Plans are afoot to strengthen HMRC (HM Revenue and Customs) to act quickly and robustly against professional tax advisers who help clients avoid paying the correct tax. Propertymark welcomes this because it aligns with our calls to the Treasury, and we support HMRC’s ambition to ensure the financial sector upholds the highest standards and integrity of the tax system.

A new Corporate Plan for 2025 to 2028 sets out how the Welsh Revenue Authority (WRA) will expand its responsibilities and strengthen service delivery. The plan signals a step change in the WRA’s role, with implications for agents operating across the short-term lettings and tourism sectors in Wales.

The time it takes to complete a property sale in the UK remains stubbornly high, with buyers and sellers facing delays that can cause deals to fall through and create stress. Propertymark’s Housing Insight Report demonstrates that 32% of member agents reported it takes an average of 17 weeks or more to progress from offer to acceptance to exchange.

The UK Government has published proposals to reform planning committees in England as part of its broader planning reform agenda, setting out significant changes that could affect how planning decisions are made locally. Propertymark supports reform to improve the consistency and speed of decisions but warns that the current proposals may miss the mark, especially around delegation and local flexibility.

Trust is placed in lettings and sales agents by individuals and businesses who seek expertise, knowledge and attention to detail. With that trust, however, comes risk – and that's why it's essential to consider Professional Indemnity (PI) Insurance. Gallagher, the industry-approved supplier of insurance for Propertymark, offers cover for agency businesses to help protect them from the legal costs involved should a client make a claim against them due to a mistake or incorrect advice.

It’s likely that we will now see a return to a normal pace in the sales market now that the Stamp Duty threshold changes have taken effect in England and Northern Ireland. This spurred on a spike in momentum which is likely to tail off in line with previous trends seen on the back of property tax changes.

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCC Act) was enacted on 24 May 2024 and provides regulation of competition in digital markets, amending the Competition Act 1998 and the Enterprise Act 2002 and encompassing the protection of consumer rights and other related rights.

The lender has reduced its stress testing rates and adjusted how they calculate income, enabling some customers to borrow up to £35,000 more than before. This follows calls from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for lenders to review their affordability tests and ensure they are not too restrictive.

Extensive revisions have been announced to the proposed Bill, which is designed to transition Scotland's buildings to cleaner heating systems and improve energy efficiency. Following consultations, including substantial input from Propertymark, the Scottish Government is now committed to developing a more balanced approach that aligns environmental objectives with economic realities.

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCC), which passed into law on 24 May 2024, contains provisions to prohibit unfair commercial practices, replacing and updating the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (the 2008 regulations). The legislation hands direct enforcement powers to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), giving them the authority to act on breaches of consumer protection rules, including requirements for providing material information.

The new logo will be exclusively available to those who take up a new Company Advantage package, signalling to prospective clients that a business has successfully achieved accreditation. In research independently conducted by YouGov, consumers overwhelmingly chose the wording that would make them want to engage and instruct.

Propertymark has called for a major shift in how fuel poverty is defined and addressed, with high energy prices and many households struggling to afford heating and electricity. In our response to the Fuel Poverty Strategy consultation from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), we advocate the move away from using Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings as a key measure.

The UK Government has responded to a report on the experiences of disabled people in the housing sector, which was published by the former Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee in 2024. Propertymark provided evidence to the inquiry and has written to current housing minister Rushanara Ali, MP, renewing our calls for a more robust and inclusive approach within the UK’s wider housebuilding agenda.

The UK Government’s Making Tax Digital (MTD) initiative is transforming how taxes are reported and managed, with significant implications for property agents. Self-employed individuals and landlords earning over £50,000 per year must comply with MTD for Income Tax Self-Assessment (ITSA) from 2026, and those earning over £30,000 from April 2027. In her Spring Statement on 26 March 2025, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, MP, announced that the threshold will decrease to £20,000 in 2028.