Breaking Property News – 08/09/2023

September 8, 2023

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.

 

NRLA acquires James Kent’s Safe2

Apologies James, I definitely owe you a pizza for my tardiness in getting this good news story out there. For anyone who has not heard in these difficult times, that great businesses still get to the winning post, here is your case study. Founder of Safe2 James Kent at a very tender age has managed to get from MVP to exit. Well he still will be very much be welded to that driving seat, and with the added help of Ben Beadle CEO of NARLA and the supporting team no doubt will be scaling things up at speed.

Set out below is the official NARLA press release, and I am sure that everyone who knows both Ben & James will see that this a strategic tie up that is a true win for both.

PRESS RELEASE – London September 2023.

‘Private landlords will find it easier to ensure rental properties meet all required standards thanks to investment in new services by the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA). The NRLA has purchased Safe2, a provider of all forms of property safety certification. It provides landlords with a single service to ensure gas, electrical safety and energy performance certificates are up to date.

When a safety check determines that a property has not met legal minimum standards, Safe2 can provide a quote for whatever remedial work might need to be undertaken to address any outstanding issues. Where they rectify the problem, they will re-test the relevant system free of charge. Aside from these benefits, NRLA members will also be entitled to a five per cent discount when using any of Safe2’s services.

Read the article in full

Five ways to secure your first home

With rent prices skyrocketing to the highest rates seen in a decade, it’s no surprise that many around the country will be crunching the numbers to find out whether they can afford to buy their own home. Buying a home has clear fiscal benefits – Halifax’s latest Owning vs Renting review found out that homeowners are on average £500 better off annually than renters.

For many young homeowners, setting foot on the ladder can be a daunting task. Navigating the housing market for the first time, saving for a deposit and securing a mortgage can all feel overwhelming, but with the right advice, it can pay dividends.

Tzana Webster, Director of Property Sales at Watermans, Edinburgh property valuation experts, explores the different options available to first-time buyers to take some of the pressure off when securing your first home. border.

‘100% Mortgages One recent development taking the market by storm is the arrival of the no deposit mortgage. This allows buyers to put pen-to-paper without having to save for years provided they meet the following criteria:

Read the article in full

Zoopla and Alto partners with Ventrica improving customer support

Following the launch in May of a strategic partnership with Ventrica – an award-winning, omnichannel customer service and support expert – to transform its customer support function, Zoopla today reveals that 100% of their outstanding customer support tickets have been resolved in the last 90 days.

Maximising Ventrica’s world-class systems, technology, and expertise, the partnership has reduced call abandonment by 75% and increased tickets resolved within five hours by 50% benefiting a wide range of software customers (Alto, Jupix, CFP Winman), agents, and housebuilders, as well as consumers who are looking for their next home. With clear progress made on key metrics in the last three months, the partnership remains laser-focused on delivering added benefits to all software and Zoopla customers by the end of 2023.

This includes: Sharing customer-centric KPIs with all customers next month (October) focused on improved response times and satisfaction to ensure it remains a high priority. Maintaining a zero backlog of customer support tickets, leading to faster resolution times for all customers.

Read the article in full

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

Castles, cottages, vineyards and barn conversions

The latest data from LandSale has revealed what buyers can expect to pay, and how much they can get for their money if they want to escape to the country, with castles, vineyards, barn conversions, and cottages currently offering very different routes to rural living. The analysis draws on LandSale’s internal listing data and examines…
Read More →
Breaking News

Poor property maintenance could wipe £59,000 in value

The latest research by property management specialist, Rushbrook, has revealed that landlords who fail to adequately maintain their rental properties could see as much as £30,172 wiped from the value of the average buy-to-let investment across England, with this potential loss climbing to almost £59,000 in London.   Rushbrook analysed landlord-specific property values across each…
Read More →
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 20/8/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Why Angela Rayner Housing Secretary is in the wrong job – again   A smile, bluster and vague soundbites will not solve the UK housing crisis  Thought Leadership by Andrew Stanton – CEO Proptech-PR  ‘I have been involved in the UK property industry since the mid 1980’s…
Read More →
Breaking News

Buyers Looking Beyond London

London new-build demand plummets behind commuter belt as buyers look beyond the capital   Demand for new-build homes in Essex more than three times higher than in London, while Hertfordshire faces supply squeeze amid growing buyer appetite   The latest research by UK Property Development has revealed a growing divide between London’s new-build market and…
Read More →
Finance

Top six tips for first-time buyers

Independent mortgage broker, Flagstone Financial, has outlined key advice for first-time buyers, pointing to flexible options as signs of an improving mortgage market.   With high loan-to-value lending (80–95%) becoming more widely available, the property ladder is more accessible than in recent years, and experts at Flagstone Financial, partner of the Beresfords Group, are advising…
Read More →
to let sign 2025
Breaking News

England’s rental stock surges by as much as 86.6% in a year

Rental listings have almost doubled in Tyne and Wear since August 2025, with Greater Manchester and a host of other markets also recording double-digit growth   The latest research from Propoly has revealed that England’s rental listings have climbed by an average of 7.4% in the past year, led by an 86.6% increase in Tyne and…
Read More →