Agency
First-time buyers – and why this is such a big opportunity for agents
Relationships between agents and first-time buyers could last years – but get your finger on the digital pulse
News
Law
Tenants in flat-shares lose their living rooms as landlords make the most of space
Times investigation finds bedsits being advertised for rent even though they may be illegal
Agency
Agents made redundant amid branch closures start up on their own
Trio who lost their jobs as branches closed set up their own agency
Agency
Former estate agent Chris Wood raises formal complaint after 12 months under caution
Ex-agent ordered by advertising watchdog to remove blogs now escalates complaint after 'stress' of being placed under caution for a year
Agency
Purplebricks calls on Johnson to follow through on Stamp Duty promises – and hints at trials for own business model
Purplebricks boss says that tests will result in consumers 'telling us whether we have got it right'
Compliance
Trading Standards inspect almost 70 letting agents’ websites and find just 14 compliant
'We will go after letting agents that break the rules', warn Trading Standards in two boroughs
Compliance
Spoof website from ‘customer support department of Purplebicks’ (sic) is reported to Twitter
Mystery over who set up imitation 'Purplebicks' Twitter account
Compliance
Letting agents making routine property checks praised after alerting police to drug dealers
Letting agents instrumental in helping police track down crime gang
Politics
Ban on gas boilers in new homes could be implemented as soon as next year
Ban on gas boilers in new homes set to be brought forward five years
Agency
Opinion: Lack of referral fee transparency could result in the demise of agents and conveyancers
Why are good relationships between agents and conveyancers so few and far between?
Tech
Matterport to launch 3D virtual reality tours that can be taken on smartphones
3D tour provider Matterport launches new app that can be used with smartphones
Lettings
Rent recording platform hits £100m milestone as it aims to help tenants improve credit scores
Rent recognition service given boost by Open Banking
Law
Land Registry records drop in residential transactions across England and Wales
Number of sales lodged with the Land Registry dips 5.5%
Acquisitions
Leaders Romans report £30m pre-tax loss – but cash in the bank and ready to hit acquisition trail
Big pre-tax losses but Leaders Romans Group sounds upbeat note with rise in revenue and operational profits of over £17m
Agency
Three estate agents took on property being ‘sold’ by fraudsters after owner moved out
Squatters in empty property tried to rob real owner of hundreds of thousands of pounds
Agency
Purplebricks denies claims that it manipulates Trustpilot reviews to get positive feedback
Purplebricks denies that it picks and chooses reviewers and that it removes negative feedback
Finance
OnTheMarket shares slide after portal announces one-year slippage in climb to profitability
Market conditions blamed for slower than expected rate in agents converting to full paying contracts
Agency
Fifth of agents not complying with Client Money Protection rules six months after being made law
Trading Standards warns it is cracking down on non-compliance
People
Foxtons announces new board line-up as outgoing chairman says ‘It’s a great business’
Chairman says Foxtons is well placed to benefit from recovery in sales
Finance
Cash buyer exodus blamed on Stamp Duty reforms
Cash sales have fallen by as much as 30% across UK cities