We are not quite sure whether it's now spring or still winter, and it isn't clear if we are heading towards recession again, or just a softening of the housing market. Everything's a little mixed up and the same can be said of housing provision and major repair contracting. Margins for contractors are not in great shape, with reports of 2% to 3% considered good. While profits for housebuilders, particularly those involved in Help to Buy, such as Persimmon, reap bumper returns, housing associations are retrenching back to rent/grant homes and a less open market sale model of provision, driven by Brexit uncertainty and a clear slowdown in sales for open market and shared ownership homes. It seems that providers are adopting traditional roles again and there is consolidation in each sector.
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