Archive

I don’t believe it’s unfair to state that our government, indeed, the entire political establishment is in some turmoil at the...

The topic of introducing rent controls in London crops up time and time again in our industry. But it’s been hitting...

Estate agents have responded cynically to the small-fry property sector announcements made by Chancellor Phillip Hammond in yesterday’s spring statement mini-Budget. Overshadowed...

Two free-to-list portals launched last month in the UK say they have 1,200 agents and 50,000 listed properties on board in...

Figures released this morning show a surge in first time buyers securing mortgages in recent months, despite the market showing continued signs...

It’s time, surely, for government to crackdown not just on rogue agents and landlords but on rogue councils that confuse the...

Last week, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government announced a number of measures aimed at further tackling homelessness, including...

Competition for landlords will be fiercer than ever this year. Landlords are facing a raft of changes and will likely be...

Instagram (or, as the younger generation would have it, Insta) is, by any measure, massive.  Only launched in October 2010, it’s a...

Chancellors says it has over 10,000 reviews on Trustpilot, making it the most reviewed High Street agency on the platform.  In a statement...

Nobody likes change. It makes people feel threatened, undermines their confidence, and makes them worry about the future. But regardless of...

The Deposit Protection Service (The DPS) keeps deposit money safe for letting agents, landlords and renters during the course a tenancy....

In these tougher times, we recognise that helping agents win new inventory is the key to their businesses.  There were more than...

After several days of gloomy market news, here's something more optimistic - there were 370,000 new first time buyer mortgages completed in...

Interesting news this week from South Africa where the PropTech startup, Flow, has raised R20m in the country’s 'biggest PropTech seed...

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

A new free-to-list property portal is launching in the UK, and has a pledge to serve over 20 counties by the...

Who are you? I’m the Director of Sales for both the well-known industry leading Today publications and The ValPal Network. Leading publications: Estate...

The dust may have settled on the government’s recent announcement regarding housing and property complaints, but opinion is still split on...

Customer experience (CX) will largely determine the future of estate agency in the UK. This is now a key battleground for...

The regional agency MoveSelf, which set up in 2017 as an online estate agent, is shifting emphasis towards For Sale By...

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

The Deposit Protection Service (The DPS) keeps deposit money safe for letting agents, landlords and renters during the course a tenancy....

Outsourcing. Everyone has an opinion on it and there’s a stigma surrounding it in the lettings industry. But get this…letting agents ARE...

ARPM  Who are you and what does it say on your business card? Simon Duce, Managing Director. What is ARPM and what does it...

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...

A review of the housing market at present, particularly when it comes to purchase transactions, might not necessarily feel overly positive.  The...

  The National Association of Estate Agents and the Association of Residential Lettings Agents have thrown their weight behind the government’s latest...

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

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

Part of the Arun Estates Group has rebranded - by dropping the ‘& Partners’ element of its name. The agency formerly known...

Even with 2019 well underway, letting agents need to keep refining their long-term goals and business targets. For agencies with a...

‘I need more power’ - it’s a common request experienced by landlords, letting agents and commercial estate agents across the country. Be...

Recent years have seen tighter regulation and new legislation hit the lettings industry. Combined with the fee ban, there is no...

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

The government says it will be releasing details of its ideas to revamp redress systems concerning agents and new homes “in...

As 2018 draws to a close, it is fair to say that stretched affordability and uncertainty over the Brexit negotiations has...

The Deposit Protection Service (The DPS) keeps deposit money safe for letting agents, landlords and renters during the course a tenancy....

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

A new analysis of the online estate agency business model claims that it ‘could be described as a Ponzi scheme’. The accusation...

When renting a property out, letting agents and landlords recognise that it is important to take a deposit from the tenant...

So this is (almost) it. Next week may be a quiet one for business as vendors and landlords alike begin to...

There is a perfect storm brewing in the lettings market, and as the saying goes, “you can’t change the direction of...

Vesta, which describes itself as “the new online marketplace for buying and selling rental property” has launched a bid to raise...

Two weeks to Christmas but no sign of our industry slowing down with more job moves announced in recent days.  Please let...

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

The Deposit Protection Service (The DPS) keeps deposit money safe for letting agents, landlords and renters during the course a tenancy....

A platform that allows individual private sellers and landlords to list their properties alongside those from professional agents says it’s not...

The title may be unfamiliar but most agents know by now that in the corridors of Whitehall a working party exists...

