People
Comings & Goings
Snippets of industry news: Ex-Savills boss launches new estate agency; Simon Gates appointed as a NED of The FIA; Crest Nicholson's finance director to resign
News
Law
New lettings law firm launched by well-known industry suppliers
Legal for Lettings, the brainchild of Homelet, Let Alliance, and Rent4sure, provides legal support services for landlords, managing agents, and insurers
Law
Conveyancers commit to creating digital logbooks at completion
RLBA says 15 conveyancers are now creating logbooks at completion as part of new scheme, with more due to sign up
Law
New law will require landlords to get a licence to rent in Brent
Private landlords operating in the local area will legally be required to have a licence from the start of next month
Compliance
RICS launch consultation in bid to revolutionise residential retrofitting practices
UK homes are not as energy efficient as they could or should be, says RICS
Agency
Zoopla says latest marketing campaign has delivered a sharp rise in vendor leads
The property portal says it is focussing all its efforts to drive maximum return on investment for agents
Other News
Property industry reacts to Rightmove House Price Index
The housing market is now 'as price sensitive as its been since before the pandemic'
Finance
Would ‘no sale no fee’ conveyancing help speed up housing transactions?
Will Ed Mead's views conveyancers or solicitors and the role they play in the property buying process 'prod the legal wasp's nest'?
Finance
UK house prices continue to fall as interest rate rises bite
The interest-rate brakes being applied more strongly to slow the economy are now beginning to bite in the housing market
Lettings
Rental market faces new ‘challenges’ as more landlords demand guarantors
The supply-demand problem means rents are rising at a time when tenants have less disposable income thanks to the cost of living crisis
Agency
Buyers and sellers must accept ‘era of historically low interest rates is over’
Well-known estate agent says people need to “adjust to the new normal”
Finance
BTL landlords plan to sell up as investors continue ‘trimming their portfolios’
It is certainly the case that some BTL landlords are selling up
Lettings
A new generation of pension-age renters looms
As younger generations who missed out on the homeownership boom age, growing numbers are likely to be renting when they retire
Politics
Building on green belt is key to solving the housing crisis, says Lisa Nandy
The Labour MP points out that housebuilding is forecast to fall to its lowest level since the Second World War
Lettings
Buoyant rental market shows ‘little sign of an imminent slowdown’
The rental sector remains strong as a medium-to-long-term investment, says agent
Agency
Estate agents face going bust due to slow conveyancers, warns law firm
If a local estate agents practice folds, it’s a blow for not only the individual business but also for the overall health of the housing market let alone the economy at large, says lawyer
Agency
Estate agent slams ‘doomsayers’ forecasting a potential crash in house prices
While the there is no denying these are tough times, 'sensationalist headlines don’t help anyone’, says estate agent
Finance
Lenders report biggest increase in mortgage defaults since 2009
Mortgage defaults surge 30% in three months, and lenders warn they are likely to rise further due to rising borrowing rates
Agency
Greater scrutiny of commission earned could prove a major ‘blow’ for agents
Michael Gove wants heavy fines and even disqualification from FCA and RICS for those found to be taking so-called “secret commission”
Finance
‘Glimmer of hope’ for borrowers as mortgage rates may be nearing peak
Two-year and five-year swap rates dropped yesterday, after weeks of rising