Well, June has certainly been a bustling month in the property world, hasn't it? As building surveyors, it’s easy to get absorbed in our daily assessments, but taking a moment to look at the broader picture is incredibly important. From sobering documentaries to significant policy changes, this month has offered plenty to ponder.
The RPSA is committed to ensuring our members are always at the forefront of the property industry. That’s why we’ll be making a concerted effort to keep you informed about significant upcoming events and conferences from other organisations, and where possible, we'll endeavour to secure exclusive discounts on your behalf. We believe it's incredibly important to step slightly outside the traditional boundaries of surveying, to avoid a tunnel-vision approach, and to see our profession from other points of view. These events offer invaluable opportunities to gain fresh perspectives, exchange experiences, and truly understand the wider property environment.
There are some invitations you simply can't refuse, even when they clash with your holiday plans – and this was one of them! Thanks to the distinguished Stephen McCarron, RPSA Council member and Propertymark Board member, I had the privilege of VIP access to Propertymark One 2025 at ExCeL London. I can confirm: Propertymark truly knows how to put on a show, and the UK’s largest property conference lived up to its billing in every way.
What's Inside This Month's Round-Up:
First off, a powerful recommendation: if you haven’t watched the Netflix documentary Grenfell: Uncovered, please do. To call it distressing would be a severe understatement. This isn't sensationalised drama; it's a meticulously researched production that delves beyond the tragic night itself, uncovering a truly uncomfortable picture of corporate corruption, official complacency, and, in some cases, barely concealed contempt that sadly led to one of the most shocking episodes of the 21st century.
The documentary lays bare how the residents were failed from the outset – their fears dismissed, their calls for help on the night rebuffed by the 'stay put' advice, and the continuing failures due to inertia and bureaucracy that mean accountability remains elusive. It’s difficult to watch without questioning whether this 'cocktail of events' and the ongoing cladding crisis would have been allowed to continue for so long had this tragedy struck private housing, rather than social housing.
While some figures, like Theresa May, show clear regret, many come out badly, particularly those driven by a focus on profit over safety, and certain officials whose dismissiveness of the inquiry will mark their legacy." The true power of this documentary, for me, is what it reveals about how we, as a nation, have responded, how quickly we've moved on, and how casually we've dismissed the funding and cladding crisis that still plagues the social housing sector today. It’s a stark reminder of the context surrounding our industry.
Alternative Perspective: Since the documentary aired, the Government has reiterated its commitment to cladding remediation, but campaigners continue to call for swifter action and real accountability. The discussions around this disaster are far from over.
Surveyor’s Take: For us, as building surveyors, Grenfell is a chilling reminder that our observations and recommendations must be more than tick-box exercises—they are a lifeline for building safety and public trust.
Action: Check whether your reports could better highlight fire safety risks—not just compliance, but practical advice clients can act on.
Now, for something that will directly affect many of you and your clients: there's growing chatter that lenders are already restricting mortgages on properties that don’t meet the upcoming 2028 Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) minimum standards. The government's proposal is for all new buy-to-let tenancies to require a minimum EPC rating of C by 2028, and all rental properties by 2030.
Brokers are flagging a "stealth approach" from some lenders, quietly tightening criteria without clear explanations. While responsible lending is paramount – after all, a mortgage is a long-term debt and future EPC standards will impact property value and mortgageability – this early tightening could force some landlords out of the market. This, in turn, might lead to a flood of properties for sale and a softening of house prices in certain areas.
There's a concern that many older properties will struggle to reach an EPC C rating, irrespective of the money spent, and there's a call for the government to review how EPCs represent these types of homes, potentially offering more forgiving exemption routes to avoid a "catastrophe of social housing issues". It’s a balancing act: tenants benefit from warmer homes, but landlords might try to recover costs through higher rents, adding to affordability pressures.
A Surveyor Story: We’ve already heard from RPSA members who report lenders asking for EPC evidence at mortgage application—sometimes mid-process. One surveyor, Sarah from Kent, told us, "It's becoming more common for clients to be asked about EPC ratings much earlier in the mortgage process, even for properties not yet due for upgrading. It adds another layer of complexity to valuations."
Alternative View: While this early tightening creates headaches, some environmental groups might argue that it’s a necessary market pressure to push landlords to upgrade stock faster, aligning with broader climate goals.
Action: Advise clients, particularly landlords, to plan for potential upgrades sooner rather than later, and ensure your reports highlight energy efficiency clearly.
Good news on the policy front, as the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, aimed at delivering 1.5 million new homes, has entered its second reading in the House of Lords. Propertymark's Nathan Emerson rightly points out the ever-limited timeframe to hit this target. It's positive to see discussions around streamlining the planning process, digitising applications, and integrating data-led analysis. Crucially, there's also conversation about ensuring a skilled workforce and robust supply chains, as well as the environmental impacts, especially concerning greenbelt spaces.
A significant point raised was the nearly 1 million already granted planning applications that haven’t been implemented, severely impacting the housing supply. There was also scrutiny on the quality of some new housing, which is an area we, as surveyors, know is paramount.
Did You Know? Despite ambitious targets, the number of new homes given planning approval in England during Q1 2025 was 39,170 – the lowest quarterly approvals since 2012. It’s worth remembering the 1.5m homes pledge is not the first of its kind, and past efforts have been hampered by planning bottlenecks and skills shortages—let’s hope this time, things will be different!
Alternative View: While the government aims for more homes, environmental groups continue to voice concerns about potential greenbelt development and the impact on natural habitats. It's a balance of housing needs versus environmental protection.
Action: Keep a close eye on the implications for new build inspections and snagging demand if supply ramps up. We’ll need to be ready!
