Your weekend roundup of top news, views and features

LSL Estate Agency Franchising expands service offering

MD Paul Hardy announces strategic partnership with B-hive Block Management to boost franchisees' growth potential.

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Decade of dedication for The Propertymark Trust

Veteran estate agency manager and property consultant, John Oakley, is celebrating 10 years as trustee of The Propertymark Trust.

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Connells reveals huge profits turnaround within latest results

The UK's largest estate agency group has revealed profits before tax of £61million last year, some four and a half times higher than its previous results.

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COURTS: Landlord wins 'important' appeal in rent to rent case

Amlendu Kumar wins appeal in what a leading property lawyer says is an "important new decision" affecting rent-to-rent agreements and rent repayment orders.

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Number of former rental properties for sale rises as CGT changes loom

Research by Rightmove among its listings shows the proportion of former rented properties within the market rising to 18%.

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Walsall is consulting on plans that will force both the owners of smaller Houses in Multiple Occupation to apply for planning permission.

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Foxtons makes surprise move into London commuter towns with acquisitions

The London-based agent has spent some £12m buying two estate agencies, one in Reading and the other in Watford, both bought from private shareholders.

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Stamp Duty hike to ‘damage’ rental market warn auctioneers

2% rise in budget for SDLT will lead to investors exiting the market, reduce supply and push up rents says NAVA.

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Guild reports 'thousands of referrals' via network

Guild of Property Professionals chief Iain McKenzie says its referral system has generated 2,086 referrals for its network since the start of the year.

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'Criminal’ landlord trio hit with huge £450k HMO fine

A group of three West Northants landlords have together been fined a total of £452,796 for a series of unlicensed and unsafe HMOs.

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New workers' rights shake-up to impact estate agencies

Employees working for property businesses will be able to claim unfair dismissal from day one of a new job, under a new government bill.

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AGENT BLOG: After Scotland's rent cap lifted, guess what happened next?

Nicky Lloyd of ESPC Lettings in Edinburgh reflects on the rental market in Scotland six months after a rent cap and ban on evictions were scrapped.

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AUCTION UPDATE: Residential sales driving resilience in auction market

The latest property auction market insights from Essential information Group's David Leary reveals the dominance of residential sales.

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Airbnb 'won't take down illegally-sublet listings' claims landlord

The short-lets giant has not taken down a listing despite being informed that the Central London property is being illegally sublet, it is claimed.

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Huge rise in number of sales fall-throughs reported

Homebuyers are still struggling with higher mortgage rates and so more and more sales are falling through says Moverly’s Gemma Young.

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Financial regulator tells lenders to relax mortgage 'stress test' rules

FCA says lenders current approach to granting mortgages is too restrictive and calls for financial sector to help more people onto and up the property ladder.

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Landlords still refusing pets 'en-masse' despite looming reforms

Less than one in ten rental properties currently listed on the market are pet-friendly according to Zero Deposit.

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Estate agent duo recognised for sales success at global event

Mark Buchanan and Amie Brooks, both of whom work within the eXp UK network, flew to the gala estate agent event in Miami.

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CLAIM: High St agents face double threat of rising costs and stiffer competition

Bricks-and-mortar estate agencies facing higher staff costs and increased competition from the growing number of ‘personal’ agents according to Property Experts founder.

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Bill to ban Section 21 evictions published – industry reaction

The Government takes its first step towards scrapping Section 21 'no fault' evictions with the first reading in Parliament of the Renters' Rights Bill.

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Airbnb set to compete with lettings agents for longer rentals

Co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky says the company is eyeing longer-term rentals as a lucrative new area of business, putting his firm soon in direct competition with some agents.

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'Landlords worried mostly about rent arrears, not reforms'

Mortgage firm claims a third of landlords to expand their portfolios this year and that most are untroubled by Renters' Rights Bill.

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Property chain in Essex first to sign 'historic' reservation agreement

Three house movers sourced via Balgores estate agency are first in UK to sign 'whole chain' agreement, with another in the pipeline.

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Branch manager wins key workplace law case and payout

Estate agent has won his Employment Tribunal case after arguing that being demoted from branch manager to a more junior position and desk was unfair.

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Savills UK hits £1 billion turnover for first time

Extraordinary figure is helped by strong performances from all its business including Yopa, house sales and property management.

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HOUSE PRICE ANALYSIS: Slower property price growth can hold movers back

Property market expert, Kate Faulkner, reviews latest industry data which details how slow long-term price growth is impacting owner equity and the ability to move.

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