The Square Mile and Me with Rowland Thomas on the energy of the City and its changes over time July 20, 2023 Each week we ask a City figure to take a trip down memory lane. Today, it’s Rowland Thomas, Close Brothers property finance managing director What was your first job? At the local greyhound kennels spreading sawdust on the training runs. I was accidentally paid double rates – £1 instead of 50p per hour – which [...]
Mortgage costs slip for first time since May as Bank of England rate bets cool on inflation drop July 20, 2023 Mortgage rates have dropped for the first time in two months, sparked by banks passing on a reduction in interest rate bets after yesterday’s better than feared inflation figures. The average rate on two-year mortgages fell to 6.79 per cent yesterday from 6.81 per cent, according to financial data provider Moneyfacts. It is the first [...]
Vistry reports 22 per cent slide in home completions as rate hikes bite July 20, 2023 Vistry Group said the number of homes it completed during the quarter was down 22 per cent compared to the same period last year, as surging mortgage rates continue to hit UK housebuilding companies. The London-listed firm blamed a “tough” economic climate for the decline, with the housebuilder completing 2,847 homes in the period down [...]
UK house price growth slows to 1.9 per cent in May July 19, 2023 The average price of a UK house cost £286,000 in May, according to new government data, with the figure being £6,0000 up on 12 months ago – but £7,000 below its September peak. Average UK house prices increased by 1.9 per cent in the 12 months to May 2023, down from a revised 3.2 per [...]
Mace: Construction firm on track for £3bn revenues as it bolstered by international growth July 18, 2023 Construction giant Mace has been bolstered by traction in its consultancy business and completions of landmark buildings abroad and in the UK (such as Battersea Power Station) during the year, hiking its turnover to £1.936bn. The London-headquartered firm, which has plans to reach £3bn revenues by 2026, said that its consultancy business reached £500m in [...]
In defence of landlords, by the Bank of England July 18, 2023 Few people in Britain draw as much scorn than landlords. It’s easy to understand why. Young people shackled to renting see landlords as a barrier to their homeownership dreams. Particularly in London, renters hate handing over a huge share of their monthly wage to property investors. Doing so stops them from using their cash [...]
Bank of England interest rate hikes trigger record £2.1 trillion UK wealth collapse, report claims July 17, 2023 The Bank of England has engineered the largest contraction in UK household wealth on record by jacking up interest rates in response to scorching inflation, a new report out today has claimed. Asset values have collapsed by £2.1 trillion since early 2021, mainly driven by a sharp fall in bond prices in response to UK [...]
Nearly half of tenants struggle to pay rent with millions now facing ‘financial vulnerability’ July 14, 2023 Nearly half of tenants are struggling to pay their rent, with millions now spending more of their disposable income on renting costs than homeowners. As the cost of living crisis has led many landlords to up the costs of rent, some 21 per cent of tenants report spending a higher proportion of their disposable income [...]
‘They nailed it!’: Designers of Exchange Square by Liverpool Street Station awarded for ‘transforming’ area July 13, 2023 A new park located in Liverpool Street has won an architectural award for its efforts injecting fresh greenery and leisure space into the busy Square Mile. Exchange Square, which is situated at the back of Liverpool Street, was awarded ‘Building of the Year’ by the Worshipful Company of Chartered Architects’ (WCCA) – with the masterminds [...]
Shares tumble for struggling FTSE housebuilders: ‘The scale of challenge cannot be swept under carpet’ July 13, 2023 The share price of London FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 house builders all took a tumble this morning, as fresh reports highlighting the state of the property market dampened investor confidence. Barratt was the hardest to fall this morning, with its shares sliding 4.67 per cent, as the group reported a 49 per cent decline [...]