A no-deal Brexit The biggest impact of a no-deal Brexit in relation to housing is a potential fall in house prices -...

Yorkshire agency Linley & Simpson is on the acquisition trail yet again - and it’s revealed its eighth deal of the...

Estate and letting agents are being warned not to slow down too early in the run up to Christmas as it...

Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly important role in our lives – from virtual assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa and...

People now expect a streamlined, digital-first experience from every single service they interact with - and the lettings industry is no...

The market is now over-supplied with homes to sell while at the same time demand is dipping and there are widespread...

1.             Who are you and what do you do? HeyJuno Property is a business dedicated to empowering estate and letting agents throughout...

On the face of it, this year’s Budget was not what you could describe as ‘housing heavy’ in terms of the...

For any business, regardless of size, age or industry, operating efficiently is fundamental to your success. When faced with challenges like we...

It’s Budget day and the government is once again on the receiving end of a blast from one of the country’s...

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 open rental market, where neither landlord nor tenant is in a dominant position, enables rents to rise and fall, which...

Given that ‘UK buyers are the most digitally active home hunters’, with HSBC’s Beyond the Bricks report stating that 90% of...

The National Association of Estate Agents has welcomed the government’s move to ensure most future new-build houses are sold as freehold...

The vast majority of new-build houses are to be sold as freehold with ground rents for new leases capped at £10...

The government has unveiled a new body which, it claims, will raise agency standards. There is a long-standing commitment from the government...

Transactions in prime central London have dropped nine per cent in the year to the end of August according to Knight...

A website has officially launched this morning, aiming to push the concept of US-style For Sale By Owner online property marketing...

From where I’m standing there’s a lot in common between the debate between online and traditional agents, and the argument over...

Who are you and what does it say on your business card? Marco Ferrara, Director of Tili What is Tili and what does...

Today’s long-awaited debate staged by fledgling PropTech platform Best Agent will address the issue of how the agency industry can most...

I am a patient man; a pacifist. Yet there is little in life right now that would satisfy me more than...

Landlords and letting agents might feel they’ve taken a bit of a battering from the government in recent years – and...

The National Association of Estate Agents has given broad support for radical proposals from the Law Commission to end leasehold abuse...

OnTheMarket has signed up an estate and lettings agency firm run by a family and with 11 offices across west Devon...

Out and about recently, I got to thinking: how often do I actually have the call for cash anymore? Or, for...

Data from the buying agency Black Brick reveals just how big an impact has been made by the additional homes stamp...

Were it not for climate change, I would be very close to predicting that the summer is close to being over,...

The buy-to-let sector, which has been under sustained pressure for a number of years now thanks to tax changes designed to...

When Oakland A’s, a small-market team, stunned the baseball world 16 years ago by transforming itself into world-beaters on a shoestring-budget,...

Next week ludlowthompson celebrates its 25th anniversary. Here, I catch up with Stephen Ludlow, co-founder and now executive director of the...

Research by Estate Agent Today reveals that there have been 12 different stamp duty regimes in the UK since the Millennium. What’s...

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

With the continued indecision surrounding Brexit and the final divorce settlement still months away, it seems property buyers are choosing to...

It’s a highly competitive environment out there, where there's a constant and never-ending struggle that every agency manager, director or owner...

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

Agents are being offered a new way to capture details of prospective clients thanks to a partnership between The ValPal Network...

A report in the Financial Times lays bare the scale of the housing market downturn in central London - it suggests...

Amid the headline-grabbing political manoeuvring over Brexit, a policy proposal which could have serious ramifications for private landlords, and those who...

A property software guru says he wants PropTech firms to join with him in an ‘open platform’ which would allow smaller...

An agent who is only 20 - and who set up his own firm when he was still a teenager -...

The battered prime central London market is now suffering from the UK’s wider political volatility, the lack of stability of the...

A leading agency chief says the frequent churn of housing ministers means there is only one answer if our industry wants...

The Money Laundering Regulations 2017 require estate agents to risk assess their business relationships and apply an appropriate level of investigation...

We’re lucky enough to interact with thousands of landlords and tenants every month. As a result, we get the chance to...

The Money editor of The Mirror newspaper has finally sold a home he first put on the market in late 2016...

Prime London’s transactions are now the preserve of so-called ‘needs-based buyers’ and not investors according to high-end agency Knight Frank -...

A survey of owner-occupiers, landlords, property investors and insolvency practitioners has revealed that Brexit is the single biggest concern when it...

