Letting and estate agents signs outside flats on the Old Kent Road in London. Issue date: Thursday January 19, 2023. PA
Letting and estate agents signs outside flats on the Old Kent Road in London. Issue date: Thursday January 19, 2023. PA
Letting and estate agents signs outside flats on the Old Kent Road in London. Issue date: Thursday January 19, 2023. PA
Letting and estate agents signs outside flats on the Old Kent Road in London. Issue date: Thursday January 19, 2023. PA

UK house prices continued to fall at end of 2022, say surveyors


Soraya Ebrahimi
  • English
  • Arabic

British house prices continued to fall towards the end of 2022, UK surveyors say.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors found 42 per cent of professionals across the UK reported a decline in prices, its December 2022 survey.

In a further indication of a weakening market, 26 per cent of surveyors reported price falls in the November survey, and indicate the downward price trend gaining further traction, the institute said.

All regions across England are recording prices softening to some degree, with feedback pointing to East Anglia and the south-east having the sharpest rates of decline, the findings show.

But within the negative UK-wide figure, house price readings across Scotland and Northern Ireland are still marginally in positive territory, albeit a significant turnaround from the strong growth reported six months ago, the institute said.

The latest survey also indicates a weakening to the sales market towards the end of 2022, with a net balance of professionals reporting falls in new buyer inquiries.

Dubai property apartment prices - January 2023 - in pictures

The number of new property listings on the sales market also fell and there was an overall decline in agreed sales.

This downwards sales trend became clearer across virtually all parts of the UK over the month, with survey participants in the north-west of England, Scotland, Wales and London all reporting a particularly quiet month for activity in the latest results, the institute said.

The December survey also asked if property professionals were seeing more interest from buyers in homes that are more energy-efficient.

About 40 per cent of those surveyed said yes, but this was outweighed by 60 per cent who did not see this trend, the institute said.

However, 61 per cent of survey contributors said highly energy-efficient homes were holding their value.

Dubai property apartment prices - December 2022 - in pictures

Tenant demand for leased properties increased over December, according to a net balance of 28 per cent of contributors.

But this was the lowest reading since February 2021, and suggests that the pace of demand growth is slowing across the rental market.

On the supply side, new landlord instructions remain on a downward trend, with a net balance of 24 per cent of professionals seeing a decline in December.

Near-term expectations continue to point to rents being squeezed higher, the institute said.

“The latest Rics residential survey highlights the emerging challenges in the housing market as new buyers grapple with more costly finance terms and uncertainty over the outlook for the economy," said Simon Rubinsohn, the institute's chief economist.

“Meanwhile, feedback around the lettings market once again demonstrates the need for some concerted thinking about how to create a thriving sector that caters for both the private and ‘affordable’ renter.”

Mairead Carroll, the senior specialist in land and property standards at the institute, said: “It will be fascinating to see how important energy efficiency becomes to buyers over the next 12 months."

The residential market report is a monthly sentiment survey of chartered surveyors in the UK’s residential sales and lettings markets.

GIANT REVIEW

Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan

Director: Athale

Rating: 4/5

The specs: 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor

Price, base / as tested Dh220,000 / Dh320,000

Engine 3.5L V6

Transmission 10-speed automatic

Power 421hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque 678Nm @ 3,750rpm

Fuel economy, combined 14.1L / 100km

The President's Cake

Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

The specs
Engine: 3.6 V6

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Power: 295bhp

Torque: 353Nm

Price: Dh155,000

On sale: now 

ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures

October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA

About Takalam

Date started: early 2020

Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: HealthTech and wellness

Number of staff: 4

Funding to date: Bootstrapped

The%20BaaS%20ecosystem
%3Cp%3EThe%20BaaS%20value%20chain%20consists%20of%20four%20key%20players%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsumers%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20End-users%20of%20the%20financial%20product%20delivered%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDistributors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Also%20known%20as%20embedders%2C%20these%20are%20the%20firms%20that%20embed%20baking%20services%20directly%20into%20their%20existing%20customer%20journeys%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEnablers%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Usually%20Big%20Tech%20or%20FinTech%20companies%20that%20help%20embed%20financial%20services%20into%20third-party%20platforms%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProviders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Financial%20institutions%20holding%20a%20banking%20licence%20and%20offering%20regulated%20products%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
A State of Passion

Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi

Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah

Rating: 4/5

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Malcolm & Marie

Directed by: Sam Levinson

Starring: John David Washington and Zendaya

Three stars

Signs%20of%20%20%20%20%20%20%20heat%20stroke
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EThe%20loss%20of%20sodium%20chloride%20in%20our%20sweat%20can%20lead%20to%20confusion%20and%20an%20altered%20mental%20status%20and%20slurred%20speech%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EBody%20temperature%20above%2039%C2%B0C%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EHot%2C%20dry%20and%20red%20or%20damp%20skin%20can%20indicate%20heatstroke%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EA%20faster%20pulse%20than%20usual%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EDizziness%2C%20nausea%20and%20headaches%20are%20also%20signs%20of%20overheating%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIn%20extreme%20cases%2C%20victims%20can%20lose%20consciousness%20and%20require%20immediate%20medical%20attention%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
Updated: January 19, 2023, 12:02 AM