Lettings
New landlord enquiries jump, as sellers rise to close gap on huge buyer demand
Market remains at unseasonably high levels but directionless overall.
News
Finance
Buying frenzy as stamp duty holiday deadline looms
Richard Pike at Phoebus Software: “The stamp duty holiday lit the fire and will continue to drive the market until it comes to an end.”
Other News
Property listings drop sharply
Fresh data demonstrates the supply shortage in the UK property market.
Other News
OPINION: We need to talk about Rightmove – Part 2
The ‘My enemy’s enemy is my friend’ edition.
Law
Letting firm fined over £15,000 for sub-standard housing
The council took the company to court last month under section 32 of the Housing Act.
Acquisitions
Bowman Rebecchi Letting acquires Castle Estates
Bowman Rebecchi Letting has purchased the independent residential lettings agency in a six-figure deal.
Compliance
Agents must play a key role in educating landlords about new scheme
Guidance from letting agencies will be crucial in helping the rental sector adapt to the government's new Debt Respite Scheme.
People
New work from home option ‘crucial in these trying times’
John Phillips, national operations director, Just Mortgages and Spicerhaart: “There are those who will still want to return to the office, and some will want to conduct meetings in person.”
Finance
An alarming number of stamp duty calculations are wrong – claim
Rob Hailstone CEO, Bold Legal Group: “Avoiding underestimated or overestimated SDLT is vital. HMRC’s own ‘SDLT Calculator’ lacks many of the nuances necessary to deal with a whole variety of UK property transactions.”
Training
Significant increase in number of agents getting qualified
Major uptake of Propertymark qualifications reported.
Politics
London mayoral elections 2021: Key housing proposals at a glance
Labour’s incumbent, Sadiq Khan, has a double-digit lead over Tory rival Shaun Bailey, but the battle to become the next Mayor of London is not yet over.
Politics
Around 700,000 people to benefit from Breathing Space scheme
New scheme to allow those struggling with problem debt to benefit from Breathing Space this year.
Lettings
New data reveals ‘remarkably steady rental prices’ as incomes rise
The figures from April 2021 show another month of steady rents, alongside encouraging increases in tenant incomes. Voids, however, rose during the month.
Finance
The PRS ‘has bounced back well from the Covid-19 pandemic’
Richard Rowntree, managing director for mortgages at Paragon: “Rental yields are a key measure for landlords so it’s encouraging to see them indicate being able to generate average yields of 6%.”
Law
‘Breathing Space’ legislation for tenants in problem debt comes into force
Propertymark’s Mark Hayward: “The changes introduced are to allow those struggling financially to have a limited time in which to seek advice and formulate a plan to move forward.”
Agency
OPINION: Rightmove – 20 years of selling your own shirt back to you
Russell Quirk says here are “some hard hitting truths about the industry’s overlords at Rightmove”, pointing out that all data is 100% true and correct and is taken directly from their accounts.
Compliance
Letting agent ordered to pay almost £13k for potentially ‘putting lives at risk’
Ian Wright, head of service for regulatory services and community safety at Oxford City Council, said: “Oxford City Council takes the safety of tenants extremely seriously.”
People
Comings and Goings
Ex-Connells Group director joins Dashly; AWS Prime Property appoints Jake Irwin-brown; Sprift hires Paul Smith.
Acquisitions
Independent agency snapped up as rival expands in Hertfordshire
Two reputable Hertfordshire estate agency brands join forces.