Archive

An estate agency has been fined £30,000 for waiting until minutes after the sale of a flat was completed to tell...

You’ve probably heard about unified communications (UC) before. But why are your competitors and other organisations moving towards centralised comms platforms? What are...

Being a market leader means staying on top of industry trends. The more aware you are of what's happening in the...

Reservation Agreements may require bigger financial penalties than the £500 to £1,000 currently envisaged if they are to work. That’s the view...

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

The big day is here and thanks so much to all the agents who have this year sent in their Halloween...

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

I have been banging on about partnerships and collaborations for years now. Whether it’s between two real estate firms, two PropTech firms,...

Property portal OnTheMarket has thrown down the challenge to Rightmove by launching two new features for its listing agents. The first, Market...

An independent agency has partnered with high-end firm Fine & Country after its own brand reached a 'glass ceiling'. Home Truths Sales...

It may only be October 4, but temperatures have already started to drop this week as preparations for winter begin. As we...

Property professionals are increasingly worried about the threat of cyber attacks, according to new research. Some 41% of 'real estate professionals from...

London-focussed business-to-business deal data service LonRes has acquired an anti-money laundering compliance consultancy specialising in residential and commercial property. Financial Crime Services,...

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

All eyes are on Japan for the Rugby World Cup beginning this weekend…but there’s still time for our industry to raise...

A PropTech company is suggesting that property mis-measurements and resulting over-valuations may be the next PPI scandal. The firm - Spec, which...

A free-to-list portal says it’s an ideal way to capture potential leads so as to augment agents’ client databases that have...

Hunters chairman Kevin Hollinrake, who is also a Conservative MP, has given notice that he would resign the party whip if...

A PropTech firm is marketing anti-money laundering audit checks for agents to help the industry comply with tighter regulation. Identity verification business...

Who are you and what does it say on your business card? I’m Tony Strover. On my business card it says...

OnTheMarket TV adverts return on Monday with what the portal calls “a refreshed version” giving more prominence to its ‘new and...

The Housing Secretary says he wants to make home ownership more affordable for first time buyers - which could mean discounts...

They will be the doctors, lawyers, teachers, thinkers, leaders and captains of industry of the not too distant future, but is...

Innovate or Die. But What is Innovation? It Isn’t just PropTech A certain Mr Dick Whittington Esquire was once convinced that the...

Rightmove’s blog suggests that pro-standard photos can increase enquiries by up to four times, but how do you make great photos? You...

An estate agent has been jailed for 19 months and will have to be on the sex offenders’ register for the...

A property company chief has been banned from being involved in any company for five years following a case involving over...

Advertising on Zoopla is a must-have for most sellers but for Susan Tate in Anglesey it meant she ended up in...

The Advertising Standards Authority has issued a guidance note warning online estate agents, after complaints about them have “grown dramatically”. “Property is big...

Online estate agency EasyProperty has been acquired by a firm with the backing of Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou. easyProperty has been sold by the eProp...

A note sent out by OnTheMarket chief executive Ian Springett has suggested that the way estate agents work may directly lead...

Esther McVey is to be the new housing minister - one of the most seasoned politicians to take the job in...

Estate and letting agents are being urged to check that they are signed up with an approved redress scheme that covers...

This may be the final full day in office for Kit Malthouse, the latest politician to occupy the short-term position of housing...

The Information Commissioner’s Office has fined a London estate agency £80,000 for leaving 18,610 customers' personal data exposed for almost two years. The security...

Trade bodies and property firms have strongly welcomed the recommendations for root and branch reform of the agency industry - and...

The recent announcement of a clicktopurchase partnership demonstrates some much-needed progression from Rightmove. In doing so, however, it could be said it...

It’s now more than three years since the EU referendum result in June 2016, and we’re still no clearer on when...

Once a year you might be perfectly justified in putting your feet up for a weekend and enjoying some great sport...

With this summer marking forty years since Margaret Thatcher came to power, her legacy continues to invoke both celebration and consternation...

Friday is Agents Do Charity day and as the country enjoys the delights of Wimbledon and rues the Lionesses' departure from...

Fine & Country, the international network of prime estate agencies, has this week announced the opening of two new offices. The first...

