Page 119 – Property118
Close-up of a dial being turned to increase rental yield to high levels

Rental yields reach 13-year peak – Paragon

26th February 2025

Private landlords are seeing yields climb to their highest in more than a decade at 6.93%, Paragon Bank reveals. The lender says that the returns recorded in the final quarter of 2024 are the highest yields since March 2011 when it peaked at 7.12%. Paragon’s analysis of its mortgage offers statistics for both purchases and […]

Man looks at an empty piggy bank symbolising rising landlord void costs.

Landlords face surging void costs

26th February 2025

Landlords are facing a steep rise in void costs as the gaps of no rent being paid grow longer and costlier across England. The findings from lettings and estate agency Benham and Reeves reveal a 19% rise in lost rental income when the property is unoccupied. However, landlords in some areas are witnessing a staggering […]

Selective licensing expands across thousands of PRS properties

26th February 2025

Manchester City Council and Gateshead Council have introduced expanded selective licensing schemes targeting thousands of privately rented homes across their regions. The councils say the initiatives aim to ensure safer, better-managed properties while tackling issues like antisocial behaviour and substandard housing. In Manchester, an additional 1,863 flats and houses across six wards – Cheetham, Crumpsall, […]

Business person pointing at a glowing question mark, symbolising uncertainty about leaseholder rights

Have we lost our right to buy the freehold?

26th February 2025

I am a leaseholder in a block of four flats but am selling as I no longer want to be a landlord. The managing agent for the freeholder is awful but the good news is (though a bit late for me) that they want to sell the Freehold. It was offered for the four of […]

Magnifying glass over house icon with percentage sign, symbolising record BTL mortgage options

BTL mortgage options surge to record levels

25th February 2025

The number of buy to let mortgage products available to the UK’s landlords has climbed to an all-time high, Moneyfactscompare.co.uk reveals. It also says that the average two-year fixed rate has dipped over the past six months. The analysis highlights a booming market, with 3,560 deals now on offer — comprising both fixed and variable […]

House under blue umbrella with red “Invalid” stamp showing voided landlord insurance

Landlords face insurance pitfalls as tenant actions could invalidate policies

25th February 2025

Landlords are being warned that their insurance policies could become worthless due to oversights and tenant actions. Specialists from Quotezone.co.uk have pinpointed five frequent blunders that might render landlord insurance null and void, leaving landlords exposed. The insurance platform says that landlords are facing growing issues over profitability which means protecting their assets has never […]

Warning sign with scissors cutting percentage symbol and the word inflation with coins, 2025 Landbay

Mortgage brokers predict just two more interest rate cuts in 2025

25th February 2025

Mortgage advisers have signalled a cautious outlook, anticipating only two more reductions to the base rate in 2025, research reveals. According to Landbay’s research, this shift in expectations emerged shortly after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed a steep climb in inflation to 3% in January. That’s up from 2.5% in the month before […]

Model house with stacked coins and arrows showing property value changes

House prices slide as landlords sell up

25th February 2025

Property values are sliding as landlords sell up low yielding properties in London and the southern counties, one index reveals. According to Home.co.uk’s February asking price index, former rented homes are now flooding the market. That is leading to sellers in Greater London and southern England to cut prices to stand out amid a glut […]

GOV.UK crown logo representing UK government consultation on EPC reforms

Supported Accommodation – Have your say?

25th February 2025

The Government has launched an open consultation (Click Here) seeking views on the implementation of measures in the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023. It focuses on the details of a licensing regime and National Supported Housing Standards and includes content on Housing Benefit. What is Supported Housing?Supported housing is accommodation designed to help people […]

Stamp duty deadline concept with clock, coins and sign on blue background.

Call to extend the stamp duty deadline

25th February 2025

Around 25,000 first-time buyers across England are on course to miss the critical stamp duty deadline of 31 March because their property completions will be in April. That delay will trigger an extra £34 million in tax, Rightmove says, and it wants the government to temporarily extend the deadline. Its analysis shows that nearly 74,000 […]

Person researching mortgage options on a laptop while taking notes

BTL lenders lower rates and boost landlord options

24th February 2025

There has been more activity in the UK’s buy to let lending sector as MT Finance, InterBay and Pluto Finance join the throng of lenders lowering rates. MT Finance has trimmed its BTL mortgage rates by as much as 0.50% across its full suite of products. This includes its newly introduced Tier 2 range, with […]

House outline with EPC rating chart and 2030 energy efficiency target.

