Policy
Why has Osborne got a bee in his bonnet about Buy-to-Let?
Rather than choking off the demand for BTL investments, why not instead deal with the root cause of the housing shortage, asks Trevor Abrahmsohn...
Osborne ‘in for a shock’ when 2015’s stamp duty receipts are counted up – Chestertons
George Osborne is "burying his head in the sand" by ignoring industry calls to review last year’s changes to Stamp Duty and will "likely be in for a shock" when 2015's final receipts are added up, Chestertons…
Scotland hikes LBTT for second homes in line with SDLT
John Swinney has followed George Osborne's lead, announcing a 3% increase in the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax rate for additional properties in Scotland, such as buy-to-let and second homes.
‘Drastic changes’ needed ‘to fix Britain’s broken housing market’ – NAEA & ARLA
"The news is bleak" says the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) and National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) as it forecasts that home ownership will fall by 7% in the coming decade…
Agency reports surge in landlords looking to incorporate
Benham & Reeves has reported a wave of landlords approaching the firm about putting their property portfolio into a limited company in the wake of double whammy changes to mortgage relief and stamp duty.
Has this man just come up with a way to ease the housing crisis?
Despite sitting on a giant war chest of institutional investment, the Build to Rent sector is finding it practically impossible to acquire suitable sites at the moment.
Developer hit with record £700k planning fine
The biggest planning fine in history has reportedly been handed down to a private developer after a six-storey block of flats went up in Hoxton without permission.
‘Shocking’ lack of knowledge about leases is a ‘ticking time bomb’
A law firm has warned of a "shocking" lack of knowledge about how leases work and the consequences of failing to extend, after carrying out a major survey of UK property owners.
Councils rally against Bishopsgate Goodsyard proposals
Tower Hamlets and Hackney have dealt Hammerson and Ballymore's controversial Bishopsgate Goodsyard scheme a hefty one-two by simultaneously rejecting the latest proposals.
London ‘at risk of being irrevocably damaged’ by raft of new towers
Historic England has decided to update its advice on the planning and design of tall buildings after of a surge of new applications in the capital.
Massive fall in UK ‘investor’ visa applications after threshold hike
If the government was hoping to put a stop to wealthy foreigners investing in the UK, then raising the minimum threshold on investor visas from £1m to £2m may have just done the trick.
Will Government announcement signal rush of council-owned properties for sale?
For developers, changes announced in November's Spending Review signal a huge opportunity.