Archive

Housing minister Lee Rowley will be taking centre stage at the largest property agency conference in the UK this summer, Propertymark...

Michael Gove’s Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities hit back overnight at critics of the government’s Renters Reform Bill. The Bill...

Data from in-the-news agency Foxtons reveals rental applicant demand has increased 9% from February, yet is now still 14% lower year...

An amendment is expected to be made by the government to its Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill. The Bill, put forward by...

Propertymark is demanding equal treatment with the social housing sector. Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove intends to boost standards in social housing...

The all-party House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee has urged the government to get on with establishing a regulator of...

A national newspaper says the Renters Reform Bill is “on the brink of collapse” as Tory MPs are divided on their...

Labour has waded into the increasingly-fractious debate over the Renters Reform Bill. Activists in groups such as the Renters Reform Coalition and...

Countryside campaigning charity CPRE has given a warm welcome to Michael Gove’s clampdown on short lets. Earlier this week Housing Secretary Michael...

There’s growing anger over restrictions on private homeowners using their properties via Airbnb and other short let platforms. Earlier this week Housing...

Housing Secretary Michael Gove has this morning announced wholesale changes to planning and regulations surrounding short lets. His proposals include: - planning permission...

The trade body representing short lets providers and support companies has reacted angrily to government proposals for a radical shake up. Housing...

Propertymark is urging the Sunak government to introduce specialist housing courts with expert Judges who can expedite cases and create a...

While most agents remain relatively tight lipped about party politics, the chief executive of Purplebricks has said the Tories should take...

A pressure group unhappy about lack of progress on the Renters Reform Bill wants MPs to be bombarded with complaint emails.  Over...

Just four months after opening a fourth office of lettings agency Martin & Co in London, franchisee Michael van de Vyver...

The government has done a U-turn on its original policy to relax HMO regulations on private rental properties used by asylum...

Propertymark’s property auction division - NAVA - has given ringing endorsement to the Material Information changes demanded under new Trading Standards...

Leaders Romans Group has acquired three major lettings, sales and surveying businesses operating multiple branches across London, Surrey, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. The...

A large multi-brand lettings agency group is dropping its listings on Zoopla and instead going to list rental properties on OnTheMarket...

Lomond has more than doubled its footprint spanning the South Coast after a major deal involving a 10 branch agency, Beal's. Beal’s employs...

The date has been set for the Spring Budget - the last before the General Election.  It’s to be on Wednesday March...

A prominent housing market commentator says Labour would introduce a tougher version of the Renters Reform Bill if it forms the...

Housing Secretary Michael Gove has given what some commentators have interpreted as a sign that private rental sector licensing from councils...

Former housing minister Rachel Maclean - the victim of a shock sacking by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last month - has...

Campaigning charity Shelter claims there’s a conspiracy amongst MPs, landlords and others in the private rental sector to water down the...

Michael Gove’s Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill, currently going through Parliament, has won praise from the industry body The Property Institute. There...

Lomond has snapped up another small lettings agency - its fifth acquisition in as many weeks. It’s purchased Sussex-based Howard & Co...

A row has broken out over Section 21 between Michael Gove’s Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and an all-party...

Changes put forward to the Renters Reform Bill to crack down on rogue landlords, protect vulnerable residents and improve the safety of...

Propertymark wants Housing Secretary Michael Gove to continue with ground rent reforms for leaseholders following the launch of a consultation into this...

The new Housing Minister is Lee Rowley - who was a former housing minister during the short lived premiership of Liz Truss. Rowley...

Propertymark has written to Housing Secretary Michael Gove to remind him of the importance of regulating letting and estate agents. The trade...

The government is considering five different options for ground rent as the reform process for the sector begins. The government is committed...

There’s been widespread dismay in the industry as the outcome of a Judicial Review has backed the Scottish Government’s objective of...

Propertymark has welcomed the pledge by Housing Secretary Michael Gove not to introduce rent controls in England. The trade body says such...

Rent controls as currently in force in Scotland and under consideration in Wales will not be put into effect in England,...

MPs have given the Renters Reform Bill its Second Reading - a procedure which means it now continues into the Committee...

The Renters Reform Bill is to get its long awaited Second Reading on Monday, October 23. The claim comes from today’s Financial...

A long-standing Martin & Co franchisee is expanding his network of London offices following an independent agency acquisition. Michael van de Vyver, who...

Housing Secretary Michael Gove will address the main Conservative party Conference on Tuesday morning next week - but perhaps his most...

A prominent agent has called on politicians to scrap the Renters Reform Bill . He says it’s “ill thought-through and would be...

The Times is reporting that a delay to the controversial ban on gas boilers is being considered by the government as...

The Select Committee that shadows the work of Michael Gove’s Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is complaining that its...

The Financial Times, using sources in the Parliamentary Conservative party, are blaming some Tory MPs for blocking the route of the...

The Property Franchise Group has reported a bumper half year of trading with revenue at £13.2m and pre-tax profits up 11...

New directives issued by the government put the emphasis firmly on private landlords and their letting agents to take responsibility for...

Propertymark is pressing Housing Secretary Michael Gove to adopt a housing court system to solve the problem of abandoned tenancies. The agents...

A leading property agency is demanding more certainty over new Energy Performance Certificate regulations.  Fisher German says the government should act now...

One of the controversial Bruce brothers, founders of the ill-fated Purplebricks venture, is back in the agency business. It’s almost a decade...

A body largely consisting of councils wants more controls over Airbnbs and other short lets - and it wants local authorities...

