Rents and house prices expected to continue to grow
Increasing demand, together with the continued shortage of homes, means rents and house prices are still rising, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). A regular survey by RICS revealed an increase in tenant demand in the three months to February and an expectation that rents will rise over the coming year in […]
Hope for a stamp duty holiday extension
Most people in the UK are hoping to hear that the current stamp duty holiday will be extended by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in next week’s budget, according to recent research. The reduction in the rate of stamp duty to zero per cent for all properties valued at £500,000 has been credited as being instrumental in keeping the […]
Build-to-rent housing supply increases
The number of completed build-to-rent homes increased in 2020, with the East of England seeing particularly high growth in future supply, despite the Covid-19 pandemic. Research published by the British Property Federation (BPF) shows the number of completed build-to-rent homes increased by 23 per cent in 2020. When looking at government EPC data on total […]
High tenant demand
Tenant demand reached a five-year high during the final quarter of 2020, research conducted on behalf of Paragon Bank has revealed. Nearly a third (32 per cent) of landlords reported increasing levels of tenant demand during the final three months of the year, the highest level since early 2016. The figure was up from 29 […]
Mirroring lettings process could help with conveyancing
Elements of the way agents let homes should be implemented by those selling properties, according to estate agency platform Gazeal. The antiquated conveyancing system could be more effective if it mirrored some of the best practice from the lettings process, it has stated. The digital platform says that the additional pressure on the conveyancing process […]
Extension to ban on evictions
Housing Secretary, Robert Jenrick, has announced a further extension to the ban on bailiff-enforced evictions for private renters in England. The current restrictions were due to end on January 11 following a month-long ban over the Christmas period. The new extension will be until Sunday, February 21, and reviewed regularly. Exemptions to the regulations which […]
Busiest ever start to the year
Rightmove has recorded its busiest ever start to a new year, with visits to the site up 30 per cent on the same time period in 2020. There are very early signs of activity continuing to grow during lockdown, with over six million daily visits to the site on January 6 and 7, according to […]
Private landlords offering more support
Private landlords have been giving more help to tenants who cannot pay their rent as a result of Covid than those in the social sector according to the English Housing Survey, published today. Since the start of the pandemic six per cent of private renters had secured a reduction in their rent payments compared to only […]
Boom in buy-to-let sales
With the end of the stamp duty holiday looming, landlords have joined other buyers in rushing to complete their purchases, according to recent research by Hampton. In November, landlords made up 15 per cent of buyers in Great Britain, the highest figure since December 2016. By the end of 2020, investors will have bought around […]
Legal & General launches new Suburban Build to Rent division
Legal & General Capital (LGC) has announced the launch of its new Suburban Build to Rent (SBTR) business to develop large-scale, single family rental communities in suburban locations across the UK. The new housing arm will partner with UK housebuilders and undertake a direct delivery programme to bring forward over 1,000 homes each year from […]