Petty Estate Agents has acquired the real estate division of Cheshire-based Wright Marshall out of administration. The deal safeguards the company after...

In the second part of my exploration of startups, I talk to a number of people with lived experience of creating...

Hello there - if it’s Friday it’s Agents Do Charity, and as we prepare for a hot weekend for Glastonbury revellers...

It’s been reported that a Cheshire estate agent and auction house has gone into administration putting 130 jobs at risk. Around 40...

A former Territory Owner at Purplebricks, who at one time managed 11 Local Property Experts, has spoken out in support of...

An estate agent has been fined after racially abusing a police officer in an incident outside a nightclub. Sarah Loasby, from Kettering,...

High Street estate agents should re-define themselves in today’s competitive market by becoming Residential Property Experts offering a wide range of...

Fine & Country has a new office in Hampshire as a result of an independent which has joined its network. Hampshirewide is...

Theresa May’s ‘hostile environment’ policy that was implemented in 2012 was designed to make staying and residing in the UK as...

With summer in full swing (will someone tell the weather?) we’re having bumper editions of Agents Do Charity, and this weekend’s is...

An estate agency in St Albans has rebranded as Fine & Country. JW&Co Langleys office in St Albans was acquired by Tom...

The head of the Property Redress Scheme is urging agents to prepare for yet more regulation and legislation changes likely to...

An IT firm says small and medium-sized estate agencies without the infrastructure of large corporates are putting themselves and their customers...

A survey undertaken by the respected Economist Intelligence Unit and a risk solutions company suggests that estate agency may be one...

Franchise giant Hunters is to be the subject of a Channel 4 TV show on air this evening at 8pm.  When I...

For the industry's football lovers, the notable achievements and never-say-die attitude of both Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur on the European stage...

The issue of ‘intergenerational fairness’ has been raised in recent weeks, some might say somewhat ironically by a House of Lords’...

The organisers of next week’s ESTAS Estate & Letting Agent Awards, the biggest and glitziest event on the industry calendar, have...

Proceedings against an estate agent at the centre of a fees cartel case have been dropped following his agreement not to stand as...

Mark Witherspoon, well known in the agency industry as the former data services director of Zoopla, has joined the TwentyCi company.  TwentyCi...

The London Marathon may be just one of literally thousands of fund-raising events but we know it’s a favourite with many...

It has been a long time coming, but the tenant fees ban, which forbids landlords and letting agents in England from...

Purplebricks has been named one of Britain’s ‘most relevant’ brands to consumers. The agency came in 13th in a list of...

Mortgage brokers are claiming that “a big number” of buyers are being cajoled into using estate agents’ in-house brokers. The Financial Conduct...

A statement this morning from the government says that property details must use Imperial Measurements after Britain leaves the EU. The Imperial...

It’s no secret that the UK’s housing sector is in crisis. Headlines scream about the shortage of new-build homes. TV pundits...

An owner who enhanced the price of his property by illegally hacking branches off a tree has ordered to pay back...

Hello and welcome to the regular Monday edition of Property Jobs Today. Everyone here contacted us on press@estateagenttoday.co.uk to espresso the word;...

Fine & Country is opening a new office in York, joining some 300 similarly branded outlets worldwide.  Frances Bowling, manager of Fine...

Estate agent anti-money laundering (AML) compliance is under scrutiny again following the publication of figures detailing the fines levied for AML...

The Property Ombudsman has issued new guidance over what it calls “a growing issue” - that is, disputes over dual fees. TPO...

The proliferation of big data is paving the way to improving our economy on almost every front as entrepreneurial digital companies...

The influential Treasury Select Committee says estate agents should be more closely monitored to ensure they abide by anti-money laundering regulations. In...

The huge £215,000 fine levied on Countrywide for failing to abide by anti-money laundering procedures is a demonstration that estate agents...

HM Revenue & Customs has issued more details of its bid to encourage estate agents to combat money laundering in the...

It’s been revealed that Countrywide has been hit with a £215,000 fine as part of a swoop by HMRC cracking down...

The Met Office says today, March 1, is the first official day of spring - perfect timing to coincide with the...

The Competition and Markets Authority has this afternoon taken the latest step in the lengthy case of an estate agency cartel. This revolves...

