Policy
UK stamp duty revenues suffer as Osborne throttles the golden goose
With the Institute for Fiscal Studies now warning that the Government will struggle to meet its target of balancing the books by 2019-20, Knight Frank has taken a proper look at how the new stamp duty…
Identity Crisis: Property fraud and how to protect against it
Seeing as you can never be too careful, here's legal eagle Ed Allan with a run-through of the most common types of property fraud and some effective preventative measures...
Hands Off Buy-to-Let: Has the BoE been reading too many Daily Mail headlines?
The vast majority of buy-to-let investors are in for the long term, are big net contributors to both the national and local economies, and are right to feel a somewhat opportunist target, says Ed Mead...
Property industry urges ‘sensible SDLT regime’ to protect big build-to-rent investment
The Government must "protect large-scale investment in residential property from a proposed higher rate of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) for purchasing additional homes, or risk losing much-needed investment…
If a Tree Falls in a Forest: The implications of Moorjani v Durban Estates
A recent judgment centring on 'whether inconvenience exists if there is no one present to experience it' will send reverberations right through the prime lettings sector, explains Rupert Higgins...
Scotland’s LBTT raises £34m less than predicted
Strutt & Parker has come out swinging against Scotland's Land & Building Transaction Tax, after the controversial new levy raised £34m less than predicted in the nine months to December.
50% of London new-builds should be affordable: Khan’s ‘firm new rules’
Labour's Mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan has laid out a pledge, backed-up with "firm new rules for developers", to make 50% of new homes built on public and brownfield land across London affordable.
Westminster generating over half of UK ATED receipts
Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED) receipts were up £16m (16%) last year, with properties in Westminster generating over half the entire haul.
Boffins pitch ‘premium property tax’ on London’s £5m+ sales
Academics from Goldsmiths, Sheffield and York universities have floated the idea of slapping a "premium property tax" on London's prime property market to pay for social and affordable housing.
Right to Rent: Landlords face fines of up to £3k as of Monday
As of next week, landlords and letting agents in the UK will have to add detailed "right to rent" checks to their - already lengthy - to-do lists when granting new tenancy agreements.
New home registrations hit eight-year high but London stumbles
New figures from the National House Building Council show 156,140 new homes were registered to be built in the UK last year.
‘Domesday Book’ of London’s public land goes live
A comprehensive "Domesday Book" of all the public land in London has been unveiled online.