PropTech news for UK estate agents

The latest PropTech news, analysis and supplier updates for UK estate agents.

• More rate rises could put mortgage costs in focus (14 November 2026)
  Bank of England chief economist Huw Pill says rates may rise next month and again in early 2027, as around 2.3 million homeowners face refinancing next year.
• The buyers are there, but they’re not paying wishful-thinking prices (14 November 2026)
  Two major auction results point to demand, but sellers need honest pricing, proper marketing and a willingness to meet the market.
• Housefishing: a new term for agents to get their heads around (14 November 2026)
  BBC Business reports a rise in housefishing by estate agents, though the supplied story gives no detail on what the term means.
• The over-65s’ £2.25tn property pot is no small change (14 November 2026)
  Research puts UK housing wealth owned by people over 65 at more than £2.25tn, after an exceptional run of house price growth.
• Ski, buy, repeat: Val d’Isère or Verbier? (14 November 2026)
  Choosing between two ski resorts is about more than the slopes. The property decision also means weighing mortgage rates and the reasons you’d want to buy in either place.
• When Ai gets in the way of winning instructions (14 November 2026)
  Avocado Property co-founder Ian Macbeth says agents’ obsession with Ai is costing them instructions. Worth a thought before your next valuation pitch.
• Ai: rent it, own it, or plug it into your CRM? (14 November 2026)
  Agents choosing Ai tools need to weigh CRM integration against independent options, with data ownership, flexibility and control all in the mix.
• AML compliance: more than another software subscription (14 November 2026)
  AML compliance can take more than software to manage. Coadjute’s John Reynolds examines the real cost for agencies.
• Big portfolios, bigger management questions (14 November 2026)
  As landlord portfolios grow, could traditional property management be due for a rethink? It’s a question worth asking before the WhatsApp pings start piling up.
• Commonhold: cheaper ownership, but who’s minding the building? (14 November 2026)
  The Government wants ownership to be cheaper and easier through commonhold reforms. Legal experts are looking at the questions around management, enforcement and insolvency.
• Protection decisions start with better conversations (14 November 2026)
  Mortgage advisers and networks can help clients understand financial vulnerability and make more informed decisions about protection.
• When the inbox goes quiet, the viewings still need doing (13 November 2026)
  Property agents across the UK have been affected by a global Microsoft outage, disrupting email and other IT facilities and forcing firms to find workarounds.
• Ancillary income for estate agents: the money you're leaving on the table (13 November 2026)
  Every property move creates a shopping list of other services. Here's how estate agents can earn ancillary income from conveyancing, removals, utilities, interiors and lettings, without being pushy.
• First-time buyer enquiries fall as mortgage costs rise (13 November 2026)
  Zoopla reports a 27% annual drop in first-time buyer enquiries, with higher mortgage rates prompting more prospective buyers to pause their plans.
• Section 21 is gone, but tenant confidence hasn’t moved in (13 November 2026)
  LRG’s Autumn 2026 Lettings Report finds 68% of tenants backed ending no-fault evictions, but just 39% feel more secure since the change.
• Section 21 claims hit a record, and the paperwork pile grows (13 November 2026)
  Accelerated possession claims reached 12,156 in the third quarter of 2026, as landlords rushed to get Section 21 cases to court before the final deadline.
• Michael Day’s Christmas single supports two charities (13 November 2026)
  Property industry veteran Michael Day has written and recorded a Christmas single to raise money for Diabetes UK and The Propertymark Trust.
• Friday the 13th? Buyers would rather not move (13 November 2026)
  Friday may be Britain’s favourite day to move, but Rightmove’s analysis of Land Registry data finds Friday the 13th is the quietest Friday for completions.
• New-build momentum takes a 4.7% dip (13 November 2026)
  Private housebuilding fell by 4.7% in the third quarter of 2026, while overall construction output across Great Britain slipped by 0.7%.
• Prime property may be in for a tax-sized wobble (13 November 2026)
  Prime London prices could fall by up to 2% in 2027, while country-house buyers are expected to drive harder bargains as the proposed mansion tax reshapes the top end.
