Stamp duty pledge gets mixed reaction
Kemi Badenoch’s pledge to abolish stamp duty if the Conservatives win the next General Election has attracted a mixture of optimism and cynicism. While the stamp is seen as prohibitive…
Tenant demand climbs in Q3
Tenant demand climbed across the rental sector during the third quarter of this year, with West Sussex home to the highest demand, analysis from lettings acquisition firm Dwelly has found.…
eXp UK launches commercial division
Self-employed estate agency platform eXp UK has launched a commercial division, which will cover office, retail, industrial, land and mixed-use. There will be training, resources and support for commercial agents,…
Landlords warned about £20-80k fines when tenants secretly sublet
Landlords are being warned that even a single unauthorised sublet can expose them to prosecution under housing law, with severe financial and criminal penalties. Subletting even one bedroom can turn…
Bailiffs not allowed to use ‘reasonable force’ in evictions
County Court bailiffs in London are apparently being told they can’t use ‘reasonable force’ to evict tenants, leaving the system more open to abuse from rogue tenants. At least one…
London rents rise 37% in five years
Renting in a shared household is the cheapest way to live in London but, with room rents up 37% in just five years, research from flatshare site SpareRoom has revealed.…
Government reforms a “timely electric shock”
The government’s proposed reforms of the homebuying process will act as a positive ‘electric shock’ for the industry. That is according to Claire Van der Zant, chief executive of technology…
Fine & Country expands into mid-west Cornwall with UK licence
Estate agency firm Fine & Country has launched into mid west Cornwall, with the brand starting at the start of October. Covering large parts of both the north and south…
Landlords don’t even know who the housing minister is
Only 11% of landlords can correctly name Matthew Pennycook as the minister of state for housing and planning. The overwhelming majority of landlords failed to name the minister and member…
Labour unveils reforms to speed up housing transactions
The government plans to force sellers and estate agents to provide information about the property before it’s listed, in a bid to speed up the sluggish transaction process. Binding contracts…