Countrywide, the UK’s largest estate agency, hit out at the constant reshuffling of housing ministers on Wednesday after the ninth new face since 2010.
Peter Long, chairman of the struggling firm, made the plea after Esther McVey’s appointment last week.
Long told the Standard: “I urge the new Prime Minister to create stability by sticking with a housing minister for a decent amount of time. There have been more housing ministers than England football managers in recent years. We need one who will stick around long enough to properly engage with the housing industry.”
Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey’s chief Pete Redfern, who was also reporting results today, said he would welcome “consistency”.
In response to rumours stamp duty could be scrapped on home sales under £500,000, Long said: “That could ease the burden of costs for housebuyers.”
Bairstow Eve owner Countrywide saw first-half underlying profits fall to £3.9 million from £9.9 million, but full-year guidance is on track despite a 4% decline in sales revenues to £290.6 million.
During the period Countrywide closed loss-making branches and decreased staff numbers as part of a turnaround plan to recover from a series of profit warnings. Shares added 0.5p to 5p or 11%.
At Taylor Wimpey, pre-tax profits were virtually flat at £299.8 million as a result of higher construction costs. It sold 6541 homes during the period, up from 6497.
The firm announced a £360 million special dividend but the shares slipped by 9.5p to 167.1p.
