The Today Programme tells me that the Chartered Institute of Housing has published a new study which suggests that young people, in particular, are turning away from house ownership after being scared off by the economic downturn and the concomitant drop in house prices. This leads to the immediate question about where these people are [...]
Did you know that the new housing minister is the ninth since labour came to power in 1997? They are: 1997 – Hilary Armstrong 1999 – Nick Raynsford 2001 – Lorde Falconer 2002 – Lord Rooker 2003 – Keith Hill 2005 – Yvette Cooper 2006 – Ruth Kelly 2007 – Hazel Blears 2008 – Caroline [...]
The National Landlords Association will tomorrow tells MPs that residential landlords are facing significant difficulties in trading properties and refinancing their portfolios. Mark Shepherd, PropertyWeek.co.uk – 29 June 2009 The representative body for private residential landlords will give evidence before the House of Commons Select Committee, which is examing mortgage arrears and access to mortgage [...]
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is urging landlords and property agents to ensure that their gas appliances are serviced and maintained and that landlords’ gas safety checks are completed. It follows the prosecution of a Tamworth man, after four people were taken to hospital suffering suspected carbon monoxide poisoning at a rented property. MedicalNewsToday.com [...]
Bullish supporters of the pound have moved to allay fears that the recovery in sterling is going to be de-railed in the coming months. Nicholas Paler, PropertyWire.co.uk – 29 June 2009 The pound has staged a strong recovery since January, surging against both the dollar and the euro, having previously been oversold against economies in [...]
Press Releases Kent Fire and Rescue Service – 17/06/2009 Two landlords of bedsit accommodation in north London have been sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay £5000 costs each for breaching fire safety legislation. The prosecution followed a fire on 31 March 2007 at a house converted into bedsits on Hampden Road, London [...]
House prices will stabilise in the last quarter of this year as the low number of homes for sale more than compensates for the fact that houses still aren’t affordable, forecasts Standard & Poor’s. Deborah Hyde, CityWire.co.uk – 24 June 2009 ‘UK house prices will stabilize in the final quarter of this year about 7% [...]
YORKSHIRE and the Humber experienced one of the highest falls in retail rents last year as the retail property sector continues to suffer. Lizzie Murphy, Yorkshire Post – 25 June 2009 Rents across the region’s high streets and shopping centres fell by 16 per cent amid the delay of a number of new developments, including [...]
There have been stirrings of excitement in the property market recently. Data on activity, such as home loan approvals, has been picking up ever so slightly. And I’ve seen it at first hand too. James Ferguson, MoneyWeek – 25 June 2009 I was a member of the panel at an investors’ seminar hosted by PFP [...]
We are obsessed with monthly house price figures, but the reality is that none of the UK indices get it right all the time. Alan O’Sullivan, This is Money – 25 June 2009 Hometrack said house prices remained unchanged last month, Nationwide reported a 1.2% rise and Halifax said the rise was 2.6%. Why is [...]
