One of the biggest talking points this week has been the 11% week-on-week drop in sales agreed and a drop of 2% on the average asking price of a newly listed properties. While some seasonal softening is entirely normal during the summer holiday period, the scale of this fall has caught the attention of the property industry.

The UK mortgage market is moving once again, with a number of major lenders increasing their mortgage rates as wholesale funding costs and swap rates rise. For anyone planning to buy, sell, remortgage or invest in property, this is an important development to keep an eye on.

The future of the United Kingdom is once again being discussed, with the First Ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland meeting in Cardiff to discuss closer cooperation, economic issues, energy, Europe and wider constitutional questions.

There are significant changes ahead for landlords and the private rented sector in England, with the Government now providing greater clarity around the introduction of the new national rental property registration service.