London property rental market news & updates

Many investors are cash buyers – over half the buyers investing in Zone 1 properties pay cash so they’re less impacted by wider economic uncertainty. They recognise the current situation is just another passing storm – and it will pass.

There’s good news for the UK economy as inflation fell to 7.9% in June, down from 8.7% the previous month. The Bank of England has increased interest rates 13 times since December 2021, aiming to slow soaring prices, but with inflation at its lowest in over a year, it is under less pressure to further …

Continue reading “International investors driving demand for London property”

Welcome to Queen’s Park, one of London’s most sought-after neighbourhoods in Zone 2 that has become increasingly popular with homebuyers and investors. Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of tourists, this charming area in North-West London offers a peaceful oasis with a strong sense of community spirit, making it an ideal place to call home.

London property sales market remains resilient after recent interest rate rises
Demand for properties in London remains stable although we expect recent interest rate increases to have an impact on market confidence over the coming months.

The UK Government recently unveiled landmark reforms with the Renters Reform Bill in order to bring significant changes to the country’s private and public rental sectors. This bill proposes to end no-fault evictions for tenants and ensure a fairer Private Rented Sector for landlords — who will be able to recover properties easily from anti-social tenants.

Spring is in the air at last and a sense of optimism is returning to the London property market as we move into one of the busiest times of the year. London house prices seem to be resilient; mortgage interest rates are coming down and we are seeing the traditional ‘spring bounce’ in the sales market.

Traditionally, Spring is when the Japanese market kicks into high gear and this year is no different. What has changed is the fact that more and more Japanese tenants have engaged in online viewing before they arrive in London. This trend means that through February and March, we have already received offers concerning tenancies which start later in April and May.

In an economic climate where homeowners are thinking of ways to lessen the load of rising costs, renting out a property is now a serious option. This trend has the welcome effect of increasing rental stock and loosening up the market; no one wants a hothouse situation. However, this small stock gain follows a period …

Continue reading “London rental stock levels gradually pick up through February”

Even by its usual frenetic standards, the London rental market started 2023 at a very fast pace and our Japan Desk has been kept extremely busy. The number of transactions is already up 33% on Jan/Feb 2022 levels and we are now seeing signs that the traditional peak period is set to return in March/April, so we are advising our corporate clients to plan ahead.

A steadier economic climate leads us to believe that predictions of a housing crash coupled with double digit-inflation are way off the mark. That being said, the economic laws of supply and demand continue to dictate the direction of the London rentals market.

Throughout 2022, we’ve seen growing demand for homes in London from both Hong Kong and Chinese nationals. Firstly, Hong Kong professionals continue to move to the UK using the government’s BNO visa scheme and secondly, Chinese students have again been taking up places at London universities after more than two years of Covid lockdowns.

Throughout 2022, we have seen phenomenal rental demand across London – with enquiry levels continuing to climb, even in December which is usually a little quieter.  We have simply never experienced a year like it in terms of the number of professional applicants looking for a rental property in the Capital.  In fact, we’ve seen the …

Continue reading “London property rental demand ends the year on an all time high”