Policy
Improving home energy efficiency is at the heart of Britain’s new ‘green industrial revolution’
The Government has finally published its Net Zero Strategy, along with an in-depth Heat & Building Strategy.
The average Stamp Duty bill has escalated 490% in the last 25 years
Property price inflation has driven the average SDLT bill in England up from £601 in 1997 to £3,548 in 2021.
Covid support measures for the property market end
The Stamp Duty holiday is over; notice periods on tenant evictions are back to normal, and HMRC's furlough scheme is finished.
South Hams declares ‘housing emergency’ as property prices & Airbnb numbers rocket
Councillors in Salcombe and Dartmouth say they have "no choice but to declare a Housing Crisis", prompted by the conversion of many properties to Airbnbs and a sharp increase in outsiders moving into…
Labour promises first-dibs for first-time buyers, more affordable rents & limits on overseas buyers
“Labour is the party of homeownership," declares Shadow Housing Secretary Lucy Powell, aping the traditional Tory mantra.
Treasury publishes draft Residential Property Developer Tax legislation
Proposed new tax rates targeting major housebuilders are due to bee confirmed in the Autumn Budget.
Michael Gove installed as housing secretary in dramatic cabinet reshuffle
Whitehall big hitter takes over from the ousted Robert Jenrick.
Johnson & Jenrick plot planning reform u-turn
“Radical” proposed planning reforms are likely to be substantially watered down, according to political insiders.
Stamp Duty holiday should not have been extended, says RICS
“We would urge the Government to undertake a full-scale review of the current stamp duty land tax system," says the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.
Budget 2021 date set for 27th October
Tax increases are likely at HM Treasury's Autumn event.
‘Costly & unnecessary’ Stamp Duty holiday ‘not the main cause of house price boom’ – Resolution Foundation
"Stronger forces" than the temporary tax break have been at play in the housing market over the last year, says an influential think tank - which argues that the UK's Stamp Duty holidays have been "problematic…
Government pitches a ‘major scaling up’ of custom & self-built homes
30-40,000 custom and self-build (CSB) homes could and should be built in the UK each year, says Richard Bacon, in a report that rails against "houses designed by accountants".