Brexit may mean more of the status quo

Published on

If we were in any doubts about how politics shapes our lives then a simple review of the last couple of weeks should clear up any doubts. The post-EU referendum political narrative is moving so quickly – on the day I write this Nigel Farage has resigned as UKIP leader and the Tory Party candidates for leader/PM are making their pitches for support – that it’s almost impossible to keep up.

What we can say however is that the chief architects of the Leave campaign appear to be ‘exiting stage left’ at a rate of knots perhaps unwilling, or unable, to clear up the situation that they did so much to engineer. One can only hope our next PM has more gumption and stomach for the fight than Boris Johnson et al because undoubtedly we need someone who can, not just steady the ship, but plot the right course through these pretty treacherous waters.

Many commentators have already run their rule over how a Brexit might impact on the UK property market, although we shouldn’t forget that until Article 50 is invoked there is no Brexit. Of course, that doesn’t mean the impacts aren’t already being felt – you only have to look at the share prices of UK housebuilders to see what damage it is doing.

One wonders however to what extent this new political environment will shape and change what has come before. Old ‘set in stone’ policies are already being jettisoned – last week George Osborne pretty much abandoned his commitment to ensuring a budget surplus by 2020, while this weekend he signalled that corporation tax would be cut to 15%. On top of this we have whispers that the Bank of England is willing to cut the level of capital banks have to hold in terms of their ongoing lending activity – its felt this will help keep the credit markets flowing, although others have suggested such a move signals a greater increased likelihood that the UK is heading for recession.

With Brexit therefore delivering these shifting sands, what about our sector(s)? Well, in the last couple of months there has been much talk about the ‘Call for evidence’ on the home buying process. We are led to believe that the work on this has been done and dusted for some time by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and it has simply been biding its time, waiting to publish.

This appears to be a wholesale review of the process, one which technically should be open to all kinds of changes if they can be proved to cut down on the number aborted transactions and the cost. ‘Think the unthinkable’ appears to be the message coming out of the BIS however it might be that in a post-EU referendum environment it is not reviewed as the right kind of priority for a new Prime Minister or whoever takes over at the BIS.

We might even wonder if the ‘Call for evidence’ will ever see the light of day especially if the Brexit negotiations do weigh heavily on the UK property market, transaction levels, house prices, mortgage lending, etc. Would the ‘new’ government wish to add considerable and far-reaching changes into the process at a time when the level of activity might be subdued?

Take, for instance, the talk of a mini-HIP, ‘son of HIP’ or ‘HIP replacement’ that some are speculating about in order to get more upfront, transparent information before the process actually gets going. This (again) would be a considerable intervention, as would any attempts to legislate against gazumping or pulling out of a transaction. Would the government want to somehow dampen interest in the property market because of these measures, regardless of the fact they might lesson transaction breakdown? I’m not convinced they would.

So, while Brexit has far-reaching consequences across every part of the UK economy, a bit closer to home it may actually necessitate putting up with the status quo for some time longer. The process might not be perfect but the question is whether now (or indeed the next couple of years) is the right time to be pursuing this. I suspect that many departments will have their hands full with Brexit alone and therefore we could be waiting a long time before the government has the capacity to iron out any creases in the home buying process.

Harpal Singh is managing director of BrokerConveyancing.co.uk

COMMENT ON MORTGAGE SOUP

We want to hear from you!
Leave a comment and get the conversation started.
You need to register to post, so please login or sign up below.

Latest articles

Family BS expands fixed rate range across core lending lines

Family Building Society has launched a refreshed range of fixed rate products spanning owner-occupier...

HLPartnership hires Toby Miles from Legal & General for recruitment role

HLPartnership has appointed Toby Miles as recruitment manager, joining the mortgage and protection network...

Mortgage Brain unveils major CRM Brain update shaped by broker feedback

Mortgage Brain has released its most extensive update to CRM Brain, introducing new functionality...

Consumers put greater trust in B Corp certified financial providers, says Cumberland

More than half of consumers say they would feel more confident in their bank...

Together strengthens intermediary team with senior account manager hire

Together has added further experience to its broker-facing team, with Annie Crust bringing more...

Latest publication

Other news

Family BS expands fixed rate range across core lending lines

Family Building Society has launched a refreshed range of fixed rate products spanning owner-occupier...

HLPartnership hires Toby Miles from Legal & General for recruitment role

HLPartnership has appointed Toby Miles as recruitment manager, joining the mortgage and protection network...

Mortgage Brain unveils major CRM Brain update shaped by broker feedback

Mortgage Brain has released its most extensive update to CRM Brain, introducing new functionality...