First-time buyers face tough market conditions as mortgage payments surge, according to new data. Research by Rightmove reveals first-time buyers are paying £350 more each month compared to five years ago. The average monthly mortgage payment on a typical first-time buyer property, a two-bedroom or fewer home, is now £940 compared to £590 in 2020, […]

Property values across Scotland have surged dramatically, climbing more than a quarter since 2020, research reveals. DJ Alexander Ltd, the nation’s largest lettings firm, reveals that there was a leap in average house prices from £147,731 in January 2020 to £188,807 in December 2024. That’s a rise of £41,076 or 27.8%. While that’s an average, […]

There has been an increase in smaller letting agencies looking to offload their businesses ahead of the upcoming Renters’ Rights Bill, one firm says. According to Spicerhaart, a leading national estate agency group, it says it has seen a flood of enquiries from smaller firms eager to sell amidst growing uncertainty. The upcoming legislation – […]

The Mortgage Lender (TML) and Fleet Mortgages have unveiled fresh buy to let offerings for landlords, including first-time landlord investor deals. TML has rolled out improved buy to let products with an 80% loan-to-value (LTV) option, alongside updates to its First-Time Landlord (FTL) guidelines and lower rates across various BTL deals. Meanwhile, Fleet Mortgages has […]

A surge in landlords offloading their properties has sparked alarm as data shows that the share of former rental homes hitting the market leaping nearly 50% compared to last year. According to ThisisMoney.co.uk, the sell-off is being driven by stricter regulations, soaring mortgage costs and rising taxes. The upcoming Renters’ Rights Bill is also predicted […]

North Herts Council has launched a Tenants’ Charter, designed as a resource for tenants and landlords, detailing their responsibilities and offering help with disputes. The charter aims to guarantee that all rented properties remain safe, liveable and up to standard. Under the charter, landlords must address tenant grievances within a fortnight — or faster in […]

Two industry bodies are calling for mandatory gas safety checks in rented properties to be upgraded. The Heating and Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC) and the Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA) say gas safety checks should include a full service of appliances and check on the efficiency of heating systems. Currently, the annual gas safety checks […]

Rents in England climbed in February, with the Goodlord Rental Index reporting a noticeable upswing in tenant interest as void lengths shrank across all tracked areas. The firm suggests this could signal a bustling spring season ahead for the private rented sector (PRS). The index, which examines tens of thousands of fresh tenancy agreements each […]

It’s a tough decision to make: should you hold on to your properties, hoping to recover your portfolio back to the golden era of profits? Or is the market well and truly dead? If you’re a landlord who’s been thinking about this over the last year, you’re going to want to keep reading. Many changes […]

The Labour government claim they do not support rent controls, but say the Renters’ Rights Bill will not cause landlords to leave. Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, Lords Minister for Housing and Local Government, made these comments during a debate in the House of Lords on the private rented sector and affordable rents. An impact assessment […]

The Energy Minister Miatta Fahnbulleh has been pressed for greater transparency and extended timelines to meet the government’s ambitious energy efficiency targets for the PRS. The call was made by the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) in the first of four planned discussions. The meetings are bringing together industry voices to scrutinise proposals demanding rented […]

Northern Ireland’s councils have taken control of the Landlord Registration Scheme which should boost housing oversight, the communities minister says. Launched in February 2014, the initiative established a central database capturing details of private landlords, ensuring access to current and precise property data. The communities minister, Gordon Lyons, said: “When I launched the Executive Housing […]

The pace of the UK’s rent rises is at the slowest in three and a half years – while demand continues to increase, Zoopla reports. Its figures reveal that average rents for newly let properties have risen by a modest 3% in the past 12 months. That’s a big drop from the 7.4% surge recorded […]

Labour has announced an initiative to dismantle the country’s leasehold system with its Commonhold White Paper. The landmark move aims to revolutionise property ownership across the UK by revitalising commonhold, a system set to replace leasehold as the standard for flat buyers. Under these sweeping changes, new leasehold flats will soon be prohibited, fulfilling a […]

A new group for commercial property agents has launched to “fix the broken commercial property industry.” The Experts Group’s self-employed model, called The Commercial Property Experts, will provide agents with training, marketing, and technology. The group aims to build a network of 100 experienced commercial property experts across the country. Sector hasn’t changed in decades […]

Leaseholders in mixed-use developments will gain greater authority over their properties under the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 which takes effect from today (Monday 3 March). One key change, outlined in Section 49, adjusts the non-residential threshold for Right to Manage (RTM) claims, broadening eligibility. Previously capped at 25%, the commercial portion of a […]

Government statistics reveal a rise in the number of tenants facing Section 21 evictions – though the number of households at risk of homelessness fell by 1.3%. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) data reveals that 6,800 households were threatened with homelessness due to a Section 21 eviction notice between July and […]

Members of the House of Lords have proposed several amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill. Founder of the Big Issue, Lord John Bird, wants the Labour government to abolish Section 21 ‘no-fault evictions’ as soon as the Bill becomes law. However, other members of the House of Lords have tabled amendments which could allow smaller […]

Propertymark is carrying out a survey to understand the effects of recent leasehold changes on leaseholders and estate agents across England and Wales. Along with Leasehold Knowledge Partnership and the National Leasehold Campaign, it is highlighting the challenges facing the leasehold system. In 2018, Propertymark’s groundbreaking report, ‘Leasehold: A Life Sentence?‘, laid bare the struggles […]

The current government is pushing ahead with policy that results in added complexity unfairness and higher costs for tenants, those it purports to champion. I will give three examples driving costs for tenants and reducing rental housing stock. 1. Having different rules around tax for company or personal ownership of property creates an unlevel playing […]

Hello any advice please on how to tackle a leak affecting my tenants which is coming from a tenanted property next door? We have noticed the leak because a wall needed replastering (what we now know to be because of this damp) and a section won’t dry. We got a damp expert in who said […]