Data from Zoopla showed that 80.5% of flats in the UK were unsold within six months. This rose to 86.9% for London, 84.9% in the South East and 84% in the East of England.
The Office for National Statistics’ (ONS’) house price data for June showed that while average property values rose by 2% annually, flats were the only category to record a decline, falling by 1.6%.
According to Aisha Clarke, mortgage and protection adviser at Mantra Mortgages, part of BTG, flats remain an important route onto the property ladder, particularly for first-time buyers in London.
Clarke said: “In my view, demand for flats isn’t necessarily falling. From recent conversations with clients, first-time buyers have not stopped wanting flats, and particularly in London, they are still often the most affordable and realistic way of getting onto the property ladder.”
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Rise of the cautious flat buyer
Instead, Clarke drew attention to the increased scrutiny from buyers about the realities of flat ownership.
“What has shifted is buyers scrutinising more closely all that is involved with owning a flat, not solely whether they can afford the mortgage.
“They are becoming more selective, thinking more carefully about whether a property will remain affordable and easy to sell in the future. Service charges, ground rent, planned major works and building safety documentation, which have all been the centre of reports around home buying recently, are all now being considered as part of this,” she added.
Building safety remains in focus
Building safety remains one of the issues attracting buyer attention. Cladding risks continue to feature in discussions around flat ownership, with residents of the Spectrum Building in Dagenham reportedly still paying mortgages on homes destroyed by fire two years ago. While the building’s flammable cladding was being replaced, the precise cause of the fire has not been determined.
Government reforms have kept the issue in focus; cladding remediation assessments have moved to a risk-based approach rather than one based primarily on building height.
Matthew Hattersley, regional director in asset advisory, restructuring and recovery at BTG Eddisons, part of BTG, said some buildings were beginning to emerge from remediation programmes.
He said: “On some of the more dated building stock in the regions, remedial works to cladding to be compliant with EWS1s are starting to be completed, which is unlocking stock that has potentially been ‘trapped’ and can be marketed once a valid EWS1 is received. This can alleviate the building safety concerns and barriers for buyers looking to get a foot on the ladder with a flat, and could see more affordable properties come onto the market.”
Leasehold concerns shape purchasing decisions
Leasehold arrangements are also receiving greater attention from prospective purchasers. The Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill is still progressing through Parliament, while proposed caps on ground rents remain unconfirmed. The government has previously described leasehold as a “feudal” system and pledged further reform.
Clarke said lease length is becoming a more prominent consideration for buyers.
She continued: “Lease length is also a big concern. Buyers are more aware of what it could cost to extend a lease and whether a shorter lease or older lease terms could affect the value, mortgageability and saleability of the property later. That is also why we see some buyers favouring share-of-freehold properties, as they often feel more comfortable having greater control over the building and the lease.”
Hattersley said there was evidence that these factors were affecting some flat values.
He added: “Recently, we have seen the price of flats within a building we were appointed on driven down by other competing units of leaseholders who had been waiting to bring their units to the market. This provides an indication of the direction the market is heading if that is the price buyers are willing to pay.”
Affordability alone is not the primary consideration for many flat buyers, with a growing focus on understanding the implications of leasehold ownership.
