The proposed design of the new building has not wowed commentators.

A proposal for a seven-storey building in the centre of Inverness which will house student flats and shops has been branded as ‘boring’.

The new development will cost around £5 million and would be the first part of a student hub in the city. The Inverness Civic Trust has described the design of the building as ‘soulless and boring.’

The building would house three shops on the ground floor and six floors of student flats above on a site next to the Rose Street retail park.

A design statement submitted to council planners in support of the building said that the development meets criteria set out in the Highland Council’s city centre development brief; that the area should be earmarked for new businesses and student development.

The developers, Inverness Properties, say that the building would house 102 students in 26 four bed cluster flats. Charlie Barbour, a partner in Inverness Properties said the firm had more plans for the future;

“A further block is planned for July 2014. Between the two blocks we would hope to accommodate seething in the region of 320 students.”

The Chariman of the Inverness Civic Trust, John West, told the Courier yesterday: “We are very keen that the old town be regenerated and life brought back into it, but this building looks as if it has been built down to price.

“It’s disappointing that the building is a bit soulless and boring. Inverness has suffered in recent years by a whole series of pretty basic buildings and I had hoped we had moved on from that.”

If you still need to book your tickets to the Landlord and Letting Show click here.

Murray Hall is one of the buildings earmarked for demolition and redevelopment.

A major redevelopment of the campus accommodation at Stirling University has been approved by Stirling Council.

The plans will include the demolition of some of the existing accommodation which is outdated. Instead 800 new bedspaces spread across four locations will be built.

The new buildings will be a mixture of cluster flats, studio apartments and townhouses for families.

The multi-million pound project is the largest investment made by the University since the campus was built in the 1960s. The development will take three years to complete, but the modernisation of the campus will make the university more appealing in the competitive market.

Karen Plouviez, director of estates and campus services for the University said: ” The approval of our planning application represents a major milestone in this exciting and challenging project.”

“The new accommodation will reflect the expectation soy today’s students and help to maintain Stirling’s enviable position as a place where student satisfaction with the all-round campus experience is high. The local economy will benefit from the additional holiday and conference business that will be generated.”

The project will cost £43m and is self financing. Murray Hall, Geddes Court and AK Davidson Hall will be demolished, with the Murray Hall and AK Davidson sites being redeveloped.

The university has a total of 2800 student bedrooms on and off campus. Each of the three phases of development will be staggered taking around 14 months each.

Manor Bank is a popular hall of residence, close to the picturesque Quayside.

A member of the security team from the Unite owned, Northumbria halls of residence, Manor Bank has been arrested on suspicion of burglary.

Northumbria Police revealed that after residents reported the disappearance of possessions over the Easter break a 24 year old man was arrested.

Three women, two 19 and one 18 were arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods, but were later relaxed with a caution.

It is thought that the items that went missing were high value electrical goods.

The Unite group charges £145 a week to stay at the Quayside halls of residence, which are protected by CCTV surveillance, with swipe card access and intercoms.

It is alleged that the front gate was not secure, and could often just be pushed open and that rats entering the building has become a problem.

A statement from Unite, who are Britain’s largest student landlord said: “thefts from our properties are rare and while we regret that this unusual and isolated incident took place, we applaud the quick and responsible actions of the UNITE team at Manor Bank.”

Additionally they stated “providing a safe, secure home for the students who live with us is our utmost priority.”

Some of the items have now been recovered.

Residents are planning an end-of-year party with the fancy dress theme of robbers, rats and security guards.

Four students took their landlord to court without any legal assistance.

Four Newcastle University students have won a legal battle against their landlord over unpaid deposits.

At the end of the two year tenancy the four students living in Doncaster Road in Sandyford were promised the return of their deposits once all remaining utility bills were settled.

However, after making the payments the students were told that money was being withheld to repair locks in the property.

Tenant, Helen Ogley, a Chemistry student decided to try to contact her landlord but received no response through texts, phone calls and letters. She sought advice from the Student Advice Centre, and decided to file a claim with the Small Claims Court.

The landlord replied to the claim with a counterclaim of £2,500, citing compensation for the time he would spend defending himself. He also claimed that money was needed for a water damaged floor that must be replaced. Ogley claimed this was due to a leak in the bathroom and kitchen.

An agreement could not be made for mediation, so a court date was set for April 13th.

At the hearing Ogley and her flatmate Emily Wheeler provided transcripts from text messages, emails and letters. The judge heard four witness statements. The landlord provided invoices from the contractor that had replaced the damaged floors and broken doors totalling £1,950.

The property had been let through student property lettings agency Stud-lets, but the landlord has since changed agents and is no linger affiliated with the company.

