Archive

Shortly after the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act was granted Royal Assent in May, we surveyed members of the Association of...

The new Labour government has committed to building 370,000 homes per year, but is it realistic? The housing crisis in the UK...

The National Leasehold Campaign’s (NLC) heroic journey to get reform of the controversial tenure type on the statute book has hit...

Coventry Building Society has joined calls for Stamp Duty reform. The lender has urged Chancellor Rachel Reeves to address the controversial property...

In the current rental market, where legislative changes and tax reforms loom large, many landlords are expressing doubt about the viability...

The latest RICS Residential Property Survey found the UK's residential property sector brightened slightly in July.  Average mortgage rates lowered slightly during...

A building society is calling for stamp duty reforms to incentivise downsizing. A statement from the Suffolk Building Society says it believes...

At last! Well, they say small is beautiful and, if you’re in the property sector right now, you’d better believe it! The...

We welcome the thrust of the Deputy Prime Minister’s announcement this week on planning reform.  In particular, we support the return of...

MPs have begun the process of electing the next chairperson of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee in the new Parliament. The chairman...

All councils in England will be given new, mandatory housebuilding targets under planning reforms unveiled by the Government yesterday. Deputy Prime Minister...

Survey raises doubts over Government housebuilding targets Close to two thirds of Brits are not confident that the Government can meet its...

There is no doubt that the residential market in the UK slumped last year. Transactions were at around 1 million, whereas...

Mandatory housing targets are back, alongside a pledge to build 1.5 million homes in the next five years. But can Prime...

Views are sought from all heritage destinations with listed buildings across the UK to find out how much they pay on...

The Law Society may have seen-off a no-confidence vote but disgruntled solicitors have vowed to keep up the pressure on the...

A lack of new investment rather than landlords selling-up is causing rental market supply issues, research suggests. The latest Hamptons Lettings Index...

NOBODY does pomp and ceremony like us Brits and, wow, it was on full display in Westminster last week. Despite the prestige...

It’s so good to see housing at the top of the government’s agenda for change. Finally! The housing crisis has been met...

The new Government’s plan to ‘Get Britain Building’ is ambitious, to say the least.    And it is central to their mission, not...

The Chancellor’s plans to ‘get Britain building again’ are very significant for the property sector and property investment, specifically.  The plans...

An anti-money laundering (AML) expert has highlighted an overlooked part of this week’s King’s Speech that could boost the property market. While...

Housebuilding, leasehold and rental reform are set to be key roles of the new Labour Government’s legislative agenda but agency regulation...

Propertymark has called for an end to instability over Wales’ housing policy. It comes after Welsh Labour leader and First Minister Vaughan...

Reforms to the UK’s planning system must move from a one size fits all approach to boost development, the Government has...

The UK sales and lettings markets are in a state of flux, but an upcoming webinar from Reapit, the leading technology...

Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) continue to make headlines, and unfortunately, it’s once again for the wrong reasons. A recent investigation by Which?...

New Chancellor Rachel Reeves has used her first speech to reinstate housebuilding targets and pledge to build one and a half...

Property professionals have called for cross-party support and stability when it comes to housing policy under the new Labour Government after...

So, now we know. After weeks of reports predicting a Labour landslide, Keir Starmer is indeed unpacking his boxes and settling into...

On balance, a stable new government with a large majority is good news for the sales market. Labour’s costed spending plans,...

With a historic majority for Keir Starmer and the Labour Party, there can be no doubt over which party will be...

Heidi Shackell, chief executive officer at The Lettings Hub said: “The General Election, called in May, halted progress of the Renters'...

Energy assessor trade body the Property Energy Professionals Association has hit back at claims about the accuracy of work by professionals...

An industry expert has called on agents to actively lobby new MPs to influence housing policy – whoever wins the election. Neil...

We frequently read about how the traditional form of urban BTR has inspired the more recent model, suburban BTR. Our own...

You may not have seen it, but one of the most important reports published within the housing sector over the past...

In the later stages of an election when the Conservatives’ best chance of success is forcing an own goal by Labour,...

You have to wonder who is advising Rishi Sunak these days. Months ago, Silverstone must have seemed a terrific venue to hold...

A Labour frontbencher has failed to explain why the party has no plans to reform council tax based, in most cases,...

There’s been a broadly warm response from much of the property industry to Labour’s manifesto, but a call for more detail...

A political party is pledging that if elected it will make every home in the UK have an EPC rating of...

The Conservative Party’s General Election manifesto has committed to resurrecting the Help to Buy Equity Loan Scheme and temporarily removing Capital...

Agents are invited to a webinar on how the General Election will affect the property market. Reapit and PayProp will be hosting...

Stamp Duty reform and first-time buyer support tops the list of what Foxtons would like to see from the next Government. The...

You may not have realised, but yesterday, the new government’s housing policy was agreed. No, I’m not talking about the new ‘Freedom...

Win, lose or draw for the political hopefuls standing as candidates in the upcoming general election, it is likely that the...

In the second of their Election Wishlist series, Leaders Romans Group turn the spotlight on the Private Rented Sector (PRS). Here, National...

Housing has finally made it onto the General Election campaign, albeit with a familiar policy. Labour has unveiled plans for a Freedom...

