With the Budget just four weeks away, property firms and trade bodies have started to make their wishes known to the chancellor as they look to try and get measures included that will support the housing industry.

Propertymark has outlined its wish list including a call to extend the current stamp duty holiday deadline beyond the end of March.

Mark Hayward, chief policy adviser at Propertymark, commented: “We’re particularly concerned about the impact of the stamp duty holiday ending with a cliff edge in March as this could cause thousands of sales to fall at the final hurdle and have a knock on and drastic effect on the housing market which has recovered well from the Covid-19 slump.”

Propertymark is also calling on the government to expand Help to Buy to the second-hand homes market, establish a mortgage guarantee scheme for key workers, restart the empty homes community grants programme, and provide a financial support package for the private rented sector and to raise local housing allowance.

In addition, it wants the government to ensure universal credit is adequate and more effective, reopen courts to deal with the backlog of housing case, support investment in the PRS, and build more social housing.

Hayward said: “It’s been an unprecedented year for everyone and this includes the housing sector. The property market has remained remarkably resilient during the lockdown periods so far and the government has prioritised a functioning property market. However, there is still progress to be made and we’re calling upon the government to make these recommended changes in order to continue to support agents, landlords, consumers and the wider housing market.”

He added: “With the furlough scheme coming to an end in April, we’re growing increasingly worried about the financial fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic. We know that many tenants are already struggling to afford rents which in turn has left landlords without a source of income.

“The government must introduce a financial support package to help support tenants and therefore landlords who have had their incomes impacted by Covid-19.”

Propertymark’s Budget Manifesto:

1. Extend the cut to Stamp Duty Land Tax
2. Expand Help to Buy to the second-hand homes market
3. Establish a mortgage guarantee scheme for key workers
4. Restart the empty homes community grants programme
5. Provide a financial support package for the private rented sector
6. Raise local housing allowance
7. Ensure universal credit is adequate and more effective
8. Reopen courts to deal with the backlog of housing cases
9. Support investment in the private rented sector
10. Build more social housing