Law No. 21.398 "Pro-Consumer", which was published on December 24, 2021, entered into force yesterday March 24th 2022, increasing the term of the legal guarantee for consumers from 3 to 6 months ...
The Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act received Royal Assent on 15 March 2022. Its effects will be felt far and wide across the UK real estate industry. We explained in our article Economic Crime Bill – what it means for real estate, that the aim of the new Act is to crack down on foreign criminals using UK property to launder money ...
The Corporate Transparency Act (the “Act”) was enacted by Congress on January 1, 2021, as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. The Act’s purpose is to curtail shell companies often used in corporate transactions, including real estate transactions, from conducting illegal activities made possible by concealing the ownership and control of such entities ...
How has the use of digital technology, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, contributed to the rise in fraud? As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses experienced a rapid and significant increase in the use of digital technology. Bearing in mind health concerns, as well as business continuity, many businesses began to shift to widespread remote working environments ...
A decision this week from the Third District Court of Appeals serves as a reminder for why contractors need to be aware of all of the terms of the warranties they rely on and pass on to their customers. In West Bay Plaza Condominium Association v. Sika Corporation, a condominium association appealed the dismissal of its lawsuit due to claims that the lawsuit was filed in the wrong location ...
Last week the government issued the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill. The bill looks set to become law later this month and it will have a significant impact on the process of overseas entities acquiring or disposing of land in the UK ...
In December, Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal reversed a judgment in favor of a landlord holding that a contractor’s lien could not attach to the real property being improvement by a tenant of the landlord. The reversal allowed the contractor’s lien enforcement claim to proceed. K.D. Construction of Florida, Inc. v. MDM Retail Ltd, arose from improvements made to a movie theater by a contractor ...
Since the beginning of the year, Florida’s courts have issued three decisions impacting contractors, which are summarized below. Does Failure to Obtain Local Licenses Render Contracts Unenforceable? A decision from Florida’s Fourth District Court of Appeal addressed the issue of whether a subcontractor that failed to obtain local licenses required by a county ordinance was allowed to litigate claims for work that required those licenses ...
On 19 January 2022, the Scottish Government approved legislation that will require local authorities to set up licensing schemes for short-term lets, and require all short-term let properties to hold a suitable licence ...
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act from the U.S. Congress, signed into law November 15 by President Biden, provides $1.2 trillion to rebuild roads and bridges, water infrastructure, resilience, and internet, with a focus on infrastructure improvements and expansion of broadband networks. The Biden Administration has established a website for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that contains helpful links to programs and program descriptions ...
When contractors are engaged in construction projects, the employer/clientundertakes to make payments to the contractor in instalments and through the mechanisms provided under their contract. One important mechanism for payment in a construction contract is the contractor’s payment application. Usually, the contract will require that the contractor submitsits payment application every month or after the agreed milestones ...
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act brings opportunity for ANCs and their partners The $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (The Act) presents great opportunities for Alaska Native corporations (ANCs) to participate in broadband and other infrastructure projects ...
Here’s a fun conversation starter for lenders, borrowers and attorneys who regularly work on HUD-insured multifamily and health care facility loans: If HUD had a list of Ten Commandments for obtaining a HUD-insured loan, what would be Commandment No. 1? Most professionals in the HUD-insured loan universe would likely put the “first lien” requirement at or near the top of the list of Ten Commandments ...
The living sector will continue to provide opportunities and challenges for investors, developers and residents, alike. The government is set to turn the page on pandemic restrictions, with most set to stop in England on 26 January. Time will tell if this will be the year when we can get back to a more normal way of life, but one thing we can be sure of is that the living sector will continue to provide opportunities and challenges for investors, developers and residents, alike ...
Trends in leasehold transactions during 2021 and expectations for 2022. Now that the decorations are back in the loft, retailers are announcing their Christmas trading updates. There is a general consensus that the retail sector had a difficult time in 2021 as has been the trend in modern years and whilst some retailers will be announcing positive news to the markets, there are undoubtably some that are likely to continue to have a challenging time in 2022 ...
Keeping up to date with the shifting property landscape is never easy. So, what do property professionals need to keep in mind for 2022? Developers Building Safety Bill Residential developers will need to pay close attention to the progress of the Building Safety Bill through parliament ...
As the pandemic persists and the disruption of the previous two years continues to impact projects, the construction industry faces a continued period of uncertainty in 2022. Further disruption The pandemic and issues around the availability of materials may continue to disrupt projects into 2022 leading to higher costs and further delays ...
The Land Registry is the gatekeeper of legal ownership of land in England and Wales. A prompt and successful application for registration is an essential step at the end of most property transactions. In this article we will look at why registration of property transactions is important and the consequences of delays in the process. We will highlight common difficulties and barriers to registration and provide practical advice to overcome them ...
A hot topic on many local authority agendas for this year will be the regeneration of their town centres. The way we shop, eat and work is ever changing, and our town centres need to be ready to accommodate a more diverse and flexible way of life. A lifestyle not necessarily brought on by, but certainly expedited by the COVID-19 pandemic ...
