Archive

Artificial Intelligence is now a part of all our lives, but my attention was grabbed recently by an AI critique of...

Both 'beauty' and ‘gentle density’ are central themes of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).. The notes which accompany the NPPF state...

Sir Simon Clarke’s call for Rishi Sunak to be ousted from Downing Street may well express what many of his MP...

Like so many I’ve been infuriated by the injustice meted out to sub-postmasters and postmistresses over many years.  I was aware of...

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

The term mixed-tenure development usually refers to residential developments where different residential tenures are provided on the same site. Typically, tenure was...

It was a genuine pleasure to read this week about Yorkshire estate agent Ian Bradbury who clocked up 40 years selling...

It’s a brave business owner who actually invites criticism.  I speak from the personal experience of asking the opinions of the...

Sustainability has become a watch word for businesses the world over but there’s one element of this equation that is too...

The latest measures for property the Chancellor included in his Autumn Statement may not have been dramatic, but has it given...

England beat Wales at the World Cup in Qatar this week, confirming the team’s progression to the next round while their...

There was plenty of upset off the pitch after the Football Association’s last-minute u-turn – in fear of FIFA sanctions -...

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...

In tougher times – as is the case now, post-Covid, post-Brexit, cost-of-living crisis, war in Ukraine, etc – reputation and consumer...

Who would be in the shoes of Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng? I don’t mean who would like their power, pay and...

In a recent McKinsey poll* 85 per cent of people said that fear of criticism, fear of uncertainty and fear of...

First off, my own quick tribute to the Queen, who died on Thursday afternoon aged 96. Despite her age and declining...

MPs have criticised the lack of detail in the government’s flagship Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill when it comes to housebuilding...

It was announced back in February this year that PEXA, the Australian FinTech/PropTech that enabled the world’s first fully digitised property settlement...

Many people in recent years will have become familiar with challenger banks such as Monzo, Starling and Atom. Many will have...

Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently announced that he is considering extending Margaret Thatcher’s Right-to-Buy scheme, that gives council tenants the chance to...

The property industry is fortunate in including many great people, doing great work across a range of businesses – from traditional agency...

The government is being urged to go further with its clampdown on fake reviews. A government announcement aimed at protecting consumers last...

The international reviews service Trustpilot has batted away criticism from a property website that it ignores breaches of its guidelines. Last week,...

The market’s likely to slow this year as the rising cost of living saps some buyer confidence, so agents are understandably...

Location Location Location co-presenter Kirstie Allsopp has fought back after her comments on first time buyers were sharply criticised oil social...

Will he stay or will he go? You don’t need me to say who ‘he’ is - it’s the only story...

Propertymark’s chief executive has rejected claims that his organisation’s housing market data inaccurately states the numbers of prospective buyers for each...

It really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas – just a week to go now. Presents all wrapped and...

The police have been called in to investigate the ongoing cyber-security incident which has led to many firms in the Simplify...

I’ve never written the three letters ‘EPC’ more often than I have in the past week. Law changes for the private rental...

There has been criticism of the new Residential Development Tax, levied to fund remedial work on dangerous cladding on high rise blocks. The tax...

Disclaimer: This article is intended for information only and does not constitute legal advice. As part of its 2020 budget, the UK...

The Modern Method of Auction (MMoA), also known as Conditional auction, can sometimes get a bad rap. However, much of the...

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is trying to win back respect within the property industry with new Rules of Conduct...

The governing council of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has issued a public apology to the whistle blowers whose actions...

Controversial London agency Foxtons is to review its policy on top management bonuses. This follows a shareholder revolt at the agency's AGM...

With the competition for new listings between agents as fierce as ever, it can sometimes feel like a race to the...

Following speculation overnight, Foxtons - one of London's leading and most high-profile agencies - has this morning announced the appointment of Nigel Rich CBE...

The independent QC leading a review into the governance scandal at the RICS says there was “no fraudulent or criminal misbehaviour”...

An unexpected claim was made over the weekend - that the long-running stamp duty holiday was not, after all, behind the...

The Crown Prosecution Service has joined in the criticism of unemployed estate agent Lewis Hughes, who last week admitted a count...

The publication of a report following a controversial RICS investigation has been pushed back another month. Last month it was announced that...

Greater Manchester Police have arrested the Savills estate agent who allegedly posted a racist tweet about black England football stars after...

There is growing criticism of Savills on social media following the controversy over a racist tweet apparently sent from the personal...

In the world of football – very topical at the moment, as we all enjoy the Euros – there is an...

The editor of the legal publication the Law Gazette has taken an estate agent to task for daring to suggest that...

In a trading statement this morning Foxtons has revealed that following a 49 per cent increase in sales revenue in the...

The Trading Standards agency team has outlined to Estate Agent Today the process it will follow to improve what it calls...

The controversial demands of Trading Standards for more “material information” to be provided upfront in property details have been criticised by...

