Countrywide is now “beyond salvation”

Investment Sales, Market Report, Property, Sales

Harry Hill, the industry veteran, who also founded Rightmove, made the remark on Twitter after seeing a long and highly critical Sunday Times article about the troubled agency group, which on Wednesday reveals its trading performance for the first half of 2019. The piece threw a particularly harsh light on the chairmanship of Peter Long. Hill tweeted yesterday lunchtime: “The …

New moves on Stamp Duty as think tank calls for tax to be halved on homes over £500,000

Investment Sales, Market Report, Property, Sales

A new call is to be issued today for Stamp Duty to be halved on homes which are main residences and are worth over £500,000. Right-wing think tank Onward also suggests that serious consideration should be given to scrapping Stamp Duty Land Tax entirely. The proposed halving would cost £3.3bn, but Onward says this would be covered by taxes on …

New era of regulation for the entire industry is unveiled today

Housing Law, Market Report, Property, Uncategorized

A new era for the entire agency sector begins today, with the publication by the Government of a report calling for minimum standards, a single code of practice, and licensing of agents, with the regime to be overseen by a new regulator. Agents have been urged to start preparing now for the new era. The official report, from the Regulation …

ARLA voices total opposition to introduction of rent controls and begs law-makers to reconsider

Market Report, Rent, Rent Control, Uncategorized

ARLA has said it is totally opposed to the introduction of rent controls in Scotland. The body has responded to a consultation on the Fair Rents Bill, which seeks to cap private rents across Scotland so that annually they cannot rise at over 1% above inflation. ARLA says in its response to the official consultation that rent caps will reduce …