Finance
Student lettings business seeking £10m as it expands into traditional HMOs
Changes in buy-to-let plus onerous licensing creating opportunity for expansion, says student letting business
News
Agency
Six agents thrown out of ombudsman scheme after failing to pay awards
Some expelled agents now out of business but TPO says others have started up again
Compliance
Developers selling homes do not have to register for AML but estate agents do – taxman clarifies
Developers selling their own properties escape AML regulations – but agents selling exactly the same properties must be registered
Agency
Knight Frank goes back to Zoopla on trial basis after five-year break
OnTheMarket founding agent to trial Zoopla but underlines ongoing commitment to OTM
Agency
Your Move parent company doubles staff numbers in part-exchange business
LSL gets set to build up part-exchange business with help of other estate agents around the UK
Acquisitions
Oystons estate agency is taken over by local sales and lettings competitor
Oystons estate agency is taken over by local competitor
Lettings
Newly agreed rents shoot up – and time to let a property is the quickest yet
Only fall in new rents is in the north-east – but by just £1
Finance
Property auctions firm reports record results despite ‘struggling’ market
Brexit has not affected auctions market, claim
Agency
Agent warns of huge rise in fraudsters breaking into empty sales properties and letting them out
Agent tells of how one fraudster stole his identity in order to scam money from prospective tenants
Acquisitions
Ex-Purplebricks director launches new property business offering earning opportunities to agents
New property investor platform launched by ex-Purplebricks head of lettings looks to offer agents chance to grow revenue
Agency
Poor UK sales market and Brexit uncertainty combine to hit profits for Savills
Sales volumes in UK lowest since global financial crisis, Savills tells City
Tech
Rightmove revamps its hub to make it easier for agents to access training
Rightmove Hub gets a revamp to make access to self-learning easier
Finance
Rise in mortgage possession actions driven by one mystery lender
Repossessions edge up, but rise in actions is driven by just one large lender
Agency
New service that allows agents to share property listings ‘could easily cut dependency on portals’
New service allows agents to share their property listings with chosen partners
Other News
Picture of the Week: And just look at the number of price changes in one day
Up and down – four price changes listed for property on the first day of marketing
Agency
Zoopla’s new consumer app a big hit, says portal
New app is delivering 'significantly' more leads to agents, claims Zoopla
Law
Fraudulent ‘agent’ jailed after conning six victims into parting with over £12,000 in deposits
Agent faked contracts and took deposits off tenants – leaving duped victims on the pavement on move-in day
Lettings
RICS warns that ‘little comfort’ can be seen in any part of the housing market
It's not just about home ownership – crisis in lettings with shortfall of supply set to push up rents
Agency
String of analyst reports on Rightmove express concerns on falling agency members
Barclays says it expects fall in agency members to be 7% this year while J.P. Morgan talks about 'worrying' magnitude of declines
Acquisitions
Lettings firm announces plans to expand in UK and to launch offices in America
Room letting platform reveals global ambitions