Archive

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

Propertymark is the only agency trade body with sufficient influence on, and links with, government to achieve major gains for the...

The housing market remains open in Scotland, despite tighter restrictions announced yesterday by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. The only significant difference specific...

In the not-too-distant future, it will be possible to order a driverless car to collect you and then drive you to...

Countrywide and Foxtons have thrown their weight behind an idea to identify every single UK residential property with a unique number. The...

Estate agencies have been named by HM Revenue & Customs for breaching anti-money laundering regulations. The list of those breaching the rules...

A leading property law expert says agents with international clients in parts of Europe should prepare for additional processes which may...

The Daily Mail has mocked housing minister Chris Pincher for advising people to going £174-a-bottle champagne while awaiting the rollout of...

Following a turbulent 2020 in which the property market and the professionals working within it excelled in the face of unprecedented...

Here’s hoping you managed to have as good a Christmas and New Year as Covid rules allowed. Journalism in early January is...

As we approach the end of the year, there is no doubt that it has been a turbulent 12 months for...

Propertymark has told the government that it needs to introduce overarching regulation of agents now, because existing piecemeal provisions are unmanageable...

Ever since the initial ripples of innovation in the 1990s, PropTech has proceeded to reshape our market beyond recognition; going on...

Start-up letting agents looking to enter the market are finding it increasingly difficult to set up in business as banks point...

Described on this site as a ‘powerful disruptor’ in March 2020, few would deny that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted on...

The Property Ombudsman says there have been more complaints lodged about agents so far in 2020 than in 2019. This is despite...

The coronavirus pandemic has somewhat eclipsed Brexit this year – which is no mean feat. Cast your mind back to pre-Covid...

First off, hello and welcome to this new series – appearing in Estate Agent Today’s Breaking News section each month –...

A London estate agency chief executive says agents "have become good at pretending that they are qualified and regulated when the...

The industry regulator who comes into force when the Regulation of Property Agents’ recommendations are adopted may take over versions of...

Mark Hayward, who was scheduled to retire at the end of this month, is to stay on at NAEA Propertymark as...

Back in September, Westminster Council launched a new strategy to help 'protect tenants' and 'ensure they live in good-quality and well-managed...

As what now seems like a common occurrence everything has changed again since I last sat down to write about the...

So, we’re back to where we were in the spring, more or less. England is in a national lockdown again to...

The agency industry’s new leaders for the coming year have expressed strong support for reform recommendations promoted by the Regulation of...

The Boomin portal, which incentivises agents to cross-sell and benefit from referral fees, is to receive advice on fee disclosure from...

Over a fifth of key businesses say they do not trust any element at all of automated anti-money laundering checks and...

Letting agents and landlords have faced huge change and uncertainty this year, with Covid-19 the major driver. But even before the...

The government has unveiled the public health regulations which will underpin the second national lockdown in England - and the exemptions...

A leading board member of NAEA Propertymark warns a small number of rogue agents continue to flout anti-money laundering regulations - and...

“I’ve got 47 years of experience as an agent. Do I still have to get a qualification?” asked one attendee at...

Housing Minister Christopher Pincher announced that the introduction of the Renters' Reform Bill will be delayed for an indefinite period due...

The mandatory qualifications expected of agents have not been forgotten and will come into effect in two or three years. That’s the...

The proliferation of free and accessible digital services has - at face value - brought us many great things: same-day deliveries,...

David Cox is joining Rightmove next week in a dramatic return to the industry. Cox left the ARLA Propertymark in late July after...

A progress report on the Regulation of Property Agents recommendations will be made today by a key RoPA committee member, Mark...

The announcement of the Renters’ Reform Bill in the Queen’s speech last December caused a collective groan across the country from...

Book review by Graham Norwood, editor of Estate Agent Today, Letting Agent Today and Landlord Today. If a letting agent wants to...

The government has issued new guidance to estate and lettings agencies on their obligations regarding money laundering issues - and online...

A security company says it is “disappointing” the estate agency industry is only around 55 per cent through preparations to cope...

Hello again - the good news is it’s Friday and even better news is it’s Agents Do Charity, celebrating the industry’s great...

We all know what the problem is, but what’s the solution? The problem is that landlords, thinking they offer a valuable service...

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 have been in place for several months now. While letting...

Ed Mead has joined a growing chorus demanding government action on the cladding crisis. He is one of the industry’s leading figures from...