The chief executive and founder of a developer and property investment group says Purplebricks is “an excellent business” but its recent...

Both major portals have this morning revealed more evidence of a gently slowing housing market. The average time to sell a property...

Few can deny that with announcements from MPs and an announcement from Purplebricks, that it’s been an extraordinary week.  While it may...

With the home buying and selling process firmly on the news agenda of late – everything from a possible ban on...

Barely a day goes by when we don’t read a new report on the unscrupulous practices of landlords; of the sub-standard...

Hello and welcome to yet another Agents Do Charity - our tribute to the great work done by our industry in...

The government has launched an official consultation about a new stamp duty surcharge - the long-awaited additional one per cent for...

The end of the snow has given way to warmer weather, and while it’s a little early to speak of spring...

At the end of January the Asian PropTech company PropertyGuru announced the imminent launch of beta-phase testing of its cutting-edge new product, PropertyGuru Lens. This...

OnTheMarket is to continue its TV advertising campaign throughout February - and this time it’s ad is also going to be...

Kit Malthouse has been making headlines this week, but – in keeping with his tenure as Housing Minister so far -...

There’s a distinctly northern flavour to some of the great fund-raising this week - and in particular Yorkshire. This isn’t the only...

There has been a nine per cent rise over the past year in estate agency and property industry firms in so-called...

Agents need to focus on more targeted marketing using a mix of traditional and modern methods to optimise their position in...

If you want an engaging page-turner novel for cold winter evenings, my recommendation is Our House by Louise Candlish, a bestseller...

When it comes to letting a property, it is important that landlords and renters have faith in their agent. The more...

Alongside hundreds of agents and suppliers, I recently attended the Guild of Property Professionals’ annual conference. As ever, it was a great...

The government has this morning set out wide-ranging changes to redress systems for agents, the sales and lettings sectors, and other...

Fine & Country has revealed that it is the fastest-growing premium agency in the UK. Quoting research from TwentyCi - the business...

The weather suggests that at long last winter has truly kicked in - so what better time to celebrate, amongst other...

Our latest case study come from a recent news item to have hit the industry and national press. A disgruntled tenant is claiming...

The Minister for Digital and the Creative Industries, Margot James, has used social media to say she is “thrilled to see...

Still recovering from Christmas and New Year? There’s no shame in that - the agents’ fund-raising season resumes in earnest in...

It’s safe to say that the majority of agents will be glad to see the end of the past two years....

Londoners paid some £30 billion on homes elsewhere in the UK this year - the highest amount since 2007. A report from...

Fine & Country’s annual conference in the New Year is to have former England rugby player Matt Dawson MBE as the...

If you thought Christmas Eve meant no more news in terms of industry movers and shakers…well, think again - we’ve one...

With a new year nearly upon us, it’s always a good idea to be aware of the major events that are...

Having built over 1900 websites for estate and lettings agents in the last 16 years, we know a thing or two...

Hello, and the wind-down to the Big Day continues with more pictures of your agency offices. Thanks so much, firstly, to Becky...

Hard not to mention two major breaking news stories of recent days; one directly affecting the property market and one which...

OnTheMarket had told its shareholders this morning that it now has over 12,000 branches listing and is offering share incentives to...

The head of the portal PropertyMutual has accused Rightmove, Zoopla and OnTheMarket of being “corporate dinosaurs” and has called on agents...

It’s that time of the week again when we focus on the great work done by the industry, usually without much...

The Advertising Standards Authority has banned an advertisement calling properties for sale ‘park homes’ when the buildings themselves could not be...

Every other advert on the TV is featuring Santa Claus, snowmen or reindeer, the tinsel, trees and decorations are out in...

With Christmas less than four weeks away (yes, really) the countdown to the festive season begins tomorrow when December begins. Charity...

Hello and welcome to this week’s Agents Do Charity - it’s our weekly round-up of good work done by the industry. Everyone...

Amidst all the Brexit chaos let’s remember that it’s Children In Need day...always a time when Britons’ generosity raises the spirits,...

Hello and welcome to our latest edition of Property Jobs Today, a weekly run-through of the key job moves within our...

