Archive

The pandemic and the way the government has reacted to the private rental sector (PRS) has got me thinking about the...

Despite the recent effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, there is still much opportunity in the market for letting agents to grow...

I’m sure I speak for most in the property industry when I say that back in March and April I had...

When it comes to the future of the property market in the wake of Covid-19, there are two main schools of...

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has been criticised for its lack of enforcement of anti-money laundering (AML) legislation so far in...

Hello and welcome to the start of the weekend and that means it's time for Agents Do Charity. Each week, we publicise...

The result of a test case over Business Interruption Insurance involving agents has been handed down by the High Court. It has...

A tax expert says that there is 'zero likelihood' of the government changing its mind on stamp duty changes for overseas...

For a number of years now, predictions have been made that one of the major tech giants will eventually enter the...

A leading agent says the government’s new Coronavirus clampdown from Monday will push more home owners to sell. Caspar Harvard-Wills, a partner at...

Agents involved in a test case over their Business Interruption insurance will know the result next Tuesday morning. The test case concluded...

Knight Frank has launched an auction business to give vendors a wider range of sale options as market uncertainty remains because...

The letting industry has come a long way over the past few years, embracing regulation and taking pride in doing good...

House prices rose again in August to reach a record high level according to Halifax, which is part of the Lloyds...

Hunters chairman Kevin Hollinrake - who is also a backbench Conservative MP - has been criticised on Twitter by Manchester United...

There will not be a single business within the property sector that did not start the year in vastly different circumstances...

In the week the Nationwide recorded the UK’s highest ever average house price, high-end agency Savills has forecast that prime markets...

The battle between portals is hotting up again with Zoopla repeating its offer of free listings until January for agents committing...

A specialist property lender says transactions are being delayed by key staff being furloughed. Gareth Lewis, commercial director of property lender MT...

Recent speculation that the so-called Bank of Mum and Dad would be playing a reduced role in the housing market has...

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

The ban on evictions was due to end earlier this month, but following a last-minute U-turn from the government, it has...

With access to finance being such a hot topic at the moment, more and more estate agents are turning to commercial...

Labour’s shadow housing minister has revealed that it will be two years at least before the party sets out its long-term...

The Say No To Rightmove campaign has given a thumbs up to the new Boomin listings service created by the brothers...

Since June 1, under The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, landlords in England have been...

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

Letting agents are struggling to open new bank accounts and even large established letting agents with a long history of trading...

It was officially announced last week that the UK is in recession for the first time since 2009, and although this...

Controversial Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick, tipped by some for sacking when the Cabinet is reshuffled next month, appears to be confident...

The number of people moving home dropped by almost a third in the first half of 2020, as the global pandemic...

The last few months have been tough for the property sector, and the pressure will continue as estate agents across the...

One of Countrywide’s biggest shareholders has written a second letter to the company to demand bold action to save the agency...

A leading buying agency is warning sellers and buyers not to jump the gun and abandon London in the belief that...

Life as we know it has changed – for everybody – and what tenants want, need and expect in this post-pandemic...

The government’s new Kickstart scheme is the ideal way for agents to encourage new talent without incurring any cost. That’s the view of The...

Many young people are stuck unable to purchase their first home even if house prices fall in the wake of the...

It has been three months since the property market was given the green light to reopen. During this time, we have...

A home office set up in a dedicated room apparently adds £17,500 to the value of a property. Direct Line Insurance has...

Is Countrywide finally on the road to recovery? Its share price has risen 125 per cent in the past three months; much of...

Agents have been understandably delighted at the latest Halifax index which shows house prices posting their biggest gain of the year...

Property raffles are a legal minefield and many are too good to be true, according to a leading lawyer. There has been...

It must have been a close thing on Friday as to whose faces were looking the most glum - those at...

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

The UK residential activities of high-end agency Savills suffered a 54 per cent reduction in profits and an eight per cent...

Following the easing of lockdown restrictions on England’s property market in May, NAEA Propertymark reported a sharp increase in business for...

The Guild of Property Professionals is relaunching its online auction brand - Guild Auctions - even though it has already successfully...

The Nationwide says annual house price growth has recovered to 1.5 per cent. Its July house price index says the fall in...

Agents are awaiting the outcome of a test case regarding Business Interruption Insurance, which may determine whether they receive thousands of...

What do General Electric, IBM, Microsoft, and WhatsApp have in common? Yes, they are American companies that boasted revenues of $50...

A trading statement from Foxtons this morning reveals that 85 per cent of staff are now off furlough, and that the...

A vendor who suffered a fall-through on the sale of his five bedroom home in West Yorkshire is now trying to...

There’s a record number of property industry companies, including agencies, in financial distress according to the latest Red Flag alert monitor. The...

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

Earlier this month, it was revealed that property industry bodies have joined a new Code of Practice Steering Group to enact...