The government's newly published Industrial Strategy has been met with backing from property professionals. It includes pledges to reform the planning system to deliver 1.5 million new homes by 2025 and highlights the importance of 'smart data'. Nathan Emerson of Propertymark stressed that while planning system reform is welcome, other factors like a skilled workforce and robust supply chains are equally vital. An "infrastructure-first" approach and local flexibility in planning decisions are also mentioned, along with the aim to establish a new National Housing Bank to support mayors and local leaders in delivering housing.
Digital exchange platform PEXA particularly welcomed the £36 million investment in smart data schemes, allowing consumers to securely share information with third parties. Joe Pepper, UK chief executive of PEXA, pointed out that property transactions are slowed by fragmented data collection, with an average completion time of 22 weeks and over 30% of purchases falling through. Standardising data through a Smart Data framework isn't a "magic bullet," but it’s an important step towards speeding up and easing the process for everyone involved.
Forward-Looking View: Smart data could, in time, revolutionise the way we handle property transactions and building information. Imagine a future where every survey, EPC, and repair history is available at the click of a button—warts and all! We're already seeing pilot schemes for digital home logbooks in some areas, hinting at this future.
Action: Start exploring digital tools and platforms that integrate with property data. Being ahead of the curve here will be a real advantage.
Here's an interesting one for you, fresh off the research desk at Knight Frank: the scrapping of the non-dom tax regime seems to have created a whopping £401 million Stamp Duty black hole. This change, announced in March 2024, appears to have caused an exodus of wealth, particularly impacting the prime property market.
Data from Knight Frank and LonRes shows that the number of £5 million-plus sales in London in the year to May was 14% lower than the previous 12-month period. Based on how far these sales fell below expected levels, the agency calculated the significant loss in Stamp Duty revenue. Tom Bill, head of UK residential research for Knight Frank, commented that this lost revenue takes on extra significance given the government’s tight financial headroom. This certainly highlights the delicate balance between policy changes and their unintended consequences on the wider economy.
Alternative Perspective: From the government’s side, Stamp Duty is just one piece of the broader fiscal jigsaw puzzle. While this shortfall is noteworthy, they might argue that the long-term benefits of tax reform outweigh short-term revenue dips, or that other tax streams are performing well.
Action: Surveyors in the prime market may already be seeing reduced activity at the top end. Expect continued volatility as fiscal policy evolves, making accurate valuations and market insights more critical than ever.
Finally, a big piece of news: the government has officially launched a National Housing Bank! This publicly owned institution, a subsidiary of Homes England, is set to receive £16 billion of new financial capacity and £6 billion of existing finance to leverage an estimated £53 billion of additional private investment. The aim is to speed up housebuilding and deliver over 500,000 new homes.
The bank will be able to issue government guarantees directly, offering a wider range of debt and equity products to support SME housebuilders and help complete large, complex sites. It's intended to be a "consistent partner" to the private sector, providing long-term, flexible capital. The bank will also provide low-interest loans for social and affordable homes, working with mayors and local leaders to deliver their housing and regeneration plans.
Angela Rayner, Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, stated they are "turning the tide on the housing crisis" through initiatives like this and a £39 billion investment for social and affordable homes. The Home Builders Federation welcomed the bank, particularly its potential to help SME builders.
Indeed, the wider industry welcomed the £39 billion commitment to affordable and social housing, with figures like Neil Jefferson from the HBF and Stephen Teagle from Vistry Group praising the government for recognising the critical link between housebuilding and economic growth. Smaller builders (SMEs) have long argued for this type of dedicated support, so this is certainly a step in a positive direction for them.
Critical View: While this funding is welcome, others caution that the real bottleneck remains planning permissions and skills shortages. As James Cogan, director of planning and development consultancy Boyer, rightly advised, the additional funding will only deliver homes if the planning system is equipped to deliver the necessary planning permissions. Put simply, if local planning authorities continue to be underfunded and under-resourced, the new homes to be paid for by the additional funding will not be built". Funding alone won’t build the homes; it needs to be matched by operational efficiency.
Action: For surveyors, understanding the impact of these large-scale funding initiatives on local supply and demand will be increasingly important.
Just a few other interesting bits that crossed my desk this month:
This month has certainly reinforced the dynamic nature of our industry. From the critical social implications highlighted by Grenfell: Uncovered to the practical challenges of EPCs, planning, and funding, it’s clear that building surveying isn’t just about the bricks and mortar; it’s deeply intertwined with economic policy, social welfare, and technological advancement.
As I’ve often said, and as I explored in my article ‘Stepping Outside the Two Straight Lines’ (available here: https://www.rpsa.org.uk/News?bg=42), it’s crucial for us not to become tunnel-visioned. Being truly effective as surveyors means understanding these broader currents, seeing the profession from other points of view, and recognising how external factors impact our work. The RPSA is absolutely committed to helping you do just that. We will actively look out for and keep you informed about major industry conferences, webinars, and events from other organisations. Furthermore, we’ll do our very best to secure any available discounts on your behalf, encouraging you to attend, network, and broaden your horizons.
As ever, if you’ve got an industry insight, a case study, or even a burning question you want covered in a future round-up, drop us a line. We’re all ears (and occasionally, all chocolate).
Let's Keep the Conversation Going
If you've come across any other noteworthy articles or have your own thoughts to share, please do get in touch! This is just the beginning of what
we hope will be an ongoing conversation. While we may not publish a round-up every week, we're committed to keeping you informed and connected.
Email George the RPSA News Hound with any stories, News or Blogs.
info@rpsa.org.uk.
—The RPSA Team
