Buying your first home in London is often believed to be beyond the reach of many young professionals – and it certainly isn’t easy. But a sluggish property market, softening house prices, low mortgage interest rates, discounts from developers and the London Help to Buy scheme – mean that this could be the best opportunity …

Continue reading “The London Help to Buy Scheme – taking the first step on the property ladder in London”

London, with its unfamiliar playing surface and relative lack of media coverage for American Football has proved to be a tough place to get results in and that’s before you factor in our capricious weather (four seasons in one day, what’s that about?). The weather won’t worry lovers of German festivals as they tend to …

Continue reading “What’s on in London – October 2019”

In times past, parts of the Capitalsuch as Hyde Park or Kensington were regularly marked off as exhibition spaces and the Victorians loved to spend the whole day there as it freed them from the city’s dust and smoke. Today, London’s clean air and extensive transit networkhas transformed the whole metropolis into an outdoor venue …

Continue reading “What’s on in London – September 2019”

London is firmly in the age of the flexi-venue and it’s making for some intriguing mashups as buildings continue to be repurposed. This month alone will see cakes displayed in an old brewery, beer drunk in an exhibition space and DJs spinning from one of the highest points in Europe. The architects of old might …

Continue reading “What’s on in London – August 2019”

Stately homes in and around London always put their best foot forward during the summer season. Although most of them have some kind of year round appeal, places like Buckingham Palace, Hampton Court and Chiswick House are best viewed when natural light and temperate climate both play their part: after all, queuing outside is more …

Continue reading “What’s on in London – July 2019”

Getting out and about in London is made so much easier by the super-connectivity of its various transport systems. Underground networks are seamlessly integrated with mainline routes, River taxis and even cable cars that span the width of the Thames. So there’s no excuse for not enjoying the many open air activities that are taking …

Continue reading “What’s on in London – June 2019”

Biking, open air gigs and the arrival of the Indian cricket team for the World Cup are all signs that the time has come to get out and about in London. The flowering blooms in our backyards, parks and various garden shows are all set to welcome a new addition to the Royal Family and …

Continue reading “What’s on in London – May 2019”

Q. Which dilapidations is my tenant responsible for? A. Calculating a fair amount for dilapidations at the end of a tenancy can be a thorny issue and there are many misconceptions about what can and cannot be deducted from the tenant’s deposit. One of the main issues is defining what is ‘fair wear and tear’. …

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Two major London events this month use the River Thames as a backdrop but in totally different contexts. Runners and crowds at the London Marathon are surrounded by buildings and bridges that will be recognised all over the world – great for TV. For the rowers in the boat race, the river is up close …

Continue reading “What’s on in London – April 2019”

Two patron saints are celebrated this month and they serve as fitting reminders of the disparate and turbulent forces that forged our nation. Whether you believe the legends of St David and St Patrick or not, it cannot be denied that their legacy of selflessness and sacrifice points towards people from different backgrounds getting along. …

Continue reading “What’s on in London – March 2019”

If there’s one thing that all Londoners are demanding this February (apart from a politics detox), it is colour – great big splashes of it, all across the Capital. Well, we’re in luck. Chinese New Year brings red and gold. The V&A will be showing glittering offerings from Dior and Kew Gardens will be a …

Continue reading “What’s on in London – February 2019”

The new year seems like a good opportunity to appreciate those whose hard work goes into staging some of the spectacular one-off events that occur in the Capital. In January, there seems to be as many of these as in Christmas, so as soon as the riggers, lighting engineers, sound technicians and security personnel finish …

Continue reading “What’s on in London – January 2019”