Archive

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

What a difference two months and some local elections make. Cast your minds back to March 9 and the annual report of...

Too many leaseholders will fall through the cracks of the government’s “piecemeal measures” to combat the cladding crisis.  That’s the view of...

An industry trade body wants the government to scrap the three per cent stamp duty surcharge on additional homes - and...

A scheme to help people to get on the housing ladder in one of the UK’s most expensive local housing markets...

A poll of Conservative voters shows strong majorities for higher taxes on second homes and empty properties, and tougher demands on...

The government’s new Levelling Up White Paper, revealed this morning includes a radical reshaping of the private rental sector. Section 21 eviction...

The government has given more details of its bid to change the energy efficiency of existing and new homes to meet...

Media reports suggest the government is considering offering grants to local authorities to purchase private family houses which are larger than...

Former Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond and strategist Sir Lynton Crosby - the architect of many Conservative election campaigns -...

At first sight it’s a tough ask to defend holiday homes when there’s evidence that many who want to buy can’t,...

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

Hello, and as we near the first Bank Holiday of the year (and a little light at the end of the...

Energy Performance Certificates ought to be scrapped because they are outdated and not fit for purpose.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

A 10-point ’must have’ list of demands for Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Budget on March 3 has been issued by NAEA Propertymark. It’s...

Labour and Conservative MPs have expressed a unanimous view on their desire to see an extension of the stamp duty holiday...

The shock and almost immediate increase in stamp duty on additional homes in Wales has prompted one question in the industry...

There’s been a shock one per cent increase in the Welsh equivalent of stamp duty on second homes, coming into effect...

It’s that time of year again. Black Friday has been and gone and the run-up to Christmas is well and truly...

Property is considered to be a safe investment. The buy-to-let market is booming, fuelled by a generation unable to get on...

In recent years, the extent and role of the private rented sector (PRS) in the housing market has seen significant changes. The...

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

Survivors and bereaved family members from the Grenfell Tower fire have joined forces with residents trapped in allegedly dangerous flats in...

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

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

The proportion of 25 to 34 year olds who own their own home in England has risen for the first time...

Yes, believe it or not, we’ve nearly reached the end of a whole decade. And what an eventful decade it’s been. We’ve...

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

Data scientists have released a study into the characteristics of homes and how they give away the likely voting intentions of...

With Brexit still unresolved, the domestic agenda has been pushed from the headlines by the seemingly overwhelming public and political discord...

Last week, it was announced that Plentific, the London-based tenant experience, has raised $32 million in Series B funding. Plentific’s model sees...

One of London’s leading estate and lettings agents has criticised the government over what he calls its “pitiful” record on affordable...

Around one person in seven in England are living in unaffordable, insecure or unsuitable accommodation. The claim comes from the research produced...

The National Association of Estate Agents has told the government that it wants one single Ombudsman to provide redress across all...

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

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

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

North East England regional agency chain Bradley Hall has amended details for a property listed on its website following a complaint...

Campaigning groups like Generation Rent and Shelter like to think they are simultaneously edgy and radical; likewise some think tanks believe...

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

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

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

I often speak of my wish to see property taken out of the hands of politicians. Indeed, this is likely to...

Phil Spencer is on the warpath against “constant tinkering” by government in housing matters - and instead, he wants the problems...

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

Stamp duty relief for first time buyers of full-priced houses and apartments is to be extended to first time buyers of...

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

There’s little doubt that downsizing is less of a factor in the housing market than it used to be - so...

A regional pilot has been launched for what is called the Voluntary Right to Buy - a scheme giving housing association...

Carter Jonas has doubled the footprint of its UK headquarters in prime central London. It’s added a further 6,760 square feet of...

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

Some of Britain’s top property experts say bureaucracy, lack of cooperation and a dwindling number of smaller builders are the main...

If agents want to get into what looks like a guaranteed growth sector, retirement properties might just be the one if...

In what is regarded as his most important speech since becoming housing minister, Dominic Raab has told a conference that it...

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

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

One day, I’ll sit down to write for Estate Agent Today and I won’t express my dismay at the lack of...

A housing association which for over two years has operated its own estate agency now wants similar organisations to join up...

Here we are again: another much anticipated Budget has been and gone and, yet, still nothing much has changed! Yes, of course,...

The government says it is going to look at “bold options” to improve consumer redress across all aspects of housing -...

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

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

The housing industry has responded with shock, joy, and jitters, after Theresa May’s snap general election went catastrophically wrong, leaving her...

Theresa May’s call for a snap general election on June 8 took many by surprise. But estate agents have been broadly...

June marks the start of what professional weather folk call summer - and even if the temperatures are a little variable,...

Home ownership has halved for young families across some parts of the UK according to a charity.  The Resolution Foundation says its...

The Liberal Democrats have set a building target of 300,000 new homes a year, have pledged to scrap housing association Right...

It’s peak business season for many agents right now and yet they still have time to do good work for charities...

Wales is the latest part of the UK to formally scrap the policy which was once the flagship of Margaret Thatcher’s...

Home ownership rates among 25-year-olds have plummeted by more than half in 20 years, council leaders have warned.  New analysis for the...

It may still be too early to start compiling a Christmas wish list, but it is the right time to provide...

Several agencies have refused to market properties on a social housing estate which was bought by private investors in January. The Mirror...

If you want an indicator that the United Kingdom isn’t so united any more, have a look at Right To Buy. The...

Wales has confirmed that it is to scrap the former flagship Thatcherite policy of Right To Buy. Since 1980, 138,423 homes have been...

A housing body says that, rather than presiding over a worsening housing crisis as many suggest, David Cameron has actually left...

A man has been prosecuted for fraudulently attempting to purchase a Right To Buy council property from one of the local...

So we now have a new 'official' index of house prices, and much good may it do us. For the chattering classes...

The race to replace London Mayor Boris Johnson has entered its final few days, and like never before, housing is the...

Government figures claim almost 50,000 households in council and other forms of social housing have taken up their Right To Buy...

As we all know, Peter Redfern is critical to the future of the British housing market and.... What? Wait? You don’t know...

My suspicion in my December Industry Views column that the Chancellor, George Osborne, holds certain types of property owners in contempt...

The newly-appointed shadow housing minister says his first priority is to arrest the long-term fall in home ownership in Britain. John Healey...

It’s become almost obligatory for start-ups in many industries – frequently online agents in the selling and letting business – to...

An unusual story of hard-to-sell homes has emerged from Northumberland where a kind of new town, established in the 1960s, is...

Labour leadership front-runner Jeremy Corbyn says he would vote for a complete end to all forms of Right To Buy and...

The Conservative Party’s manifesto pledge to extend the Right to Buy scheme was confirmed in yesterday’s Housing Bill.  The Bill was part...

Hunters founder and new Conservative MP Kevin Hollinrake says he supports the Tory policy of extending Right To Buy to housing...

Marsh & Parsons has enhanced its residential development and investment department by appointing Matt Bird - a former social housing executive...

Gentrification is a divisive, provocative issue, but why are estate agents (especially Foxtons) appearing to bear the brunt of the public’s...

With another hung parliament looking increasingly likely, the so-called ‘challenger parties’ look set to have a major say in who forms...

With pension reform, council licensing changes and a General Election on the horizon, many are anticipating a boom in the buy-to-let...