Property Surveys in Hampstead, North West London

A typical pre-purchase property survey includes a property’s electrical, plumbing and heating systems as well as its interior and exterior construction from roof to foundation. But it does not include the soil around the house, ponds, septic systems, building regulation violations or environmental hazards, which can require a specialised surveyor and can cost more.

For more info on property surveys in Hampstead, North West London

Step free access West Hampstead Thameslink

Transport for London has received funding for step-free access to nine rail stations in London as part of the Department for Transport’s £370 million Access for All programme.

The nine stations are Bromley South, New Eltham, Tottenham Hale, New Malden, West Hampstead Thameslink, Brockley, Camden Road, Gospel Oak and Honor Oak Park.

Tesco comes to West Hampstead

WEST Hampstead has become the latest target on Tesco’s hitlist after the supermarket giant bought out an independent furniture shop, sparking panic among other small traders.

The Woods and Woods store on West End Lane will close on February 17 after 29 years as a furniture shop.

It previously traded under The Pine Shop banner.Tesco plans to gut the store and reopen it as a Tesco Express in the summer.

Ham and High
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Mecca Bingo, Kilburn High Road, Sold to Church

When it opened in 1937 as The Kilburn State, it was the biggest auditorium in Europe, with seating for 4,004 people. Since then, The State has played host to a galaxy of stars — The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Marilyn Monroe, David Bowie, Louis Armstrong, Sarah Vaughan, George Formby, Deep Purple, and many many more. And for the past 20 years, The State has been run by Mecca Bingo.

Last week it was reported that the Mecca Bingo Club building in Kilburn High Road, London has been sold for £9 million to a popular gospel church group. The building has been owned by the Rank Group for over sixty years, since the 1940’s and is a gorgeous building that was built in an Italian Renaissance design, it has a tower that reaches 130 feet high and is a Grade II listed building.

It was made into a bingo club in the 1960’s. The Mecca Bingo building is the latest in a long line of historic buildings to fall prey to the New Gambling Act, smoking ban and taxation changes, and it seems that it won’t be the last.

With many independent bingo operators and other entertainment and leisure companies such as UK pub chains struggling to keep their heads above water, the fact that the big brand names are having to offload properties does not seem to bode well for them.

Is West Hampstead the UK Pizza Capital?

The Camden New Journal reports ‘In Highgate, there are moans that every other shop is an estate agent, while shoppers in Camden Town reckon they are swamped with mobile phone shops.

But in West Hampstead, residents say they are “swimming in pizza”.Italian food chain Strada is to open in West End Lane, bringing the total number of pizza restaurants and takeaways in the street to eight.

“We’re swimming in pizza,” said Virginia Berridge, chair of the West Hampstead Action and Transport group.“It seems a bit ridiculous but the people seem to like them.

Let the market forces prevail.”Lib Dem councillor Flick Rea said: “West End Lane does have some protection but we we have no control over what sort of restaurant opens – maybe one day people will get tired of pizza and they’ll open something else.”

Wine Tasting & Home Information Packs Q&A

We’re organising an informal wine tasting evening for property owners with a question and answer session about HIPs and the TDS at our new offices.

Date: Thursday 22nd November 2007

Time: 6:30PM – 8:30PM

Location: Paramount Offices, 150 West End Lane, West Hampstead, London NW6

In response to requests from the many home owners struggling to get to grips with new government legislation critical to the sale or rental of their property Paramount have taken action by organising informative Question and Answer sessions about Home Information Packs (HIPs) and The Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) on Thursday 22nd November 2007 from 6:30PM. An expert on HIPs, Mike Georgiou, will be the guest speaker on this topic.

All property owners are invited to Paramount’s new offices located at 150 West End Lane, West Hampstead, London NW6 where the informal Q&A will be hosted starting at 7:00PM. Also, during the evening a pleasing selection of fine wines will be featured for tasting starting from 6:30PM. For organisational purposes, interested guests should please confirm their attendance.

Paramount has also created two additional pages to their website dedicated to providing key information about HIPs and TDS in an easy-to- read format at; Home Information Pack FAQs and Tenancy Deposit Scheme FAQs.

“We have received so many queries about these topics we thought it was an ideal time to organise a question and answer session for property owners,” says Mark Greig, Managing Director of Paramount. “Our approach has always been to provide estate agency services that extend beyond just ‘selling or renting’ properties; and to help keep our clients informed of legislative changes within the sector. This evening presents an opportunity to receive valuable information in an open forum setting where questions are encouraged and directly responded to by industry experts,” Concludes Mark Greig.

Following the launch of Home Information Packs in September 2007 property owners have new responsibilities when marketing their property for sale. Currently only required for all three or more bedroom homes, by January of next year this is set to change with the inclusion of both one and two bedroom properties. On our website home owners can find out the answers to questions such as: ‘What are Home Information Packs? When do I have to complete a Home Information Pack? How will a HIP impact me as the seller? My property was on the market prior to HIPs were enforced, do I still require one?’ These and many others will also be addressed at the Q&A.

