Summer is traditionally a quieter period for the UK property market, with school holidays, family commitments and overseas travel often causing buyers and sellers to put their plans on hold. This year, however, prolonged hot weather appears to have added to the seasonal slowdown.

The rental market is still growing, but the way properties are managed has changed. August is a useful time for landlords to review tenancies, rent processes and record-keeping.

Britain’s ongoing housing shortage has once again come under the spotlight, with new research highlighting that the issue is not one of demand or land availability—but rather decades of underbuilding.

The UK housing market remained subdued in August, with house prices edging up by 0.2% over the month and annual growth sitting at 1.6%, according to Nationwide's latest House Price Index.