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House prices have long held the property headlines but making a late charge for column inches of late are interest rates and their effect on mortgages. December 2021 was a busy month for the Bank of England, whose actions and intentions will shape the year ahead for property buyers.

The secret to saving is getting into good habits and despite what the coming months may throw at us, you can squirrel away a tidy sum of money to use as a deposit. If 2022 is the year you’d like to take your first step on the property ladder, here’s what super savers are doing…

It has been reiterated that it is the landlord’s responsibility – or that of a managing agent working on their behalf – to ensure a defective carbon monoxide alarm is replaced once they are told it is faulty. 

As we move into 2022, becoming a power buyer will increase in importance. Expert forecasts for the months ahead are in agreement – moving activity will continue, buyers will face competition from rival purchasers and sellers will prefer offers from those who can proceed without drama and delay.

Privately rented properties where the tenants were aged between 55 and 64 years old had risen 118% between 2010 and 2020, while rented properties where the tenants were aged over 65 had grown by 93% over the same period.

While it’s common to think purchasers will stretch their budget for a property with a newly-installed bathroom, an all-singing, all-dancing garden room or perhaps off-street parking, lots of storage is actually one of a home’s most valuable aspects.

In 2025, house builders and property developers will be banned from installing conventional gas boilers in the new properties they build. In 2035, the sale of conventional gas boilers will also be banned. 

While there was no mention of stamp duty, first-time buyers or inheritance tax in 2021’s Budget, October has left homeowners with a number of pressing questions. We have already been contacted numerous times for clarification on the future of gas boilers in the home, so we have answered the most commonly asked questions.

The motivation to move home remains undented and in a recent article, The Times reported on the ‘deeper dissatisfaction with our homes’ uncovered in the first lockdown. In addition, a new study by Samsung Electronics UK found that 74% of UK consumers look at their homes differently now than they did 18 months ago.

There is a gentle murmur that rent controls could be on the cards but is it time to panic? History shows us that rent controls have rarely had the desired effect those in charge want, so despite a few rumbles in the press about a possible introduction, landlords should read with passing interest but it’s definitely not time to worry.

While an estate agent will do everything in its power to ensure your home is marketed to the right people, catches the eye of buyers and is priced attractively enough to encourage offers, sellers can also help themselves.

The number of those working for themselves broke through the 5 million barrier for the first time at the end of 2019, while the Institute for Fiscal Studies forecasts a record rise in solo self-employment in 2021. So why does this have a bearing on the lettings industry?