Archive

Propertymark has issued a reminder to agents about anti-money laundering (AML) compliance as HMRC declared fines of more than £1.6m for...

Managing tenant deposits is a crucial part of any letting agent’s responsibilities. Ensuring compliance with regulations and safeguarding both landlord and...

Typical consumer spending on mortgages and rents increased 3.6% in April – the first increase in the rate of growth since...

An anti-money laundering (AML) expert has queried why there is a reluctance among estate agents to accept and follow AML responsibilities. It...

Everyone seems to be talking about artificial intelligence (AI) right now. It is an issue which has been bubbling under since Covid -...

As you begin the process of property transactions in the UK, it's important to understand potential pitfalls that may result in...

Introduced to Parliament in May, the Renters (Reform) Bill seeks to improve the private rental sector for both tenants and landlords....

In recent years, the UK private rented sector has witnessed a significant increase in government regulation aimed at raising standards for...

Tackling economic crime is part of the day job for estate agents. But how can the latest digital ID tools help...

CRMs can be superheroes for your business, but not all of them possess the necessary powers to save the day. As...

Propertymark is working with an Anti-Money Laundering service to stage a webinar for agents wanting to know more about compliance. At the...

Following publication of the Renter’s Reform Bill and the media coverage surrounding it, many agents and their landlords will understandably have...

Recent research estimated that up to £100 billion is being stolen in the UK each year, with much of it due...

New data reveals nearly two-thirds of homebuyers actively avoided areas of high air pollution when on the hunt for their current...

The competition watchdog is set to shine a spotlight on property, with investigations into the housebuilding market and a separate project...

Estate agency brand Douglas & Gordon was confirmed to have entered administration yesterday. There were rumours over the weekend that the well-known...

Two of the biggest challenges facing the property industry right now are fraud and money laundering. The scale of these activities is...

AML experts SmartSearch warn estate agents that, with so many firms still hiding behind ‘opaque corporate structures,’ proper due diligence has...

Inventory clerks and letting agency staff have been warned to put safety first when lone working or entering tenants’ properties for...

HMRC has fined estate agents over £500,000 for anti-money laundering (AML) breaches in the past two months. Yet despite property managers...

The Government’s latest Housing Minister Lucy Frazer brings plenty of property experience as a landlord and has also indirectly received donations...

Dozens of estate agents have been fined a combined total of £519,645 for failing to meet their obligations under anti-money laundering...

If recent headlines are anything to go by, estate agents and the wider property industry are not just feeling the heavy...

Are landlords following the law? To answer this question, the Government grouped answers from its English Private Landlords Survey 2022 according...

Property data company Sprift has been confirmed as one of the Principal Partners for this year’s ESTAS Awards, which take place...

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) recently published a list of firms that have received penalty notices for failure to meet their...

Yesterday’s publication of Purplebricks’ annual results – which made for very difficult reading for the troubled brand – came as part...

When it comes to housing policy, the Conservative MPs have given their party a choice between Tweedle Dum and Tweedle DumDum. Rishi...

The interim chairman of the RICS governing council has vowed to get the beleaguered body in a “good position” for reforms...

Technology developed for the estate agency industry has advanced and expanded seismically over the past decade as software vendors develop their...

They say that in fashion, if you wait for long enough, clothes that are hanging at the back of your wardrobe...

The National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agent Team has released background information on how it came to make changes to...

Trading Standards and the government have jointly announced compulsory new data which must appear on property listings. A property's council tax band or...

If the UK and its allies have been played by Russia over the Ukraine ‘invasion’, and it’s beginning to look that...

Timothy Douglas, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Propertymark, analyses the impact that the lack of available data is having on...

The UK property industry has long been a target of fraudsters due to the low levels of transparency and the fact...

Was Purplebricks right to delist a property from its website when it discovered the vendors - a Christian couple - were opposed...

A tech company in the compliance sector claims that 25 per cent of UK estate agency branches have failed to register...

In this guest feature, James Dilgul, Head of Marketing at Fixflo, the market-leading repairs and maintenance management software provider, looks at how...

With the drastic changes enacted on the industry over the past two years thanks to the pandemic and political events such...

A leading accountant is warning of a possible stamp duty change affecting residential property this year. HMRC is currently consulting on a...

Compliance check list - are you New Year ready? The start of a new year is a great time for estate agents...

I’ve worked in financial crime for the past seven years, beginning my career as a white collar crime litigator in a law firm. I know that the...

With 2022 swiftly approaching, businesses in the property industry are likely to be reflecting on the trials and tribulations that have...

Estate agents are being urged to ensure their compliance procedures are up to scratch after fraudsters stole a man’s identity and...

The price of new build homes could soar if developers are expected to pay for additional energy efficiency measures not necessarily...

The perception of the housing market, especially in London, being awash with ‘dirty’ money is a problem that needs to be...

As we move into the autumn of 2021, what the coming year has in store for estate agents is something we...

A PropTech firm backed by Zoopla founder Alex Chesterman has launched a new anti-money laundering (AML) tool for estate agents. Thirdfort has...

Regulators are warning the UK’s property, finance and legal sectors to be aware of the possible impacts of the exit from...

