HOME sales continued to increase in number in Wales during April according to the latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Residential Market Survey as a higher number of listings and good buyer demand led to more transactions taking place.

A net balance of 35% of surveyors in Wales reported that house sales rose through the month of April, the fifth consecutive month that this balance has been on an upward trajectory. Surveyors in Wales also appear optimistic on the short-term outlook for sales, with a net balance of 14% of surveyors anticipating a rise over the next three months. This balance is the second highest across all UK regions, after Northern Ireland.

New buyer demand is also said to have risen through April according to the survey. A net balance of 37% of respondents in Wales reported that new buyer enquiries had increased.

On the supply side, a net balance of 47% of respondents in Wales note that new instructions to sell had risen. This is at a faster rate than was seen in March when the net balance was 41%.

However, surveyors are not as positive on the pricing front. A net balance of -8% of surveyors in Wales reported that house prices have fallen over the past three months, which is just below the UK average which sits at a net balance of -5%.

Looking forward on house pricing, a net balance of -15% of Welsh surveyors expect that prices will edge lower over the next quarter.

The intense demand for rental property appears to have softened a little in April. A net balance of 17% of surveyors in Wales noted a rise in tenant demand for rental properties which is down from 50% in March. Supply of rental property is said to have fallen flat through April. On the expectations front, a net balance of 17% of respondents in Wales anticipate that prices will rise over the next three-month period.

Commenting on the sales market, Melfyn Williams, MRICS of Williams & Goodwin The Property People Ltd, in Anglesey said: “The property market in our areas is showing promising signs of activity, particularly at the lower end. Homes in this bracket are ticking over nicely, keeping the market vibrant and buoyant.”

Anthony Filice, FRICS, of Kelvin Francis Ltd in Cardiff said: “There was a marked increase in listings, viewings and sales agreed across all price ranges, even over £1,000,000. There is a wide choice of properties, and if sensibly priced, are selling well. There is confidence, but it is still a buyers’ market.”

Discussing the rental market, Paul Lucas, FRICS of R.K.Lucas & Son in Haverfordwest added: “Demand for all types of property remains in a dwindling supply. Many landlords are leaving the letting market.”

Regarding the UK picture, Simon Rubinsohn, Chief Economist, RICS, comments: “Feedback to the latest RICS survey demonstrates the sensitivity of the sales market to interest rates at the present time, given the continuing challenge around affordability.

“A modest back up in mortgage pricing has contributed to the flatlining in the buyer enquiries metric over the past month, as well as the slightly more cautious signals around near-term expectations.

“That said, there is still a strong perception that activity in the market will pick up in the latter part of the year and into 2025, irrespective of any political uncertainty around the general election.

“As far as the lettings market is concerned, an increasing number of respondents are also drawing attention to affordability constraints, and this is reflected in a more modest pace of rental growth. But a fundamental problem in the market across much of the country remains the imbalance between demand and supply with new instructions continuing to decline”.

A PACK of dogs which bark persistently in a Pembrokeshire residential area have resulted in a four-figure fine for their owner.

“The lady living in the property beneath has been concerned about the noise for some considerable time,” said solicitor Jill Davies, prosecuting on behalf of Pembrokeshire County Council.  “Sometimes the dogs can be heard barking at two, three and even four o’clock in the morning,” 

As a result, noise abatement notices were served on Catherine Jones, 51, of Northfield Terrace, Robseston Wathen, following numerous visits by Pembrokeshire County Council’s enforcement officers, RSPCA officers and police officers.  But despite the notices, Catherine Jones’s dogs continued to bark.

“The noise abatement notices were served as a result of at least five dogs, possibly as many as seven, barking in a domestic local authority property,” continued Jill Davies.

Last week Jones was found guilty in her absence by Haverfordwest magistrates of five charges of failing to comply with a noise abatement notice under the Environmental Protection Act and three charges of failing to comply with a community protection notice.

This Tuesday, May 7, the matter was brought back to Haverfordwest Magistrates Court for sentencing; once again Catherine Jones failed to attend.

Jones was ordered to pay a total of £1,640, comprising a £440 fine and £1,200 prosecution costs to Pembrokeshire County Council.  An application by the local authority for a criminal behaviour order to be served against Jones was declined by magistrates.

A DOCK man has narrowly avoided a prison sentence following a domestic incident that resulted in a broken vase of flowers.

Police were called to a property in Kavanagh Court, Pembroke Dock, on the night of May 5, following a 999 call from the occupant.

There they discovered Michal Rakowski, 39.

“The complainant was clearly upset and very distressed when viewed on the police body-worn footage,” Crown Prosecutor Abigail Jackson told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

“She had rung 999 to ask the police to come and arrest the defendant,  and a male voice could be heard in the background shouting, ‘F*** you’.

“The whole time that the police were there, she wasn’t looking at them and had her head down.  She was clearly distressed.”

Ms Jackson went on to say that Rakowski and the complainant have been involved in a tempestuous relationship for a considerable length of time.

“There’s a history between the two parties and the domestic situation is continuing between the two of them,” she said.

Rakowski pleaded guilty to a charge of causing criminal damage to the flowers and a vase and appeared before magistrates after being remanded in custody.  This was because the offence had been committed whilst Rakowski was the subject of a community order imposed for a similar offence.

The probation service was present in court and confirmed that the defendant’s engagement with his probation officer has been sporadic.

After considering the facts, magistrates sentenced Rakowski to an 18-month community order during which he must carry out 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 150 hours of unpaid work.  He was also ordered to pay fines and charges totalling £224, including £25 compensation to the complainant.

“Today you’ve come very close to being sent back to custody,” said the presiding magistrates when imposing sentence.

“I want to make it very clear that if you trip up and don’t engage with the probation service, you know what’s going to happen to you.”