Legal News

Figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) show there are more first-time buyers than at any time since 2007, with 72,800 new homebuyers in England in the second quarter of 2016.

The number of newly built homes has also increased 6% in the past year, with a total of 139,030 new homes completed in the year to June. The figures for new homes have continued to rise over the last two years, the government says, with more than 144,280 homes being started in the year to June 2016.
New government figures show strong regional growth in house building in London, Swindon and Wakefield, which are all experiencing high levels of completions.

In London, there were 24% more homes being built in the year to June 2016 than the previous year, with local authorities in Greenwich and Waltham Forest seeing completions soar by 126% and 103%, respectively, over the same period.

In Swindon and Wakefield, completions were up by 104% and 41%, respectively.

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said:

“We’ve got the country building again, with more new homes started and built than this time last year. This is real progress, but there is much more to do – that’s why we are going further and increasing our investment in house building to ensure many more people can benefit.”

Figures published in 2015 show that the total number of new homes across the country rose by 25% in 2014 to 2015 – including all homes such as new builds, houses that had been converted into flats and buildings whose use has been changed to residential.

The government says it is committed to building the homes and investing £8 billion to build 400,000 more affordable homes to rent and buy.

The landmark Housing and Planning Act will also help deliver on the government’s ambition to build a million more homes, by ensuring councils continue to play a key role in delivery – and through new measures that will allow them to deliver more homes more swiftly.

The House building: June 2016 quarter England statistics record the number of new build homes completed and started during the quarter April to June, using data sourced from building control officers at local authorities, the National House Building Council and independent inspectors.

This differs from the data sources used in the Net supply of housing in England: 2014 to 2015 – which cover all new homes, including new builds, homes that have been divided into flats and change of use from commercial to residential.

Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors

Duncan Lewis housing solicitors can advise on all property and housing matters, including planning consents and appeals and buy-to-let.

Duncan Lewis also offers competitively priced conveyancing services to homebuyers, including guiding first-time buyers through the conveyancing process.

The Duncan Lewis housing department is also able to advise landlords and public sector or private sector tenants on a wide range of housing matters – including right to rent checks, landlord’s obligations under the Housing Act, disrepair of rented accommodation, Landlord and Tenant disputes, tenancy agreements and unlawful eviction.

For expert legal advice on property and housing law, call Duncan Lewis housing solicitors on 0333 772 0409.