Page 120 – Property118
London skyline with Tower Bridge, Foxtons and Chestertons logos, and rising housing market graphic

London’s rental market bounces back

21st February 2025

London’s private rented sector saw a revival in January with two leading agents seeing a strong performance. Foxtons says that tenant interest surged by 83% since December, while Chestertons says that tenants making offers jumped by a third. According to Foxtons, its lettings market index also reveals that the number of available rental properties rose […]

Manchester city centre crowned top UK buy to let location by Aldermore

Manchester crowned top BTL investment city as London plummets

21st February 2025

Manchester has reclaimed its position as the UK’s prime location for buy to let investments, according to Aldermore’s annual Buy to Let City Tracker. Glasgow and Coventry secured second and third spots, respectively, while Wigan experienced a massive surge, climbing 21 places to fourth. However, London plummeted to 32nd – a huge drop of 27 […]

House with sold sign and landlords walking away, Goodlord branding

Landlords with smaller portfolios are the most likely to sell

21st February 2025

One in four landlords are considering selling part or all of their portfolio, according to a new poll. A snap poll of more than 900 landlords and letting agents by Goodlord during a Renters’ Rights Bill webinar found that 26% of landlords are thinking about selling some or all of their portfolio. This marks a […]

Graph showing rising rent debt with a piggy bank and upward arrow

Landlord average arrears rise above £2,500

21st February 2025

Landlords face growing financial risk as the average rent debt has jumped to £2,597, a 44% surge in a year, research reveals. Reposit, a deposit alternative provider, has found that with a typical cash deposit of £1,228, there’s a potential arrears bill deficit of £1,369 – the highest recorded. While arrears have risen, the proportion […]

Leasehold complaint submitted to the Property Ombudsman

Property Ombudsman sees spike in leasehold complaints

21st February 2025

The Property Ombudsman received a 67% increase in complaints about residential leasehold, mainly concerning service charges. The Property Ombudsman received more than 6,000 enquiries related to leasehold and investigated 1,313 cases in 2024. The professional body has now launched a guide with the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to support leaseholders with service charge disputes and […]

Person standing on cliff edge with falling house graphic, symbolising PRS crisis and landlords selling

PRS crisis deepens as landlords sell – NRLA

20th February 2025

A critical housing shortage is impacting renters across England and Wales, with research revealing a widening gap between supply and demand. A study commissioned by the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), found that 77% of landlords experienced substantial tenant interest during the last quarter of 2024. Demand was highest in South West England (81%), followed […]

Burning percentage sign with “New” label promoting Fleet Mortgages and Molo buy-to-let rate deals

BTL mortgage market heats up with new deals

20th February 2025

The buy to let mortgage landscape is becoming increasingly competitive, with new tracker and fixed rate products launched by Fleet Mortgages and Molo Finance. Other BTL lenders, including Paragon Bank, Aldermore and Together have all also lowered rates. Fleet Mortgages has introduced two-year tracker mortgages across its standard, limited company and HMO/multi-unit block offerings. Standard […]

Red house surrounded by floating cash with bold text “Rent Arrears

Renters’ Rights Bill sparks rent arrears fear

20th February 2025

There will be another rise in tenant rent arrears due to the Renters’ Reform Bill after a jump in numbers over the past year, FCC Paragon says. The tenant referencing firm’s analysis reveals an estimated 235,837 PRS households in England struggled with rent payments during 2023/24, that’s a 3.2% rise from the previous year. The […]

My Housing Issue platform logo with magnifying glass and warning symbol.

Tenants get new platform to complain about landlords

20th February 2025

A new online platform designed to simplify the process of holding landlords accountable has been launched in Parliament. The ‘My Housing Issue’ Gateway, created by the TDS Charitable Foundation, will guide tenants on where to report housing-related problems. The foundation’s research reveals that half of private renters are unsure where to seek assistance when landlords […]

2025 property price predictions with rising green arrow, glowing house icon, and cash in hand.

