Author: Benjamin

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Pressures in the private rented sector appear to be easing, with new research showing a rise in the number of landlords purchasing additional homes.  According to a national survey of over 2,000 private landlords in England – conducted by the TDS Charitable Foundation – 23% reported increasing their property portfolios in the past year, up from 19% the previous year. At the same time, the proportion of landlords selling property remained stable at 14%, compared to 13% last year. Those purchasing added an average of 2.5 properties each – up…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: A 40-year-old man has admitted embezzling £16,680 from his employer, Belvoir Lettings in Edinburgh, after submitting a series of fake invoices for work that was never carried out. Edinburgh News reports that Ross Young carried out the fraud over a ten-month period between January and October 2019 while working as general manager at the firm’s branch in Dundas Street.  Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that Young had responsibility for hiring staff, promoting the company, and had access to the agency’s computer systems and credit card. The scam came…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: New legislation will see more than £1bn of investment to fix unsafe cladding in social housing remediation across England. The government has published a joint plan with the social housing sector to accelerate remediation nationwide, as well as setting out plans for a new law as part of the second phase of the Remediation Acceleration Plan. At the heart of the joint plan on social housing remediation is a commitment by government to invest fresh funds to give social landlords equal access to government funding schemes as private building owners.…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Jeremy Leaf The average asking price for properties coming to market has fallen by 1.2% this month (£4,531), bringing it down to £373,709. With available housing stock at its highest level in a decade, summer sellers are pricing more competitively to capture buyer attention, particularly in London, the latest Rightmove figures show. Realistic and competitive pricing is key to selling, both improving buyer affordability and stimulating stronger buyer activity, the data suggests. At the halfway point of the year, Rightmove is reducing its property price forecast for 2025 from +4%…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Hamptons has downgraded its 2025 rental growth forecast from 4.5% to 1% across Great Britain, reflecting a faster-than-expected market slowdown. This downward revision reflects a sharper than expected deceleration in rental growth, with the average rent on a newly let property rising only 0.4% year-on-year in June, down from 5.0% in June 2024 – marking the weakest annual growth rate since August 2020. Annual rental growth forecast for newly let properties in Great Britain:  Source: Hamptons                                                                                                                                                   The primary driver behind this cooling rental market has been the transfer…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Ben Cullen joins Cushman & Wakefield as head of UK & Ireland Ben Cullen Cushman & Wakefield has appointed Ben Cullen as Head of UK & Ireland, succeeding George Roberts who is leaving the firm. Cullen joined Cushman & Wakefield as a graduate in 2001 and was made an International Partner in 2016. He led the London Occupier Representation team prior to being made Head of Offices, UK in 2021, and, as a member of the firm’s UK Executive Committee, has helped shape the success of Cushman & Wakefield’s wider…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: There has been a notable fall in average new seller asking prices, the latest figures from Rightmove has revealed. The property portal reports the sharpest monthly price drop at this time of year – based on more than 20 years – with the average asking price across the UK down 1.2%, or £4,531, this month to £373,709. Rightmove says that the continued decade-high level of housing supply for sale is limiting price growth, compounded by the start of the traditional summer holiday season, with vendors required to ‘work harder’ compared to…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) has launched a consultation on proposed changes to its fee structure for the upcoming licensing year, which begins on 1 November 2025. Under the proposals, practice fees and licensing administration charges would rise by 3% to reflect inflation, while individual licence fees would remain frozen for a tenth consecutive year. CLC says annual reviews of fees ensure that enough revenue is raised to cover its forecasted expenditure. Thanks to its proactive compliance strategy – which focuses on collaboration with firms to uphold high standards…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Deposit alternative provider Reposit has posted record-breaking results for the first half of 2025 (January–June), fuelled by a sharp rise in sales and exceptional momentum in the Build-to-Rent (BTR) sector. The company says that overall sales rose by 37% compared to the same period in 2024, marking the firm’s strongest six-month performance to date. However, the company failed to provide actual figures. EYE has requested to see the figures.  Reposit says that the standout growth came from the BTR sector, where sales reportedly jumped 91% year-on-year – again no actual…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: The Denbies Wine Estate Surrey Hills played host to the Agents Giving Charity Ball 2025, which brought together industry professionals and supporters. The ball was a night to celebrate fundraising success, as well as the community spirit of the property industry. The evening’s awards, hosted by Amy Shields of Women in Estate Agency, recognised agents, suppliers and individuals who have gone above and beyond to support their local communities and charitable causes. Winners on the evening included Andrews Property Group, David Astburys, Spicerhaart, Red Squirrel Property Shop, Cubitt & West, Groundsure, PVS…