The MP leading a new parliamentary committee on the housing market says a radical reform of tax would help more people move...
Archive

The Conservatives have promised that first time buyers would not pay tax when buying a home in Wales if the party wins...
23 March 2021
From: Breaking News

Energy Performance Certificates ought to be scrapped because they are outdated and not fit for purpose. That’s the view of an influential...
22 March 2021
From: Breaking News

Labour says Chancellor Rishi Sunak “will give away half a billion pounds to second homeowners and landlords through the stamp duty...
05 March 2021
From: Breaking News

The head of a PropTech platform wants financial penalties on conveyancers if transactions miss deadlines. “The only way to accelerate the current...
03 March 2021
From: Breaking News

Labour has accused the government of promoting “sky high mortgages” instead of providing stable accommodation for younger households. A new mortgage guarantee...
02 March 2021
From: Breaking News

The online petition which prompted a debate by MPs has now won the support of around 150,000 signatures. Typically public support for...
23 February 2021
From: Breaking News

An MP demanding a root and branch reform of property taxation, including scrapping stamp duty, says the chance of fundamental reform is...
11 February 2021
From: Breaking News

A new body which says it will “champion better outcomes for buyers” is described as independent but is to be chaired...
09 February 2021
From: Breaking News

There is no scientific formula, no list of must-have elements in a successful campaign. That’s especially the case for a campaign involving...
06 February 2021
From: Features

Pressure is building for widespread property tax reform beyond short term issues regarding stamp duty. Many MPs in this week’s 65-minute special...
05 February 2021
From: Breaking News

The government is keeping everyone guessing about the stamp duty holiday but one comment by a senior minister suggests movement towards a...
02 February 2021
From: Breaking News

Labour and Conservative MPs have expressed a unanimous view on their desire to see an extension of the stamp duty holiday...
01 February 2021
From: Breaking News

You can watch the Parliamentary debate on a possible Stamp Duty Holiday extension here, using the streaming link at the bottom of...
01 February 2021
From: Breaking News
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Labour has entered the cladding controversy by calling a vote in the House of Commons to force government action on the...
01 February 2021
From: Breaking News

The Northern Research Group, which has the backing of over 50 Conservative MPs in the north of England, wants the Chancellor...
18 January 2021
From: Breaking News

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is considering an extension to the current stamp duty holiday according to media reports today - and the...
17 January 2021
From: Breaking News

One of the most respected figures in the industry, trainer and consultant Richard Rawlings, is suggesting that stamp duty should be...
14 January 2021
From: Breaking News

Hunters has agreed to extend the deadline for talks about a possible takeover by its rival, The Property Franchise Group. In early...
30 December 2020
From: Breaking News

If you fear the market will slow after Christmas, think again - Rightmove is expecting several months of frenzied transactions to...
14 December 2020
From: Breaking News

The Property Franchise Group has approached Hunters about a possible takeover. Confirmation came this morning in a statement from Hunters, which you can...
04 December 2020
From: Breaking News

The secure Conservative victory in the 2019 General Election meant the property market in the sunlit uplands was set for a...
28 November 2020
From: Features

High end agents usually keep their powder dry when it comes to party politics, to avoid upsetting customers. However Knight Frank has...
05 November 2020
From: Breaking News

Hunters chairman and Conservative MP Kevin Hollinrake has hit out at allegedly false claims made by Donald Trump and Nigel Farage. Trump’s...
05 November 2020
From: Breaking News

Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he wants to create a ‘Generation Buy’ to help young people purchase homes with low-deposit mortgages. In...
05 October 2020
From: Breaking News

We all know what the problem is, but what’s the solution? The problem is that landlords, thinking they offer a valuable service...
03 October 2020
From: Features

Franchise network Hunters has recorded strong figures for the first half of 2020 but a trading statement reveals the measures it...
30 September 2020
From: Breaking News

The Times has revealed new allegations concerning the behaviour of Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick. The Cabinet member has been under the spotlight...
25 September 2020
From: Breaking News

Hunters chairman Kevin Hollinrake - who is also a backbench Conservative MP - has been criticised on Twitter by Manchester United...
07 September 2020
From: Breaking News

Hefty increases in taxes on the purchase and sale of holiday homes and buy to let properties are expected in the...
01 September 2020
From: Breaking News

Labour’s shadow housing minister has revealed that it will be two years at least before the party sets out its long-term...
28 August 2020
From: Breaking News

Controversial Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick, tipped by some for sacking when the Cabinet is reshuffled next month, appears to be confident...
21 August 2020
From: Breaking News

As expected within the property industry, the Chancellor announced a stamp duty holiday in his Summer Statement. This now means that...
25 July 2020
From: Features

Tens of billions of pounds of new taxes should be levied through a Capital Gains Tax imposed on main homes, not...
24 July 2020
From: Breaking News

Conferences, events and awards dinners are a hugely important part of the property calendar, bringing the great and the good of...
18 July 2020
From: Features

A London estate agent has broken ranks with much of the industry and instead of welcoming the stamp duty holiday has...
15 July 2020
From: Breaking News

Unnamed government sources quoted in many newspapers today suggest stamp duty reforms may be announced later this year. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is to...
06 July 2020
From: Breaking News

Controversial Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick is the subject of a harshly critical cartoon in The Times which depicts “pigs in the...
24 June 2020
From: Breaking News

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick - currently at the centre of a planning controversy - could be sacked in a September Cabinet reshuffle. The...
22 June 2020
From: Breaking News

A tax and legal specialist says there’s been a huge rise in stamp duty refund cases between March and June -...
19 June 2020
From: Breaking News