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

Having recently attended FUTURE: PropTech in London, it struck me just how far the integration of property and technology has progressed...

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

Any letting agent appreciates the effort, dedication, and sometimes heartache, that comes with running a business yet equally knows that when...

Firstly, my sincere apologies - it has now been over a month since my last PropTech blog, doesn’t time fly!  In the...

Two online agents and a number of PropTech companies have been named in startups.co.uk's Startups 100 index. Coming in at number 64...

There is a common misconception that the private rented sector (PRS) is entirely made up of young professionals and students. While...

Estate agents don’t necessarily have the most eco-friendly image as an industry - but here’s one who’s really making a statement...

Hello and welcome to this week’s Property Jobs Today, our weekly feature on who’s moving where throughout our industry. And it’s...

New data from Haart estate agency suggests that despite many homes sticking on the market, apparently would be buyers are locked...

The rise and fall - and perhaps rise again - of Countrywide has been of enduring interest to the agency industry...

The housing market may have seen some depressing figures of late but there’s good news about mortgage arrears - they’re at...

Recent void statistics have had me wondering how agents can juggle client and consumer demands in the face of the impending...

Several agencies operating under different brand names in south east England have been retitled under just one, called Alexander & Co.  This...

One of the three official redress bodies serving the estate and lettings agency industry has conducted a survey of complaints across...

Theresa May has appointed a controversial former Shelter executive as her new housing policy adviser working in Whitehall. Toby Lloyd was until...

If you want to know whether buy to let, landlords and letting agents will be in the firing line for more...

In recent months, there’s been a notable move in the rental market towards deposit replacement products in place of traditional security...

The Guild of Property Professionals has given details of a strong field of potential winners in this week’s ESTAS awards.  This year...

‘Respect’ is the new mantra for politicians: whether it’s about street gang leaders, social media trolls or those on either side...

A proposal by HMRC to speed up HMRC Capital Gains Tax payments for residential property sales could create a “compliance nightmare.” The...

The outsourced viewing service Viewber says it has now conducted over 20,000 viewings on behalf of agents and has secured another...

The Property Ombudsman, Katrine Sporle, is to hold a briefing on the government’s redress reform on Wednesday - five days before...

Just like that, the Easter Bank Holiday has come and gone and I find myself now looking ahead to the Summer.  The...

In the modern marketplace – where people live their lives on their smartphones and tablets, social media has a bigger influence...

Hybrid agency EweMove says it has seen four portfolio acquisitions and 29 new areas ‘purchased’ by franchisees since June 2017, taking...

As always seems to be the case with Purplebricks, the hybrid agency has had a good week...and a bad one. Undeniably impressive...

One of the most important aspects of running a successful estate or letting agency is being able to generate new business...

Have you noticed a new turf war going on on the fringes of the agency world? It’s not a high-profile battle like...

Welcome once again to Property Jobs Today, the notice-board for agents, suppliers and other property professionals moving within, out or in...

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

Your buy-to-let investment is an extremely valuable asset and you need to know the income generated from it will be safely...

Firstly, a huge thanks to everyone who shared and commented on my first blog and for all those that emailed me...

Foxtons has reported its 2017 figures to shareholders and the City this morning and as expected they show sharp falls in...

A 1.0 per cent interest rate rise would add £930 a year to the cost of servicing the average mortgage, according...

Rightmove says its commercial property side is “continuing to gain momentum” with 650,000 leads generated for customers in 2017. Perhaps with an...

The well-respected buying agency Black Brick has revealed the scale of discounts it secures on prime properties being sold for different...

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

A new PropTech platform is providing a service to help agents market their new listings instantly across portals and social media. BestAgent...

The government has launched a surprise consultation on the creation of a new redress system for customers of agents and others...

This week I carry out a question and answer session with one of the most high-profile names in property. Isobel Thomson has...

A new year means new predictions for what’s to come in the letting industry. Sometimes things come to fruition as expected....

A range of factors - including fierce competition under the supplied housing market, rising property prices and political uncertainty – have...

MPs will next month debate a Bill which aims to have the energy efficiency of all UK homes brought up to...

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

In recent years January has become the month of detoxes, fad diets, health kicks such as Dry January and Veganuary, and...

Last week’s news that the lettings fee ban is unlikely to materialise before next spring was perhaps to be expected. Ever since...

New research from the National Association of Estate Agents and the Association of Residential Letting Agents reveals that no fewer than...

