UK Property

Increasing numbers of Britons now own their home without a mortgage, government figures have revealed.In 2023/2024, 37 per cent of households owned their homes outright, according to the Department for Work and Pensions' latest Family Resources Survey.It is less than the 28 per cent of homes owned with a mortgage, revealing a widening gap between those who own their home outright and those who don't. Over the past ten years, the number of people owning outright has risen from 33 per cent to 37 per cent of households.The percentage of households...

Last week, Helen Pugh - Property Professional, tweeted Theo about her business during ‘Small Business Sunday’ and was one of six weekly winners to gain a repost by Theo to his half a million Twitter, 50k+ Instagram and almost 300k LinkedIn followers. The weekly initiative, set up by Theo in 2010, now has over 4,000 #SBS winners and supports small businesses in the UK. 2025 sees the 15th anniversary of #SBS Small Business Sunday, since Theo launched it in October 2010.Business and retail entrepreneur and self-confessed Shopkeeper, Theo re‐shared Helen's message to...

A FRAUDSTER splurged £8.5million on a speedboat and supercars after carrying out one of Britain's biggest-ever property cons.Anopkumar Maudhoo swindled dozens of victims by selling them homes he did own across London and the South East.3Anopkumar Maudhoo bought a speedboat with his fraud moneyCredit: Central NewsThe 45-year-old then used his ill-gotten gains to fund a luxury lifestyle.When he was arrested last year, police seized a speedboat and 22 supercars, including Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Aston Martins.Maudhoo is now facing jail after he admitted 31 charges including 14 counts of fraud by...

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.The UK’s state-backed pension scheme said its plans to invest 30 per cent of its portfolio in private markets by 2030 was “not a guarantee”, arguing it would not compromise on value to meet the target.  The National Employment Savings Trust plans to increase its private market exposure from a current level of about £8bn to £30bn over the next five years, following a government push for more investment in UK infrastructure. But...

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.The UK’s state-backed pension scheme said its plans to invest 30 per cent of its portfolio in private markets by 2030 was “not a guarantee”, arguing it would not compromise on value to meet the target.  The National Employment Savings Trust plans to increase its private market exposure from a current level of about £8bn to £30bn over the next five years, following a government push for more investment in UK infrastructure. But...

Network Rail will set up a new property company to build 40,000 homes on its rail estate over the next decade in a drive to meet the government's housing target.The Treasury on Thursday announced the launch of a new cross-government taskforce to release surplus public land for housing, with unused Ministry of Defence (MOD) sites also to be among the first to be released. Announcing the plan, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said it would "unlock the next generation of homeowners", as the government strives to deliver 1.5 million new homes by...

Viewers of Escape to the Country were treated to a jaw-dropping moment when a buyer exclaimed "oh wow" upon discovering a "hidden" feature in a property on Wednesday (March 26).On today's episode of the popular BBC show, presenter Briony May Williams guided newly-engaged Jack and Anna, who had left their separate city flats in St Albans in pursuit of a rural dream in the beautiful Buckinghamshire countryside.With an impressive budget of £850,000, the couple were hunting for a detached home full of character, boasting at least four bedrooms.They also sought...

Some second home owners will have to pay more than £10,000 per year from April after local authorities begin charging 100 percent council tax on additional properties. In an effort to balance the books and reduce pressure on local house prices, many cash-strapped authorities in popular tourist areas will increase the tax due to an act passed last year.According to data by property website Hamptons, 157 properties will be charged more than £10,000 in council tax, in regions such as Dorset, Bristol, Nottingham and Devon.In Rutland, seven properties deemed as Band...

Keystone Property Finance has been added to network Mortgage Intelligence and mortgage club Next Intelligence’s lender panels for the first time. By being added to the lender panels, 6,500 network advisers and club members can access Keystone Property Finance’s criteria and range of products. Keystone Property Finance can help advisers with buy-to-let (BTL) cases such as lending to individuals, trading limited companies, special purpose vehicles and limited liability partnerships. The lender also can help with expats, houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) and multi-units up to 15 occupants or units,...

The UK now has the highest property taxes of any developed nation, according to a new analysis, with households and businesses bracing for increased bills starting next week.In the 2023/24 tax year, the UK's property tax burden - encompassing council tax, business rates, and stamp duty - was 3.7% of its gross domestic product (GDP). This rate is the highest among advanced economies, surpassing other nations like Luxembourg, France, and Canada, which all had property tax burdens ranging between 3.4% and 3.5%, according to research by tax and software firm...