Author: Benjamin

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: A negative claims experience is now just as likely as price to prompt landlords to switch insurance providers, according to new analysis by insight firm Consumer Intelligence. Research found that 26% of landlords who switched insurer did so to get the cheapest policy available – but an identical 26% were prompted to change due to a bad claims experience with their previous provider. Consumer Intelligence said this finding reveals a significant blind spot for insurers focused only on price. “Focusing only on price gives you a black-and-white picture of the…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: The proportion of energy-efficient properties changing hands in England has reached a new high, with 61.3% of homes sold over the past year achieving a minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C, according to analysis from Benham and Reeves. The findings, based on EPC data linked to property transactions from Q2 2024 to Q1 2025, show an increase of 1.5% in the share of homes with a rating of C or above compared to the previous four quarters. London recorded the highest proportion of energy-efficient sales, with 64.3% of…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: The UK real estate sector may be seeing movement on a long-standing gender leadership gap, with new data suggesting improvement at the highest levels of management.  Figures released by executive search firm Madison Lincoln show that 33% of its senior, C-suite and board-level placements in the past year have been women – well ahead of industry benchmarks. While women account for 71% of entry-level roles in UK real estate, their representation drops to 42% at board level and has traditionally remained below 30% for top roles. Industry figures from Deloitte…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Sally Lawson Letting agents should view the new Renters’ Rights Bill as an opportunity to strengthen their businesses rather than a threat, according to Sally Lawson, managing director and founder of training organisation Agent Rainmaker. Lawson’s comments come as the Bill, due to return to the House of Commons in the autumn, has sparked fresh fears in the private rented sector over its potential impact. However, Lawson, a long-standing advocate for adaptation in the industry, believes the sector will not only survive but thrive if it embraces the changes. “We…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: The UK buy-to-let market saw significant growth in the first quarter of 2025, with new lending up sharply both by number and value, according to the latest figures from UK Finance. A total of 58,347 new buy-to-let loans were advanced in Q1 2025, representing a 38.6% increase compared with the same period last year. The total value of new loans reached £10.5bn, a rise of 46.8% on an annual basis. The average gross rental yield for UK buy-to-let properties was 6.94% in Q1, marginally higher than the 6.88% recorded in…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Concerns over mortgage affordability and access to home ownership remain front and centre despite new remortgaging and term change reforms from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) coming into immediate effect. The new rules – announced as part of the FCA’s wider review of mortgage regulation – are designed to make it easier for borrowers to switch to cheaper deals and reduce their mortgage terms. Under the changes, borrowers will: find it easier to reduce their mortgage term, potentially lowering the total cost of borrowing and the risk of repayment extending…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Demand to invest in retail commercial property has surged, with new figures from Rightmove showing a 35% increase compared to the same period last year.  This marks a significant turnaround from 2024, when retail investment demand was 15% lower year-on-year. The latest analysis, based on enquiries to commercial agents about listings on Rightmove, highlights growing momentum across the commercial property market.  Overall demand to invest in commercial property is up by 20% compared to Q2 2024, buoyed by a more favourable interest rate environment as the Bank of England implemented…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Changes to national planning rules late last year have triggered an increase in sites coming to the market, according to Savills, but uncertainty around the economy and housing demand is keeping developers on the sidelines. Savills figures show a net balance of 27% of its development agents reported more land coming up for sale in the second quarter of 2025, following revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) introduced in December 2024. Agents point to a greater range of sites, with some developers now able to be more selective…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Private renters in the UK have seen a larger increase in their monthly housing costs since 2022 than mortgaged homeowners, new analysis from Zoopla reveals.  According to the latest data, the average rent for a new let now stands at £1,283 per month, compared to the average mortgage repayment of £1,154 per month for an outstanding loan. Since 2022, higher mortgage rates have added £218 to the average monthly repayment on outstanding mortgages, but this has been narrowly surpassed by the £221 per month increase in average rents for new…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Investment in the UK build-to-rent (BTR) sector reached £2.2bn in the first half of 2025, with single family homes accounting for a record 60% of all BTR investment in the second quarter, according to the latest industry data from JLL. Over £800m has been invested in single family BTR assets so far this year – including more than £575m in Q2 alone.  However, multifamily BTR investment slowed in Q2 following robust activity in Q1 and the final quarter of 2024. H1 2025 multifamily investment totalled nearly £1.4bn, but almost three…