Hello and welcome to another Agents Do Charity, our round-up of great work done by our industry to raise funds for...

Rather like doctors, estate agents are present at critical points in our lives – moving in together, bidding farewell to a...

A recent 'red flag alert' report from an insolvency firm warned that the number of real estate businesses defined as being...

Perhaps it’s been our pre-occupation with Brexit, or on the other hand maybe we’re bored with politics, but this year’s Budget...

It’s now almost a month since the government introduced new rules on Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO), as part of its...

An insolvency firm is warning that the real estate sector of the economy is showing a growing number of businesses defined...

We all get an extra hour in bed this weekend, giving us more energy to fund-raise for good causes, right? That seems...

The Competition and Markets Authority is stepping up its campaign to identify and prosecute companies behind cartels - and it’s offering...

The government says mobile home residents are to receive greater protection from dishonest site owners seeking to make a profit at...

No, I haven’t lost the plot. Such a thing exists – and if you’re familiar with North London, there is a...

The culture of impatience and instant gratification has a lot to answer for. It has forced the hand of the property...

It’s time to sort the wheat from the chaff when it comes to overseas buyers of property. If you listen to Theresa...

Local business reviews are becoming increasingly important for reputation management, with recent research showing 90% of consumers read online reviews before...

Hello and welcome to another Agents Do Charity - your opportunity to salute those in our industry working hard for great...

The Competitions and Markets Authority says the result of its latest probe into estate agencies’ possible infringement of the Competition Act...

When Facebook first announced it would be entering the property listings market a few weeks ago it sent shockwaves across the...

A statement to the London Stock Exchange by eProp Services has cemented its role primarily as a PropTech firm. This is in...

Hello and welcome to this week’s Agents Do Charity - another chance to hear about the remarkable fund-raising done by our...

The six-figure refurb of the office on London’s Park Lane occupied by The Guild and Fine & Country is officially launching...

Fine & Country has opened its latest office in the Lancashire town of Rossendale, specialising in high-end properties across the county. The...

The raison d'être for estate agents everywhere is to get their properties noticed! It’s as simple as that. These days you’re likely...

There’s been a huge vote of no-confidence in online reviews, often used for marketing by many online agencies and some traditional...

Estate agents have been warned that underestimating their legal obligations when it comes to anti-money laundering (AML) could see an increase...

Hybrid agency Emoov has released research in which it claims consumers rank high street estate agency commission fees as the second...

Fine & Country is claiming to be the fastest growing premium estate agency brand in England and Wales over the last...

As summer turns to autumn over the next few weeks, that won't stop the nation's agents and property professionals from raising...

In 2014 The Properties Misdescriptions Act was repealed and replaced with the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations, otherwise known as...

A downbeat report from property investment specialist London Central Portfolio says “there are very few causes for optimism in the domestic...

Dare we mention it but this is the final Bank Holiday weekend of the year before Christmas - so what a...

A maverick Cornish estate agent who falsely gave the impression to customers that his business was highly successful has been hit...

As our minds turn to autumn, here’s a reminder that Estate Agent Today is on hand to help with your agency’s...

LonRes says transactions in prime locations in London dropped another six per cent when the second quarter of 2018 is compared...

The heatwave is gone and summer is in its closing stages (sorry!) so it comes as no surprise that there’s already...

The government has revised its guidance to agents over redress schemes - amending it to take account of the fact that...

It was interesting to see the recent story on Estate Agent Today about OnTheMarket (OTM) raising its fees after signing up...

Does your company apply adequate customer due diligence measures when carrying out estate agency work?  Does it establish and maintain appropriate policies...

The couple at the centre of a court case about agents’ fees say the issue could have been resolved earlier had...

With the weather scheduled to get a little cooler this weekend, fund-raising is clearly still a hot topic in the industry...

Since January 2018, nine of the UK’s biggest banks have allowed competitors direct access to customer data as part of the...

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) - which replaces the Data Protection Act 1998 - has now become effective and is...

Hello and welcome to the regular Monday feature, Property Jobs Today. There’s plenty going on despite the summer holidays beginning for many...

A disciplinary investigation by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has blown the lid on the infamous fee-fixing cartel scandal involving estate...