Housing minister Chris Pincher has now been named in media investigations into allegations concerning his political boss, Robert Jenrick, and the...
15 June 2020
From: Breaking News

Back in the day, party politics and the private rental sector used to be straightforward. Conservatives were pro-landlord, Labour were pro-tenant, while...
13 June 2020
From: Features

Beleaguered Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick is under growing pressure to explain his part in a planning decision - now deemed illegal...
12 June 2020
From: Breaking News

The Metropolitan Police says it’s “assessing” the controversial surrounding the Housing Secretary, Robert Jenrick, and a planning decision over which he...
04 June 2020
From: Breaking News

I was asked a question by a German journalist yesterday. What is the biggest lesson German and European PropTech founders can...
03 June 2020
From: Breaking News

The Say No To Rightmove campaign is to release a set of options for member agents to consider if the portal...
29 May 2020
From: Breaking News

The government is jeopardising the success of the housing market relaunch through the inflexibility of the furlough scheme, claims a group...
27 May 2020
From: Breaking News

The agency at the heart of a fierce row over staff safety in the lockdown says it's now insisting local managers...
14 May 2020
From: Breaking News

A regional agency has thrown its weight behind an independent report which says estate and lettings agents could lead the economy...
22 April 2020
From: Breaking News

Estate agents’ offices will be in the first category of High Street premises to reopen when the lockdown finally ends, newspapers claim this...
16 April 2020
From: Breaking News

The government has been called upon by one of the industry’s most respected bodies to announce a stamp duty holiday to...
09 April 2020
From: Breaking News

The Police and Crime Commissioner for an area with thousands of holiday homes wants their owners to make them available to...
07 April 2020
From: Breaking News

The founder and chairman of Hunters, who is also a Conservative MP, has been criticised for a tweet saying he would...
24 March 2020
From: Breaking News

There will be a two per cent stamp duty surcharge on the purchase of UK investment properties by non-resident overseas buyers...
11 March 2020
From: Breaking News

A second prominent agent has broken cover to say Coronavirus is slowing the market. Jess Simpson - an ex-Savills and ex-Strutt and...
03 March 2020
From: Breaking News

The Atlantic Ocean is a vast space – some 4,000 miles eastwards across from the USA until land is met again....
29 February 2020
From: Features

The government will not announce a Mansion Tax at next month’s Budget. It was first reported by the Sunday Telegraph a week ago,...
16 February 2020
From: Breaking News

The new housing minister is Christopher Pincher, who for the past decade has been Conservative MP for Tamworth having had a...
14 February 2020
From: Breaking News

Esther McVey has been sacked as housing minister; she was the ninth housing minister in as many years. Her successor is the...
13 February 2020
From: Breaking News

Conservatives have been lining up to criticise a mansion tax which may be introduced on expensive homes to fund infrastructure improvements...
11 February 2020
From: Breaking News

Agents have reacted angrily to the government contemplating introducing a Mansion Tax, and to the Housing Secretary not ruling out the...
10 February 2020
From: Breaking News

Boris Johnson is considering introducing a mansion tax for high value homes according to a Sunday newspaper. The Telegraph - citing two...
08 February 2020
From: Breaking News

Not for the first time, a government policy on housing ends up begging more questions than it provides answers - but...
08 February 2020
From: Features

Last November, as part of the Conservatives’ general election campaign, Boris Johnson made a surprise announcement that his party would introduce...
01 February 2020
From: Features

After a challenging period for the UK property market, recovery is very much on the cards and the end to uncertainty...
01 February 2020
From: Features

A survey of readers of Estate Agent Today suggest that the majority believe the Chancellor will fail to honour a pledge...
14 January 2020
From: Breaking News

The new government has announced that its first Budget is to be held on Wednesday March 11 - and it’s giving...
08 January 2020
From: Breaking News

After a year dogged by Brexit deadlock, political turmoil, and slow growth, estate agents’ confidence in the property market hit a...
04 January 2020
From: Features

The new mood of apparent political stability promoted by supporters of Boris Johnson and Brexit appears to have failed to win...
23 December 2019
From: Breaking News

The government has given details of a scheme allowing 30 per cent reductions for what it calls ‘local first time buyers’...
19 December 2019
From: Breaking News

Government figures from the Office for National Statistics show that house prices across the UK rose by a mere 0.7 per...
19 December 2019
From: Breaking News

An estate agent in London claims he did £53m of property deals within hours of the Conservative victory in the General...
16 December 2019
From: Breaking News

Home owners on Corbyn Road in a Midlands town are seeking a name change because they fear house prices will plummet. The...
16 December 2019
From: Breaking News

Yes, believe it or not, we’ve nearly reached the end of a whole decade. And what an eventful decade it’s been. We’ve...
14 December 2019
From: Features

It’s a substantial Tory government for the next five years: what does this mean for estate agents, property and the market? We have...
13 December 2019
From: Breaking News

Data scientists have released a study into the characteristics of homes and how they give away the likely voting intentions of...
09 December 2019
From: Breaking News

With Brexit still unresolved, the domestic agenda has been pushed from the headlines by the seemingly overwhelming public and political discord...
07 December 2019
From: Features

He portrays himself as a scourge of the Remoaner elite and a champion of the people, but when it comes to...
29 November 2019
From: Breaking News

The latest figures from investment consultancy London Central Portfolio suggests new build sales have plummeted in prime areas of the capital...
28 November 2019
From: Breaking News

In just over two weeks, the UK population will head to the polls for the fourth general election since 2010. Of course,...
27 November 2019
From: Features

The chief of an online auction service says the Conservatives’ controversial proposal for a three per cent stamp duty surcharge on...
26 November 2019
From: Breaking News

