BREAKING NEWS – top 5 stories 17/06/2021

Estate Agent Networking Breaking News

HOUSING MARKET FLYING AHEAD – BUT PRIVATE RENTAL MARKET HAS 800,000 IN ARREARS

It may be Boom time for the residential housing sector, but the National Residential Landlords Association feels that as many as 0.8M tenants are behind with the rent to their respective private landlords.

The pandemic is seen as the common factor, with NRLA hypothesising that over three-quarters of tenants in arrears racked up the debt during the period of the pandemic. The situation is not being helped as the government is not giving additional direct cash to ease the situation.

AVERAGE HOUSE PRICE DROPPED BY 1.9% ACCORDING TO LATEST LAND REGISTRY DATA

Latest analysis just in from HMLR shows that in the recent period average house sale prices have actually dropped by nearly 2% in recent months, though the annual national picture shows an almost 10% rise. It will be interesting to see if this is just a blip caused by many factors – or it continues in coming months.

AGENTS SAYS PRESSURE TO GET EXCHANGED AND COMPETED BY MONTH END IS BITING

A large Independent agent has said that,

‘Because many buyers are looking at up to a 15K saving on stamp duty if they complete by the last day of June, we are getting repeated calls daily to get the sales across the line. But the solicitors and lenders just are not responding. There is going to be a lot of upset people.’

COMMERCIAL LANDLORDS ‘ANOTHER NINE MONTHS OF PAIN’

The government has just announced that ‘commercial tenants’ cannot be evicted for another nine months. Whilst this gives some businesses respite, commercial landlords will be powerless to start with a new tenant who can pay being in situ. The government needs to think long and hard about the repercussions.

MARKET COOLING? OR IS IT THE EUROS

Some agents are saying that although instructions are low, the pace seems to be dying down from would be buyers. They are not sure if it is the good weather, which makes people think of socialising, the football or just the market is going into a cooling down phase, as is typical as the seasonal trends of holidays plays into the market.

Andrew Stanton

CEO & Founder Proptech-PR. Proptech Real Estate Influencer, Executive Editor of Estate Agent Networking. Leading PR consultancy in Proptech & Real Estate.

You May Also Enjoy

Estate Agent Talk

7 Ways Estate Agents Can Adapt to a Changing Property Market

The UK property landscape is evolving rapidly, and estate agents are under increasing pressure to implement innovative strategies. With shifting buyer expectations, new technologies, and alternative sales models entering the market, adapting your approach is essential. So, if you’re looking to see success with your agency, here are just seven key ways you can remain…
Read More
Letting Agent Talk

Spring clean drives high maintenance bill for landlord

The latest market insight from property management specialist, Rushbrook & Rathbone, suggests that property maintenance spend is set to surge in April, as the annual ‘spring clean’ by landlords saw the month account for the second highest proportion of total annual maintenance spend in 2025, as well as the largest average spend per work order. Rushbrook…
Read More
Breaking News

65% of homebuyers blame slow process on conveyancers

The latest research from Lyons Bowe reveals that 65% of recent homebuyers say the conveyancing process was the slowest part of their buying process, with a quarter saying the legal back and forth took more than 16 weeks to complete. Lyons Bowe commissioned a survey of 1,000 UK homeowners who made a purchase in the past…
Read More
Breaking News

UK Construction Activity Collapses

Glenigan’s April Construction Index uncovers an industry struggling to cushion the blows from ongoing international conflict and a persistently weak economy. Work starting on-site declined by 17% compared to Q4, remaining 18% below 2025 levels. Residential construction starts dropped by 13% during the Index period and fell by 30% against 2025 figures. Non-residential project-starts dipped…
Read More
Breaking News

Homebuyer demand down in Q1 2026

Buyer demand slips in Q1 2026, with South of England outperformed by North and Midlands The latest Sales Demand Index from eXp UK has revealed that homebuyer demand in England slipped by -1.6% in Q1 2026. The analysis also reveals a clear north-south divide with counties located in the midlands or north of the country recording…
Read More
Letting Agent Talk

Check your rights now or risk being caught out by new rental laws

Renters have been urged to check their rights now or risk being caught out, as sweeping new laws prepare to transform the rental market from May. The warning comes ahead of the Renters’ Rights Act, with major reforms set to affect millions of tenants, fundamentally changing how tenancies are managed and challenged. Housing law expert…
Read More