The creators of a website using market data to define postcodes as hosting a seller’s market or a buyer’s market have...

It’s holiday season shortly and we’ve got just the weather for it - good news for some, perhaps less so for...

The Advertising Standards Authority has today issued a three-point guidance note for estate agents, including controversial interpretations of what constitutes a...

The dream may be over but the return to reality can at least be staged in the spirit of an England...

Fine & Country and The Guild of Property Professionals are refurbishing the Park Lane showroom they share - and it’s going...

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) - which replaces the Data Protection Act 1998 - has now become effective and is...

Hello and welcome to this week’s hat-tip towards those in our industry doing so much to help others in need. Summer fund-raising...

The director of an estate agency has been ordered to pay more that £1,800 for failing to dispose of waste properly. Adebayo...

So here’s the thing. It’s summer - not much going on, school holidays about to start, industry publications filling out space...

House prices rose at their slowest annual rate in five years in June according to the latest indicator of this summer’s...

The head of London’s largest estate agency brand has hit back at a council in the capital which wants enhanced powers...

If World Cup 2018 appeared to be low profile at the start, it didn’t last long. Following this week’s Harry Kane goals...

Savills has suggested that it may be time for a fundamental review of what’s left of the flagship policy of Margaret...

Location, Location, Location: it’s no coincidence the TV show seized on that title because the importance of a property’s position is...

The World Cup may be entertaining us for the next few weeks but whatever England’s fate may be, one thing is...

News media in Australia say Purplebricks is the subject of an investigation by a consumer watchdog in the province of Western...

Letting agents are being advised to think seriously about how they can recoup costs to help compensate for the introduction of...

We have the presidential seal of approval for our Agents Do Charity this week - well, sort of, but we don’t mean...

The head of eProp Services, parent company of easyProperty, says growth in the online sector is slower than expected - but that...

A magazine which earlier this year claimed that two big corporates pressured customers to use their preferred mortgage brokers has now...

100 years ago, 90% of the UK population rented a home. Today, that figure has flipped, and over two thirds are...

As we move towards another Bank Holiday Weekend, there is no shortage of phenomenal fundraising efforts from those in our industry.  If...

Our industry does great work for good causes not just in this country but around the world, as this week’s Agents...

Coming into force on May 25, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) - which replaces the Data Protection Act 1998 -...

Hello and welcome to our latest chronicle of fund-raising exploits by our industry: the onset of fine weather and the Bank...

The London Marathon may have been and gone but there are plenty of agents and others in our industry still prepared...

The assessment by an investment consultancy that Purplebricks sells some 76 per cent of the homes it lists may have made...

It’s London Marathon weekend and it’s set to be hot, hot, hot for those agents and other brave industry folk running...

Coming into force on May 25, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) - which replaces the Data Protection Act 1998 -...

Hello everyone and welcome to this week’s Agents Do Charity - it’s a bumper edition with plenty of fantastic fund-raising going...

Two estate agency directors have been disqualified over a cartel scandal which resulted in five agencies being fined over £370,000 for...

It’s under two weeks to The ESTAS 2018 held in London on Friday April 20. It’s the biggest and best bash in...

A technology company says that despite government attempts to eradicate money laundering in property transactions, agents and other industry professionals have been left...

A survey suggests that the average fine incurred by estate agents for apparent non-compliance with anti-money laundering regulations is £11,842. Research by...

As noted in Estate Agent Today’s news pages, OnTheMarket’s (OTM) recent dire share performance (at time of writing the price is...

Welcome to this week’s Property Jobs Today, our regular look at key moves inside our industry. Next week there’s no PJT as...

For many estate agents seeking to become entrepreneurs, the idea of starting their own business is undoubtedly daunting, especially when going...

So here’s another week’s great work being done by colleagues in our industry - and we’re very pleased to salute them. Everybody...

Thanks very much to everyone getting in touch to publicise their efforts for good causes: we’re always delighted to help. Just let...

The troubled Countrywide group has this morning revealed its recovery plan to get - in its words - ‘back to basics’...

Coming into force on May 25, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) - which replaces the Data Protection Act 1998 -...

A compliance specialist company is warning that as it believes relatively few estate agents fully understand their anti-money laundering obligations, firms...

