Page 16 – Property118
Hands forming a house shape around a Welsh flag door beneath a “Priority” banner, symbolising housing policy in Wales

Plaid Cymru promises stronger protections for Welsh renters in manifesto

15th April 2026

Plaid Cymru has pledged to introduce measures to “better protect renters” by abolishing no-fault evictions and boosting energy-efficiency standards. The party has launched its manifesto ahead of the Welsh elections next month. The news comes after nearly half of landlords in Wales (47%) believe the Renting Homes (Wales) Act has been detrimental to the private […]

Small rental room with bed and suitcase, featuring a “To Let” sign in the window

Room rents stall as supply slows

15th April 2026

Room rents across the country have barely shifted over the past year, with the average now at £747 per month in the first three months of the year. According to flatshare platform SpareRoom, the national average rent rose by just 0.1% from £746. When London is removed from the sample, rents have edged up slightly […]

Homeless man wrapped in Scottish flag holding sign on rainy Edinburgh street with castle in background

Cross-party support grows for ending homelessness in Scotland

15th April 2026

A homeless charity has welcomed agreement from political parties to end homelessness in Scotland ahead of the Scottish elections. A survey by Crisis Scotland reveals that seven in ten people (70%) are concerned about the scale of homelessness in Scotland, with the same proportion believing political parties should make ending it a national priority. The […]

Person studying NRLA Level 3 property lettings course on a laptop with notebook, keys and model house on desk

NRLA launches Level 3 lettings qualification for landlords

15th April 2026

The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has launched an updated Level 3 qualification for landlords and agents, just weeks before the Renters’ Rights Act comes into force. Called ‘Managing Property & Residential Lettings’, the course is aimed at landlords, letting agents and property managers. Those who complete it can apply to use post-nominal letters (MNRLA). […]

Landlords holding rather than expanding as confidence shifts

15th April 2026

A notable feature of the latest landlord data is not just how many are planning to sell, but how many are choosing to do nothing at all. According to the Property118 Landlord Sentiment Survey Q1 2026, a significant proportion of landlords are opting to hold their current positions rather than expand their portfolios. Based on […]

Croydon property licensing approvals with HMO and selective licensing documents stamped approved

Cabinet approves additional HMO and Selective Licensing Schemes for Croydon

15th April 2026

After a recent consultation on the 25th March, the Cabinet have approved an additional HMO and Selective Licensing scheme for Croydon Council. These new schemes will come into force on 1st September 2026 and run for 5 years. Croydon council have said the objective of both new schemes is to identify unsafe or hazardous property […]

House icon with percentage symbol illustrating buy-to-let mortgage rates and landlord finance options

More buy to let lenders expand landlord options

15th April 2026

Paragon Bank is among lenders updating their buy to let ranges, alongside Landbay, Atom bank and Fleet Mortgages, with new fixes, trackers and remortgage deals entering the market. Paragon has introduced six limited edition five-year fixed products, all carrying a flat £3,995 fee and available up to 70% LTV. Three cover loans up to £1m, […]

Checklist being ticked in red next to Renters’ Rights Act text, symbolising new compliance requirements for letting agents

Rightmove updates tools for letting agents

15th April 2026

Rightmove is updating its tools for letting agents to help landlords ahead of the Renters’ Rights Act coming into force on 1 May. The updates are intended to support landlords, with 57% reporting limited awareness or understanding of the Act. That means, the platform says, that landlords will be relying on letting agents to manage […]

Freehold for sale sign with padlock and keys in front of an apartment block symbolising leasehold ownership transfer

Selling freehold of small block of flats?

15th April 2026

I own the freehold of a small block of flats. I also owned all of the leasehold flats (jointly with another), which we sold in the last couple of years. I now intend to dispose of the freehold and will, of course, offer it to the leaseholders as required. If the leaseholders do not wish […]

Property118 highlights HMRC manual SDLTM07700 in ongoing FTT debate

14th April 2026

There is a recurring assumption in recent commentary that tax consequences only arise once legal ownership of property has formally transferred. It is an understandable assumption, but it is also, in many cases, incomplete. As the ongoing First-tier Tribunal in the DOTAS case of Property118 vs HMRC examines the interaction between incorporation, financing, and tax treatment, […]