Most homes reached EPC C or higher in 2024

24th February 2025

Six out of 10 homes across England and Wales now have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C or above, research reveals. According to epIMS, a platform for landlords to boost energy efficiency, this demonstrates that over the last four years, C has emerged as the predominant EPC rating. And that points to a […]

Portrait of a business leader in suit and tie

Scotland’s tax reliefs and rent control end could boost PRS investment

24th February 2025

Scotland’s tax incentives and the imminent removal of rent caps could trigger a big boost in private rented sector (PRS) funding, one property expert says. David Alexander is the chief executive of the agency DJ Alexander, and he says the decision to scrap rent restrictions next month might unleash a wave of pent-up investor enthusiasm. […]

Woman in red dress smiling while seated in an office chair.

Rent growth slows for new tenancies – but renewal prices soar

24th February 2025

The pace of rent rises for new tenancies has dropped, with average monthly payments climbing by just 1.8% in January compared to the previous year, Hamptons reveals. Its data also shows that this is the smallest rise since October 2020 to mark 18 months of continuous easing. For tenants signing new leases, the typical cost […]

Map of Australia with colourful pins marking property investment locations

Residential property investing in Australia for my son?

24th February 2025

I have a UK property investment Ltd Company and I plan to invest in some residential Australian property. My son has lived in Australia for the last 15 years and I plan to build a portfolio around him that he can inherit. I would appreciate any advice as to the best structure to establish in […]

Professional woman in office representing landlord compliance and referencing services

Goodlord unveils essential referencing enhancements for landlords

24th February 2025

Goodlord has rolled out two big updates to its PRO Referencing service to meet strict new rules which come into force from May. The tech firm says the enhancements, dubbed ID Upgrade and Automated Sanctions Checks, aim to bolster compliance and simplify processes as new rules approach. From 14 May, letting agents must verify if […]

Paper house split in two with a question mark on green background

Can I split a freehold title but keep both halves?

24th February 2025

Hello, I’m purchasing a detached freehold building. One half (as in split down the middle to the ground) is tenanted. The other half is vacant and just a shell – because of this a normal buy-to-let mortgage won’t suffice. I’m wanting to purchase as is, then split the title to form 2 separate freeholds. When […]

Stressed landlord with paperwork folders, Landlord Sales Agency message “Let us help you”

Fed up with the hassle of selling, dealing with certifications, and tenant evictions? We’ve got the perfect solution

21st February 2025

Landlords know the score – it’s tough out there. With numerous articles on Property118 about landlords rushing to sell before Section 21 is abolished and the upcoming EPC C changes, staying in the market is becoming even more challenging. Landlords may be thinking, enough is enough and considering selling but selling tenanted properties isn’t easy […]

Knight-themed Landlord Crusader logo symbolizing landlord advocacy

Why the victimisation of landlords shames everyone

21st February 2025

Reading the news on Property118 about tenants getting a new platform to make complaints made my heart sink. The PRS is undergoing a seismic shift, and landlords are increasingly being cast as the villains in a narrative that seems to ignore our rights and struggles. With the Renters’ Rights Bill steaming ahead with its landlords’ […]

Tenant on phone looking at mould on ceiling, asking for help

Aggressive tenant demanding compensation for mould?

21st February 2025

My tenants are demanding compensation for mould in the kitchen and have contacted Environmental Health, Citizens Advice Bureau, Shelter and a solicitor. He has sent a correspondence letter from a doctor stating that he “is suffering due to damp and mould in the home with respiratory issues and a cough” and has said he wants […]

Falling dominoes knocking into a house with the words "Time for Action".

Call for government action as landlord numbers slide

21st February 2025

The Welsh government is being urged to implement fresh strategies to boost the availability of homes in the private rented sector as landlord numbers fall. The call is being made by Propertymark which points to new figures from Rent Smart Wales. It reveals that 17 out of 22 local authorities in Wales recorded fewer landlords […]