We’re quickly heading towards that time of year when many people tend to have one eye on the past and one on the future. For landlords, 2021 has proved to be an opportunity-laden year and there’s plenty of optimism in the air to suggest that 2022 will see the private rental sector become an even more prominent focal point within the economy, the housing market, the mortgage industry and the intermediary community. 

One area already looking well ahead into the new year is the student community which – after a sustained period of uncertainty, remote studying and living far afield from campuses – has seen numbers return in their droves. A move which is bolstering rental demand in the larger, student-heavy areas which really suffered over the course of the pandemic. 

It’s been said many, many times over many, many years but the value of financial advice will only continue to rise. Trust, perception and professionalism remain key elements within this process and, with this in mind, it was interesting to see YouGov’s analysis of the UK’s most recommended brands over the course of the pandemic year rank MoneySavingExpert.com as number one.

The consumer finance advice website was said to have had a string of strong endorsements from its customers and reaching the top spot was a testament to the depth of loyalty felt by its members. It topped brands such as John Lewis, Monzo, Brewdog and Starling Bank to achieve this coveted accolade.

One of the reasons I love the mortgage and property markets is that it is never short of data, conjecture or opinion. I’m writing this on the cusp of the phased end to the Government's stamp duty holiday and we are seeing huge amounts of column inches around purchasers in a mad dash to complete, or risk having to pay up to £15,000 extra to secure their home. Of course, I’m paraphrasing from one such story, although there is little doubt that we are in midst of some hectic times.

It’s also a time when speculation is emerging about what might happen next to the housing market, and you don’t have to look too hard to find some slightly confusing information which only adds a further layer of uncertainty for consumers.

The renting versus house purchase debate is an age old one. Events over the past 12 months or so have helped clarify the property-related priorities of some but also served to further muddy the waters for others.

Although homeownership aspirations appear to remain strong, rising house prices and demand means that these continue to be a challenge for many. Research from Aldermore recently revealed that 38% of prospective first-time buyers said they were rejected for a mortgage once (compared to 36% in March 2020), and 43% said they were rejected for a mortgage more than once, a large spike from just 17% in March 2020.