Council building with Renters’ Rights Act signage and money flying out, symbolising funding for enforcement powers

Councils get £41m to enforce Renters’ Rights Act

14th April 2026

Councils in England will receive £41 million to pay for their new enforcement powers under the Renters’ Rights Act, the government has announced. The cash is part of a wider £60 million allocation across 317 authorities and includes £18.2 million provided last autumn. From May, councils will have a statutory duty to ensure compliance with […]

Northern Ireland rental reform concept showing homes for sale signs, notice periods and the Northern Ireland flag

Longer notice periods could push landlords to sell up in Northern Ireland

14th April 2026

The Northern Ireland government must “strike the right balance” under proposed rental reforms or risk landlords leaving the market, Propertymark warns. The Department for Communities in Northern Ireland has proposed introducing some of the longest Notice to Quit periods in the UK, increasing standard notice periods for tenants to up to six months. The current […]

Infographic showing UK buy-to-let mortgage rates rising while rents are driven more by costs, with nearly half of landlords owning property outright.

BTL mortgage rate rises not the main driver of rising rents

14th April 2026

With rising buy to let mortgage costs back in focus after more than 1,300 products being pulled since the end of March, one organisation says that isn’t why rents are rising. TDS Charitable Foundation points to Moneyfacts data showing that average BTL mortgage rates have climbed with two-year fixed deals jumping from 4.66% to 5.40%. […]

Students walking away from a rental property holding keys, symbolising early tenancy exits

University students could quit tenancies early under Renters’ Rights Act

14th April 2026

Student landlords will raise rents to cover a loss of income, as university students could head home six months early under the Renters’ Rights Act. A story in The Times reports under the Renters’ Rights Act, renters will be able to end their tenancy at two months’ notice and fixed-term tenancies will be abolished. However, […]

Welsh Green Party proposes rent controls and financial penalties for landlords

14th April 2026

The Welsh Green Party has pledged to introduce rent controls and abolish no-fault evictions ahead of the upcoming elections. Launching its manifesto, the party says it will strengthen tenants’ rights in Wales, adding that landlords who breach rent caps would face financial penalties of up to £7,000. The manifesto has been unveiled in the run-up […]

Model house labelled “eviction” beside tenancy paperwork and keys, illustrating landlord eviction guidance.

Government releases new guidance for tenants under Renters’ Rights Act

14th April 2026

The government has published guidance for tenants on the grounds for possession and the court eviction process under the Renters’ Rights Act. It sets out what happens when a landlord gives notice on or after 1 May, and the court and eviction process if a tenant decides not to leave. The guidance comes ahead of […]

Chart showing UK temporary accommodation costs rising from £1bn in 2016 to £2.8bn by 2025 with 110,000 households affected

Temporary accommodation costs have tripled since 2016 in line with Property118 predictions

14th April 2026

The housing cost that almost nobody expected. In 2018, Property118 contributor, the now late David Knox FCA, writing under the pseudonym Appalled Landlord, examined a statistic that seemed extraordinary at the time. Manchester City Council’s spending on temporary accommodation had risen from roughly £2.25 million to almost £13 million in just five years. The increase, […]

House for sale in Scotland with Scottish flag, illustrating housing policy debate

SNP plan to give tenants first refusal on homes sparks backlash

13th April 2026

Ahead of the Scottish elections, the SNP has pledged tenants will get first refusal if a landlord puts their home up for sale. Under the proposed plans, when a landlord puts the property on the market, renters in Scotland would be given a period of exclusivity to purchase it “at a fair market rate”. The […]

Renters’ Rights Act Masterclass – Are you ready for 1 May?

13th April 2026

With the Renters’ Rights Act coming into force on 1 May 2026, landlords are facing the biggest legal changes in a generation. I’m finding that many landlords still aren’t entirely clear what they need to do and more importantly, what they need to do now to stay compliant and avoid problems later. Over the past […]

Eviction notice being fixed to a front door near Canterbury City Council offices

Council at fault in landlord eviction case – Ombudsman

13th April 2026

A council failed to contact a landlord or assess whether tenants should remain in a rented property during eviction proceedings, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found. The case centres on Canterbury City Council after a private landlord, known as Mr X, served a Section 21 notice in February 2024 so he could […]