The announcement by the Minister of Climate Change Julie James MS, who also has a responsibility over housing, also marks the closure of the Tenancy Saver Loan scheme.

An advisory panel of leasehold and industry groups has been launched to inform the UK Government on the future of commonhold homeownership, with the aim of giving people greater control over the costs of homeownership.

The UK Government announced their plans for the next parliamentary session in the Queen’s Speech today. The plans include several significant changes to planning rules, a new Building Safety Regulator, ground rents and the next steps for Renters Reform.

Ahead of the elections on 6 May, the main political parties in Scotland have published their policies for the housing sector. We have outlined the key areas, and our own manifesto details the areas Ministers should focus on.

From 17 May 2021, conveyancers and solicitors will need to provide written evidence to show they have taken steps to resolve a request for information before the Land Registry will grant an extension.

The First Home Fund, a shared equity pilot scheme, was launched by the Scottish Government to provide first-time buyers with funding, however, it has closed for applications five days after it re-opened.

The UK Government announced that the Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme launched last year will close to new applications on 31 March 2021, twelve months earlier than originally planned.

With the Welsh elections due to take place in May, Propertymark has published its manifesto containing key asks to support the housing sector in Wales.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, has announced a number of measures affecting the property industry in the UK Government’s 2021 budget, but Propertymark believes more should be done in order to tackle COVID-related rent arrears.

Propertymark is continuing to back the National Residential Landlords Association’s (NRLA) in their campaign for the introduction of a Welsh Housing Survey (WHS). Laura Jones MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Housing Minister, and Mike Hedges MS, Welsh Labour Chair of the Cross Party Group for Housing recently backed the calls by stating that “a Welsh Housing Survey is needed as evidence-based policymaking should be taken as standard.”

Ahead of the Scottish Parliament elections scheduled to take place on 6 May 2021, Propertymark has released its key asks to support the housing sector.

Lobbying is key to ensuring that our members have a voice as Government and politicians make decisions affecting the sector. One strand of lobbying work is Propertymark’s Ask The Experts parliamentary sessions, which give legislators the chance to get answers to questions on important property sector issues.

On 14 February, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick announced a further extension to the ban on bailiff evictions in order to ‘continue to support renters during the ongoing national lockdown restrictions’.

Housing Minister Robert Jenrick has today, 10 February, announced the UK Government’s further plans to remove unsafe cladding by investing an additional £3.5 billion. Jenrick promises that the funding will ensure leaseholders in England in high-rise buildings above 18 metres will bear no costs in order to make them safe.

In November, the House of Lords passed an amendment to the UK Government’s Fire Safety Bill making changes to the current legislation to protect leaseholders from having to pay for historical fire safety remedial work, including the removal of dangerous cladding.

Changes to off-payroll working rules (IR35) are coming into effect in April 2021. Agents must understand and prepare for the changes and new rules, be mindful of potential additional costs when entering new arrangements with suppliers, and carefully consider renewals of existing contracts with workers for future engagements.