Buy-to-let market ‘resilient’ despite fears of landlord exodus March 11, 2025 UK landlords are more optimistic than previously thought about buy-to-let as the market gears up to absorb economic and regulatory challenges, according to a new survey. A survey of 300 UK landlords has found that a third of landlords plan to expand their portfolios this year, while 43 per cent expect yields to improve. “It [...]
Unite’s sales boom as student housing demand shows no sign of slowing February 25, 2025 Unite Students has reported double-digit growth as demand for student housing continues to far outpace supply. The FTSE 100 firm, which owns and manages university housing, reported earnings of £213.8m for 2024 – up 16 per cent year on year. Rents grew by 8.2 per cent, the company said, with occupancy at 97.5 per cent. [...]
Labour must remember investors when reforming leasehold February 21, 2025 Given that many properties are directly or indirectly owned by pension funds, getting leasehold reform wrong risks destabilising the property markets, transferring value to foreign investors and undermining the UK’s attractiveness, says Natalie Chambers The government’s rhetoric on harnessing institutional capital as a driver for economic growth is welcome. In the coming months, the government [...]
Criticising ‘wealth hoarding boomers’ is ageist stereotype, MPs warn February 19, 2025 Criticism of older people as “wealth hoarding boomers” is a form of ageist stereotyping, a report by MPs has warned. Ageism is “widespread and culturally embedded” in the UK and discrimination laws are currently “failing” older people, the MPs have said. The Women and Equalities Committee of MPs concluded the UK has a “pervasively ageist [...]
New towns: Why Starmer needs to avoid being a cowboy builder… February 18, 2025 Promises can be a tricky thing in politics. Just look at the flack Nick Clegg received for pledging to scrap tuition fees, and then, well, not. Similarly, putting Partygate aside, I suspect Boris Johnson isn’t exactly fondly remembered as PM by those voters living in areas promised one of his 40 new hospitals. While some [...]
Homeowners rush to departures before third Heathrow runway takes off February 17, 2025 The housing market around the planned area for Heathrow’s third runway has seen a surge of activity in the last few weeks as homeowners look to avoid the noise, pollution and lower house values that the major infrastructure project would usher in. On January 29, the government spoke to an audience of business chiefs at [...]
Housebuilding: Starmer to reveal vision for new towns across UK February 13, 2025 Sir Keir Starmer will reveal the government’s vision for new towns to be built across the UK. The Prime Minister is expected to unveil the government’s plans for the next generation of communities, including homes, doctors’ surgeries, schools, nurseries and public transport, at a visit to a new housing development on Thursday. Over 100 proposals [...]
Property experts warn ‘more needs to be done’ on £350m housing funding February 12, 2025 A £350m investment into affordable and social housing by the government has been welcomed but property experts warn “more needs to be done”. Housing secretary Angela Rayner has insisted the government “can’t afford not to” hit its 1.5m housebuilding targets, as officials unveiled an extra £300m in funding for the affordable homes programme, which they [...]
Tired of London: Why is the capital losing hope? February 12, 2025 City dwellers tend to be more optimistic about their neighbourhood than those who live in town but, worryingly, London is bucking the trend. We all have a stake in our capital’s success. So what’s going wrong? Asks Simon Clarke “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life”. Samuel Johnson’s famous aphorism [...]
Government ‘grey belt’ reform is ‘somewhat rushed and incoherent’ February 5, 2025 In a letter to Angela Rayner, Lord Daniel Moylan, chair of the Built Environment Committee, raised a number of concerns with the government's so-called 'grey belt' policy.