After the fun and over-indulgence of the festivities, most of us are now back to the world of work. And, with...

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

We would like to take this opportunity to provide a clarification to a newsflash sent by Property Industry Eye on January 1.  The...

What a year it’s been! Back in 2016 we had Brexit, a new prime minister, Donald Trump’s election, and so when...

A major industry supplier has reminded estate and letting agents that they have to check their responsibilities and systems ahead of...

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

Another new year is nearly upon us and, once we’ve got the season of mince pies, mulled wine, pigs in blankets,...

Bitcoin has smashed into the headlines again recently with major news outlets describing the ever increasing worth of this wildly volatile...

Landlords are being urged to step up and ensure that all rented properties and accommodation meet recent laws relating to carbon...

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...

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

British politics is extraordinarily volatile right now and the ongoing battle between austerity and anti-austerity, Leave and Remain, and Conservative and...

Countrywide's decision to 'pause' the roll-out of its online option for sellers and landlords is "unforgivable and dumbfounding" according to a...

Winter seems to be firmly with us now, if the plunging temperatures are anything to go by. After a ridiculously mild...

The largest mutual life pension and insurance company in the UK has added its voice to growing calls for stamp duty...

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

David Westgate, group chief executive at Andrews Property Group, has been presented with a long service award in recognition of his...

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

What is your experience in the property industry? I worked in estate agency for 12 years before joining Moneypenny and really enjoyed...

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

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

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

Having launched 13 years ago, PayProp, part of Humanstate Group, an international private technology services group, has grown into a leading...

The UK is home to four million leasehold properties in private ownership, according to government figures. The majority of which require...

Every week we carry reports of how great causes are helped by individual agents and other property professionals - this week...

The UK’s largest high street property franchise, Belvoir, has launched a new video called #MovingMemories to attract buyers and landlords to...

The ValPal Network is launching a new tool for its 4,100 agent users - an area barometer which reflects the buoyancy of...

An online platform that allows the public to compare the services and fees of traditional estate agents in their areas has...

Some good news is here for landlords and letting agents worried about the energy efficiency rating of their property – the...

Parliament is sitting again and the entire lettings industry is waiting with bated breath for more detail on the government’s proposal...

Whenever any research is released, part of me can’t help thinking of that old adage, ‘lies, damn lies and statistics’ especially...

When a tenant failed to pay any rent after the first month his tenancy last year, the landlord did not expect...

It’s not just the evenings drawing in that marks the approach of autumn - it’s also the return to work of...

Ten out of 14 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News say Brexit and economic uncertainty are likely to stall London’s housing market...

The Property Ombudsman has expelled a London lettings and estate agency for a year and is warning that the firm may...

Almost half of all property purchase valuations last month were conducted on behalf of first-time buyers according to Connells - well...

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

Research from the Centre for Economics and Business Research has shown that the cost of the average rental deposit is expected...

Shelter, the campaigning charity that has been hugely critical of private landlords and letting agents in recent years, has now launched...

Humberts, which yesterday launched an online-only option for landlord clients, says it is “not closing the door” on expanding the idea...

Humberts, a member of Agents’ Mutual, is today launching an online-only option and claims it can list online-only properties on OnTheMarket. Such...

Stamp duty has become the latest weapon in the ongoing war of words between different wings of the Conservative party, as...

As the mainstream mortgage market braces itself for yet another clampdown on buy-to-let lending, a growing number of property investors are...

Historically, short-term rentals have been an unattractive business for the majority of estate agents and property managers. Scarcity of demand from tenants...

Three agencies have been expelled from membership of The Property Ombudsman for two or more years, after failing to pay awards...

Foxtons has reported its half-year figures for the six months to the end of June and, as expected, they show how...

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

The Property Ombudsman has issued a year-long formal warning to consumers about an estate agency which failed to provide information concerning...

You may have heard that Airbnb and property management company, Lavanda has closed a £1 million angel investment round.  Backers include Purplebricks...

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

That the private rental sector has become the government’s whipping boy for housing problems - landlords in particular, letting agents almost...

Wimbledon finals and the British Grand Prix await us this weekend and The Open begins a few days later, completing what...

Estate and letting agents are being urged to prepare for new data protection legislation coming into effect next year - but...

Living next to inconsiderate neighbours can be a nightmare, but letting to bad tenants can prove costly, especially when issues, which...

How many property professionals are truly happy with their revenue? High levels of competition from new market entrants is a significant...