Agents have reacted angrily to General Election proposals by all three main political parties to hike stamp duty for foreign buyers. The...
25 November 2019
From: Breaking News

Pressure is building on the Conservative party to honour its previous commitment to reform stamp duty for British buyers and sellers...
22 November 2019
From: Breaking News

Labour is pledging a “housing revolution” with the biggest council house building programme for decades Its manifesto being launched today will include new...
21 November 2019
From: Breaking News

Lord Sebastian Coe is to be the keynote speaker at the Fine & Country annual conference in February. Known most recently for...
18 November 2019
From: Breaking News

The controversial former Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, is to be the keynote speaker at a property industry...
11 November 2019
From: Breaking News

A stridently anti-Labour estate agent has launched a stinging attack on the Opposition’s policies and has issued a stark warning of...
07 November 2019
From: Breaking News

Until now General Election pledges of stamp duty reforms were restricted to the Conservatives - but now a tax consultancy says...
06 November 2019
From: Breaking News

The National Audit Office, a spending watchdog, has exposed the government’s Starter Homes policy with a damning critique of its failure The...
05 November 2019
From: Breaking News

A survey undertaken for estate agency Jackson-Stops reveals that 55 per cent of people do not believe housing is a priority...
04 November 2019
From: Breaking News

A Labour proposal to dramatically improve energy efficiency in almost every British home would cost an estimated £60 billion. The upgrades would...
04 November 2019
From: Breaking News

It’s on - although judging by the early lack of enthusiasm amongst the British public, you might be forgiven for thinking...
01 November 2019
From: Breaking News

There are many adjectives that can be applied to Boris Johnson, probably very few of them complimentary, but there’s one that...
26 October 2019
From: Features

Briefings from the Conservative Party to The Sun newspaper suggest that the party will this week announce further relaxation in planning...
30 September 2019
From: Breaking News

In recent years, governments and local councils have sought to change the private rented sector (PRS) to make it more appealing...
28 September 2019
From: Features

Stamp duty won’t take centre stage at the Conservative Party conference - that’ll be Brexit, quelle surprise. But if the government...
27 September 2019
From: Breaking News

Two prominent estate agency chiefs, both members of the Conservative Party, have both tweeted their opposition to some of the policies...
26 September 2019
From: Breaking News

The Conservative Party conference agenda, now published, gives the housing issue several bites of the cherry in Manchester next week. Housing minister...
24 September 2019
From: Breaking News

The new housing minister has admitted that her party has tried to “put a lid” on house price rises and has...
17 September 2019
From: Breaking News

If you thought - perhaps hoped - that five weeks of prorogued Parliament meant a break from politics, think again: the...
14 September 2019
From: Features

Hunters chairman Kevin Hollinrake, who is also a Conservative MP, has given notice that he would resign the party whip if...
10 September 2019
From: Breaking News

A leading London estate agent has written to The Times dismissing MPs who have been squabbling over Brexit and a possible...
04 September 2019
From: Breaking News

Pressure continued to mount on the government to clearly address the issue of stamp duty as a leading business consultancy suggested...
03 September 2019
From: Breaking News

It’s been quite a week for news so you might have missed this story - there is yet another boost for...
31 August 2019
From: Features

Estate agent turned Conservative MP Kevin Hollinrake has provoked a furious response on social media by coming out in favour of...
30 August 2019
From: Breaking News

A well-respected agent who was president of the NAEA just five years ago has written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson asking...
28 August 2019
From: Breaking News

In the run up to his appointment as Prime Minister, Boris Johnson suggested that he might cut Stamp Duty Land Tax...
24 August 2019
From: Features

Speculation surrounding whether Boris Johnson will honour his pledge to reduce stamp duty risks bringing the housing market “to a grinding...
07 August 2019
From: Breaking News

With Boris Johnson winning the Conservative leadership election and becoming Prime Minister, he has spent his first few days in office...
03 August 2019
From: Features

We now have a new Leader of the Conservative Party and, rather more importantly, a new Prime Minister. That individual is Boris...
27 July 2019
From: Features

The new Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government is the relatively unknown Robert Jenrick - but his new housing...
24 July 2019
From: Breaking News

One of the country’s most respected agents has advised the agency industry to treat Boris Johnson’s pledges with real caution. Black Brick buying...
24 July 2019
From: Breaking News

Our own industry’s upheaval over recent years has been no less dramatic than the turmoil at Westminster. The political earthquake has seen...
23 July 2019
From: Breaking News

This may be the final full day in office for Kit Malthouse, the latest politician to occupy the short-term position of housing...
23 July 2019
From: Breaking News

One of the country’s leading estate agents says shifting the burden of stamp duty away from the buyer - which is...
19 July 2019
From: Breaking News

Conservative Party leadership contender Boris Johnson has expressed an interest in switching the stamp duty burden from buyers to sellers. Until now Johnson’s comments on...
16 July 2019
From: Breaking News

Conservative leadership frontrunner Boris Johnson's plans to reverse stamp duty changes could help to kickstart the prime property market, according to...
09 July 2019
From: Breaking News

Property sellers have been urged to list their properties now in the hope of selling their properties for maximum value within...
09 July 2019
From: Breaking News

Theresa May arrived in Downing Street some three years ago - but her premiership has not been a smooth ride. As she...
06 July 2019
From: Features

Britain lives in fundamentalist black-and-white times - all the more surprising when the country's most divisive point of contention sits on...
22 June 2019
From: Features

You may be right in thinking that Brexit has dominated the thinking of the government in the last three years. However,...
22 June 2019
From: Features

Four years ago, as we approached the general election, Andrews Property Group held a roundtable debateon the impact the election might have...
08 June 2019
From: Features

