Policy

One in 10 homes still fail standards as Awaab’s Law looms

Almost 430,000 social rented homes in England are failing to meet minimum quality requirements,...

Leasehold reforms stall as sector warns of ‘real-world consequences’

The government is under mounting pressure to accelerate leasehold reform as the body representing...

Zoopla warns cost pressures mean housing targets are at risk

The government’s flagship target to deliver 1.5m new homes over the next five years...

Property chief urges Reeves to prioritise housing reforms in Budget

Rachel Reeves has been urged to use next month’s Autumn Budget to deliver decisive...

Staggering stamp duty will make it easier for people to move

A proposal to spread stamp duty land tax payments across several years, in an...

Londoners still pay highest premiums for homes near stations

Londoners continue to pay the steepest premiums in the UK to live close to...

IMLA warns FCA: keep mortgage advice at the heart of reform

The Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association has welcomed a move towards greater regulatory flexibility in...

Peers warn new towns risk failure without clear vision

The Government’s flagship plan to create a new generation of towns across England risks...

Stamp Duty receipts hit £9.3bn amid speculation over reform

Homebuyers have paid £9.3bn in stamp duty between January and August this year, a...

Project 28 launches in a bid to slash time it takes to sell homes

A coalition of 23 of the UK’s leading property organisations has unveiled a sweeping...

You can’t just turn on a tap and expect housing supply to flow

Yawn and stretch, the government have appointed a new housing Czar in place of...

First-time buyers put at the heart of Treasury mortgage talks

The government will urge lenders to put first-time buyers at the top of their...

Landlords sceptical as planning reforms fail to shift sentiment

Government efforts to overhaul the planning system have been met with scepticism by landlords...

Rayner admits stamp duty error after using son’s trust to buy £800,000 flat

Angela Rayner has admitted underpaying stamp duty on the £800,000 Hove seafront flat at...

COMMENT

We must not accept our snail’s pace home buying system

Buying a house in this country can be ridiculously slow, as a handful of recent studies have highlighted. Research from the House Buyer Bureau...

Deferment and capitalisation rates: small percentages, large consequences

The Government is currently consulting on Leasehold enfranchisement valuation rates to determine what deferment and capitalisation rates should be prescribed under the Leasehold and...

Your clients can’t tell which firm they’re dealing with

Two clients walk into your firm in the same week. One of them is a referral from a mate of yours. Complicated case, self-employed, bit...

It’s time to look at retention

As the summer winds down and the back-to-school routine kicks back in, I urge the industry to turn its attention to something just as...

Landlords are buying – and advisers should take note

There has been no shortage of commentary over recent years suggesting landlords are heading for the exit, buy-to-let apparently no longer works and the...

Latest news

Gilt turmoil puts fresh pressure on mortgage rates

Rising government borrowing costs are putting renewed upward pressure on UK mortgage rates as...

UK needs first primary surplus in 25 years, warns NIESR

The UK needs to run its first primary budget surplus in 25 years if...

Gatehouse launches fee-free refinance products

Gatehouse Bank has launched a range of limited-edition refinance products for UK residents with...

Bank of England turns to AI and real-time mortgage data

The Bank of England is using artificial intelligence and real-time financial data, including information...

PROFILES