Author: Benjamin

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Fine & Country has been selected to feature in the upcoming new series of the Channel 4 programme, ‘Britain’s Most Expensive Houses,’ which is set to return to screens next week. The TV series, which offers viewers an exclusive peek behind the doors of some of the UK’s most luxurious properties, often features estate agents, with Fine & Country the latest firm to be selected. Jonathan Handford, interim managing director of Fine & Country, commented: “We are incredibly excited to be involved in ‘Britain’s Most Expensive Houses.’…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: The UK’s Build-to-Rent (BTR) sector is poised to attract a record-breaking £6bn in investment in 2025, according to “Built to Last”, the new BTR market report by Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH). This surge in activity comes despite ongoing economic and geopolitical headwinds, reflecting the sector’s growing resilience, diversification, and appeal to institutional investors. The number of operational BTR units has more than doubled in the past four years, surpassing 130,000 in Q1 2025. The pipeline remains robust, with over 56,500 units currently under construction and a further 126,000 in planning.…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Property professionals, including agents, are being encouraged to complete an industry wide survey from the High Court Enforcement Officers Association to better understand current issues within the sector. The survey has been designed to gather information and sentiment to help improve and progress understanding as to when High Court action might be an appropriate route to consider, and what services should be implemented in the future. There can be complex reasons why tenancy agreements fail, and proportionate action might need to be considered. To help understand and better provision for future…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: UK Sotheby’s International Realty has strengthened its presence in West London with its fifth office. The estate agency has launched a new flagship branch on Kensington Church Street, marking the business’ fifth office launch in just two years, as part of a wider strategy to increase market share in the London’s super-prime property sector. The company says that a handpicked team of sales and lettings agents will be at the helm of the new office, which will primarily serve Kensington, Notting Hill, Holland Park and Bayswater. The senior team will…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Paul Smith Estate agents have always thrived on their ability to connect with people – building trust, offering guidance, and making what can be a stressful process feel seamless. But as customer expectations shift and technology evolves, we now need to recognise that speed, availability, and precision are just as important as personality. That’s where Artificial Intelligence comes in. Not as a disruptor to our industry, but as a powerful tool to help us deliver a better, more consistent service. In fact, it might just be the best team member…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Angela Rayner It is just over six years since Theresa May’s government first announced the Renters Reform Bill as a “step change” in protections for renters, ending Section 21 evictions and giving landlords and tenants more rights. It was hailed as “the biggest change to the private rental sector for a generation”. Announcing the plans, the then-prime minister said: “Everyone in the private sector has the right to feel secure in their home, settled in their community and able to plan for the future with confidence. “But millions of responsible tenants…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: The cost of conveyancing increased by 11.9% between Q1 2024 and Q1 2025, reallymoving’s Conveyancing Costs Index for Q1 2025 reveals. Home movers (buying and selling) now pay a total of £2,434 – a record high, while costs increased by 2.2% in Q1 2025 compared to the previous quarter. Adjusted for inflation, conveyancing costs grew by 1.6% in the last quarter and 8.8% year-on-year. In total, 10 out of 12 UK regions saw quarterly price rises, the highest being in the North East (+6.5%) Period Purchase Fees Inc. Disbursements &…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Letting agents must ensure that they are fully prepared for the new regulatory requirements introduced today. Letting agents are now required to screen all landlords, tenants, and — where applicable — beneficial owners of corporate landlords or tenants against the UK Sanctions List. Any positive matches must be reported immediately to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI). While some agents will inevitably see the new rules as a burden, others view it as an opportunity to streamline their operations and enhance compliance processes. Goodlord’s head of referencing, Nishma Parekh,…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: The House of Lords’ recognition during Monday 13 May’s discussion on amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill as it passes through Committee Stage in the Upper House, that the regulation of property agents (RoPA) must become a reality has been welcomed by Propertymark.  However, the professional body also called for a firm timetable from the UK Government to implement mandatory qualifications for property agents.    Lord Best and other senior peers referenced Propertymark’s stances on this issue alongside calling for professional standards and a market balance between the private rental…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: An estate agent who stole a deposit he dishonestly demanded from a client to reserve a property and later threatened his boss has avoided going to prison. Danny Wood, 47, told Michael Dove he needed to pay £750 when he put his house on the market, and ushered him outside before he handed over the cash. Weeks later, when no offers had been made, Dove called the office to take it off the market and get his money back – but was told Wood had left the company, was currently…