Housing minister Kit Malthouse appears to have some difficulty being taken seriously as a candidate for Conservative party leader and Prime...
04 June 2019
From: Breaking News

In a surprising announcement overnight, housing minister Kit Malthouse says he is standing to become the Conservative party leader and next...
28 May 2019
From: Breaking News

While media attention has been on Theresa May, Brexit and the Tories, chatter in the agency industry has been about what...
25 May 2019
From: Features

House prices have remained roughly stagnant according to the latest figures produced by the Office for National Statistics and HM Land...
23 May 2019
From: Breaking News

It appears almost certain that there will be another new housing minister named when a new Conservative leader - and thus...
20 May 2019
From: Breaking News

An ex-housing minister and ex-Brexit secretary says he wants to radically change taxes on buy to let capital appreciation to help...
16 April 2019
From: Breaking News

No, this isn’t about Brexit. But as the saga of leaving the EU is likely to bring about the downfall of...
13 April 2019
From: Features

When you think of the best ad campaigns – from moustachioed opera singers and talking meerkats to millions of bouncing balls...
06 April 2019
From: Features

The chairman of franchise giant Hunters says his company’s purchasing power is such that it secures 60 per cent discounts from...
05 April 2019
From: Breaking News

Campaigning groups like Generation Rent and Shelter like to think they are simultaneously edgy and radical; likewise some think tanks believe...
30 March 2019
From: Features

The founder of the Hunters franchise agency group, Kevin Hollinrake - now a Conservative MP - is the latest parliamentarian to...
22 March 2019
From: Breaking News

It’s time, surely, for government to crackdown not just on rogue agents and landlords but on rogue councils that confuse the...
09 March 2019
From: Features

Labour’s housing spokesman, John Healey, has spoken out against the split in the party which has so far seen eight MPs...
21 February 2019
From: Breaking News

The dust may have settled on the government’s recent announcement regarding housing and property complaints, but opinion is still split on...
09 February 2019
From: Features
08 February 2019
From: Breaking News

When it comes to letting a property, it is important that landlords and renters have faith in their agent. The more...
26 January 2019
From: Features

A maverick estate agent pictured wearing a yellow vest has threatened to mount what he calls a “civil protest” if Brexit...
16 January 2019
From: Breaking News

There’s been a warm welcome from the property and consumer sectors for a suggestion that the Financial Conduct Authority may be...
14 January 2019
From: Breaking News

There’s nothing new about identifying 10 figures who have helped shape an industry over the past year, but that doesn’t mean...
28 December 2018
From: Features

Infamous X Factor rapper Honey G, who just last week was lauded for becoming an estate agent, now says she’s been...
21 December 2018
From: Breaking News

Hard not to mention two major breaking news stories of recent days; one directly affecting the property market and one which...
15 December 2018
From: Features

Housing minister Kit Malthouse appears to be backing Theresa May as Brexit chaos consumes the government. A request from Estate Agent Today...
16 November 2018
From: Breaking News
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Who are you and what does it say on your business card? It just says “Agent” for, at the end of the...
08 November 2018
From: 60 Second Interview

A leading London estate agency is reporting a surge in overseas buyers sealing deals ahead of the government’s new stamp duty...
18 October 2018
From: Breaking News

Savills is warning that heightened uncertainty around Brexit negotiations will delay recovery in the prime central London housing market for up...
12 October 2018
From: Breaking News

The head of a leading Chinese property portal has taken the unusual step of commenting on a British tax policy -...
05 October 2018
From: Breaking News

It seems a lifetime ago but in fact we’re approaching just the first anniversary since the government triggered its Call for...
05 October 2018
From: Breaking News

One of London’s highest profile and most outspoken estate agent chiefs has scolded ‘Maybot’ Theresa May on the day she is to...
03 October 2018
From: Breaking News

The government, which only recently said there would be one Ombudsman covering the entire housing sector, has announced that there is...
02 October 2018
From: Breaking News

The government has used this week’s Conservative party conference to announce a new stamp duty tax of one per cent to three...
30 September 2018
From: Breaking News

A new book has revealed that one of the long line of recent housing ministers was known as “the invisible minister”...
27 September 2018
From: Breaking News

The former Chancellor George Osborne - architect of drastic stamp duty reform - has come out fighting to defend the tax...
06 August 2018
From: Breaking News

Another day, another housing minister – at least that’s what it feels like! The resignation of the Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson...
21 July 2018
From: Features

With the shelf life of recent housing ministers being on a par with football managers, it's perhaps little surprise that we're...
20 July 2018
From: Sponsored Content

It may not be a good idea for a journalist to be personal about a politician, so I write about our...
14 July 2018
From: Features

The little-known Conservative MP Kit Malthouse has been named as the new housing minister. He takes over from the high-flying Dominic Raab,...
09 July 2018
From: Breaking News

Labour says it wants ‘Healthy Homes Zones’ in a bid to reduce housing-related health inequalities which are estimated to cost the NHS £1.4...
03 July 2018
From: Breaking News

Estate Agent Today is 10 years old this weekend. We hope you’ll agree that’s a cause for celebration and a great...
29 June 2018
From: Breaking News

Savills has suggested that it may be time for a fundamental review of what’s left of the flagship policy of Margaret...
20 June 2018
From: Breaking News

It may seem innocuous enough but a speech at a party by pro-Brexit housing minister Dominic Raab is being interpreted by...
06 June 2018
From: Breaking News

If you want to know whether buy to let, landlords and letting agents will be in the firing line for more...
28 April 2018
From: Features

Estate agent licensing will reduce competition, make buying and selling homes more expensive, and add another layer of red tape to...
18 April 2018
From: Breaking News

