Fewer HMOs being approved thanks to tighter regulations
HMO approvals dropped past year, suggesting that tighter licensing rules are hampering the sector. The number of approvals dropped by -5.9% in 2024, which saw 25,445 new licences issued, a…
Busiest May for home sales since 2021
The number of agreed property sales in May reached its highest rate in four years, Zoopla’s house price index has revealed. There’s been a 13% year-on-year increase in homes for…
£100 million industrial scheme launching in Barnet
A two-storey industrial scheme worth over £100 million will come to Colindale after Royal London Asset Management Property has been granted planning permission by Brent Council. The scheme will deliver…
Most housing association homes have EPCs above C
Some 76% of properties from housing associations have achieved an Energy Performance Certificate rating above C. This reflects “sound progress”, according to a report from Sustainability for Housing, in collaboration…
Buy-to-let landlords mostly being recommended 5-year fixes
Mortgage brokers are mainly recommending fixed-rate mortgages to landlords, with 5-year fixed products being the top choice. Buy-to-let lender Landbay found that 83% of brokers are recommending fixed-rate mortgages, with…
EPC ratings should take property type and age into account, says trade body
Estate agency trade body Propertymark has called for EPC ratings to be conducted on a ‘property-by-property’ basis. That means taking varying property types into consideration, and acknowledging that homes in…
Homes England beats housing targets
Government agency Homes England has surpassed its housing delivery targets for 2024-25. The agency facilitated the completion of 36,757 homes, 14% more than its 2023-24 delivery levels, and above its…
HMO demand highest in Wales
Wales is home to the most in-demand shared living market in Britain, analysis from HMO management platform COHO has revealed. Across Great Britain an estimated 10.4% of all shared living…
Barratt wins landmark court battle against contractor to pay for post-Grenfell works
Housebuilders’ suppliers are on the hook for building remediation costs following a ruling from the Supreme Court. The developer Barratt Redrow won a Supreme Court ruling against engineering consultancy URS,…
Confidence in UK buy-to-let limited
Just 3% of property professionals are most confident in the prospects of buy-to-let this year, suggesting many regard the current environment to be hostile towards investors. Instead, half (50%) have…