A new survey shows that there’s just a 1.7 per cent house price premium on homes with EPC ratings A or...

Propertymark has worked with one of the UK governments to create an information sheet which, in virtual or hard copy firm,...

As estate agencies are covered by Money Laundering Regulations, agents are legally obliged to take customer due diligence measures to limit...

With property fraud on the rise and an ever-increasing number of transactions taking place in the lettings sector, having strict anti-money laundering...

A report by the Office of Tax Simplification on Capital Gains Tax has called for a series of changes. They include extending...

Brexit means that the UK’s anti-money laundering laws are no longer governed by the European Union (EU), but any estate agents...

The anti-money laundering compliance service that is now part of data company LonRes is holding a training session for Rightmove member...

The TDS annual review 2020 indicates that deposit disputes have remained low over the last year, at around 1%. This is...

If someone broke into your house and took a video of lots of personal information, like photos of family and pets,...

From 4 May 2021, your agency could be blocked from charging late fees, compounding interest on missing rent and taking any...

In this week’s In Conversation Today, I speak with Anthony Payne, Managing Director and co-founder of LonRes, a data and network...

Estate agencies have been named by HM Revenue & Customs for breaching anti-money laundering regulations. The list of those breaching the rules...

To kick off 2021, we have a Q&A with one of the most high-profile – and, it has to be said,...

A leading property law expert says agents with international clients in parts of Europe should prepare for additional processes which may...

As we approach the end of the year, there is no doubt that it has been a turbulent 12 months for...

Deposit disputes can be time-consuming and difficult for all parties involved whether it be a letting agent, landlord, or tenant. Although at...

Back in September, Westminster Council launched a new strategy to help 'protect tenants' and 'ensure they live in good-quality and well-managed...

A leasehold group has written to Housing Minister Chris Pincher pressing for an update on the government’s approach to reform for...

Tenancy deposit disputes are messy and often frustrating for all involved. While the number of formal disputes remains low, the pandemic...

Over a fifth of key businesses say they do not trust any element at all of automated anti-money laundering checks and...

Clear communication and common-sense actions by landlords, letting agents and students at the start of a tenancy can drastically improve the...

Did you know your deposit protection obligations don't end with paying the deposit? You also need to serve the Prescribed Information within 30...

The property market, and therefore, estate agents have been accused of being the 'weak link' in the UK’s money laundering defences. This...

The government has issued new guidance to estate and lettings agencies on their obligations regarding money laundering issues - and online...

Since June 1, under The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, landlords in England have been...

The last few months have been tough for the property sector, and the pressure will continue as estate agents across the...

The long-awaited proposals for leasehold reform produced by the Law Commission suggests giving owners the right to extend their lease for...

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has revised its Anti-Money Laundering guidance in the light of Coronavirus. It says the scale of...

Countrywide’s senior staff earning over £45,000 per year have had their pay cut by a fifth while some 78 per cent...

Aside from the obvious health crisis, the current pandemic is proving difficult for the business worldwide. However, despite the increasing contact...

This month saw the introduction of the final stages of the Section 24 tax changes, first introduced in April 2017. Whereas buy-to-let...

Hello and welcome to Conquering Corona, our bid to help agents through the crisis. If you have appropriate advice to share with...

Hello, and welcome to Wednesday’s guidance and advice for agents and suppliers trying to find a way through the current crisis. If...

Training operator The Able Agent is to include a module on the Modern Method of Auction in its future programme.  Charlotte Jeffry-Campbell,...

Trading Standards says agents must include more “material information” in property details even if this may not be a wholly positive...

Both Countrywide and LSL Property Services have submitted early online paperwork to The Panel on Takeovers and Mergers, an independent body...

Yesterday (January 10 2020), the Fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (5AMLD) became law. It forms part of ongoing international efforts to tackle...

Our mental health affects how we think, feel and act. It affects how we handle anxiety, relate to others and impacts...

The election is over and there’s nothing on the agenda except the run-up to Christmas - although there’s still time for...

The Fifth Money Laundering Directive becomes law in the UK on January 10 2020, strengthening the responsibilities placed on private companies...

The National Association of Estate Agents is warning UK agents to take stock of their data collection and retention procedures following...

It’s been clear for a while that the additional regulation landlords and agents are facing has helped professionalise the private rental...

It’s beginning to look a lot like…we’re running a very popular service for agents, as we’ve been inundated with more fund-raising...

Countrywide’s ever-patient investors appear to have been unfazed by the company’s latest compliance issue, which has led to a £100,000 fine...

It’s now emerged that Countrywide has to pay a £100,000 fine to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors after breaching guidelines...

Countrywide has this afternoon released a statement suggesting it has, in its eyes, settled the controversy over unclaimed lettings funds being...

Countrywide has declined to comment on circumstances surrounding today’s Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors disciplinary meeting about diverted funds. One of RICS’...

We know that the tenant fee ban has cost letting agents dearly, with an estimated loss of £300 million paid to...

HM Revenue & Customs has revealed that the original Emoov online agency has been fined for breaches of money laundering regulations. HMRC...

The government has published proposals for far-reaching changes to the way estate and letting agents are regulated, trained and licensed. The proposals...