Recent headlines have exposed a troubling gap between the standards demanded of private landlords and the realities of council-run housing. This is not about singling out individuals but about calling out a glaring double standard. While the upcoming Renters’ Rights Bill (RRB) aims to introduce significant protections for tenants, it also shows the need for […]

As a housing professional of almost 30 years, including as a housing options / Homeless Officer for a number of local authorities nationwide, Liverpool Council’s announcement is actually deeply insulting! Liverpool Council have contributed to the ever-increasing numbers of homelessness in the city by failing to comply with the STATUTORY duties under the Homeless Reduction […]

From One Deal, Three Outcomes: How a Strategic Investor Used Mixed-Use SDLT, Lease Restructuring, and a SSAS to Build Long-Term Value Structuring smarter: one transaction, three assets, and a long-term legacy Seeing Potential Others Missed When James spotted a mixed-use freehold property for sale, comprising a house, a high-street hair salon, and a flat already […]

I need help to get my property back from the Rent Guarantee Company. The lease agreement has ended today 09/08/2025, and I had given them 2 years notice to hand it back to me, although our lease agreement stipulated only 1 years notice. However, they now claim that the tenant did not respond to their […]

A new landlord pet damage policy has been launched to provide financial protection for landlords against damage caused by tenants’ pets. The provider, Total Landlord Insurance, says the move is in response to the upcoming Renters’ Rights Bill. The bill will give tenants the right to keep pets in rental properties, with landlords only able […]

One in five of the new buy to let incorporated companies established this year are owned by non-UK nationals, research reveals. According to Hamptons, this is a big rise from 13% in 2016, with the proportion of foreign shareholders increasing in nine of the past 10 years. Indian investors lead the charge, followed closely by […]

Over the past 19 months, I have suffered severe financial and personal hardship as a landlord due to systemic failings by County Court and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Renting my only property to a Universal Credit tenant in good faith, I faced £31,000 in unpaid rent, property damage, and over a year […]

One of the largest housing associations in the UK has come under fire after residents allege they have had to endure pest-infested flats. Residents claim for several months, Southern Housing struggled to deal with bed-bug infestations, with many blaming it for acting too late to tackle the problem. However, the housing association told Property118 they […]

A landlord association has slammed North Lincolnshire Council (NLC) for “unfairly punishing responsible landlords with selective licensing” while ignoring the issues being caused by criminal landlords in the area. Scunthorpe Landlords Association launched a legal challenge against the council earlier this year to stop the scheme. However, this was unsuccessful and in a council meeting, […]

Three major UK lenders have rolled out updates to their buy to let and specialist mortgage offerings, providing landlords with fresh opportunities to expand their portfolios. Fleet Mortgages, Foundation Home Loans and Dudley Building Society have each announced new products, reduced rates and enhanced loan structures tailored to diverse borrower needs. Fleet has introduced two […]

A confident move towards retirement income, legacy planning, and structured success. A Quiet Confidence Is Turning Louder For years, many landlords held back, unsure whether interest rates, regulation, or sentiment would swing back in their favour. Now, with the Bank of England reducing interest rates to 4% and lenders actively pricing to attract buy-to-let and […]

Why buying six properties is often cheaper than buying three Non-resident investors face some of the highest rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) when purchasing residential property in the UK. As of 2025, the following surcharges apply: Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADR) of 5% Non-Resident Surcharge (NRS) of 2% These surcharges apply in addition to […]

Rushanara Ali, the homelessness minister, has stepped down from her role following allegations of her handling of a rental property in east London, Downing Street has confirmed. The controversy arose when Ms Ali, a key figure in promoting the Renters’ Rights Bill, was accused of raising the rent on her property after ending a tenancy, […]

The impending Renters’ Rights Bill looks like it will have a huge impact on the PRS and it leaves, one industry expert says, landlords grappling with a choice. Should they manage rented properties themselves or recruit professional agents to navigate the complexities? With the legislation expected to become law later this year, it promises sweeping […]

The UK’s property values edged up in July, marking the biggest monthly increase this year, Halifax reveals. It says that the average home now costs £298,237, a 0.4% rise from June’s £297,157, translating to an extra £1,080. Over the past year, prices have grown by 2.4%, slightly down from June’s 2.7%. Mortgage rates are easing […]

A new project in partnership with Prince William to provide affordable homes for young people aims to “act as a bridge between supported accommodation and the private rented sector.” As the Duchy of Cornwall, Prince William owns land at 60 Sancroft Street in Vauxhall, where 16 independent living homes will be created for young people […]

More than one in five privately rented properties in England, which is around 1.027 million homes, could be classified as illegal under the Decent Homes Standard, a study reveals. According to Inventory Base, its analysis, based on government figures, reveals that these homes fail to meet the Decent Homes Standard (DHS), which is part of […]

Three buy to let lenders have unveiled fresh initiatives to attract landlords and commercial property investors, each bringing distinct offerings to a competitive market.  Landbay has boosted its Summer Special range by introducing five product transfer options and trimming rates by up to 0.10%. These deals, available for limited companies, cater to standard properties with […]

A think tank claims that Right-to-Buy has become “England’s biggest housing disaster”, costing taxpayers £200 billion. A report by the think tank Common Wealth reveals that since 1980, nearly two million (1.94 million) council homes in England have been sold under the Right-to-Buy scheme. The flagship policy, launched by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the […]

James and Sarah had never planned to become large-scale landlords. Their first buy-to-let was meant to be a side project to generate a little passive income alongside James’s consultancy work. One property became two, then three, and over two decades, the business grew quietly in the background until it had reached a scale neither of […]

The Bank of England has announced an interest rate cut to the lowest level in two years, despite concerns about rising inflation and a weakening economy. The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted by a majority of 5-4 to reduce the Bank Base Rate by 0.25% to a total rate of 4%. In […]