Franchise giant Hunters says independent agencies which joined the firm in recent years have typically beaten the performance of the housing market. Chief...
13 April 2018
From: Breaking News

One day, I’ll sit down to write for Estate Agent Today and I won’t express my dismay at the lack of...
24 March 2018
From: Features

National franchise giant Hunters has delivered a strong trading update, despite what it describes as 'challenging conditions'. Earlier this week, it was...
21 February 2018
From: Breaking News

MPs will next month debate a Bill which aims to have the energy efficiency of all UK homes brought up to...
08 February 2018
From: Breaking News

It’s probably unwise to write too much about politics these days. The most fanciful predictions turn out to be less wild...
03 February 2018
From: Features

What do you need to know if you are considering selling your sales or lettings business? Here’s ten top tips to think...
24 January 2018
From: Features

One of the most influential select committees in parliament has told the government that it needs to do more - much...
23 January 2018
From: Breaking News

In a surprise announcement this lunchtime, Dominic Raab has been appointed as housing minister. Raab, the 16th housing minister in the past...
09 January 2018
From: Breaking News

It’s no surprise that figures don’t always show the results or consequences we expect - even if they are entirely accurate. Look...
06 January 2018
From: Features

Chris Philp, a Conservative MP and Parliamentary Private Secretary to Chancellor Phillip Hammond, says 50 per cent of new homes in...
18 December 2017
From: Breaking News

It’s traditional before Christmas to either review the year past or anticipate the one ahead - but I’m intrigued about what...
16 December 2017
From: Features

The housing industry has set out a list of demands in advance of the government’s hotly anticipated Autumn Budget on Wednesday. Despite...
18 November 2017
From: Features

British politics is extraordinarily volatile right now and the ongoing battle between austerity and anti-austerity, Leave and Remain, and Conservative and...
18 November 2017
From: Features

Nicky Morgan, a former Cabinet minister and now chair of the highly respected Commons' Treasury Select Committee, is the most senior...
15 November 2017
From: Breaking News

It’s something of an understatement to say it’s been a busy fortnight for the industry in terms of announcements, consultations and...
04 November 2017
From: Features

With the Budget just over a month away, the steady stream of ‘leaks’ continues to grow as journalists and the industry...
21 October 2017
From: Features

It has been revealed that the beleaguered government of Theresa May is to hold a summit at 10 Downing Street tomorrow...
16 October 2017
From: Breaking News

Conservative MP John Stevenson is the latest to throw his weight behind switching the burden of stamp duty from the buyer...
09 October 2017
From: Breaking News

Like many of Labour’s recent policy proposals, its call for rent controls leaves more questions than answers. There has been widespread criticism...
07 October 2017
From: Features

And so concludes another party conference season. We’ve followed the great and the good (both terms are debatable) around Torbay, Bournemouth,...
07 October 2017
From: Features

Respected buying agency Black Brick says there is evidence that prices in prime central London may be stabilising and transactions volumes...
06 October 2017
From: Breaking News

The Conservative party, in a press statement released to clarify comments made by Theresa May, says the government’s proposed extra £2...
05 October 2017
From: Breaking News

England faces a growing gulf between new build completions and new households being added to the population according to a new...
04 October 2017
From: Breaking News

A Conservative council in London says it is to be the first local authority in the UK to levy a voluntary...
03 October 2017
From: Breaking News

Figures in the property industry have sharply criticised the announcement made at the Conservative party conference to pump an estimated £10...
02 October 2017
From: Breaking News

How has the world of estate agency changed in the last few decades? That’s the question this week’s Natter is going...
16 September 2017
From: Features

Hunters’ figures for the six months to the end of June show small rises in income and turnover but a substantial...
08 September 2017
From: Breaking News

In this week’s Natter I’m going to get all political. Don’t worry, I won’t be giving my opinions on Brexit, Trump...
02 September 2017
From: Features

It’s not just the evenings drawing in that marks the approach of autumn - it’s also the return to work of...
26 August 2017
From: Features

A think tank says the penalties now levied against second home owners - such as the stamp duty surcharge and phasing...
21 August 2017
From: Breaking News

Stamp duty has become the latest weapon in the ongoing war of words between different wings of the Conservative party, as...
14 August 2017
From: Breaking News

The two main political parties have squared up to each other over the issue of increasing council tax on second homes...
11 August 2017
From: Breaking News

You’ll see a lot of 10th anniversary stories in the property industry and consumer media in the coming days: early August...
28 July 2017
From: Features

With several agent partner programmes available across the country, estate agents can often increase business by offering sales by auction, with...
22 July 2017
From: Features

Housing minister Alok Sharma has blocked some of his Twitter followers, accusing them of “abusive language”. Sharma has a relatively modest 9,169 followers...
17 July 2017
From: Breaking News

We’re already more than halfway through 2017 and, against all the odds, it’s pushing 2016 close in terms of eventfulness and...
14 July 2017
From: Features

A Conservative commitment to allow more fracking is the trigger for conveyancers to gather yet more environmental information during the search...
06 July 2017
From: Breaking News

When it comes to provoking anger in property professionals, taxation takes some beating. Press releases are still arriving berating the December...
01 July 2017
From: Features

New housing minister Alok Sharma is set to make his first key speech this week, at the Housing 2017 conference in...
27 June 2017
From: Breaking News

The Queen’s speech to the British parliament this week was a scaled-back affair, which was unsurprising given the Grenfell Tower fire,...
23 June 2017
From: Features

The detailed paperwork accompanying the Queen’s Speech includes the Conservative party manifesto pledge to streamline house buying - but gives no...
22 June 2017
From: Breaking News

