Welcome to our weekly update giving you the key stories, breaking news and topical analysis from the past week up to today, 7 September 2018.
Despite some gloomy headlines, we’re still seeing lots of evidence that buy-to-let is more key than ever in today’s housing market, with surprising numbers of Brits thinking of becoming landlords and many existing investors expecting their returns to grow. Meanwhile, thousands of new-builds are popping up and there are new rules coming into play for those that buy them. Here are seven of this week’s top stories that you might have missed…
1. Quarter of landlords expect rental growth over next six months
A new report has revealed landlords’ sentiment towards the private rented sector and what the outlook might be for the months ahead. Click here to read the full story.
2. Huge rise in new home registrations easing housing market supply
A surge in new residential properties being built was recorded across the UK in July after a slow start to the year, with strong growth in the private rental sector. Click here to read the full story.
3. Thinking of becoming a landlord? So are 4.8 million other Brits
A surprising number of people in the UK have considered embarking on property investment in 2018, and it turns out most landlords don’t give up their day job. Click here to read the full story.
4. UK properties contain as much as £107bn of wasted space…
As evidence shows that house sizes in Britain are getting smaller, it’s more important than ever that all the space in a property is fully utilised. Click here to read the full story.
5. Eco-friendly investment could attract more millennials to your property
Today’s young people are arguably more environmentally aware than ever, so should buy-to-let investors be more eco-friendly? Click here to read the full story.
6. New-build buyers to get greater protection from Trading Standards
In a bid to eliminate bad practice in the housing industry, particularly involving new-build purchases, the government has vowed to commit more money to protect consumers. Click here to read the full story.
7. Warning to landlords: don’t overcharge tenants for damage or repairs
Landlords or agents who overcharge tenants without providing evidence of costs are to be held to account in a new provision put forward under the Tenant Fees Bill. Click here to read the full story.