Housing Secretary Michael Gove is being lobbied to take urgent action over the growing problem of abandoned tenancies. Propertymark chief executive Nathan...

Leaders Romans Group has acquired small independent single-branch Rosedale Letting Specialists. The acquisition gives the group a new location in Lincolnshire, and...

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has thrown his weight behind Housing Secretary Michael Gove’s proposals to delay deadlines for EPC improvements in...

Stricter proposals for energy efficiency under review by the government risk damaging the private rental sector if they remain unchanged. That’s the...

Propertymark has branded the plans by Housing Secretary Michael Gove to increase housebuilding “disappointing”. Nathan Emerson, Propertymark chief executive, says: “The UK...

Housing Secretary Michael Gove has this morning said his government should ‘relax the pace’ of EPC reforms expected from private landlords. In...

The BBC says discussions are underway to extend the Renters Reform Bill to specifically outlaw any rental listing banning families and benefit recipients...

A regional agent with 3,500 properties under management has written a long letter to Housing Secretary Michael Gove complaining about the...

Almost 4,000 agents have taken Propertymark examinations since the start of 2023 - an average of 46 every business day. The industry...

Propertymark says it’s spotted what may be the first sign of a U-turn on one aspect of the controversial Renters Reform...

Private landlords should hold fire on plans to quit the private rental sector and give the government a chance to incentivise...

Propertymark says it’s going to send a briefing on behalf of letting agents to every MP and member of the House...

The co-leader of the Green Party wants the Renters Reform Bill to go further in restricting the powers of private landlords. Carla...

The pro-tenant anti-landlord Renters Reform Bill has at last been published by the government which first promised it in 2019. It has...

In a surprise move, Housing Secretary Michael Gove has given the stand-in leader of activist group Generation Rent a prime role...

Two former agents with experience between them of major players such as Countrywide, Leaders Romans and LSL have set up a...

An unnamed Conservative MP cited in a newspaper claims up to 30 colleagues may vote against the Renters Reform Bill in...

The government has back-tracked on its decision to publish the long-awaited Renters Reform Bill this week. The Mirror newspaper reports that “procedural issues”...

Housing Secretary Michael Gove says the long-awaited Renters Reform Bill, first promised in 2019, will finally be introduced into Parliament this...

  The Renters’ Reform Bill is finally due to be published and introduced into Parliament next week. Housing Secretary Michael Gove has told Sky...

A lettings agency chief says tighter EPC targets will be “devastating” for the private rental sector. Ben Quaintrell - managing director of...

The new trade body for short lets has reacted angrily to a government plan for AirBnb and other short let hosts...

Landlords and agents acting on their behalf are to be given more powers to evict unruly tenants who ruin neighbours’ lives...

A prominent lettings agent in the north of England has written to Housing Secretary Michael Gove urging him to cease attacking...

A prominent lettings agency has called for a delay to the government’s EPC upgrade timetable to be announced in this afternoon’s...

A combination of regular inspections and pro-active installation of ventilation can help to reduce the risk of dangerous damp and mould...

RMT rail union leader Mick Lynch and Labour leaders including Andy Burnham and Sadiq Khan are leading a call for an...

The man who led the sale of prominent lettings agency Finders Keepers to Countrywide has landed a new role as group...

A council says it’s using planning powers to try to control the proliferation of Airbnbs, but suggests the real answer may...

The National Crime Agency has the starring role at the first Rightmove Anti-Money Laundering webinar of the year, to be held next...

Propertymark has written to Housing Secretary Michael Gove outlining its concerns about the latest licensing scheme proposal from a local council. The...

A warning letter signed by 330 major players in the private rental sector has been delivered to Housing Secretary Michael Gove. The...

A prominent letting agent has written an open letter to Housing Secretary Michael Gove, calling for a halt on government attacks...

Housing Secretary Michael Gove is being asked to take urgent action over housing conditions across social and private rental sectors.  Following the...

Agents have expressed their anger at the government effectively scrapping any meaningful house building targets. Housing Secretary Michael Gove scrapped the mandatory...

Housing Secretary Michael Gove has sent a letter to the Competitions and Markets Authority saying the watchdog is independent - but...

The government is to open a consultation on whether residential properties should require planning consent to be used as short lets...

Propertymark has given its backing to a clampdown by Housing Secretary Michael Gove on private landlords - although landlords themselves appear...

Boomin, the online property portal founded by the former boss of Purplebricks, has called in liquidators according to a Sky News...

As the Rishi Sunak government’s lower ranks finally take shape, the junior ministers working with Housing Secretary Michael Gove have been...

A property management chief has been disqualified as a director for 12 years after using his firms to take out £135,000...

Prime Minister Liz Truss says Section 21 eviction powers WILL be scrapped after all. She made the explicit commitment at Prime Minister’s...

The details of the Northern Ireland Private Tenancies Bill will be the main focus of the Propertymark annual conference in Belfast...

A Build To Rent promotional website appears to be ruing the day that Boris Johnson sacked Michael Gove from his role...

The fast-growing Lomond Group of agencies has acquired a major online lettings service. But it's going to manage the properties through physical...

A jury has ruled that a lettings agency has been guilty of illegally evicting tenants in Margate - with locks changed,...

A politician has called on Airbnb hosts in his local area to switch their properties to long-term rentals. Isle of Wight councillor...

Within two hours of Greg Clarke being appointed by Boris Johnson as the new Housing Secretary, the leader of Generation Rent...

If housing really is seen by Prime Minister Boris Johnson as one of his key policy goals, there must be uncertainty...