UK mortgage lending for August was down 22.3% against the corresponding period last year with just under 32,000 approvals. In total £11.4 million was injected into the UK housing arena although this was well down on the £13.3 billion just a month earlier. So what does this mean for the future of the UK mortgage market and the UK property market?

The August figure for 2010 is the lowest August figure since 2000 and indeed we are now back towards lending figures not seen since April 2009. When you consider that April 2009 was seen by many as the low point of the recent UK economic turmoil then perhaps we are headed towards a difficult 2010 and 2011?

It is hard to find any one particular reason to explain the dramatic downturn in the UK mortgage market with the economy struggling, disposable incomes down, house prices falling and UK government austerity measures starting to kick in. It may well be an amalgamation of all of these particular elements have come together to cause something of a doomsday scenario for the UK economy in the short to medium term. Quite what it will take to turn around the UK mortgage arena remains to be seen but until we see more funding coming forward and more interest this could be yet another drag on the UK economy.

Rents increase further as lettings market buoyed by greater activity.
The lettings market remains buoyant, as increased tenant demand and a shortage of properties pushes rents higher, says the latest RICS Residential Lettings Survey.
26 per cent more chartered surveyors reported a rise in demand for property rather than a fall, which was the second consecutive quarter that lettings demand has risen at a pace above the long run average.
Tenant demand increased across all regions, but was strongest in London and the East of England. Continued difficulty in securing mortgage finance, worries over a double dip in housing and large deposits required by lenders are leading to higher numbers seeking to rent rather than buy.
As a result, rents increased for the second consecutive quarter, with 27 per cent more surveyors reporting a rise in rents than a fall. Just a year ago the picture was very different, as over supply pushed rents down and 29 per cent more surveyors reported falling not rising rents.
Although interest rates are at a record low - making property a potentially attractive option for investors - difficulty in securing buy-to-let mortgages is contributing to the lack of supply. New supply of property to the market remains low and has now fallen for four consecutive quarters, although at a slightly slower pace. In the run up to July the net balance of surveyors reporting a fall in landlord instructions was -6, in comparison to a net balance of -12 in the previous quarter.
However, existing landlords do not appear to be in any rush to dispose of their property; just 4.1 per cent of landlords said they intended to sell their properties at the end of a tenancy agreement.
Looking ahead, the outlook for rents remains positive. 33 per cent more surveyors expect rents to increase over the next quarter rather than fall. Rents for houses are expected to marginally outperform flats, with the net balances for this forward looking indicator moving to +34 and +31 respectively.
Source: RICS, 26 August 2010