that is not within the confines of the tenant’s property. For example, corridors, balconies, stairways, landings, lobbies, external gardens, bin stores, garages, and parking areas count as communal areas.

Is ‘right to manage’ worth it?

Acquiring the Right to Manage is seen as very worthwhile for many people. However, its value will depend on your unique circumstances, so we have outlined the associated benefits and disadvantages to help you decide whether acquiring the Right to Manage is the right approach for you to pursue.

What are landlords responsible for?

Landlords in the UK have certain responsibilities to withhold. These responsibilities are outlined in the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Housing Act 2004, and they exist to ensure that tenants reside in a safe and habitable living environment.

How to stop condensation on walls and ceilings

Whether you are buying or selling a new home, you will want to ensure there are no signs of condensation. Those tiny water droplets that can appear on windows around your house are not only unattractive to look at but, if left untreated, can have nasty consequences too.

Section 20 notices – popular questions answered

If you hear a managing agent talk about ‘Section 20’ they will be referring to Section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 as amended by the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act (CLRA) 2002. This may sound daunting, but the act was brought in to provide protection to residential…

What is block management?

Block management refers specifically to the overall management of various amenities within a multi-property structure, such as a flat complex where there are communal areas associated with the residential properties or mix tenure structures like flats on top of retail/office buildings.

What is a service charge on a property?

With regards to property, a service charge is where each household on a development or within a managed block of flats contributes a financial amount each year towards the upkeep of communal areas or a service that each household is benefitting from. Typically, a property service charge will cover things…

How to avoid stamp duty on a second home

Since the stamp duty holiday in July 2020, a bold move designed to keep the housing market moving during the pandemic, stamp duty rates have slowly risen back to where they were pre-Covid. As house prices and the cost-of-living increases at an astounding rate, this tax has become even more…

Find out more

Have a question regarding any of our services? Give us a call on 0203 598 9665, or email enquiries@jandb.verysimpletest.co.uk to speak to a member of our expert team.