International News

A flat owner say it will be 'at least six to seven years' since first discovering dangerous cladding on her block before she can sell up. It reflects the time many cladding-hit leaseholders have had to put their lives on hold for while they fight for their fire-trap homes to be made safe. This is on top of the repair costs that some have had to pay, which can run into hundreds of thousands of pounds. Natalie Carter is a cladding-hit flat owner, who has put her life on hold for a...

The UK economy grew 0.8% month-on-month in January as the disruption caused from the Omicron wave of coronavirus started to fade. This was a sharper rebound than expected, meaning the economy is now 0.8% bigger than its pre-pandemic peak. It comes after output fell by 0.2% in December when Plan B restrictions were introduced to control the spread of the new variant. The Office for National Statistics (ONS), which compiled the data, said on Friday that economic growth was felt across all...

Fuel price jump will hit food bills, distributors warn Increased fuel prices will lead to people paying more for food in shops and restaurants, an industry trade body has said. The high cost of diesel will end up being passed on to customers, the Federation of Wholesale Distributors said. Surging fuel prices come on top of other pressures on shops including labour shortages, retailers said. Households are facing a cost of living crisis as inflation soars. With fuel prices hitting ...

The Queen has reportedly made Windsor Castle her permanent home and will "never live at Buckingham Palace again." Her Majesty, who usually resides in London, has been working from home at Windsor Castle for the last two years since the pandemic began. And now with more health concerns having recently caught Covid-19 and suffering from more mobility issues, the 95-year-old is said to have decided to make Windsor her official residence. Buckingham Palace, which has been the official royal...

Price of property coming to market rises by 2.3% this month (+£7,785) to a record of £348,804, the biggest monthly jump in pounds recorded by Rightmove in more than twenty years: Prices are now 9.5% higher than a year ago, the highest annual rate of growth since September 2014 There are signs that both buyers and sellers fear missing out in the current competitive market: More potential buyers are sending enquiries to agents, with the number 16% higher than thi...

One of London’s biggest problems is its lack of affordable housing, which is leaving first-time buyers with no other choice than to seek out cheaper properties outside the M25. Even homeowners who were lucky enough to get on the property ladder when prices were more reasonable are looking beyond the capital for their second homes. Mortgage lenders typically look at income when deciding how big a mortgage they can offer to those looking to get their first property. The most obvious thing...

All remaining legal Covid restrictions have been removed in England, nearly two years after the first rules were introduced. It means people are no longer legally required to self-isolate if they test positive for Covid - although they are still advised to do so. The changes are part of the prime minister's Living with Covid plan, to "transition back to normality". Some critics say the plan fails to protect the most vulnerable. All legal restrictions have already been lifted in N...

The new-build housing market is booming. From Covid secure homes to Help-to-Buy schemes to stamp duty holiday - multiple things contributed towards raising the appeal of new-build homes during the pandemic. As the property market continues to flourish, a recent study has revealed that the appeal and the subsequent demand for new-builds is here to stay. An independent survey commissioned by the investment firm FJP Investment found that over a quarter of homeowners (26%) are more likely to c...