• Service charges face a leaseholder reality check (13 November 2026)
  From April 2027, more than three million leaseholders in England are due stronger rights to challenge unfair service charges and see how their money is spent.
• Service charges are top of leaseholders’ worry list (13 November 2026)
  A survey found that 38.5% of UK leaseholders named service charges as their biggest unexpected cost increase, as the government prepares new protections for flat owners.
• Rent rises are on landlords’ minds after Budget tax hike (13 November 2026)
  Seven in ten landlords surveyed are considering rent rises after property income tax rates increased. For agents, that could mean more conversations about pricing and the Budget.
• Landlord growth plans hit the brakes (13 November 2026)
  Plans to grow property portfolios have cooled sharply, with more limited company landlords choosing to hold steady over the next year.
• Empty homes hit a 15-year high, and that’s no small vacancy (13 November 2026)
  England had 754,264 vacant homes in 2025, the highest number in 15 years. That’s 28% more than in 2016, despite ongoing pressure on housing supply.
• The lettings season might not stick to the calendar (13 November 2026)
  Virelle Group expects the Renters’ Rights Act to bring more movement to the lettings market in 2027, as tenants gain flexibility and landlords face more competition.
• Persimmon keeps the homes coming, slowdown or not (13 November 2026)
  Persimmon is targeting around 12,500 homes in 2026, with sales rates and planning approvals moving in the right direction despite a challenging market.
• Guarantors join the rental paperwork pile (13 November 2026)
  A survey of 276 UK landlords found 32% had added guarantor requirements, while 39% had tightened referencing or affordability checks.
• Lease extensions: waiting could cost flat owners (13 November 2026)
  Flat owners with leases nearing or below 80 years are being urged to weigh up the cost of waiting for government reforms.
• Mortgage arrears keep falling, but the numbers still matter (13 November 2026)
  Homeowner mortgage arrears fell for a tenth consecutive quarter. Buy-to-let arrears also saw a substantial annual decline, according to UK Finance.
• Chestertons gives its new homes team a prime-time promotion (13 November 2026)
  Ahmad Alazem has been promoted to Central London director for new homes, as Chestertons looks to grow its prime and super-prime business.
• County Hall gets a new calling: 264 homes in Kingston (13 November 2026)
  A former civic headquarters is being turned into 264 homes, with historic details kept alongside three new apartment blocks. One for your local patch notes.
• Surrey’s new-build market: one in four homes tops £1m (13 November 2026)
  Nearly 22.8% of Surrey’s advertised new-build homes are priced at £1m or more, the highest share outside London, according to UKPD research.
• From 8,100 to 36,102 website visits: what five months of Property AdVantage looks like (10 November 2026)
  Estate Apps' Cooper Adams case study shows how five months of continuous Property AdVantage activity delivered 36,102 website visits, 372 property registrations and a cost per visit that never moved.
• Google Business Profile reviews disappeared? Here's what to do (10 November 2026)
  Estate Apps explains how agents can work out why their Google reviews have vanished, what evidence to collect and when to contact Google, without making the problem worse.
• Rising rates could squeeze mortgage budgets (7 November 2026)
  UK interest rates are expected to rise, potentially making mortgages, credit cards and loans more expensive for millions.
• PropTech log-ins: one less thing to chase (7 November 2026)
  Nat Daniels looks at iamproperty’s latest innovation, buyer confidence and a Knight Frank partner’s charity challenge.
• Tenancies wrap up, and October gets its own index (7 November 2026)
  October’s rental conclusion activity is the focus of an index compiled by Kristjan Byfield, co-founder of The Depositary.
• Property finance is shifting, and smaller firms are in the mix (7 November 2026)
  Propalt data points to rising finance activity among smaller property companies and a changing landscape for UK buy-to-let lenders.
• Rate rise: symptom treated, cause still waiting (7 November 2026)
  Property expert Jonathan Rolande questions the Bank of England’s decision to raise interest rates, arguing it treats a symptom rather than the cause.