From Oversights to Liabilities: Common Pitfalls of Self-Management
If one of your commercial tenants was impacting the value of your investment – perhaps by subletting to a subtenant with an inferior covenant or making unauthorised alterations – would you know? How quickly would you find out? Would you be able to take swift and effective action to enforce the terms of the lease […]
Unlocking the Commercial Potential of Historic Buildings
Historic buildings can provide a unique and characterful home for a business. Often – and particularly in smaller towns across the Thames Valley – they are conveniently located in attractive central locations. With sympathetic adaptation they can provide an exceptional setting for small offices, shops, lifestyle businesses or cafes. There are many potential positives, including […]
How To Handle Access and Oversailing Issues with Neighbouring Properties
Maintaining a commercial property – particularly in more densely populated urban areas, can create access issues with neighbours. There may be no practical, safe or cost-effective way to carry out works without accessing a neighbouring property or oversailing with a crane or scaffolding. It helps if you understand your legal rights and obligations in these […]
Law Commission’s Interim Statement signals direction of Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 Reform
In late 2024 the Law Commission published their first consultation on their review of Part 2 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. The consultation sought feedback on several models for business tenancies ranging from mandatory protection of all leases to full abolition of the Act. The British Property Federation (acting in the interests of […]
Demand for Retail and Leisure Units is High!
The keyboard warriors on social media would have you believe that the high street is dead, however the truth is somewhat different. According to the two leading industry research organisations, Estates Gazette and CoStar, the reading based firm of Hicks Baker transact on more retail and leisure lettings in Berkshire than any other commercial firm, […]
Sorbon Estates Acquires Freehold of St. Martin’s Centre, Caversham and Hicks Baker are delighted to be re-instructed
Sorbon Estates (www.sorbonestates.com) the Beaconsfield-based commercial property investment arm of the Shanly Group, has purchased the St. Martin’s Centre in Caversham, Reading. The centre occupies a prime location on Church Street in the heart of Caversham and is home to leading retailers including Waitrose as well as a variety of specialist independent businesses. Hicks Baker […]
Security Of Tenure: Time For A Change?
The Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 is the foundation of the commercial property legal framework that governs relationships between landlords and tenants. The right to renew a tenancy set out in Part 2 of the Act is one of its most important provisions. The Act is now 70 years old and the most recent review […]
Q3 2024 Retail Market Commentary plus focus on Windsor
Q3 2024 saw a changing of the political guard, with Labour taking up office after 14 years of a conservative government. The first budget on 30th October by the new Chancellor of the exchequer Rachel Reeves, brought in a definite end to the current Retail Rates Relief of a 75% discount on rates in April […]
Responding to the demands of today’s office occupiers.
It has been well documented that the office market has been heavily impacted since the pandemic. Flexible working trends, that may have previously been periphery pre-Covid, suddenly came to the fore during the pandemic, and have remained central to most firm’s working practices ever since. For many office occupiers, looking to attract and retain the […]
Honesty Cafe Opens at Horlicks Quarter, Slough
We are excited to share that the Honesty Group has launched a new coffee shop at the iconic Horlicks Quarter in Slough, marking the first commercial outlet in this remarkable redevelopment by Berkeley Homes. The new Honesty Cafe, located in Clocktower Place, adds to the growing number of establishments by the Honesty Group, now boasting […]
