<p>Filter Knowledge</p>

In the first of 3 briefings looking into the range of tenures available for use in developing new retirement accommodation schemes, this piece discusses the report published this month by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Housing and Care for Older People called: ‘Making retirement living affordable: the role of shared ownership housing'.  The report results from an enquiry set up by the group in December 2021, supported by a panel of 6 independent members from both the profit and not-for-profit housing sectors, to investigate whether the shared ownership model could help make high-quality retirement housing in England accessible to a much larger market than the other main options of purchasing properties outright or renting from a social housing provider.

Landlords, operators and managers of buildings in England that contain 2 or more residential units which share communal spaces will be impacted by the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 (the "Regulations") that come into effect on 23 January 2023. They are laid under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 ("Fire Safety Order"), and implement the majority of the recommendations set out in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 report.

In this briefing we look at some of the key changes to law and practice that we anticipate taking place in 2023 which will affect the real estate sector, focussing on real estate development, real estate investment, real estate M&A, real estate occupiers, the senior living sector and the private rental sector.

We reported last summer on the Government's 2021 consultation about the design and implementation of the Building Safety Levy (the "Levy"). It is intended to contribute to the costs of anticipated building safety expenditure to ensure that neither the taxpayer nor tenants have to pay for the remediation of safety defects in the existing high-rise housing stock. Since that consultation, the scope of the Levy has expanded to apply to all new residential developments that require building control approval (with a few exceptions). The Building Safety Act 2022 has also been enacted, section 58 of which gives the Secretary of State broad powers to raise a Levy on any in-scope building.

There is plenty going on of interest to those in the real estate sector, both domestically (e.g. the recent “mini-Budget” and Autumn Statement announcements) and internationally (e.g. the signing of a new UK/Luxembourg double tax treaty), and with so many tax developments progressing it can be difficult to stay on top of things. Our briefing provides a checklist of the key tax issues to be aware of (including future developments) and sets out the actions you should be undertaking now in preparation.

Episode 8 of the Real Estate bitesize series covers the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022, and the upcoming deadline of 31 January 2023 to register overseas entities on the new Register of Overseas Entities at Companies House.

Welcome to the inaugural edition of the Travers Smith Infrastructure newsletter.

Travers Smith LLP has advised long-standing client, SSP Group, on its acquisition of AMT Coffee from its administrators in an accelerated transaction.

Kyle Rainsford joins Travers Smith's Tax Team as senior associate.

The UK's Prime Minister may have changed but the Growth Plan unveiled in September remains in place - at least for now. Armed with new powers to repeal and replace EU law under the so-called Brexit Freedoms Bill, the Plan appears to envisage an ambitious programme of regulatory reform.

Our regular round-up of recent and forthcoming developments in law and practice for in-house counsel.

Travers Smith LLP has advised an investment vehicle backed by Burger King UK ("BKUK"), a Bridgepoint investee company, on its acquisition of Karali Limited and Teresina Limited (the "Karali Group"). The acquisition of the Karali Group, being the second largest portfolio of Burger King franchise restaurants in the UK, will result in 74 Burger King restaurants being added to the BKUK portfolio.

Travers Smith LLP has advised Storeshield Limited, a subsidiary of the BOC Group, on the sale of Gist to Marks & Spencer. Gist is a contract logistics business with approximately 5,800 employees across the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

Since the Government introduced the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022 (the "Act") in March this year, there has been uncertainty as to how overseas entities (or those who deal with them) should prepare for the introduction of the new Overseas Entities Register (the "Register").  Some of those questions have now been answered, as we explain below.

The Government's 2017 white paper "Fixing our broken housing market" contained a number of proposals for improving the private rental sector ("PRS") for renters. In the 6 weeks since the Queen's Speech in May this year, there have been indications that some of these ideas will be taken forwards, including: changes in the way that "contractual controls" are registered at HM Land Registry, the introduction of minimum standards for housing in the PRS, and the abolition of both the section 21 method of obtaining vacant possession and the assured shorthold tenancy.

Travers Smith LLP is delighted to announce the appointment of Emma Pereira as Head of Real Estate, the promotion of Sarah Walker to the partnership and Catherine O'Driscoll to Senior Counsel.

Last month, the UK Government set out its legislative programme for this Parliament in the Queen's Speech. In this briefing, we look at some of the proposals relevant to business which have had less media attention.

Travers Smith were delighted to advise leading marketing data and analytics company, Kantar Group, on its agreement to acquire Qmee, a UK-based app survey platform and fraud prevention technology provider, from private equity fund manager, Capital D.

Travers Smith LLP were delighted to advise long-standing client Hamberley (backed by Patron Capital) on the sale of over £200m of care home assets to Rynda Healthcare (Rynda) and Octopus Real Estate (Octopus).

We recently released our update on the Commercial Rents (Coronavirus) Bill and the changes to Covid-19 restrictions on landlord enforcement options that came into effect in March 2022.