Rightmove reaction to Base Rate hold

March 21, 2024
Rightmove logo

At its meeting ending on 20 March 2024, the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted by a majority of 8–1 to maintain Bank Rate at 5.25%.

Matt Smith, Rightmove’s mortgage expert said: “Although today isn’t the day for the first Base rate cut, each day that passes is one step closer, and it’s very much a ‘when’ rather than ‘if’ we see the first drop from 5.25%.

“Mortgage rates have risen slightly over the last 6 weeks but it does feel like the pressure on lenders to increase rates has dissipated, with some lenders having already cut rates in response to yesterday’s positive inflation news. This may mean that average mortgage rates start to fall back in the next couple of weeks. If this is the case it will be first time average rates will have reduced in over a month.

“Home-movers shouldn’t expect to see a rush of rate cuts, but the two announcements this week should hopefully continue to give movers more confidence than they perhaps had at the start of last year. That’s certainly been the theme so far after the first quarter of the year – with more people enquiring to purchase homes, more sellers come to market and more sales being agreed than this time last year.”

Rightmove

UK Property news updates shared directly from Rightmove PLC - the country's leading property portal.

You May Also Enjoy

Estate Agent Talk

Get Fast and Reliable Basement Flood Cleaning Services

Having water in your basement is awful. It could be because of a storm, busted pipe, or bad sump pump. Whatever the reason, water damage in your basement has disastrous effects if not dealt with. Basement Flood Cleaning Services are what you need. They will dry it out, disinfect the floor, and have your basement…
Read More →
Breaking News

UK House Price Index summary: June 2025

The average monthly rate of house price growth in June was 1.4%. The average annual rate of house price growth in June was 3.7%, up from 2.7% in May. As a result, the average UK house price remains at £269,000.   CEO of Yopa, Verona Frankish, commented: “June’s figures reflect a market that is steadily…
Read More →
Breaking News

Private rent and house prices, UK: August 2025

Average UK monthly private rents increased by 5.9%, to £1,343, in the 12 months to July 2025 (provisional estimate); this annual growth rate is down from 6.7% in the 12 months to June 2025. Average rents increased to £1,398 (6.0%) in England, £807 (7.9%) in Wales, and £999 (3.6%) in Scotland, in the 12 months…
Read More →
Breaking News

Industry response to latest inflation figures

Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymark, comments: “Unfortunately, any increase seen within the rate of inflation does brings very justified concerns to consumers, many of whom are still struggling with the cost of living, which has been steadily rising over the past few years. “Although there is more work to be done to help ensure inflation…
Read More →
Breaking News

London lettings market bolstered by record supply and resilient renter demand

· Supply conditions improved materially in July, with almost 50,000 new rental listings recorded, up 4% from June and 12% higher than July 2024. This represents the highest monthly volume in the last four years. · Renter demand strengthened notably in July, with a 25% uplift in new applicant registrations month-on-month. Compared with July 2024,…
Read More →
Breaking News

Bridging finance key in driving uplift in auction activity

The latest analysis from specialist lender, Octane Capital, has revealed that auction sales across England have climbed by almost 9% over the past year, with auction buyers increasingly turning to bridging finance to meet strict completion deadlines and capitalise on below-market investment opportunities. Octane Capital analysed the latest figures* on both the volume of auction…
Read More →