Similarly The Tenancy Deposit Scheme created to protect the rights of tenants also creates many questions for Landlords who wish to not only fulfil their responsibilities but equally to understand how to safeguard their own rights. Questions such as: ‘What is the TDS scheme? What are my responsibilities and rights as a Landlord? What are the different types of schemes?’ These too, will be addressed at the Q&A.

Paramount has been established since 1989 and provides sales, lettings, management, investment and commercial services.

For further information about the Questions and Answer session please call Harriet Gay at Paramount at 020 7644 2303 or via email at Harrietg@paramount-properties.co.uk.

Home Information Packs, HIPs

Home Information Packs Can Help to Sell Your Property

The Government has launched Home Information Packs (HIPs) aimed at improving the selling and buying experience when purchasing a property. Since the 10th of September 2007 a HIP is now required for the sale of all three or more bedroom properties within the UK. Current legislation states that one and two bedroom properties will come into force on the 1st January 2008.

The HIP will give prospective buyers information about the title to your property, what you are selling – a freehold or leasehold – and include basic searches of the local authority and the drainage and water authority. Sellers of leasehold property will need to include a copy of the lease in the HIP along with service charge accounts (3 years) and management and landlord information.

All properties must have an EPC – Energy Performance Certificate – that assesses its energy efficiency. The HCR – Home Condition Report is no longer a compulsory element for the HIP but the government hopes that sellers will see benefits for its inclusion in the HIP. There are relaxations and exceptions from the new rules so careful planning is advisable.

If you are interested in the scope of the HIP and learning how Paramount can help your HIP to sell your property contact us. If you want to get your property on to the market quickly we can arrange your HIP

We will obtain a HIP for your property and make it available to you whilst we have sole selling rights. This offer is subject to terms and conditions which you will be asked to agree to before appointing us.

” Get your property quickly on the market with Paramount.” Save one upfront cost plus the hassle of doing it yourself.

Contact Robert Lazarus, Director of Sales at 020 7644 2303 for details about this offer or with general questions relating to the sale of your property.

We’re organising an informal wine tasting evening for property owners with a question and answer session about HIPs at our new offices.

Property Sales & Rentals in London NW3

London NW3 is one of London’s most desirable residential areas.

Hampstead’s exceptional period properties are conveniently located next to 800 acres of wonderful open heathland. The area includes Belsize Park, Hampstead, Hampstead Village and Swiss Cottage

Victorian development after the Industrial Revolution was hampered by the gradients of Parliament Hill and the area still glows with Georgian village elegance–narrow cobblestone lanes, gas lamps, blue plaques noting where Keats, Freud, and other famous locals lived.

This former Spa resort of wealthy Londoners boasts a whole host of upmarket specialist shops-everything from designer clothes, speciality foods, second hand bookshops and antiques. There are also lots of cafes, restaurants and wine bars, as well as some fine old English pubs.

• Hampstead Village: Georgian and Victorian terraces , mansion block apartments, cottages and exclusive redevelopments. Hampstead Village

• Hampstead: Victorian houses, Victorian terraces and large family homes with views over the heath Hampstead

• Swiss Cottage: Victorian mansions, luxurious new developments, and large family homes on attractive tree-lined streets. Swiss Cottage

• Belsize Park: Victorian houses, modern developments and council properties. Belsize Park

South Hampstead School Plan

Multi million pound plans to revamp a Hampstead school have been unveiled and bosses claim the facilities will benefit the whole country.

South Hampstead High School in Maresfield Gardens gave the Ham&High a sneak preview of the ambitious plans it is about to submit to Camden Council.

Proposals, which involve bulldozing part of the site, will double the size of the independent school, whose alumni includes the actress Helena Bonham Carter.

Bosses would not reveal the exact cost of the scheme but it will include a new sports hall, music and arts centres and a roof terrace with views over the capital.

Headteacher Jenny Stephen said: “The girls here are remarkably creative. We want to give them every opportunity to fulfil their potential.

“If you think of the talents they have, their intellectual property and what they are going to do for London, and for Britain, you could say we are investing in the future in a very big way.”

Freehold and leasehold pubs for sale in UK

New figures from the Greater London Authority reveal a massive increase in the number of fresh applications for planning permission for new homes on existing non-residential sites such as pubs, bars, clubs and hotels.

More than 130,000 planning applications were lodged last year and conversion work has already begun on 85,000 sites.

The figures for the previous year were 90,000 and 40,000.

‘The Pub trade is down. and the big breweries know the value of the properties. Many of them have decided that it is more profitable to sell them off to property developers for housing than run them as a pub,’ said Gavin Sherman of the Paramount investment property team.

‘But finding the perfect pub for development doesn’t happen by chance. The ability to determine your investment needs, identify problem areas and ask the right questions will help you make the right property investment choice before you proceed with any agreement’ he says.

We advise national brewers and pub companies largely on property acquisitions, disposals, estate management work and associated commercial issues. The market is very active in the sale of trading or closed pubs for re-development conditional upon planning and licensing.’ he continued..

‘Today we have had 8 new pubs that have never before on the market before. They all have their own redevelopment angle with out buildings and car parking space. One comes with an acre of land’
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