Local elections rarely set the pulse racing and this year’s poll on Thursday faces a similar problem. But this time, it’s a...

A former senior Foxtons and Douglas & Gordon agent has hit out at “the relentless key performance indicator culture” of some agencies. Matthew...

Another major agency group has agreed to repay substantial sums it claimed under the government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, introduced to...

Iamsold, the company best known for its Modern Method of Auction online platform, has won top spot in an auction league...

The veteran estate agent who led criticism of Countrywide’s former management is turning his glare on Foxtons. The London estate agency has...

Energy Performance Certificates ought to be scrapped because they are outdated and not fit for purpose. That’s the view of an influential...

Paul Creffield, a veteran figure at Countrywide involved in a controversy over bonuses, is staying on to “support” the transition into new...

One of the biggest TV hits of lockdown has been the Netflix show Call My Agent! It’s a surprise success, perhaps, because...

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

The head of a PropTech platform wants financial penalties on conveyancers if transactions miss deadlines. “The only way to accelerate the current...

Zoopla says it has so far delivered almost £80,000 in agent fees through its access to the Modern Method of Auction. MMA...

Rightmove is the latest portal to forge a link with the controversial Modern Method of Auction service being offered to agents. A...

In this week's Natter, I focus on the inspiring story of Clare Hughes, who has bounced back in the last 12 months...

Agents and a wide range of property experts have demanded yet more government funds to end the cladding crisis that is...

A property industry body representing developers wants the government to think again about making it easier for redundant High Street shops...

Propertymark, the overarching body aiming to bring five different associations (ARLA, NAEA, NAVA, ICBA and APIP) into a single brand, was...

Sir Kier Starmer has told the government it should look again at whether estate agents’ viewings of properties for sale and...

The Sunday Times has made new and detailed allegations regarding the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. For some weeks the newspaper has...

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

Recent debate about urgent need for reform and better collaboration within the property industry, has once again come under the spotlight...

Criticism of the management of Countrywide has reached new levels of derision as the mainstream media have attacked the chaos surrounding...

High end agents usually keep their powder dry when it comes to party politics, to avoid upsetting customers. However Knight Frank has...

An agency in London which was stung by fierce criticism in the spring lockdown has announced its policy for branch activity...

A quick buy firm boasting it has ‘sold’ a home within six days also says it now takes 140 days on...

It’s fair to say that UK estate agents don’t have the best of reputations, often featuring in the lists of the...

An overview of the global PropTech sector is often what I am asked to cover at conferences around the world. This generally...

In my last Natter, I explored the differences between estate agency in the UK and the US with the help of...

A row is brewing over an agency which acted on a vendor’s request to use the English version of a house...

Almost all estate agents are still saying Yes to Rightmove, according to figures produced by the portal this morning. Membership numbers for...

If a week is a long time in politics (an old phrase, for younger readers), then a year is a very long...

You have to feel for Rishi Sunak - well, at least a little. Leave to one side that he carries more presentational...

They are the names we hear about often, pushing for this or seeking clarifications on that. They are the representatives of...

"New property website launches. Not immediately sure what it does differently, what its USP is or who will use it, but...

A former City analyst best known for his scathing criticisms of Purplebricks has launched a PropTech platform that he describes as...

The brothers who founded Purplebricks - Michael and Kenny Bruce - have returned to the agency industry for the first time...

There's widespread expectation that Foxtons’ senior management will face sharp criticism at the company’s Annual General Meeting today. The hottest issue at...

The market share for all online agents fell sharply in the period up to the start of the pandemic according to new...

Rightmove’s shareholders appear to have been generally unmoved by the string of protests against the portal in recent weeks. At the portal’s...

The Haart estate agency chain has launched a portal called Off Market which it describes to sellers as being “a unique...

Rightmove, Zoopla and even OnTheMarket could make money even if they did not charge agents anything at all to list properties....

An industry stalwart has urged critics of Rightmove to fight for the portal to offer agents a fairer pricing system, not...

Where else to start? Since my last Natter two weeks ago, all our lives have changed more than we could ever...

There’s been national newspaper publicity and widespread social media criticism of the Dexters estate agency which asked its staff to report...

Over 600 agents have now signed up to the Say No To Rightmove campaign including some of the biggest names on...

We all know how stressful buying a home is, whether it’s your very first step onto the ladder or your final...

Nested is the latest online agency to base a marketing campaign around criticism of established estate agents.  In three 30-second TV ads...

There’s something of a conspiracy of silence over the problem of short lets. That is a stark claim but many siren voices...

Conservatives have been lining up to criticise a mansion tax which may be introduced on expensive homes to fund infrastructure improvements...

Agents have reacted angrily to the government contemplating introducing a Mansion Tax, and to the Housing Secretary not ruling out the...

Rightmove may continue to be a target for criticism from some agents and rival portals but it has just enjoyed it...