Mark Goddard was the founder and CEO of The Property Software Group (PSG), a property software solutions firm established in 2007,...

Over 500 members of the Guild of Property Professionals have requested an easyProperty licence following the merger between the two organisations.   The...

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

A cluster of conveyancing and legal experts, known as the Legal Sector Group, has published a raft of proposals on leasehold...

The managing director of lettings at Foxtons says Brexit and domestic political uncertainty have become ‘the new norm’ in the London...

The popularity of property auctions in the UK has increased enormously in recent years, supported by popular TV shows such as...

We take a break from the relentless election coverage to look at the great fundraising work being carried out by our industry. Once...

London Central Portfolio, a property investment consultancy, has set out a five point plan for the next government elected this week...

Our recent roundtable on the government’s proposed ban on tenant fees generated a selection of tips for growing your business. We’re now...

The recent rise in consumer complaints against sales and letting agents suggests that there is a general lack of trust and...

Student accommodation is positively luxurious compared with the drafty digs of my student days. En-suites, studio flats, even cinemas in halls...

Baroness Diana Warwick (below right) has been appointed chair of The Property Ombudsman scheme’s independent council. A life peer for the past 18...

The best estate and letting agents in the UK were recognised at the prestigious ESTAS luncheon and ceremony, which was held...

In November 2016 when the Autumn Statement was delivered by Chancellor Philip Hammond, the announcement was made to ban letting agent...

The Conservatives have this morning announced a reform of the house buying process in the party’s manifesto for the June 8...

Trinity Mirror is aiming to secure more of agents' marketing spend after launching what it is describing as a 'fightback' against...

Viewber, the outsourced property viewing service and brainchild of high-profile former estate agent Ed Mead, says its network of 'Viewbers' now...

The Guild of Property Professionals, which has over 800 agent members across the country, has this week launched a new website.  The...

Auctions are a great way to sell property competitively, with a wide range of homes often selling under the hammer, and...

It’s that time of year again – peak conference/event season. And, while Brexit and a shock snap general election are dominating...

Our recent roundtable on the government’s proposed ban on tenant fees generated a range of tips for growing your business.   We recently...

There’s no sign yet that the snap General Election is distracting our industry from continuing its fine record of doing good...

My apologies if this causes you to break your Easter egg with a little too much aggression, but I reckon the...

It’s never more obvious how important good communication is for letting agents than in times of bad weather. Havoc caused by...

A series of strong sales performances at recent auctions has led one firm to claim the sector is leading the residential industry’s...

More than three quarters of developers want to see the government go into reverse on its stamp duty and mortgage interest...

In recent years the mortgage industry has gone through some testing times. Recession and regulation have led to more stringent lending...

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

Ten years ago this month (April 2007) tenancy deposit schemes were first introduced in England and Wales.  You need to go a...

“I predict that within a few years, folks advertising properties for rent or to buy will start to show if their property is a...

Countrywide’s share price, which just over three years ago was riding high at just above 685p, has hit a new low...

A two year investigation by the Law Commission has ended with a claim that some owners of leasehold retirement properties, and...

There’s good and bad in every industry and at first sight, this week has been one where the good have won...

For my latest Property Natter I have sought the opinions of two well-known property consultants - Michael Day, managing director of...

Winkworth’s annual figures for 2016 reveal a franchise turnover drop of six per cent and a pre-tax profit fall of 25.6...

The triggering of Article 50 may have been regarded as a historic event but it appears to have left the housing...

The property market in northern England, supported in part by the Northern Powerhouse concept, has attracted a lot of media attention,...

A year ago, we were days away from the introduction of a 3% stamp duty surcharge on second homes – a...

In a week that I am recovering from the exuberance of MIPIM (I didn't want to focus on it in this...

Dust off your black tie and grab a tissue as we’re entering a period of mourning. It’s a bold claim, but...

Former clients of a Scottish estate and letting agency and mortgage company are being asked by a corporate insolvency firm to...

This week I’m lucky enough to be out here in Cannes as a PropTech Ambassador for MIPIM, the international real estate...

The government has admitted that the three per cent stamp duty surcharge has raked in twice as much as expected. In November...

Countrywide has revealed that in 2016 it spent over £8.1m on redundancies, some £7.4m on contract costs relating to closed premises,...

Chancellor Philip Hammond delivered his first Budget this week pledging extra funding for the NHS, transport in the Midlands and the...