It is widely expected that Purplebricks will shortly reveal the result of an experiment with a number of different pricing strategies. The...

Agents have almost unanimously been reporting a big surge in business since the reopening of the housing market, but new figures...

An eight day court hearing kicks off this morning as the Financial Conduct Authority begins a test case regarding Business Interruption...

Conferences, events and awards dinners are a hugely important part of the property calendar, bringing the great and the good of...

Knight Frank has reported a remarkable set of figures for June showing how the housing market has bounced back with a...

The latest monthly index suggests that the average asking price in England and Wales has jumped 1.5 per cent in the...

A think tank says the stamp duty holiday introduced a week ago is understandable and may be helpful to the housing...

A property law firm is calling on the government to backdate the stamp duty holiday to include those buyers who completed...

Savills has revised its market forecast for the enclaves of prime central London and now says prices will fall by 2.0...

There’s been another increase in the number of mortgage products available to buyers and landlords - a sign of all aspects...

What work did I do through lockdown? I went to work for a company who provide Domiciliary care for the vulnerable and elderly...

A PropTech supplier claims that an agency has secured the first ever transaction where the complete chain used Reservation Agreements.  Harrison Residential,...

The property market has been reopen for almost eight weeks now and during that time demand from prospective buyers has soared. Rightmove...

In a video interview for Estate Agent Today, property professional Chris Buckler speaks to industry video expert Christopher Watkin. Watkin gives his...

Haart - one of the brands owned by Spicerhaart, which laid off staff in the first hours of the pandemic -...

Purplebricks is starting a new wave of TV advertisements today, continuing its theme from earlier this year as a sponsor of...

A survey of 2,000 prospective movers by Zoopla shows the vast majority still intent on buying - but younger purchasers’ plans...

Agents have remained calm in the light of Nationwide’s house price index which shows the first annual fall for eight years...

Businesses across all sectors have struggled to adapt to the changes brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. One group that have bucked...

Mortgage product choices for buyers have increased to the highest level in three months according to new data. PropTech platform Mortgage Brain...

It may be that by the time you read this it’s all over for Robert Jenrick, the Secretary of State for...

The post-lockdown surge in housing market activity has continued into its sixth week, as at least one agency’s indicators hit record...

Rightmove and OnTheMarket have announced that they are extending their cut-price fees deals, introduced because of Coronavirus. This morning Rightmove says: "We have...

“Let’s Zoom later”, “are we Zooming in the morning or afternoon?” “Yeah, I zoomed the client earlier” – variations on these...

Most letting agents don’t set up a business to become accountants but losing control of client money poses serious risks for...

The property market is used to change, and I’m confident it will bounce back from any lockdown effects. Despite being acutely aware...

A tax and legal specialist says there’s been a huge rise in stamp duty refund cases between March and June -...

One of the leading ‘new breed’ of hybrids relying on self-employed agents is opening a share offer to investors in a...

A company promoting a Blockchain platform with promises to speed up the buying and selling process claims the pandemic has proved...

Covid-19 has placed a spotlight on the impressive variety of fundraising platforms and technologies available – and not often in places...

Hello and welcome to Agents Do Charity, our weekly opportunity to salute suppliers and agents fund-raising for good causes. We appreciate how...

Zoopla has upped the stakes in the war between rival websites with two major claims which implicitly challenge both Rightmove and...

OnTheMarket says in a trading statement this morning that as of May 31 only some 9,000 branches were on paying contracts...

More details have been released about a test case being brought by the Financial Conduct Authority about the ongoing Business Interruption...

It’s official – the property market is back open for business. Estate agents have started to unfurlough staff and many are...

If you are an established UK estate agent, the status quo dictates that you will most likely work for ‘the man.’ Corporate...

The latest in the recent surge of consumer information publicised by Rightmove suggests that demand for flats has fallen significantly as...

A new thought-provoking five-part video series is launching to the industry today. ‘Simon says…’ is being hosted by Property Tribes with...

The housing market is set for long-term recovery, despite dips in the road on the way.  That's the message from the latest house...

The only story that has come remotely close to pushing coronavirus – and its various knock-on effects – off the top...

The Covid-19 crisis has forced the UK property industry to rethink the way it operates. With little warning, the pandemic disrupted the...

UK house prices fell by 1.7 per cent in May, after taking account of seasonal effects – this is the largest...

A survey of sellers by a high-end agency suggests that around a third expect price falls of six per cent or...

Restrictions introduced a decade ago after the financial crisis are holding back many first time buyers from purchasing a home. That’s the...

The outlook for the housing market is still taking shape, but here I take a look at three market indicators to...

Over the last few years, there have been a number of high-profile court cases in which renters took action against letting...

Last week was Mental Health Awareness Week, and there is a great deal of positive things to be said about a...

Housing Minister Chris Pincher and Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick stayed well clear of the Dominic Cummings row over the weekend -...

