- U.S.CNN
7-year-old's bracelet making raises $20,000 for hospital pandemic gear
Hayley Orlinsky wanted to fundraise $200 for Chicago's Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's hospital by making colorful rubber band bracelets.
- EntertainmentTotal Film Magazine
Marvel announce Fantastic Four movie and four new Disney Plus shows
Plus, Marvel revealed multiple new trailer and new casting announcements...
- BusinessThe Telegraph
Victory for leasehold buyers as major developers abolish ground rents and short leases
Property buyers will be freed from potentially ruinous ground rent charges and short leases after several major builders agreed to drop controversial terms for new-build flats. Some of Britain’s biggest developers, including Taylor Wimpey, Countryside and Barratt, have agreed to drop expensive ground rent charges for future property sales. Others have decided to offer significantly longer leases to customers after residents found it impossible to sell their homes and switch mortgages. Ground rent contracts often have clauses which allow freeholders to double their charges every 10 years. In some cases this has led to homeowners paying more in ground rent and management fees than for their mortgage repayments. Banks have also declined mortgage applications from these customers, fearing that they will be unable to meet these increased outgoings. While builders will allow new buyers to avoid expensive leasehold agreements, many existing homeowners are trapped. Builders have come under pressure to cut ground rents after Homes England announced that all properties sold under the replacement Help to Buy scheme (which opens for registrations on December 16) must have nominal, or “peppercorn”, ground rent only. But many developers are now extending the policy across all new build homes in their pipeline. Taylor Wimpey said that all plots sold on or after December 1 2020 will have a peppercorn ground rent. It is reviewing its other terms, such as length of leases. Countryside will similarly impose a peppercorn Ground Rent on all new build flats going forward (including those not bought under Help to Buy). There are some exceptions, such as when Countryside is not the freeholder. Leases on new Countryside flats are currently for 250 years. Bellway has confirmed homes in all new developments will have peppercorn ground rent and 999-year lease terms. Pressure on house builders has been increasing for some time. Campaigners have long argued for changes to the leasehold system, and the Competition and Markets Authority launched enforcement action against four house builders in September. The watchdog alleged that Barratt Developments, Countryside Properties, Persimmon Homes and Taylor Wimpey had broken consumer protection laws and mis-sold homes. The Government announced plans to ban leasehold sales of new-build houses, but campaigners have argued that these controversial contracts should also be scrapped from flats and other properties. In 2017, Persimmon stopped selling leasehold houses on land where Persimmon owns the freehold. Buyers who have purchased in the last six years have a right to buy their lease below market value. Yet there is so far no industry-wide plan or guidance on these issues. A spokesman for the Home Builders Federation, a trade body, said: “The industry has made huge progress to identify and address the issues raised on particular aspects of leasehold sales. Whilst many builders are now setting zero ground rents, the lease terms are for individual companies to determine based on a range of factors, some totally outside the builder’s control." They added: "In the absence of a workable commonhold system, it remains to be seen what future model of home ownership will emerge for owners of apartments without professional freehold relationships.”
- WorldThe Telegraph
Politics latest news: No-deal 'very, very likely' Boris Johnson says, as Emmanuel Macron defends hardline stance
Boris Johnson readies Britain for a no-deal Brexit Outcry over plans to block Britons travelling to EU from Jan 1 Coronavirus self-isolation cut to 10 days from Monday Coronavirus latest news: Follow updates in our live blog Subscribe today for a one-month free trial Boris Johnson has warned that the prospect of no-deal is now "very, very likely", after Emmanuel Macron insisted that he would not be prepared to relinquish his share of fisheries. The Prime Minister said that leaving without an agreement would be "wonderful for the UK and we’d be able to do exactly what we want" from January. "It obviously would be different from what we’d set out to achieve but I have no doubt this country can get ready and, as I say, come out on World Trade terms," he said. It comes after Emmanuel Macron has insisted that he was not "asking to have my cake and eat it” during Brexit negotiations. The French President, who has taken a hard stance on fisheries, insisted that he was not prepared to “give up my share”. He said: “I’m not asking to have my cake and eat it, no. All I want is a cake that’s worth it’s weight because I won’t give up my share of it either.” Earlier Ursula von der Leyen told EU leaders she was pessimistic about striking a successful Brexit trade deal, during a presentation on Brexit at an EU summit in Brussels. An EU official said: "The situation is difficult. The main obstacles remain. The probability of a no-deal is higher than of a deal. It is to be seen by Sunday whether a deal is possible." Follow the latest updates below.
- PoliticsHouse Beautiful
Kamala Harris's Soon-to-Be Residence Includes a Hot Tub Installed by Dan Quayle
Every VP since 1977 has called One Observatory Circle home.
- BusinessGood Housekeeping
Amazon Has a Secret Warehouse Section Where You Never Pay Full Price for Items
You should always check Amazon Warehouse first before buying anything!
- EntertainmentElle
Taylor Swift's 'Champagne Problems' Lyrics Are About a Rejected Proposal. She Answered If It's Joe Alwyn's
Taylor left an important note to accompany her new music.
