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Inside Residential

Issue 11: July 2025

Inside Residential

Editor's note

Dee Aylward - Mishcon de Reya

The residential property market appears to be experiencing a welcome boost. After a slow start to the first half of the year, we are pleased to see an increased number of new purchase and sale instructions as summer unfolds. Buyers are largely domestic (likely due to the changes to the non-domiciled tax status implemented at the end of last year) and are actively purchasing or selling both main and second homes across London. This hopefully signals a positive shift in buyer and seller confidence that will continue through the rest of the year. 

Building on the success of our previous article featuring insights from residential property buying agents, we now turn our attention to the country and rural estates market. In discussion with Idina Glyn, a select group of country and rural estates agents share their expert views, forecasts, and current observations, offering a comprehensive look at trends in this sector. 

Our ongoing series, "Buying Art for Your New Home," continues with Stage 2, where we explore how thoughtful display and care can enhance the enjoyment and value of your art collection. By managing your pieces well, you can ensure they remain a cherished part of your home, as explained by Lavinia de Nazelle. 

The recent Waller-Edwards ruling has expanded the "Etridge Principles", requiring lenders to ensure independent legal advice in joint borrowing situations. This development aims to protect individuals from undue influence, promoting fairness and transparency in financial transactions, as highlighted by Louise Moore. 

Finally, the Supreme Court's decision in the Dartmoor case has affirmed the right to wild camp, recognising it as a legitimate form of open-air recreation. This landmark ruling enhances public access to natural landscapes, reinforcing the balance between conservation and enjoyment, as discussed by Andrew Williamson. 

News
Blurry green circles

Happy campers

The recent case of Darwall v Dartmoor National Park Authority has confirmed that wild campers do indeed have the right to camp in Dartmoor National Park. The Supreme Court ruled on this landmark case brought by Alexander Darwall, a landowner who argued that while the public could access Dartmoor National Park, they could not camp there.

News
stacked coins with leaves growing on them

Undue influence and joint borrowers

For almost 25 years, solicitors and bankers have been familiar with the Etridge Principles, a set of rules outlined in the case of Royal Bank of Scotland v Etridge addressing the issue of undue influence in the context of secured lending, particularly where one party may have been pressured into the arrangement. These guidelines have been critical in protecting vulnerable individuals.

News
UK House in rural location

The long read: the country house market in H1 2025

We have all heard similar comments from those in the English country house market this year: volumes are down; deals are taking longer; buyers are fussier; enquiries from US buyers are up. However, as those in the industry know, many deals happen off-market, and the disparity between certain pockets of the English countryside can be remarkable. We therefore asked some of the top country house agents for their views on the market in the first half of 2025.

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