Waiting for a General Election is risky for sellers after the so-called Boris bounce in the property market failed to deliver...
Archive
26 March 2024
From: Breaking News
What a waste. Islington council announced in recent days that it will buy back 310 ex-council houses this winter, to add to...
21 October 2023
From: Features
The process from a Local Plan allocation to a digger on site typically stretches beyond the length of a five-year political...
12 August 2023
From: Features
It’s not a sentence that I thought I would be writing, but Housing Secretary Michael Gove has indeed finally done something...
15 July 2023
From: Features
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson is believed to have snapped up the historic Brightwell Manor as his new home. Johnson, who was...
28 March 2023
From: Breaking News
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and ex-Home Secretary Priti Patel had around three years in Government to sort out housing but...
11 January 2023
From: Breaking News
A former adviser to Boris Johnson who is running to be the Tory candidate for London Mayor has promised to put...
13 December 2022
From: Breaking News
And…breathe. For a while back there, the only certainty for the housing market was uncertainty. That isn’t to say the election of Rishi...
29 October 2022
From: Features
Recent political changes – and there have been quite a few in recent weeks – have brought about something of a...
29 October 2022
From: Features
Auctioneers claim they are benefiting from a sales market slowdown as buyers rush to make use of mortgage offers and sellers...
28 October 2022
From: Breaking News
Michael Gove has returned to frontline politics and his previous role as Levelling Up and Housing Secretary. He is among the new...
25 October 2022
From: Breaking News
Housing Secretary Simon Clarke has left Cabinet after Rishi Sunak officially entered Downing Street as Prime Minister this morning. Clarke cited his...
25 October 2022
From: Breaking News
Rishi Sunak has been confirmed as the new Conservative Party leader and will become the next UK Prime Minister. He will replace...
24 October 2022
From: Breaking News
A week-long race to be the next Conservative Party leader and the Prime Minister kicks off this week, or may already...
24 October 2022
From: Breaking News
Levelling Up and Housing Secretary Simon Clarke has given his backing for a return of Boris Johnson as Prime Minister. Clarke was...
21 October 2022
From: Breaking News
Liz Truss became the shortest serving UK Prime Minister yesterday, resigning after just 45 days and prompting a new Conservative Party...
21 October 2022
From: Breaking News
How did the housing market transform from incredibly strong - almost too strong - early in the year, to a situation...
15 October 2022
From: Features
Analysis: What did Boris Johnson do for the UK property market during his 3 years as Prime Minister?
Time is up for Boris Johnson's tenure as Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party, serving 3 years and 44...
17 September 2022
From: Features
First off, my own quick tribute to the Queen, who died on Thursday afternoon aged 96. Despite her age and declining...
10 September 2022
From: Features
Marcus Jones has left the housing brief. He was appointed as housing minister just two months ago in Boris Johnson’s reshuffle but appears...
08 September 2022
From: Breaking News
Simon Clarke has been confirmed as the new Housing Secretary in the Cabinet of new Prime Minister Liz Truss this evening. He...
06 September 2022
From: Breaking News
Double-think, for those who have not read George Orwell, is when people are expected to accept two conflicting beliefs as truth,...
06 August 2022
From: Features
The cost-of-living crisis has been dominating the news headlines for some months now, but new research has revealed the extent to...
02 August 2022
From: Breaking News
When it comes to housing policy, the Conservative MPs have given their party a choice between Tweedle Dum and Tweedle DumDum. Rishi...
23 July 2022
From: Features
The last week has been dramatic even by the standards of UK politics, with a Cabinet and junior minister rebellion bringing...
13 July 2022
From: Breaking News
Marcus Jones has been appointed as housing minister. The appointment came late last night after a tumultuous day in Westminster that saw...
08 July 2022
From: Breaking News
Estate agency trade body Propertymark is hoping to “maintain momentum” with newly appointed Housing Secretary Greg Clark. He replaces Michael Gove, who...
08 July 2022
From: Breaking News
The housing market appears almost as stubborn as now caretaker Prime Minister Boris Johnson as it continues to defy predictions of...
08 July 2022
From: Breaking News
Greg Clark has been named as the new Housing Secretary. Clark will replace Michael Gove who was sacked by Prime Minister Boris...
07 July 2022
From: Breaking News
Independent agent Barrows and Forrester has called for the appointment of a housing tsar for a fixed term as yet another...
07 July 2022
From: Breaking News
Michael Gove has been sacked as Housing Secretary as Prime Minister Boris Johnson continues to reject calls to resign. Johnson was hit...
