Property market set to bounce back

Monday 16th December 2019

Get straight to the good stuff every day with the Multiply Minute; a lightning-quick round-up of the money news and how it affects you.

Houses prices on the up

Property prices will rise by 2% over the next two years according to Rightmove. Leading the charge? Northern regions, that are set to perform stronger than areas the south. The property site expects a more active market in the spring, a pronounced bounce from a slow 2019, where the number of agreed sales fell by 3%.

Cheaper water

Water firms in England and Wales will have to turn on the taps of investment as part of a new crackdown by water regulator Ofwat. Its ambitious five-year plan for the industry, which is aimed at improving performance, lowering bills, and reducing leaks, will come into force in April 2020. Firms are under pressure to cut the average water bill by £50 by 2025.

Green Goldman Sachs

The iconic investment bank will no longer finance oil drilling or exploration in the Arctic or invest in thermal coal mines anywhere else. The new environmental policy comes from its acknowledgement of the scientific consensus on the climate crisis. The move has been welcomed by environmentalists, despite warnings that it is only a first step.

Fiery lights?

Christmas lights bought from online marketplaces such as eBay and Wish could be at risk of melting, causing electric shocks, or even setting fire to your tree, according to Which?. The consumer group tested 13 “cheap and seemingly cheerful” sets of lights from online sellers and found that six of them failed safety tests. It recommends buying your lights from reputable traders to make sure they’re compliant with electrical safety standards.