London rents rise again as Savills warns of double-digit UK increase Property Analysts have warned rents are being pushed to unsustainable levels amid another yearly jump and concerns there is no natural plateau in sight. The average UK private rent rose by 8.7 per cent in the year to October, up from 8.4 per cent in the year to September, according to the ONS. The increase was [...]
How might the Autumn Budget affect the housing market? Business The property market is, finally, doing well. In September, a closely-watched survey of estate agents found that sentiment in the market turned positive for the first time in two years. Market sentiment has improved as mortgage rates have started to fall. House prices have ticked up to their highest level in more than two years. [...]
Renters set for more tough times as house sales strengthen Property The latest RICS Residential Survey has provided a lot of optimism for house buyers and sellers, but less for tenants, who are set to contend with an even tougher market. The survey, which asks estate agents for their opinion on the housing market, found a “sustained improvement in market activity”, with measures of demand, sales and [...]
The Notebook: New draft of renters’ rights bill risks inflating prices (even more) October 8, 2024 Two key changes in Labour's bill could impact the rental market
London’s ‘Can of Ham’ tower is up for sale again but price slashed September 25, 2024 London’s ‘Can of Ham’ skyscraper has been put back on sale for a reduced price two years after the first attempt to sell the distinctive building. The property has hit the market with an asking price of £322m, having previously been valued at around £400m when it was last on sale in 2022. The new [...]
Renters’ Rights Bill: What is it and what does it mean for the market? September 12, 2024 Labour’s Renters’ Rights Bill, which landlord groups have said will be the biggest change in the sector for over thirty years, entered parliament this week. Legislation will be introduced “to give greater rights and protections to people renting their homes”, including removing no-fault evictions, tightening housing standards and loosening rules on pet ownership, King Charles [...]
UK’s biggest residential landlord praises government’s new Renters’ Rights Bill September 12, 2024 The UK’s largest listed residential landlord Grainger has praised the government’s new Renters’ Rights Bill, which was presented in Parliament on Wednesday. If approved, the bill would introduce a range of measures aimed at balancing the scales between tenants and landlords, as the government pledges to “clean up the mess” left in the rental market by [...]
Failure to solve rental crisis will hurt Labour for years to come September 11, 2024 Ahead of the election, Labour devoted 1,000 words of its 142-page manifesto to its plans for house building, the planning system, and the private rented sector.
How Rightmove became London’s (and the FTSE 100’s) most profitable company September 3, 2024 From an unknown tech start-up to the undisputed king of the UK’s online property sector, Rightmove is a shining example of how to turn a simple idea into a whole lot of profit. In its most recent full-year results, the London-listed property portal astounded investors by revealing it had achieved a record 71 per cent operating profit margin – [...]
PRS REIT attempts to negotiate with rogue shareholders September 2, 2024 Embattled PRS REIT has promised to negotiate with the group threatening to take control of its business. Last week, the investment trust faced calls from a group of investors, including Waverton Investment Management and CCLA Investment Management, to replace chair Stephen Smith and non-executive director Steffan Francis and adjust the trust’s strategy. The group controls [...]