06 July 2022
From: Breaking News
Housing minister Stuart Andrew has become the latest minister to resign from the government. More than 15 government ministers and officials have...
06 July 2022
From: Breaking News
Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid sensationally quit as Chancellor and Health Secretary respectively this evening but Housing Secretary Michael Gove is...
05 July 2022
From: Breaking News
Long-term 50-year mortgages that can be passed on by parents to their children appear to be the latest idea from the...
04 July 2022
From: Breaking News
Anyone working in the property market should have at least one eye on supply. Of course, it’s a constant issue for...
02 July 2022
From: Features
Agency trade body Propertymark has called for the government’s housing market reforms to go further and has even suggested targeted stamp...
13 June 2022
From: Breaking News
Housing Secretary Michael Gove and minister Stuart Andrew are set to be grilled by MPs on their property market plans today. The...
13 June 2022
From: Breaking News
This question is not as flippant as it sounds because over recent years the status of the private landlord has taken...
11 June 2022
From: Features
Property professionals and MPs were left wanting more after Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s much-anticipated housing announcements yesterday. Johnson yesterday promised a review...
10 June 2022
From: Breaking News
Boris Johnson has promised a review of the mortgage market and housing benefit rules to help more people to get on...
09 June 2022
From: Breaking News
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to unveil a flagship policy today to help more people onto the property ladder. It is...
09 June 2022
From: Breaking News
A significant housing announcement has been promised by Prime Minister Boris Johnson as a part of a sweetener that saw him...
07 June 2022
From: Breaking News
The Prime Minister has tonight won a confidence vote in his leadership and hung on to his premiership. After a dramatic day at...
06 June 2022
From: Breaking News
In retrospect, it was perhaps inevitable that the infamous dead cat would come into the debate over government housing targets and...
21 May 2022
From: Features
Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently announced that he is considering extending Margaret Thatcher’s Right-to-Buy scheme, that gives council tenants the chance to...
14 May 2022
From: Features
The government’s legislative agenda will be set out this morning in the Queen’s Speech and there are plenty of potential laws that...
10 May 2022
From: Breaking News
It’s easy to overestimate the importance of something in one’s own industry or work, but there seems good reason for believing...
23 April 2022
From: Features
The government is considering seizing British property owned by Russian oligarchs on the sanctions list without paying compensation. The Financial Times says Housing...
03 March 2022
From: Breaking News
Estate agents and other property businesses need to ensure their customer screening processes are robust and up to date following extensive...
02 March 2022
From: Sponsored Content
The outcome of the Ukraine crisis is far from certain, but one thing has become abundantly clear. The long-overdue Economic Crime...
26 February 2022
From: Features
It appears that new controls on property ownership may feature in future sanctions against Russia in response to its aggression in Ukraine. Prime...
23 February 2022
From: Breaking News
The coming annual conference of Fine & Country, being held next month, is to have Boris Johnson’s brother as a keynote...
18 February 2022
From: Breaking News
A new housing minister has been named this afternoon, to replace Chris Pincher. Stuart Andrew has been confirmed by Downing Street as...
08 February 2022
From: Breaking News
Housing ministers have lined up in recent days to support beleaguered Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Housing minister Chris Pincher, upon hearing of new...
07 February 2022
From: Breaking News
Without doubt, 2021 was an exceptional year in the property market, with the stamp duty holiday and favourable market conditions helping...
05 February 2022
From: Features
The government’s Levelling Up White Paper, released today, contains an unexpected and shock commitment - to create a new 'lite' version...
02 February 2022
From: Breaking News
22 January 2022
From: Features
As this is the first Natter back since the Christmas break, I should like to first wish all our readers a...
15 January 2022
From: Features
The Budget has proven more generous than many expected - and with most property taxation left unchanged. Chancellor Rishi Sunak has made...
27 October 2021
From: Breaking News
The government has given more details of its bid to change the energy efficiency of existing and new homes to meet...
20 October 2021
From: Breaking News
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has given a ringing endorsement to home ownership as a central part of the government’s levelling up...
06 October 2021
From: Breaking News
By the time I next write this column, we’ll be just days before the next Budget and Autumn Statement. So I’ll...
02 October 2021
From: Features
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has changed its name to reflect the government’s levelling up agenda. The department’s...
20 September 2021
From: Breaking News
Boris Johnson's sudden and unexpectedly ruthless Cabinet reshuffle, which drew comparisons with Margaret Thatcher's 'purge of the wets' in 1981, ended...
17 September 2021
From: Breaking News
In a day of unexpected drama, Boris Johnson carried out a surprisingly brutal and widespread Cabinet reshuffle which saw a number...
