Finance
Data shows ‘stampede to buy property before the stamp duty holiday ends’
Property demand remains high thanks to low interest rates and stamp duty holiday
News
Compliance
Rogue landlord ordered to pay back £739k in illegal rent or face jail
Unscrupulous landlord told by the court that he faces a prison term of five years and nine months if he does not pay the order in full within three months.
Finance
Emoov launches instant buyout scheme
Emoov has also announced a multi-million pound credit facility in partnership with Selina Finance.
People
Comings and Goings
Ex-Marsh & Parsons sales manager joins Black Brick; Cluttons promotes Matthew Peake; Enness welcomes new chairman.
Politics
Holiday letting owners face ‘higher tax burden through no fault of their own’
HMRC is being urged not to use the pandemic as an excuse for a stealth tax on holiday letting owners.
Compliance
Fraudulent bounce back loans act as a warning when it comes to AML
John Dobson, CEO at SmartSearch: “With the property market remaining such a high priority target for criminals, it’s vital not to repeat the mistakes made by the government in allowing billions to be lost.”
Lettings
Rental market remains robust despite the current lockdown
A number of agents are said to be processing the same volume of tenancies as they were at the start of last year.
Agency
Estate agents becomes a food drop-off point for struggling single parents
Haart in Bracknell town centre is working with Single Parents Support and Advice Services (SPSAS), a charity providing aid and support to struggling single parents.
Acquisitions
Dexters snaps up Roy Brooks
Roy Brooks directors Felicity Blair and James Edmonds told EYE in a joint statement: “We are pleased to be passing the baton on to Dexters who we know appreciate our history, ethos and staff, and we feel sure the company will flourish under their leadership.”
Acquisitions
Confirmed: Leaders Romans Group acquires Gibbs Gillespie
Gibbs Gillespie, trading since 1991, has a network of 13 branches across London, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
Politics
Boris Johnson aims to revive Thatcher’s ‘property owning democracy’ dream
The PM says that he wants “generation rent” to become “generation buy”.
Law
Former Apprentice contestant takes Dezrez to employment tribunal
Kristina Grimes, a former runner-up on the popular BBC TV series The Apprentice, has parted company with Dezrez, where she was a sales director.
Agency
Agents need ‘a six-month lead time’ to prepare for major changes
There will be significant changes to the way the private rented sector operates in Wales.
Law
Landlord charged over ‘sex for rent’ allegations appears in court
Christopher Cox faces two counts of inciting prostitution for gain and one count of controlling prostitution for gain in first case of its kind in the UK.
Finance
Extending the stamp duty deadline ‘is delaying the inevitable’ cliff edge
The government is being urged to adopt a ‘tapered’ ending to the stamp duty holiday.
Finance
Opinion: Stamp duty reprieve – but what comes next?
It’s been a long old year, one like no other. But we’re ready now to get back to business as usual.
Agency
Three new franchisees join Century 21’s ‘Flex’ model
The model allows franchisees to set their own working hours without the fixed costs of maintaining a high-street office.
Lettings
Sharp rise in number of prospective tenants looking for properties
Regionally, Yorkshire & the Humberside had the highest number of new tenants registered per agency branch, research shows.
Finance
Scotland urged to follow suit in extending stamp duty holiday
The last three months of 2020 had the highest volume of transactions ever and also the highest revenue generation of any months since LBTT was introduced.
Finance
New mortgage guarantee to help buyers with 5% deposit
Major boost for buyers – and agents - as chancellor prepares to announce the return of 95% mortgages in next week’s Budget.