Hoping to be in your next home by Christmas? With property transactions taking months rather than weeks, October is the time to understand what’s realistic — and why it can still pay to get moving.

The UK rental market is entering a new chapter, and landlords, tenants and letting agents are all having to adapt. One of the biggest changes is the move away from traditional fixed-term tenancy arrangements towards rolling, or periodic, tenancies.

The UK property market is entering another important period of change. The Government has confirmed plans to introduce independent regulation of property agents, with the intention of giving consumers greater protection and creating higher professional standards across the sector.

While location, asking price and property size remain key factors when making a move, rising energy costs and growing environmental awareness are encouraging households to look more closely at how their homes perform.