Harry Hill - former chief executive of Countrywide and founder of Rightmove - has sharply criticised the appointment of Theresa May’s...
20 June 2017
From: Breaking News

“Housing policy should be in independent hands.” That was the conclusion of a panel debate that Andrews held, not recently, but two...
17 June 2017
From: Features

A regional estate agency has urged the Government and the new housing minister to implement the policies outlined in the housing...
15 June 2017
From: Breaking News

The property industry has broadly welcomed the appointment of a new housing minister, which was made yesterday evening. Reading West MP Alok...
14 June 2017
From: Breaking News

Former housing minister Gavin Barwell has been appointed as Theresa May's chief of staff. Barwell lost his Croydon Central seat – and...
12 June 2017
From: Breaking News

The housing industry has responded with shock, joy, and jitters, after Theresa May’s snap general election went catastrophically wrong, leaving her...
10 June 2017
From: Features

British homeowners have the most confidence in the Conservative Party to run the nation's housing market. A survey of almost 4,500 homeowners,...
06 June 2017
From: Breaking News

If a political party wants to run a country, it’s probably a good idea that it shows it can at least...
05 June 2017
From: Breaking News

Theresa May’s call for a snap general election on June 8 took many by surprise. But estate agents have been broadly...
03 June 2017
From: Features

In years to come, students of political history might come to look at the 2017 General Election campaign with some interest....
03 June 2017
From: Features

Vigilant followers of the Liberal Democrats may have spotted a blog in the name of Mark Pack early yesterday morning, commenting...
31 May 2017
From: Breaking News

The Conservative and Labour party manifestos do not go far enough to tackle problems with the leasehold system. That’s the view of...
30 May 2017
From: Breaking News

The banning of letting fees levied on tenants has dominated the industry headlines in recent months but this election campaign suggests...
27 May 2017
From: Features

Conveyancers have backed a call by the Conservatives for reform of the house buying process - and says more up-front information...
26 May 2017
From: Breaking News

A conveyancing expert is calling for sellers to complete and return their property information questionnaire to their conveyancer before there have...
25 May 2017
From: Breaking News

The Conservative Party says it wants greater competition and more digitisation to cut the costs and reduce the amount of time...
22 May 2017
From: Breaking News

The Conservatives now say they are not resuscitating Home Information Packs, despite a suggestion by a prominent former minister that they "had...
19 May 2017
From: Breaking News

The Conservatives have this morning announced a reform of the house buying process in the party’s manifesto for the June 8...
18 May 2017
From: Breaking News

An investigation by the BBC has revealed that councils are spending million buying back homes they sold at a discount under...
04 May 2017
From: Breaking News

Speculation has grown that the Conservatives may make a manifesto pledge to remove some family homes’ long-established exemption from Capital Gains...
02 May 2017
From: Breaking News

Not only did Theresa May stun everyone with her decision to call a ‘snap election’ but with the campaign now underway...
29 April 2017
From: Features

Anyone hoping that the General Election could herald an immediate change of heart by the Conservatives on high levels of stamp...
21 April 2017
From: Breaking News

Yesterday’s decision by MPs to agree to Theresa May’s snap General Election on June 8 means that the current government -...
20 April 2017
From: Breaking News

Estate agents have been broadly supportive of the decision by Prime Minister Theresa May to push for a snap General Election...
19 April 2017
From: Breaking News

My apologies if this causes you to break your Easter egg with a little too much aggression, but I reckon the...
15 April 2017
From: Features

Hunters has told investors that its revenues rose 15 per cent to £13.8m in the year to the end of December,...
13 April 2017
From: Breaking News

More than three quarters of developers want to see the government go into reverse on its stamp duty and mortgage interest...
13 April 2017
From: Breaking News

In this Natter we have an exclusive interview with David Cox, CEO of ARLA Propertymark and one of the best-known figures...
08 April 2017
From: Features

We’re almost nine months on from the EU Referendum and yet the issue remains the big divide across the nation: an...
18 March 2017
From: Features

Former Conservative minister Michael Portillo has made an outspoken attack on his former party over its switch of housing policy emphasis from...
10 March 2017
From: Breaking News

One thing that can be guaranteed in the property world each year is a range of conferences and awards dinners. Very...
01 March 2017
From: Sponsored Content

A trade publication claims the UK’s statistics watchdog is to hold talks with a Whitehall department about the government’s much-vaunted 'one...
21 February 2017
From: Breaking News

If you work in lettings, I’ll already have a pretty good idea on how you feel about the current Conservative Government. The...
11 February 2017
From: Features

A series of leaks to national newspapers and a flurry of broadcast interviews by housing minister Gavin Barwell means we already know...
07 February 2017
From: Breaking News

First details of the long-awaited Housing White Paper have emerged in stories in newspapers frequently used by government to float ideas. The...
03 February 2017
From: Breaking News

A row has broken out over council tax funds being used to pay 18 estate agencies to find homes for a...
01 February 2017
From: Breaking News

A Conservative MP has backed a petition calling for the alleged killers of an estate agent to be handed over to...
11 January 2017
From: Breaking News

Now I’m not one to lose sleep over politicians, but it strikes me that Communities Secretary Sajid Javid and Housing Minister...
07 January 2017
From: Features

Housing minister Gavin Barwell says the government will put forward proposals in the new year to stop abuses of the leasehold...
21 December 2016
From: Breaking News

Listening to all the coverage of the tenant fee ban, all I hear is consumer groups talking about how some agents...
26 November 2016
From: Features

The Daily Mail has calculated which of the 13 housing ministers in office before this autumn has been the most successful,...
21 November 2016
From: Breaking News
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It may still be too early to start compiling a Christmas wish list, but it is the right time to provide...
19 November 2016
From: Features

