Archive

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

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

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

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...

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

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

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

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...

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

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'...

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

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

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

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...

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

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 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...

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

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

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...

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...

T'was three nights before Christmas, when all through the site, We’ve delivered thousands of stories to bring you delight. We’ve had Strike turn...

The Government has published long-awaited reforms to its National Planning Policy Framework, confirming that local housebuilding targets will be advisory rather...

The Scottish Government’s Budget has been described as a “missed opportunity.” The update yesterday from Scottish Finance Secretary Shona Robison, outlined a...

In July the Government committed to ‘a new era of regeneration, inner-city densification and housing delivery across England, with transformational plans...

The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill passed its second reading in Parliament last night. Housing minister Lee Rowley pledged that the legislation...

I think we can all agree that the National Trading Standards Material Information reforms are a good thing for the property...

The long-awaited Leasehold and Freehold Bill is set to be unveiled in Parliament today. The Bill aims to make it cheaper and...

The United Kingdom stands on the precipice of a historic overhaul in property ownership. With the King's speech unveiling the anticipated...

The Autumn Statement ended up being silent on Stamp Duty reforms and direct housing market stimulus but there were some nuggets...

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will deliver his Autumn Statement this afternoon amid rumours of Stamp Duty reforms and support for first-time buyers. The...

Nationwide has called for an independent review of the first-time buyer market as it urges the Chancellor to boost support for...

A buying agent has given his backing to the prospect of a Stamp Duty and Inheritance Tax (IHT) cut during this...

When Chancellor Jeremy Hunt gets to his feet on Wednesday to deliver his Autumn Statement, he should consider offering support to...

Propertymark has written to the Housing Secretary Michael Gove to reiterate its longstanding call for regulation of property agents. The agency trade...

Three members of the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners take a brief look at some of the trials and tribulations awaiting...

The Government has outlined five proposals to reduce ground rents for existing leaseholders as its latest attempt to reform the sector...

The majority of agents back parts B and C of material information rules but more guidance is needed on where to...

By Neil Cobbold Recent data from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities show that 24,260 households served a valid Section...

Trading Standards has insisted it is still on track to introduce parts B and C of material changes rules for property...

The Home Buying and Selling Group (HBSG) is seeking feedback from agents on proposals that it feels will “revolutionise moving home...

The Labour Party is being urged to take the lead on estate agency regulation and help driving up standards in the...

Buyers and sellers are still factoring energy efficiency into property valuations despite Prime Minister Rishi Sunak rolling back net-zero reforms. Analysis by...

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

The Halifax is warning that house price falls will continue into 2024. It cautions that price drops will be “gradual, rather than...

The Government has set out yet another attempt to meet it manifesto commitment to build 1m homes over this Parliament. Prime Minister...

MPs have cast doubt on the Government’s ability to achieve its target of 300,000 new homes per year by the mid-2020s...

The long-awaited Renters Reform Bill was finally introduced in Parliament in May, but is it really good news for tenants? Several...

Real estate consultants SHW is advising leaseholders not to wait to extend their lease. The call follows the start of the Government’s...

It has been another busy week in the property sector.  In his latest column, property commentator Jonathan Rolande, provides his take on...

The Building Safety Act will cause further delays to the home moving process, a senior industry executive has warned. Rob Hailstone, chief...

Housing Secretary Michael Gove has been slammed for “unhelpful” comments about abolishing leasehold after it emerged that there may not be...

Landlords are exiting the market in droves. According to an accountancy firm who analysed HMRC data, 70,000 buy-to-let landlords left the sector...

Agency trade body Propertymark has welcomed reforms to the business rates system, meaning high street agents, and other businesses, could finally...

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s first Budget yesterday failed to include any specific measures to boost the housing market but a mortgage broker...

Move with Us and Moving Made Easy have been awarded the New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) accreditation for their part-exchange and...

Listings are down, mortgage rates are high, regulations are becoming even more complex and already stretched tenants are feeling the effects...

Housing Secretary Michael Gove has signalled that legislation to allow for further leasehold reform will be included in the next parliamentary...

Lucy Frazer became the 13th Housing Minister to leave the role in the past decade yesterday after she was promoted to...

Mortgage rate hikes have already halved landlord profits according to latest research, and a base rate rise to 2.5% will see...

And…breathe. For a while back there, the only certainty for the housing market was uncertainty. That isn’t to say the election of Rishi...

The Government’s mini budget on September 23 was anything but ‘mini’ with several major announcements one of the most significant of...

A land agent has called for the planning process to be privatised as it hits out at the Government’s focus on...

The Government is being urged to take the lead on homebuying reform as conveyancers warn that recruitment issues and lawyer burn-out...

The government’s Stamp Duty reforms could provide a boost to homebuilding in the UK, a property investor claims. Real estate investor Alliance...

Agents and property professionals have backed the creation of Investment Zones to help boost housebuilding but have called for more clarity...

Time is up for Boris Johnson's tenure as Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party, serving 3 years and 44...

As inflation passes the 10% mark, it’s no surprise that many landlords are hurriedly reviewing the health of their buy-to-let portfolio. You...

Estate Agent Today's good friend Christopher Watkin recently carried out a video interview with Glynis Frew, the well-known former managing director...

On 23 June 2022, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) released its English Private Landlord Survey, the first...

A quarter of agents have indicated they may prefer Rishi Sunak as the next Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister –...

A parliamentary petition calling for ground rent charges to be extended to existing leases has reached the required number of signatures...

A wide range of upcoming legislative changes will affect the private rented sector. From new carbon monoxide alarm regulations to renters...

A senior member of the Home Buying and Selling Group has insisted work on reforms is ongoing despite the ministerial merry-go-round...

Independent agent Barrows and Forrester has called for the appointment of a housing tsar for a fixed term as yet another...

The government is being urged to tailor its housing market reforms beyond solely focusing on first-time buyers. It comes as new analysis...

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

A group of mortgage advisers has proposed a range of reforms to reduce barriers to home ownership for first time buyers. The...

The government’s new Right to Buy policy for housing association tenants appeared to unravel last night after the Housing Secretary said...

Agency trade body Propertymark has called for the government’s housing market reforms to go further and has even suggested targeted stamp...

Property professionals and MPs were left wanting more after Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s much-anticipated housing announcements yesterday. Johnson yesterday promised a review...

House price growth may be slowing but there is still plenty of movement in the property jobs market. Here are some of...

The government is being urged to expand and make the Treasury’s mortgage guarantee scheme permanent and compulsory on home loans above...

MPs have called for carbon emissions to be considered when it comes to house building. A report released this week by the Environmental Audit...

Data reforms announced in the Queen’s Speech earlier this month could speed-up property sales, an anti-money laundering (AML) expert claims. While property...

In retrospect, it was perhaps inevitable that the infamous dead cat would come into the debate over government housing targets and...

The issue of agency qualifications has finally been mentioned in the Houses of Parliament, almost three years since the landmark Regulation...