The Return: Property & Investment Podcast

Send us a TextWhat does The Building Safety Act do and mean? With experts from the RICS, the RIBA, NHBC and the Insurance sector and Anna Clare Harper.In Anna's words:The Building Safety Act marks a significant change for the construction industry. It overhauls existing regulations on building standards and construction materials, with the goal of driving quality in design, construction and operation.I had the privilege of chairing a panel on its wide-reaching implications with Gary Strong, Global Standards Director at the RICS, Jane Duncan OBE from the RIBA, Liz Oliver, Safer Homes Director at Hyde Housing Association, Sarah Kiesel, Senior Technical Operations Manager at NHBC and John Winter from Apex Insurance.The panel was part of an event hosted by the Cambridge Forum for the Construction Industry and the Cambridge University Land Society’s Residential Forum.I’m sharing the panel on the pod because despite its importance, the Act is not widely understood. Topics include:What are the intended and unintended consequences of this new Act?Will the Act result in an exodus of professionals, especially SME surveyors, architects etc?What are the commercial implications of the Act?Guests LinkedIn and websites: Gary Strong | https://www.rics.org/uk/ | Jane Duncan | https://www.architecture.com/ | Liz Oliver | https://www.hyde-housing.co.uk/ | Sarah Kiesel | https://www.nhbc.co.uk/ | John Winter | https://apexinsurancebrokers.co.uk/Event Host Websites: https://www.cfci.org.uk/ | https://www.culandsoc.com/forums/residential-forum/Sponsor website: immo.capitalSponsor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/immoinvesttech/Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaclareharper/Host website: annaclareharper.com

John Winter from Apex Insurance discusses the extended liability periods and increased costs of professional indemnity insurance in the construction industry due to improved building safety regulations. The implications for professionals include concerns of an exodus of professionals, fewer viable building projects, and challenges in meeting national housing targets.

Send us a TextWhat’s happening in the UK rental market? With Richard Donnell, Executive Director at Zoopla and Anna Clare Harper.In Anna's words:I chatted to Richard Donnell, Executive Director at Zoopla, about the UK rental market in Q4 2022.Some highlights:12.1% annual rental price growthDemand is 46% above average, and total supply is 38% below the 5 year averagesRental (un)affordability is at a 10 year peak of 35% for single earners, which explains by 3.6m 20-34 year olds are living with their families (not far off the size of the entire social rented sector, at 4.2m households).Guest website: https://www.zoopla.co.uk/Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-donnell-a043833a/Sponsor website: immo.capitalSponsor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/immoinvesttech/Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaclareharper/Host website: annaclareharper.com

Send us a TextSingle Family Rental investment in Europe with Alexandra Thur, former founding team member at Blackstone-backed Invitation Homes & Anna Clare Harper.In Anna's words:I chatted to Alexandra Thur, Founder of Tollington Group and former founding team member at Blackstone-backed Invitation Homes and B2R about the emergence of Single Family Rental as an institutionally-accepted asset class.We covered:The market conditions needed to make Single-Family Rental work in the USThe growth of US Single-Family Rental, to ⅓ of homes in some citiesWhat European investors can learn from the US experience, from technological capabilities to considering the needs of local communities up frontGuest website: https://www.tollingtongroup.com/Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandrathur/ Sponsor website: immo.capitalSponsor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/immoinvesttech/Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaclareharper/Host website: annaclareharper.com

Send us a TextIs this the end of property investment ‘for dummies’? Anna Clare Harper discusses with Melanie Bien, award-winning PR specialist, former Finance Editor of the Independent, and property 'for dummies' author.In Anna's words:I sat down with Melanie Bien, award-winning PR specialist, former Personal Finance Editor of the Independent on Sunday, and author of four best-selling property 'for dummies' books to talk about what’s driving the market and whether property investment still makes sense ‘for dummies’.Key topics include:What the end of an era of cheap finance really means for residential propertyHow close we are to the peak of rent growthA whistle stop tour of the key market changes since 2020Guest website: https://www.bienmedia.com/Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-bien-4b67144/Sponsor website: immo.capitalSponsor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/immoinvesttech/Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaclareharper/Host website: annaclareharper.com

