The government hints tenants could be awarded compensation of £25,000 under the PRS Ombudsman Scheme. Under the Renters’ Rights Act, the PRS Ombudsman scheme will provide quick, fair, impartial and binding resolution for tenants’ complaints about their landlord. However, as previously reported by Property118, Peers have warned the scheme could drive landlords out of the […]

The government claims it’s better “to spend taxpayer’s cash building new homes than subsidising buy to let landlords”. In a speech to the Lloyds Social Housing Forum, Housing Secretary Steve Reed claimed Right to Buy has led to taxpayers subsidising private landlords by paying housing benefit on homes that taxpayers also paid to build. The […]

The Lloyds house price index, formerly the Halifax index, shows the average UK property price rose by 0.2% in June to £299,330, after a 0.2% fall in May. Annual price growth also moved up slightly, from +0.5% in May to +0.6% in June, while prices over the latest quarter were down -0.4%. The increase was […]

Buy to let tracker mortgages are back on the agenda for landlords weighing up whether to stay flexible rather than lock into another fixed rate. Landbay has launched five new BTL product transfer tracker products across its Core and Specialist buy to let ranges, with no early repayment charges on any of the new deals. […]

As the private rented sector increasingly heads towards professionalisation, there’s a growing need for better portfolio and specialist buy to let lending. Research from Pegasus Insight says the average landlord portfolio has risen to 7.3 properties as more investors look to boost their portfolio size. The firm’s latest Landlord Trends report also found that 21% […]

The build-to-rent sector is showing no signs of slowing, with new research pointing to continued expansion. Data from Zero Deposit suggests investment in the sector remains strong, as it continues to draw in investors and fuel demand for purpose-built student accommodation. Property management firm Touchstone says the sector is set to keep growing, especially now […]

Less than 2% of private rented homes are affordable to people on housing benefit, as charities call on the government to unfreeze Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates. Data from Zoopla reveals that fewer than two in 100 private rental properties listed across Britain (1.9%) are now affordable for people receiving housing benefit. The average gap […]

Most landlords understand that the abolition of Section 21 has fundamentally changed the possession process. What many don’t yet appreciate is that another challenge may become increasingly common as more landlords rely on Section 8 grounds for possession: disability discrimination. According to barrister Sonia Rai, speaking with Paul Shamplina of Landlord Action, in the article […]

The Mayor of London has announced measures to tackle overheating in homes. Sadiq Khan has unveiled the Heat Ready London plan, which will require new-build homes to be designed to reduce the risk of overheating The news comes as landlords will need to meet EPC C targets by 2030. One million homes at risk of […]

The head of a landlord association has hit back at the accusation of “greedy landlords clinging on to tenants’ money” through deposits. An article in the Big Issue by Generation Rent claims landlords can make “unreasonable deductions to encourage renters to settle so they can get back at least some of their money sooner.” However, […]

Mandatory right to rent checks for registered digital verification will come into force on 1 October. The government has announced that secondary legislation introduced this week will make it mandatory for landlords who opt to carry out Right to Rent checks electronically to use a registered digital verification provider (RtR DVSP). Right to Rent rules […]

The Scottish government has officially launched its First Homes Fund to help first-time buyers. Under the scheme, it offers first-time buyers a £10,000 contribution towards a deposit, which can be used to buy any property with a value of up to £300,000. The Scottish government claims more than 2,000 households could be supported to take […]

Rents continue to rise as government legislation puts pressure on landlords, according to new research. Data by Aldermore reveal two out of three renters are paying more rent than expected as tenant demand continues to surge. The news comes as the Renters’ Rights Act came into force on 1 May 2026. Surge in tenant demand […]

The buy-to-let market has become harder to justify for small landlords as demand across the UK continues to fall, according to new research. Data from estate agent emoov shows online searches for “buy-to-let landlord” have dropped sharply, with only one UK city recording an increase in interest. The figures come after the Renters’ Rights Act […]

The government has hinted at giving councils more powers to clamp down on short-term lets and second homes. In response to a written parliamentary question, Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook confirmed the government was considering “additional powers” for councils to tackle the pressures created by short-term lets and second homes. The news comes as MPs have […]

Private landlords must take action and work with councils to prevent fly-tipping, claim MPs. MPs claimed that landlords tackling fly-tipping will help prevent areas from becoming “dumping grounds” and make it easier for landlords to rent their properties. During a debate on the impact of fly-tipping in residential areas, MPs say landlords must work with […]

The government claims financial support is available to landlords to meet EPC targets. In answer to a written parliamentary question, the government claim they want to expand the availability of private finance options to help landlords meet energy-efficiency targets. The government has announced all private rented properties will need to meet EPC C targets by […]

Hello Everyone, We received our tenant’s notice letter on 30th June, and they are flying out of the country on 5th July! Instead of paying the full two months’ notice period rent, they are demanding that we return their deposit, minus just five days’ rent for this month! We are trying very hard to find […]

Shelter claims workers are suffering sleepless nights over housing costs. Research by the housing charity claims more than half (53%) of working people in England say the cost of housing has made them feel anxious in the last six months. The news comes as Shelter and HSBC have renewed their partnership for a further two […]

Rental inflation has hit its highest level in two years, with a firm blaming the Renters’ Rights Act for the rise. Goodlord’s latest rental index shows June recorded the highest year-on-year rental inflation since August 2024, rising to 6.5% after holding at a 10-month low in April and May. Average rents in June also rose […]

A housing coalition is calling on the next Prime Minister to introduce rent controls to help tackle the cost-of-living crisis. The Renters’ Reform Coalition says a cap on rents would help make housing more affordable while allowing the government to increase housing benefit each year. The call comes after Keir Starmer resigned as Prime Minister, […]