2025 Property Prices Revealed: What You Need to Know

20th February 2025

Discover everything you need to know about 2025 property prices! In this video, Ranjan Bhattacharya reveals expert insights into the property market, upcoming trends, and the key factors shaping property investment this year. Stay informed and ahead of the curve with actionable strategies you can use today. Here’s what you’ll learn: How 2025 property prices […]

Row of Belfast HMOs with “Know Your Rights” text and Belfast City Council logo

Council urges tenants to know their HMO rights

20th February 2025

Belfast City Council is urging potential tenants to understand their rights and responsibilities when looking to rent a house of multiple occupancy (HMO) – which includes respecting their neighbours. In Belfast, all HMOs must be licensed to ensure safety, quality and proper management. Since 2019, landlords must obtain a license for each HMO they own, […]

ONS graphic showing house prices rising and rents slowing with arrows.

UK rent growth slows as house prices continue rising – ONS

20th February 2025

Private rent prices across the UK saw a slight dip in their annual growth rate, while house values continued to climb, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals. Its data shows that the average rent rose by 8.7% in the year to January 2025. That’s a drop from the 9% growth recorded in the 12 […]

Businessman stacking gold coins to symbolise financial growth and savings.

Aldermore Bank’s multi property portfolio mortgage product saves time and money

19th February 2025

Aldermore’s new proposition helps a portfolio landlord to refinance, cut remortgaging costs, simplify the Direct Debit management and manage the LTV across all assets. Submitting multi property buy to let portfolios on one application is ideal for individual and company landlords who want the convenience of managing their portfolio on one mortgage account. Up to […]

Mariam Radi named Young Property Investor of the Year at the Property Investors Awards 2024

Property Investors Awards winner Mariam Radi

19th February 2025

From being inspired by her mum, to finding her feet in the property world and turning deals into a profit, Mariam Radi’s journey into property has now seen her win three Property Investors Awards. Despite the challenges, she’s faced, she’s proven that persistence pays off. How Mariam’s property journey began Mariam’s interest in property began […]

Businessman entering a bright open door labelled buy to let, symbolising first-time landlord opportunities.

Fintech firm opens doors to first-time buy to let investors

19th February 2025

Offa, an Islamic property finance technology firm, has unveiled a series of revised criteria for its Sharia-compliant buy to let (BTL) financing. The changes include welcoming first-time buyers, lowering the minimum age of applicants to 18, and reducing the minimum income requirement to £18,000. Affordability assessments have also been streamlined. Sharia-compliant home finance The Sharia-compliant […]

Croydon Council official stamping documents for housing regulation

London council looks to reintroduce selective licensing

19th February 2025

A London council has revealed that it is looking to reintroduce a selective licensing scheme for rented homes in its borough. This will, the council claims, tackle ‘rogue landlords’. Croydon Council says a scheme will ‘support good landlords’ and protect tenants from inadequate housing and better regulate the sector. Its initiative follows a year of […]

Couple dreaming of homeownership with rising housing costs shown by blue pound arrow.

Renters struggle with rising costs – but dream of home ownership

19th February 2025

The UK’s renters are facing increasing financial pressures, with more than half (51%) pointing to escalating property prices as a major obstacle to homeownership, according to Barclays. The number of tenants struggling to save for a deposit (44%) has also risen since December. Despite these challenges, 23% of renters aspire to buy a property by […]

Confused couple with moving boxes and Scottish flag, highlighting tenant issues in Scotland’s rental sector

Scottish PRS reforms ‘fail to empower tenants’

19th February 2025

Private rented sector reforms in Scotland are not effectively empowering tenants to challenge substandard landlord practices, a survey reveals. SafeDeposits Scotland Charitable Trust found a majority of renters experience issues with their properties, yet few use the established Tribunal process to resolve disputes. The organisation, which promotes housing rights education, polled 1,000 renters across Scotland. […]

halifax first time buyer surge

First-time buyers surge but stamp duty changes loom

19th February 2025

The number of first-time buyers stepping onto the property ladder has surged, according to Halifax. Data from Halifax shows that the number of first-time buyers has risen by 19% in 2024 compared to 2023. The average age of a first-time buyer in 2024 is 33 years old, two years older than it was 10 years […]

Judge’s gavel striking block with Sonder appeal announcement

Rent to Serviced Accommodation Upper Tier Tribunal decision appealed by Sonder

18th February 2025

The Rent to Serviced Accommodation (R2SA) Upper Tier Tribunal decision appealed by Sonder is leaving hundreds of operators in a quandary of what to do next. When the UK legislatures transcribed yet another EU VAT directive many moons ago, they would not have conceived of Section 24 and certainly would not have imagined that training […]