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Housing Secretary commits to leasehold reform this year ……

Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has committed to leasehold reform this year, despite the latest delays. The Government last year signalled yet more consultations on leasehold reform, covering valuation rates, appropriate legal fees and service charges. This has delayed any reforms to the sector, leaving many leaseholders in unsellable homes. The comments came in Rayner’s first

Housing Supply Hits 8 Year Low…..

Annual housing supply in England has fallen 6% to an eight-year low, official data shows. Government data shows there were 221,071 net additional dwellings in the 12 months to end March 2024, while delivery is down from 234,292 in 2022/2023. The North East, South West and East Midlands have all seen the sharpest falls in annual delivery,

Lenders Reject Homes With Spray Foam Insulation

A quarter of the UK’s largest mortgage lenders will not provide home loans against property with spray foam insulation, analysis shows. Spray foam insulation has been marketed as an energy-efficient and a cost-effective way to seal roof spaces, walls, and floors. However, this can lead to unintended consequences. By trapping moisture, it can cause the

Autumn Budget 2024: How Will Tax Changes Impact The Property Market?

The proposed tax changes and spending increases laid out by the Chancellor are expected to have a multifaceted impact on the UK economy. It is important to note that the long-term economic impact of these measures will depend on various factors, including the effectiveness of implementation, the response of businesses and consumers, and broader, economic

Owners to be encouraged to challenge housebuilders over quality

The government says it’s going to use its reforms of the housing industry to encourage owners to challenge builders and developers over quality. Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook made the statement in a formal response to the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) recommendations to improve the new build homes sector. Pennycook says: “The CMA was right

How Much Have Homes Appreciated In 20 Years?

Zoopla says homeowners who purchased their current home within the last 20 years are sitting on an average of £80,000 in property value gains. Some 60% have seen gains of £65,000 or more, partly down to house price growth of 78% over the last 20 years. UK homeowners who sold their home in the last

The All New Renters Rights Bill – What do you need to know?

The government has issued a lengthy detailed guide to all provisions of the Renters Rights Bill, which is being presented to the House of Commons shortly. The full details include a list of all the Bill’s measures – namely periodic tenancies and grounds for possession, rent increases, tackling what it calls “the scourge of Section

Labour Government to overhaul private renting in England

The Renters’ Rights Bill was introduced to the UK Parliament on 11 September 2024 and will ban Section 21 evictions, introduce a new tenancy regime and new requirements for property standards and rent increases. The previous Conservative government didn’t implement the Renters (Reform) Bill, failing to pass due to delays in the parliamentary process before the

Mortgage Approvals For July Were At The Highest Level…….

Average house prices and mortgage approvals hit new highs during the summer months, in a positive sign for the property market.  Nationwide data shows average UK house prices rose at their highest annual rate since December 2022 during August.  The latest Nationwide House Price Index shows prices rose 2.4% on average to £265,375 last month.  This

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