If, like me, you watched the two party leaders battle it out in the first head-to-head debate you’ll have noticed that...

To put it simply – letting agents are our business. When they overwhelmingly voice a concern about something, we take that...

In what are some of the biggest changes to the residential leasehold sector in the last 21 years since the Commonhold...

Stamp Duty reform and more housebuilding top the General Election wish-lists for the property sector. General Election manifestos are yet to be...

The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill was the final piece of legislation to pass before Parliament closed ahead of the General...

Knight Frank has revised its house price forecasts for prime central London (PCL) and now expects values to fall this year. The...

So we’ve been sent the ‘Save The Date’ card - it’s July 4. Now all we need is the invitation to the...

The Government’s controversial Renters (Reform) Bill has fallen victim to Rishi Sunak’s election announcement and has been shelved. The legislation – which...

Even the most junior of estate agents will tell you that if you are going to bet the house on pulling...

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak yesterday confirmed a date for the General Election. Voters will go the polls on 4 July, meaning the...

The chairperson of the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee has hit back at the Government’s approach – or lack of...

Housing minister Jacob Young recently scotched rumours that the property portal proposed in the Renters (Reform) Bill would remove the need...

Britain's housebuilders are seeing a recovery in buyer interest and land purchasing activity in early 2024, according to the latest Knight...

Help to Buy has been ranked as having the most positive influence on the property market in recent times. Agency comparison website...

Market appraisal volumes dropped 7% in March according to Propertymark’s latest market snapshot, based on data from up to six weeks...

An influential consumer body is demanding a complete overhaul of Energy Performance Certificates. Which? says that with millions of households across the...

Sky News is reporting that up to 30 Conservative MPs are threatening to rebel against the government’s approach to ground rents...

A prominent estate agent has started an online petition to reverse stamp duty so it is paid by the vendor, not...

There was a long-awaited return to the House of Commons this week when the Renters (Reform) Bill finally rose to the...

Last weekend a story by The Sunday Times’ Deputy Political Editor indicated that the Government is proposing implementing a £250 cap...

A property industry group has called for a reduction in the discounts available for council tenants buying their own home, after...

The Law Society is facing backlash from conveyancers after issuing new property information reforms that take account of Trading Standards’ material...

Further estate agency regulation won’t be too expensive for the industry, Lord Best has said. Lord Best, who led the Regulation of...

Plans to set ground rents at a ‘peppercorn rate’ are reported to have been dropped amid opposition from freehold campaigners and...

The architect of the Regulation of Property Agents (ROPA) reforms has expressed frustration that the recommendations have failed to materialise as...

The best news for the property sector to come from Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Spring Budget statement came not from any fiscal...

It’s time to abolish what is colloquially called Landlord Licensing. If you’re a casual reader and perhaps not in our industry, a...

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has almost halved its house price forecasts after another relatively quiet fiscal update for the...

Agents are hopeful of support for the property market in today’s Spring Budget. It could be the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s final fiscal...

Property professionals have called for the Government to allocate its promised £3m towards improving the home buying and selling process to...

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is reported to be considering scrapping non-dom status in the latest rumour ahead of this week’s Budget. It comes...

The complexities of the government’s leasehold reform proposals affecting millions of homeowners came under the spotlight at a seminar organised by...

Attempts to get the long-awaited Regulation of Property Agents (ROPA) rules introduced into the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill have failed. The...

Propertymark has added its name to calls for Stamp Duty reform and has also urged lenders to develop more affordable mortgage...

Rightmove has joined growing calls for Stamp Duty reform ahead of the Spring Budget next week. The property portal has outlined three...

Dave Sayce, Founder and Managing Director of Compare My Move, reflects on the legal changes that will make leasehold purchase more...

A senior estate agent has described the Government’s pledge to compel councils to cut red tape in favour of development as...

From medieval castles to Elizabethan manor houses, Georgian townhouses and Victorian terraces, the UK’s historic buildings are central to our country’s...

There are several pros to cohabitation, and it’s always a wonderful experience when you’re handed your set of keys as a...

Everyone’s a pundit these days, aren’t they? And January is pundit season – when a New Year starts, out come the...

Yulia Barnes is founder and managing partner of Barnes Law   2024 is set to be another significant year for the property...

Estate agency regulations and minimum standards may finally see the light of day after Labour put forward amendments to the Government’s...

Parliamentary news may have been dominated by the fallout from the Rwanda Bill yesterday but another important piece of legislation also...

Happy New Year and welcome to what’s looking like a busy - perhaps even hectic - 2024! I thought it worth running...

After months of negative messaging and anti-development sentiment, espoused both nationally by the Government, and locally during May’s local election campaigning,...

NAVA Propertymark members are predicting another challenging year for the hospital sector. Chris Platts, NAVA advisory panel member, said 2023 was a...

Agency trade body Propertymark has expressed hope that housing will be a key part of the Spring Budget after the Treasury...

The last thing you want as we rake through the dying embers of 2023 is a journalist’s prediction of what’s going...

As the world marches relentlessly forward to 2024, the government’s flagship legislation for the private rented sector (PRS) remains in limbo. This...

The debate over the Green Belt, and the newly branded ‘grey belt’, has made the headlines a lot recently and will...

March was the most popular month for completions this year as sales took longer and buyers focused on affordability, analysis has...