It’s another Bank Holiday weekend and the first since lockdown was eased and the housing market returns - so perhaps a...

During March, the coronavirus pandemic put the brakes on the property market with an enforced period of shutdown. However, almost two...

An analysis of seven countries which underwent different forms of lockdown during the pandemic suggests the British and Italian housing markets...

There’s been a very significant increase in the number of listings carrying virtual viewings, accelerating during the period of the Coronavirus crisis and...

A large majority of property professionals polled by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors say a stamp duty holiday would be...

The second part of a survey which has already thrown up shock results has been launched with an appeal for agents...

The acting chief executive of OnTheMarket says the Coronavirus crisis could indirectly create a catalyst for change in the portals marketplace. Clive...

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

There has been much speculation about when agents will be allowed back to work, and what the new office working environment...

Fine & Country is one of those clever agencies employing interior designers to help stage properties, making them look their best...

A third of agencies say at least some of their staff will be working from home permanently when the Coronavirus pandemic...

Agencies, many of which campaigned vigorously to be included in the business rates holiday announced in March by the government, have...

“A lot of people have learned that they can work at home, or that there’s other methods of conducting their business......

A Labour council in London has come out against the government’s plan to offer 30 per cent discounts to first time...

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

Since my last column in April, one could argue that very little has changed for agents in terms of the market...

The scandal over Business Interruption Insurance policies is hotting up, with class actions being discussed against insurance firms and the Financial Conduct Authority announcing...

Countrywide’s senior staff earning over £45,000 per year have had their pay cut by a fifth while some 78 per cent...

A major consumer survey of existing home owners and potential movers has resulted in a plea to government to allow house...

Agents and in some cases their brokers continue to do battle with insurers in a bid to secure pay-outs on their...

The company at the centre of a controversy over estate agents’ business interruption insurance says its core package does NOT cover...

If there are agents still uncertain as to whether their company or themselves as individuals are claiming the maximum business support,...

Aside from the obvious health crisis, the current pandemic is proving difficult for the business worldwide. However, despite the increasing contact...

One of the most important aspects of being a successful and profitable agent is selecting the right tenants. The industry manages this...

Property and construction are amongst the worst hit sectors for businesses in so-called ‘critical distress’ according to figures taken before the worst...

This month saw the introduction of the final stages of the Section 24 tax changes, first introduced in April 2017. Whereas buy-to-let...

An estate agency says it’s using so-called Covid Clauses in contracts to keep transactions on course. Knight Frank says it’s writing ‘Coronavirus...

With a lengthy lockdown already behind us one might think that fund-raising was a step too far - but not for...

Only half of the branches signed up to Zoopla have taken advantage of one or other of the discount offers made...

A high-profile regional agency is “cracking on” with support for a hospice for children and young people that cannot raise funds during...

Independent agency Nicol & Co is donating £100 to the NHS for every new instruction signed up by April 21. The agency...

We are still living in highly extraordinary times, perhaps evidenced best by the fact that the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, was...

The government has been called upon by one of the industry’s most respected bodies to announce a stamp duty holiday to...

New temporary rules have thrown a lifeline to troubled agencies like Countrywide and Purplebricks which may need to raise additional funds...

An online estate agency which has described the Coronavirus pandemic as “a disrupter and game changer” for the agency industry says...

One of the industry’s highest profile figures has suggested the Coronavirus crisis could trigger many more agents becoming self-employed. Nicky Stevenson -...

The NAEA and ARLA have jointly written to the government asking it to include agents’ commission in its plans to help those financially...

Due to the current Coronavirus pandemic, we are all being told to stay at home as much as possible to contain...

Much like PropTech, Open Banking has been used as a buzzword in recent years. However, when it comes to the rental...

Hello and here’s the latest daily update to help the industry through these unprecedented times.  If you have any appropriate advice you...

Hello and welcome to this week’s list of good work - yes, despite the virus lockdown.  Earlier this week we featured many...

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of Conquering Corona, our daily update helping the industry cope with the current crisis. If...

Former housing minister Alok Sharma has revealed new measures to allow agencies and other businesses to avoid insolvency during the virus...

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

In response to the current coronavirus pandemic, which is having such an impact on all parts of life, including the property...

It’s time to draw a line in the sand and condemn our rival portals for their current charging structure. Little will...

The extraordinary past week of anger over portals’ fees plus early-warning statements like that from Foxtons indicate the anxiety in the...

Good morning and welcome to the industry’s daily update on how we cope with the challenge of social distancing and self-isolation...

Hello and welcome to today’s Conquering Corona, a service we’re running to share official guidance and agents’ advice in a bid...

A second prominent agent has broken cover to say Coronavirus is slowing the market. Jess Simpson - an ex-Savills and ex-Strutt and...

Agents and senior industry figures fear Coronavirus may derail the strong start to the  2020 housing market. One of the country’s leading...