16 September 2021
From: Breaking News
Robert Jenrick has been sacked from his post as Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary. He was the third major name to...
15 September 2021
From: Breaking News
Media reports suggest the government is considering offering grants to local authorities to purchase private family houses which are larger than...
25 August 2021
From: Breaking News
The Crown Prosecution Service has joined in the criticism of unemployed estate agent Lewis Hughes, who last week admitted a count...
04 August 2021
From: Breaking News
From July 19 it is likely that business owners, including agencies and industry suppliers, will no longer have to ask staff...
06 July 2021
From: Breaking News
An estate agent has been sacked after being identified as one of two people accosting England's chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty. A...
01 July 2021
From: Breaking News
Propertymark has thrown its weight behind the government’s First Homes initiative, describing it as “creative” and saying it’s a sign of...
27 May 2021
From: Breaking News
London agency Benham and Reeves says a new analysis it’s conducted of the capital’s property market since last summer shows a...
20 May 2021
From: Breaking News
Local elections rarely set the pulse racing and this year’s poll on Thursday faces a similar problem. But this time, it’s a...
01 May 2021
From: Features
The biggest news story in town this last week – which has brought people who don’t usually like or watch football...
24 April 2021
From: Features
The last property event I attended in person – and I think the last physical property event held all told –...
10 April 2021
From: Features
Some 30 tax documents have been released by HM Treasury this afternoon - a mix of responses to past consultations, proposals...
23 March 2021
From: Breaking News
With just two days to go, it's fair to say the property industry is eagerly awaiting Chancellor Rishi Sunak's Budget statement...
01 March 2021
From: Breaking News
A new mortgage guarantee scheme to help buyers with small deposits will be revealed on Wednesday at the Budget. Chancellor Rishi Sunak...
01 March 2021
From: Breaking News
One of the chief figures behind Brexit and Boris Johnson’s role as London Mayor is now advising that stamp duty should be...
09 February 2021
From: Breaking News
Property commentator Phil Spencer says lockdown - which we know will now last for another six weeks at least, and possibly...
28 January 2021
From: Breaking News
The Prime Minister this afternoon stated that lockdown will remain in effect until early March at the earliest. He told the House...
27 January 2021
From: Breaking News
London mayor Sadiq Khan is reported to be asking the Prime Minister to review the status of ‘essential retail’ which can...
14 January 2021
From: Breaking News
One of the most respected figures in the industry, trainer and consultant Richard Rawlings, is suggesting that stamp duty should be...
14 January 2021
From: Breaking News
A national newspaper is today launching a campaign for the stamp duty holiday to be extended. The Daily Telegraph says its campaign...
13 January 2021
From: Breaking News
The government is considering stricter tier structures for the coming weeks as the number of Coronavirus infections continues to rise. There is...
04 January 2021
From: Breaking News
The Bank of England is to review the affordability tests imposed on borrowers, opening the door to a possible relaxation of...
22 December 2020
From: Breaking News
A scathing document produced by MPs slams the government for its “deplorable” housing policies which are "invented, abandoned and reinvented" -...
09 December 2020
From: Breaking News
Agents should know in the next 36 hours how new Coronavirus restrictions will affect how they work. The Prime Minister is announcing...
23 November 2020
From: Breaking News
With a new President elected and the old one reluctant to move out, this is a good time to see how...
14 November 2020
From: Features
High end agents usually keep their powder dry when it comes to party politics, to avoid upsetting customers. However Knight Frank has...
05 November 2020
From: Breaking News
The housing market is to remain open in the four week lockdown in England. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government...
31 October 2020
From: Breaking News
There is no doubting that 2020 has been a challenging year for all industries, with the lettings market being no exception. Following...
24 October 2020
From: Features
A Bank of England survey suggests it may be more difficult for prospective buyers to get a mortgage later this year. In...
16 October 2020
From: Breaking News
A right wing magazine once edited by Boris Johnson has called estate agents “spivs with tape measures” who conceal information from...
09 October 2020
From: Breaking News
Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he wants to create a ‘Generation Buy’ to help young people purchase homes with low-deposit mortgages. In...
05 October 2020
From: Breaking News
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that all retail staff will be obliged to wear masks when working - and it's now...
22 September 2020
From: Breaking News
The stamp duty holiday running until March next year has triggered a surge in interest in UK property from Hong Kong...
21 August 2020
From: Breaking News
The number of Hong Kong buyers looking at property in London has doubled in just five weeks according to an agency...
30 July 2020
From: Breaking News
Conferences, events and awards dinners are a hugely important part of the property calendar, bringing the great and the good of...