Latest Property News
UK
Letting fee ban becomes law in England, could save tenants £240 million a year
The ban on letting fees in England and a cap on tenancy deposits is set to save renters at least £240 million a year, or up to £70 per household, according to the Ministry of Housing. The new law has now received Royal Assent and the changes... Read more
Rents in the UK increased by 2.5% in the last year, but with regional variations
Rents in the UK increased by 2.5% in the 12 months to January 2019, taking the average to £932, with only the North East seeing a fall, the latest rental index shows. Growth was led by the South West and Greater London. Rents increased by 5.1%... Read more
House planning process to be speeded up, particularly appeals
The average time it takes for a planning appeal looks set to be cut by five months after the Government accepted an independent review saying builders and communities need more certainty. Secretary of State for Housing James Brokenshire said that... Read more
Tens of thousands of landlords could be unaware of inaccurate EPC certificates
Up to 2.5 million Energy Performance Certificates in the UK are wrong due to inaccurate measurement standards and practices and it means landlords could be unwittingly breaking the law. One in four EPCs record the size of a property so... Read more
First time buyers paying proportionately more for a home than others in the UK
irst time buyers ended up paying proportionately more than buyers already on the housing ladder for a home over the last year, new research has found. Overall, the appetite of first time buyers to chase the market collapsed in 2018 in more than... Read more
Rents in Britain increase by just 0.6% in the 12 months to January 2019
Rental growth in the private rented sector in Britain slowed in the 12 months to January 2019, overall up by just 0.6%, according to the latest index. Rents increased to an average of £963 and the data from the Hamptons International index shows... Read more
Falling house prices means property investment is less attractive, new analysis suggests
Investing in property in England as a short term measure is no longer better than savings rates due to prices falling, according to new research. Buying property has been seen as an antidote to dismal returns on savings, but the best saving rates... Read more
Builders back report that says planning reform is urgently needed
The planning permission process in the UK needs to be urgently reformed and speeded up and the Government needs to work more closely with local authorities to help boost the number of new homes being built, it is suggested. Responding to a hard... Read more
Research reveals prices in top school catchment areas in England
Buying a home in England near a top rated secondary school costs on average £331,605 but falls to £292,933 for schools rated as good, new research has found. While homes in school catchment areas rated three and four by Ofsted cost on average... Read more
Oxford named as least affordable city to buy a house in the UK
Londonderry and Stirling are the UK's most affordable cities in terms of house prices with Oxford being the least, according to new research. Overall, house prices in cities have outpaced earnings growth by 11%, causing home affordability to... Read more