Tony Travers: London local election result could trigger housebuilding slump May 7, 2026 The result of the forthcoming local elections could trigger a further slump in housebuilding in the capital as a shake-up in council composition obstructs development plans. Voters head to the polls in every London borough today, with polling suggesting Labour is on course to shed dozens of seats and lose its grip on the capital, [...]
MJ Gleeson warns building cost inflation prompting ‘high caution’ May 1, 2026 Housebuilder MJ Gleeson has sounded the alarm over building cost inflation, prompting “higher than usual caution” over its finances. The London-listed firm said on Friday: “We have recently seen some softening in footfall and reservations, and limited increases in the cost of some materials.” The effective blockade to the Strait of Hormuz caused by the [...]
House prices rise in April as market proves ‘remarkable resilience’ May 1, 2026 House prices made a surprise jump in April, as the “remarkable resilience” of the UK’s housing market trumped the hit to consumer confidence caused by the Iran war. Annual house price growth in the UK climbed to three per cent last month, up from 2.2 per cent in March. National house prices grew by 0.4 [...]
Renters’ rights act enters law amid warnings of landlord exodus May 1, 2026 The renters’ rights act came into force on Friday, amid warnings that private landlords have rushed to exit the rental market to avoid the new powers for tenants. The new law bans no-fault evictions and abolishes fixed-term contracts, with other elements including decent homes standards and a rental ombudsman still yet to be implemented. Law [...]
Persimmon: Housebuilder sounds alarm over building cost inflation April 30, 2026 Leading housebuilder Persimmon has sounded the alarm over rising supply costs due to the Iran war as demand begins to soften. The housebuilder, one of the UK’s largest, said on Thursday it is beginning to see inflation in its supply chain, which it said could impact its finances as soon as the second half of [...]
Whitbread to cut nearly 4,000 jobs in £2bn cost saving plan April 30, 2026 Whitbread is to slash nearly 4,000 jobs as part of plans to offload restaurants and sell off the freehold rights to its hotels, in a bid to raise £2bn. Shares in the company slipped on Thursday after it announced the plans to raise £1.5bn by selling off the freehold rights to a raft of its [...]
Renters’ rights act: what does it mean for landlords, rent hikes, tenants and no-fault evictions? April 29, 2026 The government’s long-awaited renters’ rights act comes into force on Friday, 1 May. Labour says the new law will “level the playing field” between landlords and tenants, but many in the residential rental sector have been alarmed by the scale of the changes and there are concerns that many independent landlords will exit the market [...]
Office space is rarer than ever – making the right choice matters April 29, 2026 High-quality office space in London’s premium areas is becoming rarer than ever, and that’s why having trust that your company is making the right move – at the right time – matters. The vacancy rate of offices in London’s central areas is plummeting, showing that demand for good space is soaring. While nearly 40 per [...]
Lloyds shares drop after income upgrade on higher interest rates April 29, 2026 Lloyds Banking Group has upgraded its income targets for the year as the bank expects to bring in more cash as interest rates remain elevated from the Iran war. The FTSE 100 financial giant – which counts Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland among its subsidiaries – said it expects net interest income to [...]
Rent controls: The left hand doesn’t know what the far-left hand is doing April 29, 2026 For just under 24 hours the residential landlord sector was seized by panic following reports that first appeared on Monday night that the Chancellor was preparing to impose a ‘temporary’ ban on rent increases. The policy of rent controls was hitherto the preserve of the Green Party and Labour’s loony left, but then came reports [...]