We are now only days away from one of the most-anticipated events in UK politics; one which has a considerable impact...
19 November 2016
From: Features

London agency Stirling Ackroyd is the latest to call for reforms to stamp duty, with a claim that prices for the most expensive...
18 November 2016
From: Breaking News

We are now less than a month away from Philip Hammond’s first Autumn Statement to the nation, depending of course on...
28 October 2016
From: Features

The huge consequences of the EU referendum, and the impending Brexit negotiations, have drawn into sharp light the consequences for a...
22 October 2016
From: Features

Some of this week’s headlines - ‘Firms must list foreign workers’ and ‘NHS to no longer rely on foreign doctors’ -...
07 October 2016
From: Features

The government has revealed that its £2 billion accelerated construction fund will be used to guarantee housing schemes, including deals to...
07 October 2016
From: Breaking News

There has been widespread scepticism from many within the industry that the government will miss its latest house building targets, despite...
04 October 2016
From: Breaking News

The government has signalled that it is going to publish a housing White Paper later this year with “significant measures” to...
04 October 2016
From: Breaking News

Speculation was rife over the weekend that the government would today announce major changes to housing policy - possibly shifting the...
03 October 2016
From: Breaking News

With the number of new homes being built across the UK still significantly below the level needed to meet demand, housebuilders...
16 September 2016
From: Features

An influential backbench Conservative MP is the latest to speak out, urging the government to resolve the growing argument over the...
24 August 2016
From: Breaking News

Older readers may recall a terrific movie called Network where a character, disillusioned by life, shouts from a window: “I’m as...
29 July 2016
From: Features
28 July 2016
From: Breaking News

The National Association of Estate Agents and the Association of Residential Letting Agents have asked new housing minister Gavin Barwell to...
20 July 2016
From: Breaking News

Housing appears to have a disappointingly low priority in the new Theresa May-led Cabinet - at least judging from the time...
18 July 2016
From: Breaking News

I’m indebted to one of the most enthusiastic estate agents I’ve had the pleasure of meeting for suggesting the subject of...
15 July 2016
From: Features

Details have come out of what Theresa May thinks about the current housing market, as she approaches taking over as Prime...
13 July 2016
From: Breaking News

The plummetting pound following the UK’s shock vote to leave the European Union risks creating more money-laundering operations through this country’s...
11 July 2016
From: Breaking News

As I sit and write this piece, even with the FTSE 100 back up and sterling having recovered some of its...
08 July 2016
From: Features

The controversy over whether the Land Registry should be sold off will now not be resolved until a new Prime Minister...
04 July 2016
From: Breaking News

Brandon Lewis, the housing minister, is backing Theresa May as a crowded field of candidates begin seeking support to become leader...
01 July 2016
From: Breaking News

The director of a high-end foreign-owned estate agency in prime central London says he is surprised that so many other figures...
27 June 2016
From: Breaking News

One of London’s most outspoken estate agents claims the prime minister who succeeds David Cameron could appoint a chancellor who will...
27 June 2016
From: Breaking News

The Conservatives on the council in Brighton and Hove have called for a ban on estate agents’ boards to be extended...
20 June 2016
From: Breaking News

A high end international London estate agent says a Brexit will lead to increased sales of homes in prime central London...
13 June 2016
From: Breaking News

The Advertising Standards Authority has banned an ad by online agency emoov after a complaint disputing the duration of a fee...
08 June 2016
From: Breaking News

The new mayor of London Sadiq Khan has pledged to do all in his power to help make London “better” after...
12 May 2016
From: Features

The National Trading Standards Estate Agency Team has over the weekend repeated its intention to investigate allegations of so-called portal juggling...
03 May 2016
From: Breaking News

The race to replace London Mayor Boris Johnson has entered its final few days, and like never before, housing is the...
29 April 2016
From: Features

A Conservative MP is to raise the portal juggling controversy in the House of Commons. Derek Thomas, MP for St Ives in...
28 April 2016
From: Breaking News

When, during his budget speech, George Osborne announced Capital Gains Tax (CGT) was going down to 20%, I experienced a mix...
25 March 2016
From: Features

More storm clouds appeared over central London’s housing market at the weekend. The Bank of Ireland has announced that it is capping...
21 March 2016
From: Breaking News

Agents' boards get a lot of stick. Many see them as stains on the landscape, some see them as useless in...
18 March 2016
From: Features

When it comes to Budgets and Property, you have to hope that the old adage that ‘things happen in threes’ turns...
12 March 2016
From: Features

A prominent Conservative activist is calling for a strict clampdown on estate agents’ boards which she describes as “a form of...
09 March 2016
From: Breaking News

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron is claiming that the government’s flagship Starter Homes project could allow properties to be bought by...
29 February 2016
From: Breaking News

Kevin Hollinrake - the founder of Hunters estate agency and now Conservative MP for Thirsk, Malton & Filey - says he is...
23 February 2016
From: Breaking News

Estate agents with a difference, a twist, a unique selling point, whatever you want to call it, seem to be becoming...
20 February 2016
From: Features

In January readers of Estate Agent Today and Letting Agent Today were given the opportunity to give their views on proposed...
25 January 2016
From: Features

The Advertising Standards Authority has banned an advertisement from a property company selling new homes in East London, after it was...
30 December 2015
From: Breaking News

It’s time to take a pause, to reflect and put into context—and what a year it has been for our industry...
24 December 2015
From: Features

You might recall a collective sigh of relief emitted by stakeholders in the housing market and private rental sector back in...
04 December 2015
From: Features