Speaking after the hearing Wheeler said

“The judge almost didn’t let this invoice be used in court because it hadn’t been submitted before the court date. He also found it a bit ridiculous that the bathroom floor had cost that much.

“We stated that we had not caused the water damage and that the doors had not been damaged enough to be replaced. In the end the judge decided that the damage had been caused by a leak that was not our fault, meaning that the landlord couldn’t claim any of the money he wanted from us.”

The judge ruled that he landlord had 30 days to repay the £1040 owed to the students, as well as £66 accumulated in interest on their deposits.

Shameless plug:

The show hosts the world wide premier of ‘How to Ensure You Always Get Your Rent’ (Wednesday, 2.30pm Seminar room 1) – you will learn:

1. The three step rent process
2. The one thing you should never, ever do with a deposit
3. 4 ways to ensure you always get their last month’s rent
4. The different payment options and which to use for you
5. plus lots more

  Wednesday 2nd May
2012 Seminar
Room 1 Seminar
Room 2
Seminar
Room 3 10.30am 10.45am 11.00am The dangers and hazards of cannabis farms for landlords

Stuart
Wright,Envirovent

Both our seminars are on Wednesday 2nd May: ‘How to ensure you always get your rent’ (Wednesday, 2.30pm Seminar room 1) and ‘The seven secrets of succesful student letting’ (Wednesday, 4pm Seminar room 3). We hope to see you there.

Tenants are struggling to make ends meet, which could prove a bump in the road for the inexperienced landlord.

ARLA has released new research that suggests that UK tenants are feeling the strain of the recession.

Some four in ten of the Association of Letting Agents’ members reported an increase in the number of their tenants who are struggling to pay their rents.

It is thought that as a result of tenants’ tight budgets many more are trying to ‘knock down’ and negotiate rental prices with their landlords. Haggling over rents is most commonly seen in the North East of England and the South West. Tenants in London are the least likely to quibble a rental price.

Ian Potter, Operations Manager at ARLA, said: “With unemployment predicted to rise and average rents also increasing in some parts of the country, it seems more and more tenants are finding it impossible to make ends meet.”

This data is worrying for landlords as an increase on those defaulting on rent payments could lead to cash flow problems. First time landlords may find themselves crippled if they are unable to cover the mortgage and insurance costs when a tenant cannot pay.

Mr Potter explained; ”It is likely that the same is happening for landlords, who may find their mortgage rate is rising. At worst, this double whammy may result in landlords defaulting on mortgages and tenants being forced to move out of a property.”

Carrying out thorough and proper tenant referencing and checks is now more pertinent than ever. It is not unreasonable to ask for a brief summary of a tenant’s financial situation, a landlord needs to know how the rent will be paid.

Zoe Anderson died when a incorrectly fitted boiler flue leaked deadly carbon monoxide gas.

A gas fitter has been sentenced to serve three years imprisonment for manslaughter following the death of a 24 year old woman at her father’s home in Bath.

Andrew Hartley of Radstock, Somerset was convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence. Zoe Anderson was found dead by her boyfriend at her father’s home on 29th December 2010.

Some two weeks earlier Hartley had fitted a new boiler in the property but had ‘botched’ the job, failing to secure the flue pipe properly.

This caused the boiler to leak poisonous carbon monoxide gas into the shower-room that Zoe was using.

Sentencing Hartley at Bristol Crown Court Judge Neil Ford said that he was a respected man, and a good and loving father, and while there was no malice in his actions, he must “pay the price for an isolated but serious criminal offence.”

It was first believed that Zoe had fallen and banged her head, but it was later discovered that she had died from inhaling carbon monoxide. The fumes leaked from the faulty boiler in the garage and she succumbed within 30 minutes.

Hartley had admitted a charge of breaching gas safety regulations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The Landlord and Letting Show is coming to the North East for the first time.

For the first time the Landlord and Letting Show is coming to the North East on Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3rd May 2012.

The UK’s number one free to attend event for property professionals will take place at the Lancastrian Suite in Gateshead.

The Show will offer

• A comprehensive product and services exhibition
• Three seminar theatres covering a wide range of topics delivered by industry experts
• Access to guidance and information from governing bodies and accreditation schemes.
• Confidential advice clinics

The event will no doubt be a chance to mix with other landlords and will benefit those at all levels of experience in the industry.

Click on this link to book your free tickets.

If you are unable to attend the North East show there are other events planned across the country.

• Manchester – 27th & 28th June
• London – 4th &5th September
• Glasgow – 10th & 11th October
• Coventry 28th & 29th November

More information is available from the website here.