More investment not legislation is needed for the private rented sector, says Propertymark. The industry body says the private rented sector remains challenging and the Renters’ Rights Bill must strike “a workable and fair balance” for landlords and tenants. The Bill will abolish Section 21 and introduce Awaab’s Law to the PRS, with the law […]

Hi, I have owned two flats for 19 years, with tenants, and have been paying a maintenance charge to a company who takes care of all communal areas in this development. A large area of this communal land has been put up for sale, with a proposal to build 12 flats, in order to raise […]

House prices in the UK ended 2024 with a year-on-year increase of 3.3%, despite a slight 0.2% dip in December, Halifax reports. It says that the average property value now stands at £297,166. Northern Ireland maintained the strongest property price growth with an annual increase of 7.4%. House prices in Wales rose 4.6%, while Scotland […]

Paragon Bank has introduced a range of limited-edition five-year fixed rate buy to let mortgages featuring attractive rates and flexible fee options. The products offer landlords a choice between nil, 3% and £3,995 arrangement fees. Landlords can also benefit from £750 cashback on selected options. The mortgages are available for both purchase and remortgage up […]

Rents in England dipped again in December, marking the fifth consecutive month of rental cost reductions, according to the Goodlord rental index. This follows a record-breaking summer of price rises. It says that December’s rents were down by nearly 2% month-on-month – that’s much lower than the peak averages recorded in July. However, despite the […]

Scotland’s housing emergency will worsen in 2025 without rent controls, the Green Party says. Along with ‘robust’ rent controls, the Greens also demanded last month that tenants should be protected ‘permanently’ from eviction in the winter months. Also, rent controls would protect tenants from ‘skyrocketing rents’. The party says that homes are ‘not for profiteering’ […]

Hi, I applied for a selective licence back in September, and only now has the council sent the invoice for Part A (£375), which I understand legally covers the ‘admin’ costs for the pre-draft licence assessment. Over Christmas, the tenant has decided to move on so will be gone in 10 days time – the […]

Plans to ban new gas boilers by 2035 will be scrapped, but nearly all homes must install a heat pump. According to the i newspaper, a ban on gas boilers being installed in newly built homes will be confirmed later this year, taking effect before the end of the decade. However, the rule that would […]

Hi, I have been a landlord for nearly two decades and it has been more demanding than my corporate job. For much of my working life, I worked for corporates ending my career at one of the world’s top insurance companies and was credited with their highest internal awards for making savings of tens of […]

The recent rise in annual house price growth which saw prices reach their highest point since November 2022, stands in stark contrast with news of the fastest decline in manufacturing output in 11 months, Knight Frank says. The firm’s head of UK residential research, Tom Bill, says the situation underscores the current economic complexity. Manufacturing […]

There’s a lesson for private sector landlords in England with data showing that Scotland’s buy to let market is collapsing after rent controls were implemented. According to the Daily Telegraph, the number of Scotland’s landlords investing in property has plummeted to a 15-year low. It says data shows that just 5.7% of all homes purchased […]

London’s private rented sector is experiencing a period of moderation, with Chestertons forecasting rent increases of just 1.5% – that’s slightly lower than predicted inflation – in 2025. This follows a year of slower rent growth due to increased supply and mounting financial pressures on tenants. Chestertons says: “With average rents now close to 40% […]

Research reveals that 60% of all homes reaching the market over the past year held an EPC rating of C or above – an increase of 1.6% compared to the previous year. The findings from epIMS, the energy efficiency platform developed for landlords, point to a growing focus on energy performance by buyers, tenants and […]

Young millennials are more likely to own homes than older millennials were at the same age, but rising homeownership rates are largely benefiting wealthier households, research reveals. According to Resolution Foundation, homeownership rates among young people have increased since 2015 but the gap between rich and poor homeowners is widening. Middle and upper-income households have […]

When renting out a property, you need to be careful of several risks. Imagine your property being damaged by a fire, flood, or even a car collision – and worst of all, not having the proper insurance to cover the costs. Here at Property118, we’ve teamed up with The Home Insurer for building insurance that […]

Oh, dear. It’s 2025 and the private rented sector is set for one of its biggest upheavals in years – possibly decades. Landlords are facing unprecedented challenges, thanks to the Renters’ Rights Bill and EPC deadline nonsense, but there’s more for small landlords, in particular, to consider. If you are a tenant reading this, then […]

Estate agents in Scotland sold the most homes in 2024, with next year to be busy due to stamp duty changes. According to GetAgent, Scotland tops the table with 54,428 transactions, accounting for 15% of the national total. The South East sits second with the region having accounted for 14% of all transactions with the […]

Landlords are being warned not to rush into installing heat pumps as a solution to improve their rental properties’ Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs). While the government strongly promotes heat pump adoption, analysis reveals that these systems may not always translate to higher EPC ratings and could significantly increase running costs. The data from the energy […]

The UK’s house prices ended 2024 on a positive note, with a 4.7% increase compared to December 2023, Nationwide reports. It says this growth, while strong, kept prices slightly below the peak reached in the summer of 2022. Despite the ongoing affordability challenges, including high mortgage rates and deposit hurdles, the housing market demonstrated resilience […]

The UK’ property investors will be facing a turbulent year, navigating a complex landscape of economic and political headwinds, one expert predicts. Tom Brown, the managing director of real estate at Ingenious, a specialist investment platform, says: “The rental market is expected to maintain strong momentum as homeownership remains difficult for many. “The discontinuation of […]

Propertymark has collaborated with the Welsh government to produce an in-depth guide on building safety for letting agents operating in Wales. The guide aims to help agents understand the new rules and how they impact freeholders, leaseholders, renters, homebuyers and sellers. The Welsh government is implementing new requirements for multi-occupied residential buildings, regardless of height, […]