Dr. Priya Sharma
Dr. Priya Sharma writes The Property AI's data-led coverage of UK property markets — rental indices, sold-price trends, mortgage flows, and regional analysis. Articles bylined Dr. Sharma cite ONS, Land Registry, Bank of England, and primary research data.
PhD Economics. Specialises in: ONS Index of Private Housing Rental Prices, Land Registry data, regional rental analysis, mortgage approvals trends.
Articles by Dr. Priya Sharma
Missed Green Waste Bin Collection Raises Refund Question
A council missed a scheduled green waste bin collection despite extra payment, prompting questions about refunds.…
BM Solutions and Halifax Announce Rate Reductions on Selected Products
BM Solutions and Halifax Intermediaries have announced rate reductions on selected mortgage products, effective from 24 August. Brokers must…
Major Lenders Cut Mortgage Rates as Asking Prices Drop in August
HSBC, Gen H, and Nationwide have reduced mortgage rates, while Rightmove reports the steepest August drop in asking prices for eight years.…
Major Lenders Cut Selected Mortgage Rates Amid Volatile Market
Nineteen lenders made mortgage rate changes this week, with most cutting selected fixed rates. The Moneyfacts average two- and five-year fix…
IMLA Publishes Guide to Swap Rates and Fixed-Rate Mortgage Pricing
IMLA has released a guide explaining how swap rates influence fixed-rate mortgage pricing, following recent volatility in the UK mortgage ma…
Majority of First-Time Buyers Rely on Living at Home to Save for Deposits
Savills research finds 63% of first-time buyers in 2025 lived rent-free with family to save for a deposit, with the trend most pronounced in…
Stonebridge Parent Acquired and August Asking Prices Drop: Top Broker Stories
Stonebridge's parent company was acquired by BetterHome Group, and August saw the largest asking price drop in eight years, according to Mor…
Dartford Tops List of Best UK Locations for First-Time Buyers in 2024
New research identifies Dartford as the leading UK area for first-time buyer mortgage sales in 2024, with Nuneaton and Bedworth and Wandswor…
CHL Mortgages Expands Bridging Loans for Borrowers with Adverse Credit
CHL Mortgages has broadened its bridging loan range to include borrowers with adverse credit and introduced automated valuation models for e…
Halifax Announces Rate Cuts Across Mortgage Products
Halifax has introduced rate cuts of up to 13 basis points on selected mortgage products, including homemover, first-time buyer, and remortga…
Foundation Home Loans Expands LTI Criteria for Higher Earners
Foundation has updated its loan-to-income criteria, allowing higher-earning residential borrowers to access up to 5.99 times income, includi…
Inheritance Tax Receipts Reach Record £3.2bn, HMRC Reports
HMRC figures show inheritance tax receipts rose to a record £3.2bn between April and July 2026, with future increases expected due to asset …
CHL Mortgages Expands Bridging Finance Criteria and Introduces AVMs
CHL Mortgages has widened its bridging finance criteria to accept more adverse credit cases and introduced automated valuation models to spe…
Bridging Sector Faces Scrutiny After MFS Collapse and Regulatory Probe
The collapse of Market Financial Solutions has prompted regulatory investigations and increased scrutiny of the UK bridging sector, with ind…
BMPAN Evolves from One-Off Event to Industry Movement
The Black Mortgage Professionals & Allies Network (BMPAN) has grown from a single event in 2024 to an ongoing initiative focused on career d…
Stamp Duty and Inheritance Tax Receipts Rise in 2026
Stamp duty receipts reached £6.9bn between April and July 2026, while inheritance tax receipts rose to £3.2bn in the first four months of th…
West One Raises Loan-to-Income Cap as Santander Cuts Mortgage Rates
West One has increased its loan-to-income cap and expanded AVM criteria, while Santander is reducing mortgage rates across several products.…
West Oxfordshire Leads UK First-Time Buyer Hotspots, Says Rightmove
Rightmove analysis shows West Oxfordshire has the highest increase in first-time buyer demand, with a 45% year-on-year rise, supported by mo…
Collapsed House Sales Cost UK Economy £2bn Annually, OPDA Reports
Research by the Open Property Data Association finds that failed house sales cost the UK economy nearly £2bn each year, with over half of tr…
Majority of Tenants Support Renters’ Rights Act, Barclays Finds
Barclays reports that 62% of tenants believe the Renters’ Rights Act will improve their housing conditions and protections, but concerns rem…
Buckinghamshire Building Society Expands BTL and Holiday Let Products
Buckinghamshire Building Society has increased maximum loan sizes and launched new fixed-rate products for buy-to-let, holiday let, and expa…
Nationwide Reports £45.8bn Gross Mortgage Lending for 2025-26
Nationwide's gross mortgage lending rose to £45.8bn, with its loan book increasing and arrears falling, according to its latest financial re…
OneDome Strengthens Compliance Team with Senior Appointments
OneDome has appointed Joanna Purdy as group head of compliance and promoted Rebecca Curtis to head of compliance for its networks, Mortgage …
Over a Fifth of UK Homeowners Want Second Property but Cite Cost Concerns
Barclays research finds 22% of UK homeowners want a second property but see costs as a barrier, with running costs and stamp duty among top …
Landbay Survey Finds Landlord Sentiment Stable Amid Economic Uncertainty