Property journalists, and more than a few estate agents, are beginning their annual autumn ritual – forecasting what’s going to happen...
16 October 2015
From: Features

The government is telling councils to produce local plans for new homes in their area by 2017 – or Whitehall will...
13 October 2015
From: Breaking News

Watch the latest weekly video round-up of news from Estate Agent Today and Letting Agent Today, featuring stories on OnTheMarket's venture...
09 October 2015
From: Video Articles

Watch the latest weekly video round-up of news from Estate Agent Today and Letting Agent Today, featuring stories on OnTheMarket's venture...
09 October 2015
From: Breaking News

There has been a mixed response from the agency world to David Cameron's pledge to reform planning, promise that 200,000 new...
08 October 2015
From: Breaking News

Communities Secretary Greg Clark will be sacked if there is no improvement in the number of homes built in the next...
28 August 2015
From: Breaking News

Controversial housing charity Shelter has published a report which claims that the government's Starter Homes scheme will fail the people it...
27 August 2015
From: Breaking News

Labour leadership front-runner Jeremy Corbyn says he would vote for a complete end to all forms of Right To Buy and...
06 August 2015
From: Breaking News

A new All-Party Parliamentary Group for Housing and Planning has been announced to address what it calls “the national housing emergency”...
29 July 2015
From: Breaking News

The House of Lords has set the cat amongst the pigeons on the government proposal to give housing association tenants the...
22 July 2015
From: Breaking News

The Centre for Economics and Business Research, a leading consultancy, says the drought in properties on the market is pushing up...
22 July 2015
From: Breaking News

Data from the estate and letting agency answering service Moneypenny appears to confirm what we have been thinking for some weeks...
22 July 2015
From: Breaking News

Consider the scene. It is July 8th and new Chancellor, Ed Balls, stands at the Dispatch Box giving his first Budget...
17 July 2015
From: Features

An MP has tabled an Early Day Motion calling on the Land Registry to require greater transparency for overseas company purchases...
16 July 2015
From: Breaking News

This week the Chancellor, George Osborne, delivered the first Conservative Budget for almost 20 years. While Mr Osborne claimed that it marked...
10 July 2015
From: Features

The Financial Times says London Mayor and new Conservative MP Boris Johnson is lobbying the government in a bid to persuade...
02 July 2015
From: Breaking News

The high-end market in parts of prime central London is in the doldrums because of a glut of £2m-plus homes put...
29 June 2015
From: Breaking News

The government claims that over 36,000 new home owners have been created through Right to Buy since 2012. Figures released by the...
26 June 2015
From: Breaking News

There is yet more opposition to proposals for the reform of land and estate ownership in Scotland, put forward by the...
25 June 2015
From: Breaking News

There has been a strong reaction against proposals to reform the ownership of estates and other substantial land holdings in Scotland. The...
24 June 2015
From: Breaking News

Given that I wrote my last article on the day of the General Election but well before the result was known,...
19 June 2015
From: Features

One million people will need to be recruited by 2020 if the housebuilding industry is to build the number of homes...
08 June 2015
From: Breaking News

Now that the General Election results have been counted and verified, and now that a new parliament has been sworn in,...
02 June 2015
From: Sponsored Content

The new government has announced its legislative plans for housing in the coming year. In the first all-Conservative Queen’s Speech since 1996,...
28 May 2015
From: Breaking News

The Conservative Party’s manifesto pledge to extend the Right to Buy scheme was confirmed in yesterday’s Housing Bill. The Bill was part...
28 May 2015
From: Breaking News

Hunters founder and new Conservative MP Kevin Hollinrake says he supports the Tory policy of extending Right To Buy to housing...
20 May 2015
From: Breaking News

There has been much debate in recent years about Britain’s desperate need for more housing stock. Demand has been outstripping supply...
15 May 2015
From: Features

The Conservatives’ election victory came as a surprise, so much so that television pundits spent all night after the vote rubbishing...
15 May 2015
From: Features

A little over four weeks ago I was here musing what impact the impending general election might have on the property...
15 May 2015
From: Features

The head of a company making virtual walkthroughs for estate agents says the industry wrongly sees technology as a disruptive threat,...
13 May 2015
From: Breaking News

If the first few hours of the new government’s approach to housing are anything to go by, it could be a...
13 May 2015
From: Breaking News

If the first few hours of the new government’s approach to housing are anything to go by, it could be a...
12 May 2015
From: Breaking News

The industry is awaiting news of exactly who will become the new housing minister and whether the role will have cabinet...
11 May 2015
From: Breaking News

So, a sigh of relief. Most agents will be pleased with the election result - even if they are not Tory supporters...
08 May 2015
From: Features

I write this article on the day of the General Election so you’ll forgive the political analogies. In particular, how any...
08 May 2015
From: Features

The agency industry has been acting with delight over the likelihood that there will be a slim overall majority for the...
08 May 2015
From: Breaking News

After a night of remarkable election results, it looks likely that much of the residential property industry - which was strongly...
08 May 2015
From: Breaking News

A Conservative victory in this week’s general election will “unleash” a new wave of overseas buyers into the London property market,...
06 May 2015
From: Breaking News

Ian Wilson, the head of Martin & Co, recently threw his hat into the ring regarding Labour’s stated intention to cap...
04 May 2015
From: Features

There's bad news for Britain’s politicians who are using house-building targets as policy objectives in the election - over two thirds...
28 April 2015
From: Breaking News

With another hung parliament looking increasingly likely, the so-called ‘challenger parties’ look set to have a major say in who forms...
23 April 2015
From: Features

Former Conservative housing minister Kris Hopkins warned two years ago that allowing housing associations to sell their stock was a policy...