Breaking News
Labour London Mayor candidate launches manifesto.
Labour’s London Mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan reportedly announced yesterday plans in his manifesto to “name and shame” rogue landlords through a New York City-style website, it would be based on a scheme set up by New York mayor Bill de Blasio, it would provide a database of landlords who had been successfully prosecuted for housing-related…

Allen Walkey
London Mayoral elections in May
The EU referendum planned for the 23rd June is really taking the limelight at present what with David Cameron pushing for “remain” since his return from Brussels In February, Boris Johnson putting his weight behind the “leave” campaign, the resignation of John Longworth Head of The British Chambers of Commerce following his fallout over “Brexit”…

Allen Walkey
Foxtons Group plc announce financial results
Foxtons Group plc, London’s leading estate agent, today announces its financial results for the year ended 31 December 2015. In their operational summary they state: Revenue growth across all segments (Sales +3.4%, Lettings +2.3%, Mortgage broking +31.8%) Both Sales and Lettings segments operating at Adjusted EBITDA margins in excess of 30% A strong lettings business…

Allen Walkey
Another landlord fined for breaching the rules.
A recent article appearing in the Barking and Dagenham post reports on a Barking landlord who breaches the rules appertaining to her letting licence, do we now have an epidemic in the lettings industry where crimes are being comitted day on day by those not just satisfied with their financial returns but through sheer greed…

Allen Walkey
Second series of ‘Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords’ with Landlord Action
On Wednesday 9th March 2016 at 9pm, Channel 5 will launch the second series of ‘Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords’, a ten-part series which delves into the dark side of the UK’s rental market and growing housing crisis, featuring leading eviction specialists Landlord Action. The complexities and sheer amount of legislation relating to private rented housing…

Christopher Walkey
PurpleBricks shareprice doubles in under 2 months.
Since the latter part of January this year we have seen the shareprice of PurpleBricks double from the low of 70p, this now values the company at around 330m pounds as of last friday, thats not bad for a company still in its infancy with massive advertising costs, is the market however about to embrace…

Allen Walkey
“Remain” and “Leave” campaigns.
Since coming back from Brussels in mid February, David Cameron appears to be winning for the “Remain” campaign, that is according to the most recent polling by YouGov. YouGov has been conducting regular polls to gauge the relative success of the campaigns in their infancy. YouGov has carried out five surveys, four of which put…

Allen Walkey
DIRECT LINE LANDLORD INSURANCE PARTNERS WITH LBC FOR ‘THE PROPERTY HOUR’
New LBC programme ‘The Property Hour’ in association with Direct Line Landlord Insurance will be co-hosted by LBC presenter Clive Bull and Landlord Action’s Paul Shamplina The segment will run every Thursday from 9:00 pm – 10:00 pm for 13 weeks starting on 10th March The segment will see the presenters inviting the public to…

Christopher Walkey
Halifax HPI for February
In it’s monthly House Price Index (HPI) report, the Halifax reported yesterday that house prices in the three months to February were 9.7% higher than in the same three months a year earlier. House prices in the latest three months (December-February) were 3.0% higher than in the preceding three months. Commenting, Martin Ellis, Halifax housing…

Allen Walkey
Housing market slowdown expected from April.
In just under 4 weeks time, starting the 1st April the new stamp duty rate for buy-to-let investors and second home buyers comes into force, many are trying to beat the deadline so as to make the saving of the extra 3% they would be paying after the cut off date. Agents and conveyancers alike…

Allen Walkey
Weaker pound on Brexit
A reported study by FXcompared this week showed that more than half of Britons are worried a vote to leave the European Union will cause the pound sterling to weaken, in a regional breakdown the poll showed 69% of Londoners were worried about the impact on the pound, with around 50% saying its performance before…

Allen Walkey
Nationwide HPI for February
In it’s monthly House Price Index (HPI) report, the Nationwide reported house prices increased by 0.3% in February, no change from the previous month, a slight acceleration in annual house price growth to 4.8%. Commenting on the figures, Robert Gardner, Nationwide’s Chief Economist said: “UK house price growth remained steady in February, with prices increasing…

Allen Walkey
Mortgage approvals in January
UK mortgage approvals reached a 2 year high in January according to data recently released from The Bank of England, mortgage approvals for house purchases were numbered at 74,581 in January from 71,335 in December. Consumer credit is also on the rise, many households spend more as they see the value of their home rise…

Allen Walkey
Housing Market Bulletin February.
Housing Market Bulletin for February 2016 published yesterday by the Home and Communities Agency. House prices: Despite the seasonal price dip, the trend for average house price change continues to be steady growth. Housing market: Estimated gross mortgage lending for 2015 was 8.2% higher than in 2014, and the highest annual total since 2008. The…

Allen Walkey