The Housing Ombudsman has sounded the alarm on a deepening crisis in England’s social housing sector which could lead to ‘social disquiet’. The warning comes after a revelation of a staggering 474% increase in complaints about substandard living conditions in social housing. The findings, detailed in the Ombudsman’s latest Spotlight report, ‘Repairing Trust’, expose systemic […]

First-time buyers are vanishing from the market due to stamp duty changes, according to new data. Research by Alto reveals a 55% drop in offers from first-time buyers this quarter compared to the same time last year. In April, the government cut stamp duty relief for first-time buyers, reducing the tax-free threshold from £425,000 to […]

The John Lewis Partnership (JLP) has won its appeal to redevelop its Waitrose store in west Ealing, paving the way for 428 new homes, including 83 affordable rentals. The project is part of JLP’s strategy to optimise its property assets to deliver much-needed housing – an issue which helped the government inspector to give approval. […]

Labour has confirmed that landlords can pass the cost of mandatory EPC upgrades onto tenants – which could see renters paying £4,000 a year more, the Daily Telegraph reports. Despite the Energy Secretary Ed Miliband’s insistence that landlords will not put up rents to pay for the EPC costs, a minister says landlords have grounds […]

One in three landlords (32%) is either uncertain about the validity of their Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) or they lack a valid one entirely, putting them at risk of substantial fines, research reveals. Direct Line business insurance says the potential penalty for non-compliance is £30,000. Since June 2020, the Electrical Safety Standards in the […]

Members of the Senedd have accused the Welsh government of “piggybacking” on the Renters’ Rights Bill. They warn that by allowing Westminster to legislate on renters’ rights in Wales, a policy area that is devolved, the Welsh government is avoiding scrutiny. The Renters Rights Bill makes changes to two housing laws that were already passed […]

An industry body has slammed the Scottish government for failing to offer pro-growth policies to tackle the housing emergency. Propertymark says investment in the private rented sector is key to tackling Scotland’s housing emergency. The news comes after the Scottish government announced more funding for new social homes and homelessness prevention. £4 million of homelessness […]

A surge in Build-to-Rent (BTR) investment has propelled the sector to new heights, with a 50% rise in funding over the past year, research reveals. According to Property Inspect’s latest findings, the first quarter of 2025 saw £832 million being invested in BTR. That’s a 49.9% jump from £555 million in Q1 2024 and follows […]

If you’re serious about building your property portfolio, there’s one skill that will make more difference than anything else: Knowing how to find profitable deals – in any area, or any budget That means finding property opportunities that already have built-in profit. That attracts funding. That move fast, even if you don’t have a large […]

I am a shared Freeholder (5 of us), and there are currently roofing works and some remedial brickwork repairs going on. They need to access a neighbouring garden in order to finish the works. The owner at first gave permission (verbally) but now is threating to call the police if anybody tries to enter her […]

Research by Leaders Romans Group (LRG) reveals that 53% of tenants are poised to contest rent rises as the Renters’ Rights Bill advances through Parliament. The legislation, which introduces a tribunal process for appealing above-market rent increases, has sparked a shift in tenant confidence, with 28% of renters stating they are ‘very likely’ to challenge […]

Enforcement teams from a London council’s private housing services have carried out door-to-door inspections in targeted areas. Their mission was to identify unlicensed properties, offer waste management guidance and address residents’ concerns about anti-social behaviour. The team also checked homes were free from serious health or safety risks. The operation was carried out by Brent […]

Scottish Greens are aiming to make it easier for tenants in private rentals to keep pets and assistance animals – and if landlords don’t reply to a tenant’s request, approval will be given automatically. The party’s amendments to the forthcoming Housing (Scotland) Bill, would also see a tenant wanting a service or assistance pet NOT […]

We have received two Notices of Enforcement for unpaid council tax, which came as a complete shock, as at no point did we receive any bills or a court summons, so we had no knowledge of the debt as they have been sending documents to the wrong address. The notices of enforcement state that a […]

Hi, I am hoping to get some advice following the purchase of a flat. I bought my flat last year, and the day after the exchange, I went in and noticed a load of damp which wasn’t there during visits. I ended up completing the purchase as I couldn’t afford to lose my deposit. I […]

A new proposal could compel landlords in Wales to submit detailed rent information to Rent Smart Wales (RSW), as part of an effort to enhance transparency in the private rented sector. The recommendation has emerged from the Welsh government’s final evaluation of RSW, the licensing and registration authority tasked with elevating housing standards. The evaluation […]

Social housing landlords are still failing to carry out emergency repairs, despite new legislation coming into force. Starting in October, Awaab’s Law will require all social housing landlords to fix dangerous damp and mould within set timeframes, and to complete emergency repairs within 24 hours. However, a report by the Housing Ombudsman reveals that many […]

Peterborough and Mansfield councils are the latest councils to either unveil plans to introduce licensing schemes targeting private rented properties or are implementing them. In Peterborough, a city-wide additional licensing scheme is under consideration to improve conditions in HMOs. A public consultation is running until 31 July with the aim of seeking input from tenants, […]

Are you a landlord who’s finding it harder to stay in the market? The Sunday Times is working on a piece about how new rules and tax hikes are making it trickier for landlords to manage, and whether now is the time to “stick or twist.” The Sunday Times is looking to speak with landlords […]

More buy to let lenders are rolling out changes to their BTL and commercial mortgage offerings, increasing loan sizes, reducing rates and introducing tailored products. Together has expanded its commercial loan offerings, boosting maximum loan sizes to £5 million for commercial term products, with loan-to-value (LTV) ratios set at 70% for purchases and 65% for […]

Propertymark is warning the government to scrap the proposed £15,000 cost cap for exemptions on energy-efficiency upgrades, saying it will push many landlords out of the market. The industry body says the government must not avoid “a one-size fits all approach” for EPC targets due to the number of older properties in the private rented […]