As the review of the recommendations of the Regulation of Property Agents Working Group continues, Emily Hawthorne, mio Account Manager and...

Are agents swimming upstream against the Electrical Safety Regulations? 3 months on from the introduction of the ‘Electrical Safety Standards in the...

Hello and at the start of another working week, welcome to our regular jobs slot announcing who’s moving where within the...

Propertymark, which will from later this year combine both the National Association of Estate Agents and the Association of Residential Letting...

The Property Franchise Group has named high-profile industry veteran Eric Walker as managing director of Martin & Co (South and Scotland).  Walker...

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...

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

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

It’s no surprise the mainstream news remains dominated by coronavirus - not so much the actual effect of it right now,...

The new president of NAEA Propertymark says one of her key objectives for the year ahead is to prepare the industry...

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

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

If anyone thought the days of Purplebricks bosses making millions were in the past,  think again. The chief executive and chief finance...

House raffles and similar competitions have become mired in controversy in recent years, thanks to some of them failing to abide by...

A PropTech firm that regularly claims London homes are mis-measured in property descriptions has taken a swipe at Purplebricks. Pupil, a spatial...

Agents have long been the victim of a poor public reputation, from scoring highly in most disliked profession polls to being...

We have had a special relationship for many years and are bonded as countries in many ways – historically, politically and...

Do you want to run the newly-merged Propertymark, embracing both the National Association of Estate Agents and the Association of Residential Letting...

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...

The new code of conduct for estate agents has been dismissed as “a waste of time” - and the senior industry...

Agents now have a chance to say what they think should be in a new Code of Conduct being discussed following...

A London Labour council has won draconian powers to effectively ban For Sale and To Let boards in several parts of...

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 - which require increased electrical testing in rental properties...

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

The chief executive of the National Association of Estate Agents, Mark Hayward, is to retire at the end of this year.  The...

Propertymark is calling in the government for agents to be trained in the use of software operating the Unique Property Reference...

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

A new estate agency Code of Practice is to be written by a group set up by the Royal Institution of Chartered...

The recommendations to regulate and train the estate agency industry put forward a year ago remain on the Housing Secretary’s desk...

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

Buyer registrations and sales enquiries are reportedly back to pre-Covid levels. Completions, however, are lagging behind. This is probably down to...

The devolved government in Wales - where the housing market is still officially closed - has urged agents to report rivals...

To most people, purchasing a home is the single most significant financial commitment made across a lifetime. Given the impact and...

The housing market in Northern Ireland is resuming on Monday after its lockdown because of the Coronavirus crisis. Arlene Foster, first minister...

The managing director of a Winkworth branch is threatening to report a senior member of a nearby Countrywide office to the...

In a video interview for his Move iQ service, Phil Spencer speaks to Mark Hayward, managing director of NAEA Propertymark about...

National property auctioneer Pugh & Co is launching an initiative to partner with estate agents across the UK. Via a new network...

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

Letting agents up and down the country have undoubtedly felt the financial strain added by the outbreak of COVID19. Whilst this will continue,...

** This Bank Holiday Monday both Estate Agent Today and Letting Agent Today look at how agencies have modified offices and protocols...

The industry should continue to prepare for large-scale reforms such as mandatory agency training, the licensing of agents and a new...

It’s back to work today for England’s estate agents and the housing market - but it’s the start of a new...

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick is expected to announce tomorrow that the housing market in England can resume with estate and letting...

The Property Ombudsman has announced the expulsion of eight agencies, all for contravening TPO codes of practice. Most of the expulsions were...

The Property Ombudsman is advising agents to use virtual viewings only as a filtering process with offers being agreed only ‘subject...

Hello, this is the final Conquering Corona for the week as we continue to help agents with advice and guidance through...

Hello and welcome to Conquering Corona, our bid to help agents through the crisis. If you have appropriate advice to share with...

The last five years have seen unprecedented changes to the property market and agents and their clients have never faced such...

The impact of the Coronavirus crisis is going to reduce agents' revenue into the third quarter finishing in late September warns a leading...

A PropTech firm is reporting a surge in demand for its remote ID verification software products during the virus lockdown. The software,...

Floorplan and photography supplier FocalAgent is making a free offer to every agent in the UK during the virus crisis -...

Labour’s long-standing housing spokesman, John Healey, has been moved to become shadow defence secretary on the front bench of new leader...

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

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

Hello and here’s the next batch of guidance and advice from different sectors of the industry, many from influential trade groups. It’s...

