Policy

Aug 06, 2026

Scotland's Faster Sales Model: What England Could Borrow, Not Copy

As calls grow to fix England's gazumping-prone housing chain, Scotland's binding offers and Home Reports offer a blueprint — but not a template.

Aug 06, 2026

40 Years After Suzy Lamplugh: Agencies Face Safety Reckoning

Propertymark's updated lone-working guidance lands as agencies weigh safety costs against margins in a tightening market.

Aug 06, 2026

Liverpool's New Licensing Fee Scale Signals Tougher Landlord Era

A citywide licensing scheme with tiered fees marks a decisive shift in how Liverpool regulates its vast private rental sector.

Aug 05, 2026

Frozen LISA Cap Locks Out Buyers as Prices Outpace 2017 Rules

Moneyfacts urges Budget reform of the Lifetime ISA's static £450,000 cap, warning it now penalises first-time buyers in London and the South East.

Aug 05, 2026

Stairlift Row Lays Bare Funding Crisis in UK Sheltered Housing

A dispute over stairlift replacements at a sheltered scheme signals a wider maintenance funding gap that could deter investment in Britain's ageing housing stock.

Aug 05, 2026

Birmingham's Cotton Avenue Demolition Fight Signals CPO Risk for Investors

A protracted legal battle over one Birmingham property demolition exposes wider risks around compulsory purchase and council-led regeneration schemes.

Aug 04, 2026

Rent Control Push Puts Labour on Collision Course With Landlords

Campaigners want Labour to cap private rents nationally, a move that could reshape yields and supply across every UK regional market.

Aug 04, 2026

Agent Complaints Jump 55% as Market Pressure Exposes Service Cracks

A 55% surge in complaints against estate and letting agents in H1 2025 signals deeper strains that landlords and buyers can no longer ignore.

Aug 04, 2026

Scrapping Stamp Duty: The Reform That Could Unfreeze Britain's Housing Chain

A campaign to axe Stamp Duty on primary homes exposes the tax's role in gumming up transactions — and what replacing it could mean for investors.

Aug 03, 2026

Planning Red Tape, Not Land Shortage, Is Strangling UK Housebuilding

A new IEA report says restrictive planning rules — not scarce land — explain Britain's housing crisis, with big implications for investors and developers.

Aug 02, 2026

HMRC's Tax Defaulter List Names Manchester Property Firm — Why It Matters

A Northern Quarter property firm's inclusion on HMRC's 'deliberate defaulters' list should prompt investors to scrutinise who they trust with transactions.

Jul 31, 2026

Elderly Homeowner Fraud Case Signals Wider Property Scam Risk

Cheshire fraudsters jailed for targeting elderly homeowners highlight a growing threat to property equity that investors and landlords cannot ignore.

Jul 31, 2026

Property ID Fraud Surge Exposes Gaping Holes in UK Land Registry Checks

Fraudsters are exploiting weak identity verification to hijack property titles — and the regulatory response is lagging dangerously behind.

Jul 31, 2026

Guernsey's 300-Home Affordable Housing Plan: A Test Case for Small-Market Delivery

Guernsey's Committee for Housing targets 300 affordable homes — a modest number that speaks volumes about supply constraints across Britain's smaller property markets.

Jul 30, 2026

Skipton Faces Reputational Test as Connells Age Bias Ruling Sparks Appeal Review

A tribunal defeat for Connells puts Skipton Building Society's largest subsidiary under scrutiny, raising fresh questions over age discrimination in UK property services.

Jul 30, 2026

Digital Deal Rooms Could End Britain's Conveyancing Chaos

A new shared-data platform for property sales promises to slash delays and collapsed chains — here's what it means for landlords and buyers.

Jul 30, 2026

Rates Held at 4.25% as Inflation Warning Clouds Property Outlook

The Bank's decision to hold rates while flagging rising inflation leaves landlords and buyers navigating a narrower, riskier path to cheaper mortgages.

Jul 30, 2026

Foxtons Chief Tells Burnham: Fix Stamp Duty or Watch London Housing Stall

Foxtons' CEO wants Andy Burnham to champion stamp duty reform as London transactions slump and buyers retreat from the capital's mid-market.

Jul 30, 2026

Digital Deal-Sharing Platform Could Slash UK Conveyancing Delays

A new shared digital platform promises to cut property fall-throughs and 20-week completions by giving buyers, sellers and agents the same data simultaneously.

Jul 29, 2026

Agent Regulation Returns: Qualifications Consultation Signals Sector Shake-Up

New details on a government code of practice and mandatory qualifications consultation could reshape the economics of running an agency within two years.

Jul 29, 2026

AI-Drafted Complaints Fuel 50% Surge in Property Disputes

A 50% jump in Property Ombudsman complaints signals a new era of scrutiny for agents, landlords and developers — and it's only accelerating.

Jul 29, 2026

Agent Fraud Charges Expose Cracks in UK Property Regulation

Fresh charges against a once-prominent estate agent reignite questions over how well Britain's property sector protects buyers, sellers and landlords.

Jul 29, 2026

Burnham's Rise: Why London Property Faces a Tax Reckoning

Speculation over Andy Burnham's premiership ambitions has landlords and investors bracing for a wealth tax assault on London's prime housing stock.

Jul 28, 2026

Jersey Pensions Row Signals Wider UK Property Retirement Squeeze

A States Assembly debate over social security funding in Jersey exposes a pension gap fuelling record demand for equity release and retirement housing across Britain.

Jul 28, 2026

Why a CGT-Income Tax Equalisation Push Should Worry Landlords Now

A Burnham-linked call to equalise Capital Gains Tax with Income Tax could nearly double the bill on property disposals.

Jul 28, 2026

Burnham's Stamp Duty Gambit Risks Repeating Truss-Era Errors

Andy Burnham's call for a Greater Manchester stamp duty holiday echoes past policy failures that agents warn could distort the market again.

Jul 28, 2026

Burnham Kills Stamp Duty Rumours: Why Market Certainty Matters Now

The PM's swift denial of Stamp Duty reform ends weeks of speculation that had already begun stalling transactions across the UK.

Jul 28, 2026

Rayner Payment Row Reignites Fears Over Housing Policy Stability

A fresh controversy over a reported payment to Angela Rayner threatens to distract from housing delivery just as investors need policy certainty most.

Jul 28, 2026

Burnham's Council Tax Reform Plan Gains Momentum as Poll Lead Grows

A stronger political mandate could accelerate council tax reform — with major implications for landlords and high-value homeowners in London and Surrey.

Jul 27, 2026

Rayner's Rent Control Retreat Offers Landlords Breathing Room, For Now

Angela Rayner has ruled out rent controls 'at the moment' — but investors should read the caveat, not the comfort.

Jul 27, 2026

Court Ruling Hands Councils New Power to Fine Over 'To Let' Boards

A landmark court decision upholding a council's board crackdown could reshape how agents and landlords advertise lettings across the UK.

Jul 27, 2026

Liverpool's PRS Consultation Signals Tighter Landlord Rules Ahead

Liverpool's public consultation on private renting could reshape licensing and enforcement — landlords across the North West should take note.

Jul 27, 2026

The Burnham Tax Speculation Freezing Britain's Housing Market

Mooted property tax reforms floated by Andy Burnham are stalling transactions nationwide, with sellers and buyers alike retreating to the sidelines.