Compliance
Agency and director fined £30,000 after court says business made ‘healthy profit’
Firm and director each fined £15,000 over unlicensed HMOs
News
Agency
Local agent becomes appointed representative of national online firm
Local online firm joins forces with Doorsteps to list sales properties
Finance
Government unveils plans for 1% Stamp Duty surcharge on overseas property buyers
Government hopes the extra tax will deter foreign buyers and calm house prices
Acquisitions
Northwood franchise business snaps up high street competitor
Northwood franchisees buy up local competitor in bid to become number one agent in city
Politics
Millions of households still waiting to purchase their first home since the financial crisis
First-time buyers warned that the property market could be even tougher in 2019
Agency
White out! LSL branches go incognito amid consultation on redundancies
High street branches are whited out – and more job losses could be on the cards as LSL confirms switch from own IT system
Lettings
Rents on the rise again after their first fall for a decade
Rents rising again as tenant fee ban approaches
People
A sad farewell to Secret Agent – signing out for the last time
Off into the sunset – Secret Agent leaves a void
Compliance
Letting agent who failed to publish correct fees fined £4,000
Trading Standards' checks on letting agent end with a £4,000 bill
Agency
Trump card! Luxury agent reports pre-Brexit boom in US clients
US buyers and renters snapping up cheaper UK property due to falling value of the pound
Lettings
Landlords and housing groups lock horns amid claims that high rents are pushing tenants into poverty
Report calls for tenants in poverty to be offered social rather than market rents
Lettings
Rescued tenant energy supplier to roll out smart meters to rental properties
Spark customers will have access to first-generation Ovo smart meters
Agency
Time is ripe for a new franchise service, says agent about to launch ‘high fees’ offering
New franchise business will offer low-cost entry to experienced agents only
Law
Student who handed £400,000 in ‘advance rent’ to agent is ordered to relinquish money
Case calls into question what agents should check when tenants can pay so much in advance
Agency
Boris drops in to estate agent and pays tribute to local business ‘doing so well’
Former Foreign Secretary pays tribute to agent's investment in staff and training
Acquisitions
Second acquisition within months for agent as letting fees ban approaches
Strength in numbers, says agent making second purchase
Other News
House prices start the year in a slump as Brexit weighs on the market
House prices drop almost 3% in a month
Finance
Ordnance Survey and Land Registry unveil new £10,000 grants for proptech firms
Protech and geotech firms can now apply to join the Geovation Accelerator Programme
Politics
Planning reforms help boost Build to Rent developments
The number of Build to Rent homes completed in the UK last year grew by almost a third
Agency
Almost 50 staff already made redundant from back office roles at LSL
Reeds Rains and Your Move lettings management centre closed with 47 redundancies