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...

There is no doubt that the BBC News article in early February caused something of a stir within the Deposit Free...

Who are you and what does it say on your business card? My name is Jon Notley and I am the co-founder...

With confirmation that Section 21 will be scrapped, how can agents get ready for life after no-fault evictions? The short answer is...

Who are you and what does it say on your business card? Nick Lyons CEO What is No Letting Go and what does it...

The author of dramatic reform proposals for estate agents has given a clear message to ministers - Get On With It!  Lord...

By now, most letting agents and landlords will have heard about the draft legislation laid in Parliament concerning a mandatory minimum...

The Trading Standards report on the future of referral fees is almost completed and will be sent to government next week. However, James...

Foxtons is warning that 2020 will be yet another difficult year for the agency despite the so-called Boris Bounce helping the...

Future complaints about property raffles by individual home owners seeking to avoid estate agency fees will in future be handled by...

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

Earlier this month, Boris Johnson carried out a reshuffle of his cabinet, telling ministers they must 'repay the trust of those...

Despite still being in the transition period after leaving the EU on January 31, we are seeing an upturn in the...

Predictions that landlords are not buying properties to let out because of tougher rental taxes and regulations appear to be short...

As residential sales and lettings professionals we are conditioned to adapt to change, it’s the nature of the profession. However, developments...

The new housing minister is Christopher Pincher, who for the past decade has been Conservative MP for Tamworth having had a...

Esther McVey has been sacked as housing minister; she was the ninth housing minister in as many years. Her successor is the...

The chair of the working group introducing mandatory examinations and qualifications for estate and letting agents says senior politicians will meet...

After a challenging period for the UK property market, recovery is very much on the cards and the end to uncertainty...

It is possible that agents and their business partners in the conveyancing, mortgage and survey industries could be obliged to have...

Some older estate agents may end up retiring when mandatory examinations and qualifications are introduced as there will be no ‘free...

In the field of conveyancing, there’s a new dynamic at play. And that dynamic is customer-driven and customer-focused, using digital technology...

“Give me 100 leads and I will make five-times more good appointments than any AI you put me up against,” stated...

A leasehold reform campaigner claims estate agents face “growing calls to be held accountable for mis-selling leasehold properties.” Louie Burns, managing director...

Over the past decade, the short-term rental industry, now eponymised by Airbnb, has experienced meteoric growth. This has been driven by the...

The Property Ombudsman role is being advertised. The current Ombudsman, Katrine Sporle, is giving up the role in November after five years in...

We are facing a new world in the lettings industry, with the proportion of households in the private rented sector (PRS)...

Estate agents who deliberately over-value properties in order to win instructions are effectively committing fraud according to a prominent industry figure. Russell...

The government introduced the Fifth EU Money Laundering Directive into UK law just before Christmas - and it has a significant implication for...

It's been two years since the SDL Group launched its franchise block management business, SDL Property Partners, the first of its...

NAEA member agents have delivered a relatively downbeat forecast for 2020 - but the organisation says an injection of digital technology...

When looking back on the property market this year, the main message we can take is that it has remained extremely...

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

An unlicensed landlord who let out rooms with dangerous electrics and refused to pay a civil fine, has been told he...

Yes, you can promise yourself that you won't eat all the mince pies, or yet another roast potato, nor drink as...

There’s been a new warning to estate agents to check they are fully compliant with GDPR regulations following a European case...

It’s been clear for a while that the additional regulation landlords and agents are facing has helped professionalise the private rental...

It’s easier than you might think. For any agent the challenge of making a business successful is hard work with the focus...

The big question for the industry at the moment is the cost and future of portals.  This is especially key for agents...

The controversial former Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, is to be the keynote speaker at a property industry...

A London council wants government backing for a borough-wide Section 7 direction - effectively banning all agents’ boards being erected without...

Who are you and what does it say on your business card?  Jason Wilson, mio Account Manager What is mio and what does...

The National Association of Estate Agents and the Association of Residential Letting Agents have issued their manifesto for next month’s General...

The National Audit Office, a spending watchdog, has exposed the government’s Starter Homes policy with a damning critique of its failure The...

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

In recent months, we’ve seen headlines dominated by changes to tenancy rules, government consultations and more than a few scare stories. Landlords...

An estate agency will pay out over £40,000 after being found to have misled customers and allowing one of its own...

Countrywide’s upmarket brand Hamptons International is urging all owners of homes with septic tanks to prepare for new regulations that kick...

