The government has claimed there is “no one-size-fits-all” approach for landlords when determining whether a tenancy is suitable, despite measures being introduced to tackle discrimination in the PRS. In a written parliamentary answer, Labour peer Baroness Taylor of Stevenage claimed the government have taken action to stop rental discrimination. Under the Renters’ Rights Act, it […]

Two stories this week caught my landlord eye, and they deserve to sit side by side for a closer analysis, because nobody in the housing debate seems willing to put them there. For years, landlords (especially me) have warned that punishing the private rented sector (PRS) would backfire on the very people policymakers claim to […]

Landlords could face higher costs and a further squeeze on housing supply if the incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham turns to property and personal assets to fund new policies. The warning comes from David Alexander, the chief executive of DJ Alexander Scotland, who is urging Mr Burnham to proceed cautiously amid discussion of wealth taxes, […]

England’s councils are collecting only a fraction of fines issued for landlord offences, even as local authority inspection numbers grow. The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) says councils are carrying out more checks under the Housing, Health and Safety Rating System. However, the collection of financial penalties continues to lag. Responsible landlords ‘clobbered’ The NRLA’s […]

Leaseholders remain trapped by rising costs and are unable to sell their homes, despite the government’s Leasehold and Freehold Act. Propertymark’s leasehold still a life sentence report reveals that progress on leasehold reform has been slow, with estate agents continuing to struggle to sell leasehold properties. The news comes as the government has announced further […]

Buy to let lending rose during the first three months of 2026, with landlords securing 58,272 new loans worth £10.8 billion, data from UK Finance reveals. Even with higher BTL borrowing costs, both figures were higher than a year earlier. UK Finance said the number of advances increased by 3.26% compared with the first quarter […]

With the Renters’ Rights Act, Making Tax Digital and tougher Right to Rent checks, landlords could be forgiven for thinking everything is becoming more complicated. Every new rule, deadline or compliance requirement can feel like another problem to deal with, and for landlords already thinking about scaling down or leaving the sector, selling a buy-to-let […]

More than 850,000 properties have left the private rented sector in the last decade as small landlords struggle with the Renters’ Rights Act, according to new data. Findings by TwentyEA reveal one in five homes that were rented at some point in the last 10 years have since been sold and not returned to the […]

Advertised rents have reached record highs in London and the rest of Great Britain after the number of available homes fell below last year’s level for the first time since 2022. Rightmove says the average advertised rent outside the capital rose by 1.9% during the second quarter to £1,397 a month, the first quarterly record […]

A barrister has warned that England’s new £7,000 disrepair fines may do little to reduce the number of housing claims brought against landlords. Jeffrey Zitron says limited council resources and continued reliance on existing complaints routes mean the legal landscape is unlikely to change much. The government estimates that around one in 10 privately rented […]

More than 200,000 landlords and sole traders have yet to sign up for Making Tax Digital (MTD), with the first quarterly deadline now less than a month away. Research commissioned by business management platform Tide found that 25% of landlords and sole traders earning more than £50,000 had not registered with HMRC for the new […]

Hello, I commissioned a London-based fire risk assessor to undertake an assessment of the communal area of my terraced property in North London. There are 2 self contained flats. The ground floor has 2 bedrooms, and the first floor has 3 bedrooms which includes a loft conversion. The ground floor tenants were out when he […]

Social housing landlord Notting Hill Genesis has lost an appeal over its attempt to charge shared owners at a Battersea block for facilities serving private flats elsewhere on the estate. The dispute turned on the wording of the leases, and that wording proved decisive. The Upper Tribunal ruled that shared owners in block V1 at […]

Landlords have grown used to bad news under the Renters’ Rights Act, but the suggestion that tenants could be awarded up to £25,000 through the new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman scheme appears to have touched a particular nerve. It is not just the size of the potential award that has caused alarm. It is what […]

Landlords could be required to pay tax every month under Treasury proposals that would calculate deductions using income declared in the previous year, the Daily Telegraph reports. The move comes after the controversial Making Tax Digital (MTD) is already forcing thousands of property owners into a new quarterly reporting regime. The government is consulting on […]

Scottish landlords are having to wait up to a year to regain possession of their properties as housing tribunal delays cause chaos in the rental market. Data from the Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL) reveals the average time between an eviction application being lodged and a tribunal decision has more than doubled, from around three […]

The Welsh government is preparing legislation to strengthen the rights of private tenants, with further restrictions on no-fault evictions expected later in the Senedd term. First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth included the proposed bill in the first phase of the government’s new legislative programme, outlined in a statement to the Senedd. The initial legislation will […]

Landlords have a fresh round of mortgage rate cuts to explore, with Dudley Building Society reducing selected buy to let and holiday let deals by as much as one percentage point. InterBay, Aldermore and Coventry Building Society have also changed their landlord mortgage ranges, cutting rates or adding new options for specialist and larger loans. […]

The government has announced stricter rules for social landlords under phase two of Awaab’s Law. Coming into force on 30 November 2026, social housing landlords will now be required to fix more dangers like electrical faults, pest infestations and unsafe stairs to quicker timeframes. Under the Renters’ Rights Act, Awaab’s law will be extended to […]

Hello, I am looking for advice on how to proceed regarding my flat’s main fire door. Our managing agent recently arranged for fire door surveys to be completed by an agency for all flats in our building. ​The report requested that I complete the following repairs: replace the hinges and letterbox, ensure the gaps around […]

Despite the government’s pledge to deliver 1.5 million homes, the number of new-build housing developments coming to market is at its lowest level since January 2017. Findings by Rightmove reveal that not enough affordable homes are being built, while high mortgage rates are adding to the challenges facing buyers and developers. The property platform is […]