Robust figures for commercial property market Commercial property investment volumes reached £31.4bn at the end of July, according to the most recent UK Commercial Market in Minutes report from Savills. This was 32% above the same period in 2020 and 4% higher than the five-year average. Savills also noted a promising rise in the three-month rolling total for investment volumes. Read More
Economic Review August 2021
Strong second quarter growth The latest gross domestic product (GDP) figures showed that the UK economy grew strongly in the second quarter, although more recent survey evidence does suggest the recovery is losing momentum. Data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed the economy grew by 4.8% in the second quarter of this year, fuelled by expansion in Read More
Residential Property Review – August 2021
Transition to eco homes hotting up With climate issues becoming ever more urgent, policymakers and the housing industry are increasingly turning their attention to sustainable property development. Making homes greener will play an important part in the UK’s efforts to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050: new and existing homes together account for 20% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions. As Read More
Commercial Property Review – August 2021
Investment in student accommodation nears £2bn in H1 The latest data from Knight Frank shows that investor appetite for purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) was strong in H1, despite the sector being adversely impacted by the pandemic, with restrictions limiting international travel and disrupting study for a large proportion of students. The sector is in a strong position to bounce back Read More
Economic Review July 2021
UK growth forecast upgraded The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has sharply increased this year’s growth forecast for the UK, although recent data does suggest the country’s strong economic rebound has begun to slow down. In its latest assessment of global economic prospects, the IMF highlighted a worrying divergence in fortunes between rich and poor nations, due to differing access to Read More
Residential Property Review – July 2021
Building Safety Bill published Claiming “the biggest changes to building safety in nearly 40 years“, Housing Secretary, Robert Jenrick, said that the Building Safety Bill will set out a clear pathway for the future as to how residential buildings should be constructed and maintained. The Bill was published on 5 July to set out new and more stringent requirements for Read More
Commercial Property Market Review – July 2021
Moratorium on commercial evictions extended The government has announced an extension to the moratorium on commercial eviction due to rent arrears until 25 March 2022. The scheme has been extended to give hospitality businesses and nightclubs, which have operated under restrictions for the entirety of the pandemic, and which came under increasing pressure when the planned 21 June date for Read More
Is IHT change on the cards?
It’s been three years since then-Chancellor Philip Hammond asked the Office of Tax Simplification to look into potential amendments to the Inheritance Tax (IHT) regime1. Since then, no changes have been made to the tax incurred when wealth passes onto the next generation; could Rishi Sunak be the one to take up the mantle once more?2 A significant, pandemic-shaped deficit Read More
