Episodes

  • City Hall Has Lost Its Grip on Housing: London Mayoral Candidate Peter Murray
    May 5 2026

    On this episode of Housing Unpacked, Tom Bill is joined by Peter Murray OBE, co‑founder of New London Architecture, founder of the London Festival of Architecture and a former design adviser to two London Mayors. As he prepares his own run for London Mayor in 2028 as an independent, Murray explains the tipping point behind his decision to enter politics, driven by what he sees as a lack of understanding in City Hall about the mayor’s responsibility to deliver homes, infrastructure and better streets. He sets out his “get stuff done” philosophy, arguing that housing delivery in London has been choked by uncertainty, slow planning and strained relations with the development sector. Drawing on decades of experience across architecture, journalism and real estate, Murray outlines proposals to accelerate housing delivery, revive SME builders, restore certainty for investors, and bring design back to the top table through a City Architect. The conversation also covers density, tall buildings, affordability, transport reform, road pricing and what a more pragmatic, delivery‑focused mayor could mean for London’s future.


    ⁠Subscribe⁠⁠ to Tom Bill's UK Residential Outlook, for all the latest properties, exclusive market analysis, news and data.

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    46 mins
  • Renters’ Rights Act: The End of the Hobbyist Landlord?
    Apr 20 2026

    In this episode of Housing Unpacked, Tom is joined by Louisa Sedgwick, managing director of mortgages at buy-to-let specialist lender Paragon Bank to explore the Renters’ Rights Act and what it really means for landlords and tenants. They discuss her involvement lobbying two separate governments on issues like the end of Section 21, the shift to periodic tenancies, tighter controls around asking rents, and why well‑intentioned reforms may squeeze supply, push rents higher, and disadvantage more vulnerable renters. The conversation also explores the recent mortgage market shock caused by the Middle East conflict and the looming challenge of meeting new energy efficiency standards.




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    47 mins
  • Middle East Ceasefire to Boost Buyer Sentiment more than Mortgage Market
    Apr 9 2026

    If it holds, the Middle East ceasefire will boost activity in the housing market as spring gets underway, but it hasn’t removed the pressure keeping mortgage rates high. In this episode of Housing Unpacked, Tom Bill is joined by Helen Thomas, CEO of Blonde Money, to explain why borrowing costs are unlikely to snap back to mid-February levels. They explore how the conflict will create a lasting supply‑side inflation shock, why bond investors still see the UK as a risk, what that means for mortgage rates, and the competing pressures on the Bank of England. The discussion also examines whether an internal challenge or the bond market is more likely to bring Keir Starmer’s premiership to a premature end.

    ⁠Subscribe⁠⁠ to Tom Bill's UK Residential Outlook, for all the latest properties, exclusive market analysis, news and data.

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    46 mins
  • Fighting the Last War: Markets, Mortgages and the Bank of England’s Hawkish Misfire
    Mar 25 2026

    In this episode, Tom and Michael Brown unpack how the Bank of England’s unexpectedly hawkish messaging last week helped ignite a sharp repricing across markets already rattled by the Middle East conflict, pushing swap rates up by nearly a full percentage point, and exposing the UK’s fragile fiscal backdrop. They explore why the Bank may be fighting the wrong inflation battle and what this means for borrowers weighing two‑ versus five‑year fixes, and why both housing market activity and policy decisions are now hostage to fast‑shifting geopolitical and energy‑price risks.

    ⁠Subscribe⁠⁠ to Tom Bill's UK Residential Outlook, for all the latest properties, exclusive market analysis, news and data.


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    38 mins
  • How Global Energy Shocks Will Shape UK Politics, Inflation and the Housing Market
    Mar 12 2026

    Tom Bill talks to James Nation on Tuesday 10 March about how the fast‑moving conflict in the Middle East is reshaping UK politics, the inflation landscape, and the housing market. James draws parallels with the 2022 energy shock when he worked in the Treasury and explains how geopolitical instability complicates decisions for the Chancellor and the Bank of England. They discuss the risks to fiscal headroom, the unpredictability of mortgage rates, and the different political and economic scenarios that may play out depending on how long the disruption lasts. The conversation also explores the pressures facing the government ahead of this year’s autumn Budget, the implications for housing policy, and what the coming months may mean for Keir Starmer following Labour’s defeat in the recent Gorton and Denton by-election.


    ⁠Subscribe⁠⁠ to Tom Bill's UK Residential Outlook, for all the latest properties, exclusive market analysis, news and data.

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    46 mins
  • How the Middle East Conflict Will Impact the UK Housing Market
    Mar 6 2026

    Tom Bill and Pepperstone analyst Michael Brown unpack how the Middle East conflict is rippling through global markets, lifting energy prices, reshaping interest rate expectations and influencing sentiment in the UK economy and housing market. They explore what this means for mortgage rates, the validity of the Spring Statement, and the Bank of England’s next move.


    Subscribe⁠⁠⁠ to Tom Bill's UK Residential Outlook, for all the latest properties, exclusive market analysis, news and data.Produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Rethink Audio⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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    37 mins
  • From Mayors to Mega Basements: The Truth About Developing London
    Feb 16 2026

    In this episode, Tom Bill talks with Mike Hussey, CEO of Almacantar, about the real‑world challenges of delivering major schemes in London - from tricky 1960s refurbishments to complex new‑builds on constrained sites. Mike reflects on working with different London mayors, how political interventions can slow projects, and why there is so much misunderstanding around viability. They explore London’s enduring resilience as a global city, with Mike explaining why super‑prime residential demand remains steady but slower to convert, and how long‑term stability matters as much as tax tweaks for investors. Finally, he shares when Almacantar may feel ready to buy its next site.


    Subscribe⁠⁠ to Tom Bill's UK Residential Outlook, for all the latest properties, exclusive market analysis, news and data.Produced by ⁠⁠⁠Rethink Audio⁠⁠⁠.

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    45 mins
  • Global Drama, Local Consequences: What The Events of 2026 Mean for Your Mortgage
    Feb 2 2026

    A fast‑moving start to 2026 sets the tone for this episode as Tom Bill and Pepperstone’s Michael Brown break down a month of relentless global drama and its impact on borrowing costs - from Trump’s tariff brinkmanship and geopolitical flare‑ups to fiscal fears over Japan. We dig into why UK swap rates have risen, how much faith to put in recent UK economic data, why haven demand is rising, and how political jitters in Westminster are still rattling gilt markets. All of it feeds directly into mortgage pricing, the timing of Bank of England rate cuts, and what buyers and sellers should expect in the months ahead.


    Subscribe⁠ to Tom Bill's UK Residential Outlook, for all the latest properties, exclusive market analysis, news and data.
    Produced by ⁠⁠Rethink Audio⁠⁠.

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    32 mins