Santander launches 98% mortgage with restrictions
Santander has introduced a mortgage product allowing first-time buyers to borrow up to 98% of a property’s value, marking the first time in years that a major high street bank…
Second home owners shift to holiday lets amid tax changes
Property owners are increasingly converting second homes into short-term holiday lets following council tax reforms introduced in 2025, according to housing campaign group Generation Rent. The organisation has called on…
Fine & Country plans expansion into five new markets
Estate agency network Fine & Country has announced plans to expand into at least five new international markets during 2026, marking what the company describes as an acceleration of its…
Transaction costs creating ‘affordability trap’ in UK market
The UK housing market is experiencing a freeze caused by accumulated transaction costs rather than house prices alone, according to David Powell, CEO of Andrews Property Group. Powell argues that…
London rent affordability improves as wages outpace costs
Renters in London are spending an average of 49.5% of their monthly income on rent, though the proportion has decreased since 2024 due to wage growth outpacing rental increases, according…
February listings show highest sale rates, Rightmove finds
Properties listed in February have the highest likelihood of finding a buyer, according to analysis of UK property portal data spanning a decade. Rightmove examined millions of homes listed between…
December transactions ‘disappointing’ as market stays flat
Despite talk of there being a post Budget bounce, mortgage transactions stayed unchanged in December. Net borrowing stood at £4.6 billion, with mortgage approvals falling by 3,100 month-on-month in December…
Sir Vince Cable: Government its own worst enemy on housing
Government interventions have made housing targets even more difficult, according to the independent Housing Oversight Committee headed by Sir Vince Cable. The committee said the new build slowdown combined with…
More clarity needed on commercial energy efficiency rules
Agency body Propertymark has written to the government asking for more clarity on the future of Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) for commercial properties. The letter, to Martin McCluskey MP,…
Rightmove adds Renters’ Rights module to agent training
Rightmove has updated its Level 3 Certificate for Estate and Letting Agents (CELA) to include a new module on the Renters’ Rights Act, ahead of the legislation’s implementation on 1…