Faster property sales
The stamp duty holiday fostered a surge in selling activity throughout the country, leading to conveyancers becoming inundated. The instant exchange process experienced at auction houses has led to many buyers and vendors to flock to property auctions as an alternative option.
As a result of the busy market, EIG reported £539.5 million in sales — a significant increase from the £338 million and £469 million reported during September 2019 and 2020 respectively.
Much of the increase was due to an exceptionally busy commercial auction market which generated £154 million in sales. Auctioneers also noted that they had seen an increase in interest from buyers as a result of COVID-19 causing many businesses to operate digitally.
Chattels auctions
Hiscox reported online art sales reaching £5 billion in the first six months of 2021, which is a 72 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2020. Analytics firm Pi-eX also reported that the top three public auction houses—Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Phillips —saw a 405 per cent year-over-year increase in sales during the second quarter of 2021 between the months of April and June.
The surge in auctioneering interest has even opened up employment opportunities, as auctioneers have called for additional chattels resource in order to handle the influx of new people taking to online auctions.
Auctioneering
Propertymark Qualifications offers Level 3 Awards in Chattels Auctioneering and Real Property Auctioneering, providing training to understand the law and procedures of auctioneering, from appraisals and valuations to the marketing, legalities and conduct of auctioneers.
Are you Propertymark Protected?
If you're interested in selling your property through auction, using one of our members guarantees that you will be consulting with a regulated, professional who will give you up-to-date advice and guidance.
Ground 4A deadlines take centre stage as students prepare to move in
As thousands of students prepare to begin university and move into new accommodation, letting agents must have a clear understanding of how the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 has changed the student market so they can effectively support landlords and tenants. Planning is also beginning for the 2027-28 academic year, making the rules and timelines for regaining possession especially important.
Registration and licensing failures drive 96% of penalties
Landlords who failed to register or obtain the correct licence accounted for almost all of the 3,198 fixed penalty notices (FPNs) issued by Rent Smart Wales in the 12 months to May 2026, highlighting the valuable role agents can play in supporting client compliance. All private landlords renting out domestic property in Wales must register with Rent Smart Wales and either employ a licensed agent or become licensed to manage the property themselves.
Built environment strategy must align standards across the property sector
Propertymark has urged the UK Government to ensure that reforms to the building lifecycle support property agents, improve the home-moving process, and give consumers confidence that building work has been completed properly. Our members work closely with other professionals throughout the life of a building, and we have highlighted how consistent standards, clear responsibilities, and reliable records would help agents provide a better service to sellers, buyers, landlords, tenants, and leaseholders.
Energy-efficiency fund must work for homes in all tenures
A proposed £150 million Warm Healthy Homes Fund would support energy-efficiency improvements for low-income households across Northern Ireland. We welcome the investment but have urged the Department for Communities to widen access so that inefficient rented homes and their tenants are not left behind.
Housing Insight Report: June 2026
The housing market remained active during June, but buyers and renters continued to show caution. Buyer registrations dipped, while sales agreed remained broadly stable. Demand for rental properties continues to outstrip supply, with nine applicants per available property.
Welsh rental market shrinks as ownership becomes more concentrated
The number of registered rental properties and landlords is declining, while a small group of larger landlords controls a growing share of the market, according to data from Rent Smart Wales. The national figures also mask sharp differences between Cardiff, Swansea, and the rest of Wales.