Estate agents are angry that Chancellor Phillip Hammond made no attempt in his first Spring Budget to reform stamp duty -...

Chancellor Phillip Hammond has introduced no new property taxes in his Spring Budget - but a clampdown on those setting up...

Looking ahead to the Spring Budget this week, the Chancellor Philip Hammond will be obliged to face up to the implications...

With tax relief changes, a rise in Stamp Duty for second homes and strict mortgage affordability checks now in place, it...

There has been some really interesting talk recently of the relationship between FinTech (Finance Technology) and PropTech (Property Technology). A few...

Over the past two decades, investing in buy-to-let has been a relatively easy way to make money, which is why so...

The buy-to-let market has gone through significant change in the last year and with the Budget just around the corner, what...

So, Property Week has announced its Property Awards shortlist for 2017. Looking at the entries for PropTech Company of the Year, I'm surprised...

The rapid growth in popularity of buy-to-let in recent years, fuelled in part by the failings of the pensions industry, has...

1) Who are you? Kevin Ward – Director and founder of Agentlocator.co.uk 2) For those not familiar with Agent Locator, can you explain...

A new website supporting high street estate agents has recently launched. Agent Locator provides an online platform for high street estate agents to showcase...

Excuse the puntastic (or not) title, but as you’ve no doubt already deciphered I took a trip northwards a couple of...

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

Welcome to February! It means that 2017 is well under way and we’re edging closer to Spring – a time when...

Legal firm Kirwans have released shocking statistics which state that 70% of eviction notices issued by landlords to tenants may be...

Instant gratification is nothing new. It’s been around for millennia. It’s an in-built survival instinct for humans – that want, that...

The south’s seaside resorts are stealing the headlines for all the wrong reasons and at the heart of the troublesome issue...

Gross mortgage lending reached a remarkable £246 billion in 2016 - that’s 12 per cent higher than the previous year and...

The end of 2016 saw the launch of 30,000 new build-to-rent (BTR) projects in London alone. With market growth projected to...

The government appears to have slipped back on two deadlines concerning measures key to the property industry. Firstly the consultation on the...

A new website that will allow vendors and landlords to compare the expertise and fees of estate and letting agents has banned online...

2016 was quite a year – eventful, dramatic, shocking and impossible to predict. In no particular order, we saw Leicester winning...

The rental market has had to face a raft of changes over the past year, including the introduction of the 3% stamp...

A post-Christmas treat this week, as I carry out a Q & A with one of the leading figures in property,...

There is no doubt that 2016 managed to catch the world by surprise on more than one occassion.  But will 2017 be...

If you provide a service, you expect to be paid for it. Sound fair? But with the forthcoming ban on tenant...

Data from HM Revenue & Customs shows that the sale of residential properties rose a marginal 0.8 per cent last month...

The government has announced that its next Budget will be on March 8 next year. Until recently, Budgets and their ‘mini-me’ Autumn...

Just a few days before Christmas now but we’re still receiving images of your festive fun - thanks so much for...

New data revealed by investment consultancy Central London Portfolio claims that transactions in prime central areas of the capital have dropped 24...

Brexit and wider economic uncertainties worsened by changes to property taxation have forced the Council of Mortgage Lenders to cut its...

An insolvency firm active in the property sector says that after a year of major taxation, legislative and economic volatility, many...

Following a strong start to 2016, particularly in the lower to middle range of the UK housing market, that lasted up...

Forecasts are so last year: who anticipated Bowie, Brexit or Balls for example? Quotes, on the other hand, really ARE last year...

Only a week to the Christmas break and still our industry goes above and beyond the call of duty to raise...

New figures from the Council for Mortgage Lenders add weight to the argument that the housing market is gently slowing.  Home-owners borrowed £10.5...

The government has launched an official consultation process on a package of measures to crack down on what it calls ‘rogue...

Next year is likely to be a challenging time for letting agents, following a raft of changes introduced by the government...

Carpe diem, seize the day – whatever you call it, it’s something all of us in the property industry should be looking...

With effect from the 1st December 2016, amendments to the Immigration act 2014 were made through the Immigration Act 2016.    The soundbite...

A housebuilder that has in the past profited from its concentration on high-end London schemes says demand for its units is...

Let me set out my stall from the beginning. Firstly with two buy to lets managed by an agency, I understand and...

What a mad, bonkers year it’s been. We’ve had, in no particular order: Trump, Brexit, Leicester winning the Premier League, a...