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Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Expands Marine Leadership; Names Ben Wyatt as Head of Marine for North America and the UK Business Wire Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) today announced that Ben Wyatt has been promoted to Head of Marine for North America and the UK. Effective immediately, Ben expands his leadership responsibilities beyond the U.S. to include oversight of BHSI’s Marine business in the UK and Canada. In this role, Ben will drive underwriting, strategy, and portfolio [...]
Is housebuilding in London impossible? Property After its 900-home development in Peckham was blocked, housebuilder Berkeley said it can “no longer invest” in London. Felix Armstrong asks whether development in the capital really has hit a brick wall At the Aylesham Centre in Peckham, south London, shoppers are met with graffitied walls, peeling paint and shuttered retail units. The site began [...]
House prices slump again in London’s wealthiest areas Property London house prices fell again in March, as the capital’s wealthiest areas continued to see significant drop-offs in house values. House prices in London fell by 2.1 per cent in the year to March, though this drop was slightly softer than the 3.1 per cent in the year to February, according to the Office for [...]
Housing market ‘still in grip’ of Iran war slump May 14, 2026 The UK housing market is “still in the grip” of an Iran war slump as higher mortgage rates and inflation fears weigh on buyer and seller demand. Brits are still holding back on buying homes as average house prices slip further, a market survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has revealed. The [...]
Londoners wait far longer to sell homes as stamp duty weighs on confidence April 29, 2026 The wait for a London house sale is six days longer now than last year, as the capital sees the “greatest impact” from stamp duty and the Iran war’s hit to property confidence. The average time it takes for a house in the capital to be snapped up once it is listed on the market [...]
London’s unlikeliest tech hub? The Ideal Home Show April 15, 2026 Think the Ideal Home Show is for fuddy duddies? We've been at the cutting edge of tech for 118 years, writes director Giles Perry.
Help to buy scheme had ‘limited impact on social mobility’ April 15, 2026 Previous help-to-buy schemes did little to improve social mobility and mainly benefited high earners, the government has been warned, as it mulls reviving the programme. Help-to-buy, which offered equity loans to first-time buyers, had a “limited impact on social mobility,” the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has said. The government is reportedly considering revising help-to-buy, [...]
Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Names Jessica Kirby Country Manager, UK, and Chris Nixon Head of Executive & Professional Lines, UK April 14, 2026 Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) today announced the promotion of Jessica Kirby to Country Manager, UK, subject to regulatory approval. She succeeds Nick Major, who is retiring from the company and the London Market. “Jess has been instrumental in building our Executive & Professional Lines business and bringing the full value of BHSI’s tailored solutions, [...]
Mansion tax to hit 165,000 homeowners April 3, 2026 The mansion tax is expected to hit 165,000 homeowners in its first year, more than the 120,000 that was previously thought. The levy will hit 45,000 more properties than had been initially forecast, according to the fiscal watchdog, and thousands could successfully appeal the tax. The mansion tax, introduced at last year’s Budget, will not [...]
Los Angeles Study Shows Families Can Cut Water Use While Making Everyday Life Easier March 20, 2026 First-of-its-kind innovative home concept combines superior products and efficient design that simplifies routines, bringing indoor water use to less than half the LA average and reducing utility costs