Central St Martins gives King's Cross the edge
Central St Martins' new campus is fizzing and the first of 2,000 homes are launched, as 67 acres of King's Cross becomes London's hottest district.
Property insider: Kingston upon Thames
There is something of a buy-to-let boom quietly rumbling away in Kingston upon Thames, the family favourite south-west London suburb. We get the property lowdown.
Spotlight on Stoke Newington
Young professionals and families are attracted to "Stokey" by the mainly Victorian housing stock and the neighbourhood's arty and bohemian vibe.
Spotlight on Harpenden
Close to woods and parkland, with good links to London, this small town has a lot to offer those looking to start a new life out of the city.
Design trends: loving red
We've found five red-hot gifts and gadgets to let your Valentine know that home is where the heart is.
Find a rated tradesman
Want to add value to your property, make your house a home, or sell your place fast? With 1,000s of tradesmen nationwide, rated and recommended by previous customers, this is the smart way to find a reputable tradesman.
Buy of the week: Streatham Hill
On leafy Downton Avenue in SW2, plenty of family space can be yours for £550,000 at this Edwardian home. There are four bedrooms and a convertible loft space, and the open-plan kitchen/breakfast room has French windows to a good-size garden.
Swap of the week: Dalwood, Devon
Cosy up by woodburning stoves or cook a feast in the vaulted kitchen/breakfast room of this 18th-century thatch for £525,000. Three bedrooms overlook cottage gardens and a timber studio makes a perfect home office.
Life-changer: St Erth Praze, Cornwall
Tregenhorne Farm (£550,000) has four acres of paddocks, stables and valley views, minutes from Cornwall's north coast. You can run your own equestrian business from the garden office and the four-bedroom home has a country kitchen with an Aga.
Spotlight on Harpenden
Close to woods and parkland, with good links to London, this small town has a lot to offer those looking to start a new life out of the city.
Property search
Benefit charity in your will
By Alex Sheridan
London solicitors are offering to draw up wills for free in return for a donation to charity. The deal, available in November and with more than 250 legal firms involved, is part of the annual Will Aid campaign.The suggested donation is £75 for a single person’s will or £110 for a couple, with the donations being shared between charities including the NSPCC, Save the Children UK and Action Aid. Donations also qualify for Gift Aid tax relief, boosting their value.
Why make a will?
Most people do not have a will, but dying “intestate” can lead to loved ones not being properly provided for. Couples living together who are not married have no automatic right to inherit when one partner dies without a will. And while current law offers protection for spouses and civil partners, they can still be required to share the estate with other.
Where there is no will and the estate is worth more than £250,000, the excess has to be split between the surviving partner and children. Where there are no children, the parents and siblings of the deceased can also be entitled to a share.
Visit www.willaid.org.uk or call 0300 0300 013.
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