Your round-up of the week's hot news from The Neg




Former Purplebricks CEO spells out challenges for UK estate agency

Lee Wainwright, who led Purplebricks in the UK for 15 months but now works for industry supplier FocalAgent, spells out how he sees the industry's future.

Click here to read Former Purplebricks CEO spells out challenges for UK estate agency.



Estate agents angrily reject Chancellor’s mansion tax proposals

Over the past few days The Negotiator has been overwhelmed by agents telling us about Sajid Javid's mansion tax proposals. Here are some of their missives.

Click here to read Estate agents angrily reject Chancellor’s mansion tax proposals.



New Law Society knotweed rules may threaten property sales

The Law Society's updated TA6 form guidance sounds sensible enough, but pushes the risk of knotweed being present at a property on to the buyer rather than the vendor.

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Reshuffle: New housing minister is Chris Pincher, who arrives from the Foreign Office

Following the sacking of Esther McVey earlier today, MP for Tamworth Christopher Pincher has been confirmed as her replacement.

Click here to read Reshuffle: New housing minister is Chris Pincher, who arrives from the Foreign Office.



Marsh & Parsons forced to pull another tube ad after outcry

Posters featuring bald man and humorous headline hit the wrong spot with alopecia sufferers and hair loss groups on social media.

Click here to read Marsh & Parsons forced to pull another tube ad after outcry.



Letting agents condemn ‘shock’ Welsh move to triple notice periods for tenants

An amendment before the Welsh assembly will give tenants at least a year from the start of a tenancy before they can be evicted via the 'no fault' process.

Click here to read Letting agents condemn ‘shock’ Welsh move to triple notice periods for tenants.



Lucian Cook: Why Chancellor’s mansion tax idea will not see the light of day

Savills' head of residential research explains the history of recent mansion tax proposals and why the latest, mooted by Sajid Javid last weekend, is also likely to die a political death.

Click here to read Lucian Cook: Why Chancellor’s mansion tax idea will not see the light of day.



New housing minister: what the industry thinks

Estate agents are getting increasingly annoyed by the ever quickening revolving door at the Ministry of Housing as Esther McVey yesterday made way for Chris Pincher.

Click here to read New housing minister: what the industry thinks.



Property price growth is lower than inflation


Designs on Property tracks and summarises the property indices. Kate Faulkner says, “The shock statistic is that for the first time in a long time, property price growth over the last 12 years is way below the inflation rate, which property normally beats.”

Click here to read Property price growth is lower than inflation.