Landbay's latest survey reports stable landlord sentiment, with most landlords confident in their portfolios but cautious about the UK econo…
FOS Identifies Rise in Vulnerable Customers Bringing Complaints
The Financial Ombudsman Service identified a quarter of customers bringing complaints last year as vulnerable, up from 10% the previous year…
Mortgage Complaints Drop 11% in Latest Financial Year, Says FOS
Complaints about residential first charge mortgages fell by 11% in the last financial year, according to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Bu…
CHL Mortgages Appoints Jenna Macey as BDM for London and South East
CHL Mortgages has appointed Jenna Macey as business development manager for London and the South East. Macey brings nearly 20 years of finan…
Cambridge BS Launches Limited Company BTL Holiday Let; Paragon Updates BTL Advances
Cambridge Building Society has introduced a limited company buy-to-let holiday let mortgage at 80% LTV. Paragon Bank has streamlined its BTL…
CHL Mortgages Appoints Jenna Macey as BDM for London and South East
CHL Mortgages has named Jenna Macey as business development manager for London and the South East, bringing nearly 20 years of experience to…
TSB and Paragon Lower Rates as Accord Adjusts Affordability Rules
TSB and Paragon have announced rate reductions, while Accord has tightened affordability criteria for some borrowers, according to Mortgage …
Mortgage Solutions and Pepper Money Launch Mortgage Administrator Academy
Mortgage Solutions has launched the Mortgage Administrator Academy with Pepper Money, offering CPD-accredited training for mortgage administ…
Mortgage Industry Professionals Urged to Complete 2026 ED&I Survey
Mortgage and protection industry professionals are encouraged to complete the 2026 Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Viewpoint survey before t…
Black & White Bridging Opens £1m Head Office in Bristol
Black & White Bridging has opened a £1m head office in Bristol, following upgrades to its London and Manchester offices. The new site featur…
Santander Becomes Associate Member of Bridging & Development Lenders Association
Santander has joined the Bridging & Development Lenders Association as an associate member, supporting specialist lenders in the UK bridging…
Landlords’ Buy-to-Let Sentiment Holds Steady Despite Economic Concerns
A new survey finds landlord sentiment towards buy-to-let property has stabilised, with most landlords reporting steady portfolio plans and a…
UK Protection Market Sees Steady Growth and Shift Towards Tailored Advice
The UK protection market stabilised in 2025, with a rise in policy sales and a growing focus on tailored advice and flexible products, accor…
Nationwide Reports 2.5% Rise in Gross Mortgage Lending
Nationwide increased its gross mortgage lending by 2.5% to £45.8bn for the year ending 31 March. The mutual's mortgage loan book also grew, …
Brokers Say First-Time Buyers Need Most Government Support
Half of mortgage brokers say first-time buyers should be the top priority for government housing support, citing affordability and deposit c…
Shepherds Friendly and Primis Partner to Distribute Income Protection
Shepherds Friendly has agreed with Primis Mortgage Network to distribute its income protection products, expanding access for UK mortgage ad…
Buckinghamshire BS Raises BTL and Holiday Let Loan Limits, Adds New Fixed Rates
Buckinghamshire Building Society has increased maximum loan amounts for buy-to-let and holiday let mortgages, and introduced new fixed rate …
Deadline Extended for Mortgage Strategy Specialist Lending Awards 2026
The entry deadline for the Mortgage Strategy Specialist Lending Awards 2026 has been extended to 29 May. Winners will be announced at The Be…
Stamp Duty Receipts Down 6% Year-on-Year, HMRC Reports
HMRC data shows stamp duty receipts fell 6% year-on-year to £4.3bn in the first four months of 2026, with April receipts flat compared to la…
Housing Minister Calls Recent Housebuilding an 'Abject Failure'
Housing minister Matthew Pennycook described the UK's housing system as an 'abject failure' and outlined government plans to reform planning…
Stamp Duty Receipts Fall Despite More Homebuyers Paying Tax
Stamp Duty receipts have dropped by around 6% this year, despite more homebuyers being liable for the tax after nil-rate threshold changes i…
Echo Finance Appoints Jim Wortley as Adviser Development Manager
Echo Finance has appointed Jim Wortley as adviser development manager as the firm aims to expand its advisory team from 74 to 100 by year-en…
Equity Release Council Announces Leadership Summit with FCA and MP Speakers
The Equity Release Council will host its inaugural Later Life Lending Summit: Leaders’ Symposium on 16 June, featuring keynote addresses fro…
Coventry and Together Announce Mortgage Rate Reductions
Coventry for Intermediaries and Together have announced reductions across various mortgage and bridging loan products, affecting both reside…
Inheritance Tax Receipts for April 2026 Drop to £0.7bn, Says HMRC
HMRC data shows Inheritance Tax receipts for April 2026 fell to £0.7bn, £65m lower than the same period last year, with property values high…
Government Urged to Maintain Quality in Rapid New Home Delivery
The HCLG committee has warned the government that speeding up new home delivery must not compromise quality, highlighting concerns about def…