When it comes to property, ‘Japanese knotweed’ are the two words most homeowners and prospective buyers do not want to hear.  With...

Collars up, gloves on, scarves pulled tight...it’s so cold you can hardly concentrate on work let alone anything else. But the...

Coming into force on May 25, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) - which replaces the Data Protection Act 1998 -...

The death of traditional TV – where viewers sit down together to watch shows at defined times – has been much...

An online agency says it knows exactly when a home should be marketed in order to sell in the optimum timeframe.  And...

Having built over 1,800 websites for estate and lettings agents in the last 20 years, it will come as no surprise...

Coming into force on May 25, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) - which replaces the Data Protection Act 1998 -...

PropTech has been the industry soundbite for the last couple of years. For many of my fellow agents, I think it’s one...

Thanks once again for your contributions to this weekly round-up of agents’ good works; we love covering these stories which show...

Almost a third of all ‘Suspicious Activity Reports’ concerning possible anti-money laundering infringements and reported to the National Crime Agency have...

Many agents are having a deserved break next week - well, as much of a break as looking after children and...

Fine & Country has now opened its latest office in the Kent town of Tunbridge Wells.  The firm says that strategically, this...

Between October and December 2017, some £822 million worth of UK residential property was sold at auction, according to the Essential...

Whisper it quietly, but there seems to be change in the air when it comes to agents recommending lawyers based on...

An analysis of one month’s listings on Purplebricks by City consultancy Jefferies concludes that it sold 51.6 per cent of its...

The Mortgage Advice Bureau says early evidence suggests typical first time buyers are now spending more following the effective scrapping of stamp...

IAM Sold says it is the largest independent residential auctioneer in the UK based on lots sold, for the second year...

Estate agents have been hit with six- and seven-figure fines under new anti-money laundering and anti-tax evasion regulations according to the...

An overwhelming 86 per cent of RICS members questioned in a survey claim they have seen no increase in interest from...

The number of owners selling up and moving home is at its highest level since 2007 with one exception - London.  The...

Only two weeks into the new year and we’re already in full swing with a wide range of fund-raising - well...

There’s a new warning being issued for estate agents and all other businesses to ensure they are prepared for the General...

Mystery surrounds a claim made by Prime Minister Theresa May that the stamp duty changes for first time buyers made in...

Christmas is just around the corner and we’re all looking forward to a break - but before then we know many...

It’s been a trend developing in the past few months - estate agents increasingly flirting with the idea of selling homes...

John Taylor, a high-end international estate agency which until earlier this year had a presence in London, says it intends to...

Images from your decorated offices are coming in thick and fast. Today we’ve three different agencies on show below, to paraphrase Oliver...

Today’s the big day when we make our draw for two lucky Estate Agent Today readers to attend the prestigious Agents’...

Hands up if you’ve read all of the property reports that have been published in the past week or so? Forever...

Earlier this month Fine & Country announced it was to offer an auction option to vendors - now the Surrey agency...

As we hurtle towards the end of 2017, it’s time to reflect on the year that’s just been.   Even better, this property-based...

Earlier this week, Chancellor Philip Hammond delivered the Autumn Budget with a strong focus on housing.  The decision to cut stamp duty...

The government has defined the ‘first time buyers’ who will benefit from its immediate scrapping of stamp duty for FTB purchases...

As Augmented Reality (AR) and Microsoft’s Hololens showcase the finest in modern architecture, it’s time for me to think again about...

Fine & Country claims it has increased its brand awareness amongst its target audience - homeowners aged over 35 and earning...

Auction House says it sold more properties in October than during any other month in the company’s 10 year history. The firm...

It’s one of the biggest days of the year for fund-raising in the UK, and we know many across our industry...

Fine & Country is to offer auction sales options to vendors in its 200 offices from next year. “The modern method of...

In the UK, there are over 3.9 million homes situated in off-grid areas with no access to mains gas, so it’s...

Mortgage approvals are well above last year's levels despite concerns about the health of the housing market.  There were 66,185 mortgage applications...

A roadshow is being launched to help the industry tackle what is being described as “the biggest change to affect estate...

The spread and sophistication of financial crime in the UK in recent years has been unprecedented.  Figures from UK Finance show that...

