Chancellor ‘looking at proposals’ to double highest rates of council tax
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is reported to be considering proposals to apply a 100% increase to the highest council tax bands, which would affect more than one million homes, predominantly in London and the South East of England. According to a report in The Telegraph on Saturday, the chancellor ‘is said to be looking at’ plans […]
Increase in property transactions ‘a reassuring sign’
HMRC’s provisional seasonally adjusted estimate of the number of UK residential transactions for September has seen a year-on-year rise of 4%, to 95,980, which represents a 1% increase on August’s figures. The provisional non-seasonally adjusted estimate is 102,420, 8% higher than the same period last year and 2% lower than August. Seasonally adjusted non-residential transactions […]
Housing committee critical of delays to long term housing strategy
Delays in publishing the government’s Long-Term Housing Strategy, first announced in July 2024, have left members of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee ‘deeply disappointed’, with MPs in the dark over how the government plans to deliver 1.5 million new homes by 2029. The report from the committee is critical of what it describes […]
Chancellor apologises for licensing error, but compliance expert warns ‘strict liability crime has been committed’
The letting agency responsible for managing the privately rented home belonging to Chancellor Rachel Reeves has admitted it failed to apply for the relevant licence required by the local housing authority. But a compliance expert has warned that failure to licence is a strict liability criminal offence that results in significant penalties for ‘hundreds of […]
September net mortgage borrowing highest since March – BoE
The Bank of England’s Money and Credit Report for September showed an increase of net borrowing of mortgage debt by individuals of £1.2 billion, to £5.5 – the highest since March 2025. The annual growth rate for net mortgage lending increased to 3.2%, from 3.0% in August, the highest since January 2023 (3.4%). Net mortgage […]
Prices edge up as improved affordability supports demand – Nationwide
The October House Price Index from Nationwide has recorded a slight in house price growth, with annual figures up 2.4% and a month-on-month increase of 0.3%. ‘The housing market has remained broadly stable in recent months, with house prices rising at a modest pace and the number of mortgages approved for house purchase maintained […]
Diary of a High Street Conveyancer – Please can you answer the question?
There are so many ways in which enquiries can be asked and answered, but I have to be honest and say there is something incredibly irritating about sending enquiries all nicely numbered and laid out – only to receive replies which mean I have to look back at the original enquiry to understand the response. […]
What are PEXA’s plans in the UK?
David Opie, host of the Today’s Conveyancer Podcast, welcomes back PEXA UK for a timely update. Since first joining the podcast nearly two years ago much has changed both for PEXA and in the property market. Joining him is Angela Hesketh, PEXA’s Head of Market Development, who shares insights into PEXA’s journey since arriving on […]