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

Since I started working with Zero Deposit for me the market leader in deposit replacement alternatives, the most common question I am...

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

The boss of a 15+ branch estate agency group has explained how he thinks regulation could 'ruin' the estate agency industry. Simon...

In a revival of the Natter’s day in the life of series, I catch up with Rajeev Nayyar, managing director of...

We know that the tenant fee ban has cost letting agents dearly, with an estimated loss of £300 million paid to...

I want to take the time this week to talk about PropTech startups and how they can often be seen to...

Briefings from the Conservative Party to The Sun newspaper suggest that the party will this week announce further relaxation in planning...

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

Hello and welcome to your regular Monday PJT, the essential guide to who’s moving where in our industry. Everyone mentioned here got...

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

Earlier this year, the Regulation of Property Agents (RoPA) working group announced the initial details of plans for mandatory qualifications and...

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

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

First time buyers will constitute the largest single group of purchasers in 2019, despite the apparent difficulties of deposits and securing...

Professional client account solutions for modern letting agents Letting agents will need to come up with new ways to manage client money...

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

I suspect that at some time we have all rented an Airbnb (I am sitting on the couch of one as...

A well-respected agent who was president of the NAEA just five years ago has written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson asking...

Recently a number of politicians and charities have been calling for the introduction of rent controls or rent freezes in the...

A new PropTech product uses WhatsApp to communicate within agency teams as soon as a lead is received from a portal. However,...

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

New compulsory qualifications for estate agents will not only offer more transparency for customers but will help recruit better staff into...

There’s been only a vague government response to the recommendations for an estate and lettings agency regulator. Last month the Regulation of...

With the often negative portrayal of agents in the media and popular culture, you might ask yourself why anyone would want...

Countrywide has thrown its weight behind the proposals for a new single industry-wide regulator taking on the roles of Trading Standards...

Have you asked yourself why technology is so important in letting agency today? Just look around and you will know why. Almost...

With Boris Johnson winning the Conservative leadership election and becoming Prime Minister, he has spent his first few days in office...

Seemingly-endless uncertainty over Brexit and now speculation over whether there will be an easing of stamp duty on transactions is making...

In a trading statement this morning, Countrywide says it has “a new covenant package with lenders provides the financial flexibility to...

Nicky Stevenson has had a very varied and interesting career in property. She started out as a lettings negotiator for Nicholas...

How many of you are in favour of estate agents being licenced? Would most agents rather not be overseen by a regulator...

Sometimes having prior knowledge of a stressful event can be more stressful than the event itself, just look at Brexit for...

Our own industry’s upheaval over recent years has been no less dramatic than the turmoil at Westminster. The political earthquake has seen...

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

A leading figure in the PropTech sector says clarity and speed are vital to ensure agencies can adequately prepare for a...

The industry press has given substantial space to recommendations from the Regulation of Property Agents, the government’s working party which has...

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

The government has published proposals for far-reaching changes to the way estate and letting agents are regulated, trained and licensed. The proposals...

Trade organisations including the National Association of Estate Agents have welcomed today’s publication of the report of the Regulation of Property...

Online estate agency Yopa is warning of price falls ahead in London and south east England - although price rises elsewhere...

Some of the most radical reforms ever proposed for estate and letting agents are expected to be signed off today by...

Hello and welcome to this latest edition of PJT, your Monday catch-up on all the key appointments news in the industry. Please...

A new industry regulator is likely to be in place within two years according to the chair of the government’s Regulation...

  Who are you and what does it say on your business card?             Becky Howes, mio Account Manager What...

The police have opened an investigation after a number of complaints have been made about the financial affairs of a sales...

Increasing legislation and regulation has arguably been the biggest talking point in the private rented sector (PRS) over the last few...

The number of cash buyers in London has recently plummeted by very nearly a fifth - and every other part of...

Who are you and what does it say on your business card? I’m Mark Worrall the co-founder of love2move What is love2move and...

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

You may be right in thinking that Brexit has dominated the thinking of the government in the last three years. However,...

It’s easy to understand why people are hesitant towards processes becoming digital. It is the fear that the digital world is...

A member of a legal information and networking organisation says an online estate agency expects him to do some work in...

It may well seem that the government is pre-occupied with one issue, and one issue alone. While preparations for Brexit take up a...

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

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

The Property Ombudsman says its members must in future disclose referral fees in a bid to make previously-hidden costs open and...

