David Cox ARLA
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Latest property news
Minister reassures that eviction process ‘will be improved’
Hurried comments to reassure follow widespread alarm that abolishing Section 21 notices would be 'devastating' for landlords and agents.
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Latest property news
I’m a star! ARLA member to feature centre stage in next TV ad for Propertymark
The star of Propertymark’s latest TV advert has been revealed and it’s Adam Kingswood of Kingswood Residential in Nottingham (pictured, right). He will feature prominently in the soon-to-be aired follow-up to the NAEA/ARLA’s first ad which aired last month and included shots of several dozen agents carrying placards (see below) around a field, as well as a cow and a cheeky voiceover. Adam was picked from among the two organisation’s 20,000 members to star in the ad, which will be screened soon on several TV channels including More 4, Home, Good Food, Eden, Discovery, Sky Sports News and Sky Living. “The TV campaign has taken several months to develop, and it was really exciting to be involved in the filming of the advert,” Adam told the Nottingham Post. “By displaying the Propertymark logo in our agency window we’re letting consumers know they’re in safe hands and their money is protected. The launch of this television advert will help to raise further awareness.” Adam set up Kingswood Residential Investment Management in January last year and has ten years experience of the Nottingham property market including spells at Leaders, where he was branch manager, and PWR Lettings, where he started his career.…
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Latest property news
Fees ban consultation was just “tick box exercise” says ARLA
The Queen’s Speech today contained a promise to introduce a letting fees ban for both agents and landlords and “promote fairness and transparency in the housing market”. But in a surprise move, the government also revealed that it is to cap deposits at one week’s rent, rather than the six weeks’ rent that is most common within the sector at the moment. But the measures announced in the Queen’s Speech have been criticised by ARLA Propertymark, which describes them as “disappointing”. “It’s unlikely the Government had enough time to analyse all of the responses from the consultation, as it only closed 12 working days ago, on the 2nd June,” says David Cox, its Chief Executive (pictured, left). “It appears they had already made their decision and therefore the consultation was no more than a ‘tick box’ exercise and they haven’t appropriately taken the industry’s views into account. “A ban on letting agent fees will cost the sector jobs, make buy-to-let investment even less attractive, and ultimately result in the costs being passed on to tenants.” David also believes that, given the amount of work letting agents put into preparing tenancies and managing properties, it is “only right and proportionate that…
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Latest property news
Conservative Party Manifesto: Theresa’s 12-point plan for property
If the expected Conservative victory on June 8th materialises then what should the property industry look forward to (or not) from a renewed Tory administration? The question was answered comprehensively today after Theresa May launched the Conservative Party manifesto, several pages of which are dedicated to the housing market. In summary, the Tories today promised a 12-point property plan, some details of which was specific, others which were not: 12-point plan Reform and modernise the home buying process so it is more efficient and less costly. Crackdown on unfair practices in leasehold, such as escalating ground rents. Improve protections for those who rent, and look at how to increase security for good tenants and how to encourage landlords to offer longer tenancies as standard. Fix the dysfunctional housing market so that homes are more affordable, and that there are enough homes built to meet demand. Bring the cost of renting of down by securing more homes available to rent – a veiled reference to Build to Rent. Support specifically the building of mansion blocks, mews houses and terraced streets – i.e. high quality but high density housing. Build 160,000 homes on government land. Introduce a £23bn National Productivity Fund which…
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Latest property news
Rents rise and stock shrinks as landlords sell up
ARLA Propertymark (Association of Residential Letting Agents) has just published its March Private Rented Sector (PRS) Report and with rising rents and increasing sales, it’s not all good news. In March, agents reported a rise in the number of landlords selling their buy-to-let (BTL) properties, with an average of four selling up per branch, compared to three in February. The last time the number of landlords selling their BTL rose above three per branch was in November last year, when the letting agent fees ban was announced. Rising rents are also a concern. The number of tenants negotiating rent reductions rose month on month in March – in February, 2.2 per cent of agents witnessed successful rent reductions, whereas in March, 3.6 per cent reported this happening. On the other hand, a quarter (25 per cent) of letting agents saw landlords increasing rents in March – a figure which has not changed since January. Year on year, this is down by seven percentage points. In March 2016 almost a third (32 per cent) of agents were seeing rent increases. Rental stock levels steady but demand rises The number of properties managed per member branch remained the same as the previous month, with…
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