Author: Benjamin

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Dutch & Dutch in West Hampstead is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, marking over a century of dedicated service to the property industry in North West London. Established in 1900, the estate agency is well-respected in the local area and continues to attract plenty of business across both residential and commercial property sectors. From its Victorian origins when a typical three-bedroom London terraced house would have cost £250 to today’s modern property market, Dutch & Dutch has remained a constant presence in North West London. Much of that legacy…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: UK rental services provider Housing Hand will host a webinar tomorrow designed to deliver deep insights on renters to landlords and other accommodation providers. Taking place on Friday at 11am tomorrow, the webinar – Inside the voice of the tenant: Exclusive survey findings – follows the launch of the insight-packed Understanding Renters in 2025 report last month. Graham Hayward, managing director, Housing Hand, said: “Our recent survey of over 1,700 renters provided deep insights into the current state of the rental sector, which we are keen to share with accommodation providers…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: The true scale of mortgage fraud in the UK may be far greater than official enforcement figures suggest, warns Thirdfort. A Freedom of Information request made by the client due diligence platform to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has revealed that there have been only 17 enforcement investigations into mortgage fraud since 2018. According to the data, the number of investigations peaked in 2019 (5 cases), with activity continuing across 2022–2024 (averaging 3-4 cases annually). The data also shows two dormant years (2020–2021), possibly linked to pandemic-related disruption in financial…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: It has been announced this week that two UK lenders – April Mortgages and Gable Mortgages- have now launched products for first-time buyers that do not require the borrower to pay any deposit. While this may be welcome news to many struggling to save enough to step onto the property ladder or unable to rely on the ‘bank of Mum and Dad’, Joseph Lane, founder and director of Mortgage Lane warns of the potential financial risks of opting for one of these rarely offered deals. He commented: “There’s no denying the appeal of a 100%…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Angela Rayner Angela Rayner could have housing removed from her portfolio of issues she is responsible for, according to Sky News. On the latest episode of Politics at Sam and Anne’s, the duo discuss rumours that the deputy prime minister could have her role downgraded in an upcoming government reshuffle. It follows a report that suggested Rayner wants to tax savers, according to a secret memo leaked to The Telegraph. Sky News’ deputy political editor Sam Coates said he was “told by a very senior figure in Angela Rayner’s department”…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Concerns around the leasehold system, stamp duty, and the buying and selling process have risen fastest over the past decade, contributing to a worsening picture for homebuyers and aspiring first time buyers, according to a new report. The HomeOwners Alliance research, which has been tracking UK housing concerns for the past 10 years, issues that were significant in 2015 continue to plague the market in 2025. However, the analysis highlights a sharp increase in the proportion of UK adults rating specific issues as very or somewhat serious problems between 2015…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: There were more than 100,000 price reductions in April with a total of nearly 388,000 so far this year, data from analytics company TwentyEA has revealed. The numbers are the largest seen by the company with reductions currently tracking 20.6% higher than YoY. TwentyEA, part of the TwentyCi group, found that although the volume of price reductions has increased, this appears to be related to the increased volume of properties for sale. So far in 2025, 38.0% of concluded listings had at least one price reduction and in 2024, this…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Gail Roberts Gail Roberts, owner of Whitegates West Derby and Whitegates Huyton, has opened a third Whitegates office in Prescot, 24 years after becoming one of the brand’s first franchisees. Roberts has worked for Whitegates for 36 years, working her way up from office junior, and in 2001 when the West Derby office became available, she was one of the first senior managers to take on a franchise. Roberts commented: “In 2015 I acquired the Whitegates Huyton office, and used my industry experience in sales, lettings and financial services to develop both businesses until they both become market…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Little-known Gable Mortgages has become the second lender in a week to offer homebuyers an opportunity to borrow 100% of the property’s value. It follows April Mortgages’ launch of a similar 100% product last week. According to Gable’s website, its products are aimed at ‘generation rent’ who can manage to pay their rent – which may be higher than a mortgage on a similar property – but struggle to save a deposit. The lender has two products available -a standard mortgage, and one that is specific to new-build buyers acquiring…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: A former estate agent who worked in London is fighting to keep her properties in London, including a mansion in Regent’s Park, reported to be worth in the region of £19m, owing to unpaid mortgage debts. Deborah Fiorentino, 63, formerly of estate agency Spyer and Partners, is being sued by Banque Havilland, a Luxembourg private bank, over claims she owes more than £10m. After that marriage ended, she wed divorce solicitor Raymond Tooth, known as “Jaws”, who represented high-profile clients including Irina Abramovich in her divorce from Roman Abramovich and…