Send us a TextMaking Tax Digital with CEO and Founder of leading property finance platform, Hammock, Manoj Varsani MBE and Anna Clare Harper.In Anna's words:Manoj Varsani MBE joined me on the podcast this week to talk about:Using tech for good, including establishing SOS Supplies to provide £5m worth of PPE to those in need through CovidMaking Tax Digital - what landlords need to know about upcoming changes to reporting requirements, and why automated financial management makes sense in the context of the upcoming 5 x annual deadlinesUsing software to make property compliance easier, including budgeting for energy performance upgrades to comply with Minimum Energy Efficiency StandardsGuest website: https://www.usehammock.com/Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manojvarsani/Sponsor website: immo.capitalSponsor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/immoinvesttech/Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaclareharper/Host website: annaclareharper.com

Luay Al-Khatib, Director of Standards for RICS discusses the shift to Net Zero. Key topics include whole life carbon assessment, guidance to lenders, improving energy efficiency of real estate, and the importance of independence in surveying.

Send us a TextHousing market trends with Head of UK Residential Research at Savills and leading housing market commentator Lucian Cook and Anna Clare Harper.In Anna's words:I had the pleasure of catching up with Lucian Cook, Head of UK Residential Research at Savills and leading housing market commentator on the pod.Key topics include:What’s happened in mainstream and prime housing in the last 2 yearsEconomic, social and environmental sustainability and housing policyHow scrapping mortgage affordability tests will affect house pricesWhat next for UK house prices (the least inaccurate forecasts)?Guest website: https://www.savills.co.uk/people/savills-margaret-street/lucian-cook.aspxGuest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucian-cook/Sponsor website: immo.capitalSponsor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/immoinvesttech/Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaclareharper/Host website: annaclareharper.com

Send us a TextWhat’s happening in the UK rental market? With Richard Donnell, Executive Director at Zoopla and Anna Clare HarperIn Anna's words:I had the pleasure of digging into the key trends in the UK rental market this quarter with Executive Director at Zoopla, Richard Donnell.Key topics include:12.3% annual rental price growth - set against a 46% reduction in available stock indicating a landlord exodusWhy premium rents are rising fasterRenter strategies for the cost of living crisis, from renting flats (demand for which has increased significantly) to sharing vs living aloneWhat next for the UK rental market, and the peak in rental price growthGuest website: https://www.zoopla.co.uk/Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-donnell-a043833a/Sponsor website: immo.capitalSponsor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/immoinvesttech/Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaclareharper/Host website: annaclareharper.com

Send us a TextClimate Change Risk Adaptation with Baroness Brown of Cambridge, Julia King, Chair of the Adaption Committee on the Climate Change Committee and the Carbon Trust and Anna Clare Harper.In Anna's words:I was honoured to have Baroness Brown of Cambridge DBE FREng FRS, Julia King on the podcast to talk about adapting to climate change risk in real estate.She's currently Chair of the Adaptation Committee of the UK Climate Change Committee, which she has been a member of since it was formed in 2008. She also chairs the Carbon Trust, is a non-executive director of Ørsted and of Ceres Power and a member of the Government’s Hydrogen Advisory Committee. Previous roles include as the UK’s Low Carbon Business Ambassador, Non-Executive Director of the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult and of the Green Investment Bank.So, she’s extremely well-qualified to talk about climate change and what we need to do now to reduce its impacts, with a particular focus on housing.Key topics include:What risks we need to prepare for and how - including over-heating in homes, climate change ghettoisation and poorly adapted office to residential conversionsHazards, exposure and vulnerabilityCreating the right kinds of policy in pursuit of a clear vision so that we adapt and minimise climate change risks, without adverse consequencesGuest website: https://members.parliament.uk/member/4565/contact / https://www.carbontrust.com/who-we-are/people/julia-king-baroness-brown-of-cambridgeGuest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/baroness-brown-julia-king-dbe-freng-frs-5a955319/Sponsor website: immo.capitalSponsor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/immoinvesttech/Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaclareharper/Host website: annaclareharper.com