Highlights from the UK’s private and social rented sector headlines: January 2021

Lockdowns, vaccinations and a new US president dominate the headlines at the moment, but there are still some big changes coming to the property industry this month – and the rest of this year. As usual, we’ve covered the most significant of them in the January Rent Report e-mailed to subscribers:‍

• The ban on most evictions in England, Wales and Scotland has been extended again, and could be extended further still. With the government gearing up to reintroduce the Renters’ Reform Bill, we ask if the old normal will ever return in our first story.
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• Agencies across most of the UK remain open despite stricter lockdown measures, but calls are growing for that to change. In our second story, we ask if estate agents could be made to close their doors again.
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• In our third story, the countdown to the end of the stamp duty holiday is on. Could it be extended, as agents are asking for – and what happens if it isn’t? 
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• Connells has agreed an acquisition deal with Countrywide, and they aren’t the only high-profile estate agency group buying more market share. In our fourth story, we ask if we are headed into an age of mega-agencies.
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• Finally, London is set to shrink for the first time in more than 20 years. We look at the reasons why tenants are packing their bags.

For all our latest analysis, download the January 2021 issue of the PayProp Rent Report today and subscribe to get future issues delivered to your inbox every month.