Square Mile: The best ways to spot attractive property funds

Judging of property fund has become more challenging in recent years

Property funds were the biggest investment casualties of the Brexit vote two years ago and, with the exit date looming - not to mention the rise of online retailing and its impact on the British high street - it would seem the sector is facing headwinds.

Against this backdrop, investors will want to assess how these funds have performed and ensure they are performing as expected. In recent years, however, the task of judging property funds has become more challenging. The IPD UK index, which is the standard benchmark for most property funds, is no longer available from data providers such as FE or Bloomberg - unless you pay a large licencing fee to the IPD that many investors and their advisers cannot justify. The benchmark also has its flaws as it represents all of the property transactions over a given period. It is impossible for a fu...