Winter really is the time for fund-raising - and thanks for letting us know exactly what you are up to to...

Crowdfunding is nothing new. As I pointed out in a previous Natter, it dates back centuries, playing a part in the...

A gentle reminder to everyone that the clocks ‘fall back’ an hour this weekend - meaning we have an extra hour...

The Guild and Fine & Country are launching what they call “an automated prospecting service” to enable members to target sellers...

Another week, yet more consultations - the agency industry can’t complain about not being asked for its views recently. The latest were on...

So at last someone has woken up to the fact that Purplebricks needs to be clearer about how it charges for...

The UK estate agency and construction industries are not ready for the huge workload and responsibilities involved in the General Data...

The Competition and Markets Authority has set out precisely what agents and other companies can and cannot do in the event...

In just 10 days time on Friday week the inaugural ESTAS Conveyancer Awards take place.   The organisers have issued a ‘what...

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

The decision by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to fine five estate agents for engaging in a price fixing cartel has...

It’s not just that the days are shortening and the occasional smell of smoke lingers in the evening - the weather...

As those of us in the industry know, there is a fine balance to strike between disruptive technology – and the...

The vast majority of sellers surveyed by a consumer group say rapport with branch staff in a locally-based office is important...

It used to be so easy. Around 20 years ago there were what we now call full-service estate and letting agencies, and...

Harrods Estates has recruited an ex-Savills sales negotiator with 10 years of experience working in prime central London. Michael Harte, who will work...

The Competition and Markets Authority has for the first time published details of the findings against a group of six estate...

Fine & Country is to allow interior designers to operate under its brand name. Fine & Country Interior Design will be run...

How has the world of estate agency changed in the last few decades? That’s the question this week’s Natter is going...

Even so close to the event, I don’t think anyone will be deeming 2017 as the ‘summer of love’.  The summer of...

Estate agency James Pendleton says it wants to give its clients more digital advantages without becoming an online operation itself -...

easyProperty has unveiled details of its relaunch, declaring itself to be the UK’s second largest hybrid estate agency - second only...

An estate agent who is campaigning for boards to be banned in his local area says they should be 'confined to...

Nearly all home owners (96%) consider fees to be the most important factor when choosing an estate agent, according to research...

Despite the fact that eight out of 10 statistics are reportedly made up (if you can believe that figure), I bet...

Now we hate to spoil a long weekend but for much of the UK this is the final Bank Holiday before......

Fine & Country and the Guild of Property Professionals are to keep their current Mayfair office on London’s Park Lane -...

Are you protecting your data right? This may sound like the sort of direct warning you get from cold callers or...

Remember when August used to be quiet with not much news? This year, whether it’s industry upheavals at Countrywide, Purplebricks and Agents’...

One of the founding figures behind OnTheMarket, which currently bans listings from online agencies, now says bricks and mortar agencies that...

There’s a distinct sense of déjà vu over the debacle of OnTheMarket. I avoided joining two years ago because I couldn’t see...

Let’s face it - summer seems to be on holiday itself, if the weather in the UK is anything to go...

The Guild of Professional Estate Agents and Fine & Country are offering agent members the option to have in-person reviews and...

Adam Day, the founder of Connells-owned online estate agency Hatched, has been announced as head of operations at easyProperty.    In a statement...

It’s traditional for estate agents to support each other when they come under attack from the press or public. After all,...

As we head into August there’s no let up on your fantastic efforts for charity - thank you!   Everyone below has let...

More than 270 easyProperty licences have been secured by independent estate agents belonging to The Guild of Property Professionals and Fine...

It’s been an undeniably tough year for agents so far and no one can say the industry doesn’t deserve a summer...

The Advertising Standards Authority has banned an advertisement which suggested that the firm behind it had “a physical office ... in...

For the second time in two weeks, experts are warning that new data protection laws could seriously disrupt the agency industry...

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

The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld a complaint over a Purplebricks website statement featuring testimonials from clients; the complaint was made...

The Guild of Property Professionals and Fine & Country have launched a new referral system app which allows its members to...

The start of Wimbledon means we’re reaching peak summer - even if the weather suggests otherwise. But distractions like sporting events...