As we move closer to the halfway point of 2019, property market conditions for agents and their clients remain challenging. Brexit may...

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...

Consultation closes today on a Law Commission proposal to radically reshape leasehold and the Right To Manage. Right To Manage was introduced...

It’s clear that some agents are not fans of Trading Standards officers, described in the comments sections of the trade press...

The head of the new Trading Standards authority regulating estate agents says Online firms are treated exactly the same as High...

With Easter now upon us (happy Easter, by the way, and hope you’re enjoying the long weekend, the Easter eggs and...

The jury appears to be out on whether the new enforcement body for estate and lettings agents will be resourced sufficiently...

A new team has been set up to police all estate and letting agency legislation including the upcoming tenants' fees ban. The...

Low risk letting is everyone’s aim, but unless legitimate guidelines are followed it’s difficult to know if a tenant will prove...

No, this isn’t about Brexit. But as the saga of leaving the EU is likely to bring about the downfall of...

The recent ARLA Propertymark conference featured a hugely interesting line-up of speaks and session during a watershed time for the lettings...

There was a time when the mere mention of the financial services industry brought with it scorn and mistrust. The issues arising...

Winkworth has a new office at Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, as an independent local agency rebrands as part of the franchise giant. Previously trading...

Agents boasting qualifications could generate higher fees and more clients, especially if they are ‘ahead of the game’ and improve their...

One of the industry’s leading compliance experts is to lead a roundtable discussion in May on the anti-money laundering issue -...

When it comes to major issues confronting housing, and in particular the direction that the government would like to take the...

The founder of the Hunters franchise agency group, Kevin Hollinrake - now a Conservative MP - is the latest parliamentarian to...

The Law Society claims that the unforeseen charges faced by some purchasers of leasehold properties could be addressed “if developers and...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A London council is considering a borough-wide ban on agents’ boards of all kinds. Labour-controlled Camden already has a ban for a...

The average prices of flats and maisonettes bucked the trend by falling very slightly in the year to December, according to...

The Guild of Property Professionals is seeking views from member agents on the government’s reform agenda.  The Regulation of Property Agents working...

Hello and welcome to this week’s PJT, your regular catch-up on key appointments news in our industry. It’s been a difficult seven...

Strutt & Parker says transaction levels in Prime Central London, already at a low ebb, plummeted a further nine per cent...

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

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

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...

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

The government has moved to crack down on money laundering in the UK with a new campaign focusing on the accountancy,...

The National Association of Estate Agents has met with other members of a high-level government board to look at ways of...

One of Britain’s foremost property consultancies has given a relatively upbeat prediction for the UK housing market over the next five...

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

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....

Hello and welcome to 2019. These are less predictions and more expectations - developments following on from what’s happened in the past...

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

Another year is nearly done – and what an eventful year it’s been. We’ve had more than our fair share of breaking...

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

In the past year it seems every other story has been about PropTech - the big stuff like Purplebricks and the...

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 -...

How will things be done in the future? There’s no knowing, of course, given the many variables at play, but it’s...

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

Savills has issued its forecast for the housing market for the next five years, and while it highlights some bright spots...

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

You will perhaps have seen recently that the Government has decided to boost funding to the regulator, the National Trading Standards...

Increasingly cash-strapped traditional estate agencies should consider abandoning their High Street offices and work from serviced offices or similar lower-profile and...

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

The old cliche about statistics may be cruel but the government has perhaps left itself open to its use after announcing...

Any day now we’ll hear the date for the Autumn Budget: it may be delayed to wait for a Brexit deal...

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

Technology is transforming the way we comply with Anti Money Laundering (AML) regulation. It is providing a consistent approach, reliable outcomes...

In our previous 2 blogs we have covered the definitions of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (CPRs) and what the practical...

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

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

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,...

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

In a world increasingly obsessed with all things digital, it's no surprise that many estate agents are choosing to experiment with...

It’s holiday time: schools have broken up, quite a few estate agents are taking time off, and the MPs are in...

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

The debate over alleged ‘down-valuing’ by mortgage lenders has flared again with one leading agent claiming that surveyors are just “covering...

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

We are currently engaged in consultations with our members to help to find a practical solution to the concern of the...

You will notice that there is a new author for this regular column for Estate Agent Today. Last month I was...

A Labour MP has used Parliamentary privilege to name a quick buy company and to make accusations about its practices. During Prime...

One of three schemes with government backing to offer redress for complaints about estate and letting agents has reignited the debate...