Private rents in the UK have risen by 9.1% in the 12 months to November – that’s up from 8.7% in October but lower than March’s record figure of 9.2%. According to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), rent rises were seen across all regions of the UK, with England seeing […]

Landlords could be forced to rent out empty properties under new powers announced by the Labour government. The English Devolution White Paper reveals councils will be given powers to take over vacant rental properties. The plans lack detail about the specific new powers but are expected to resemble Labour’s recently introduced High Street Rental Auctions […]

Propertymark has welcomed the Department for Communities’ housing supply strategy for Northern Ireland but has criticised its lack of ambition. The strategy for 2024-2039 was approved by the Northern Ireland Executive on 5 December and outlines a 15-year framework to boost new home construction. The strategy aims to deliver 100,000 new homes by 2039, focusing […]

A London council has launched a rigorous inspection programme to crack down on unlawful and unsafe Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs). It says the initiative aims to protect tenants and ensure landlords comply with its selective licensing regulations. Since August, more than 130 HMOs have been inspected, with plans to inspect at least 100 larger […]

Hi, we have a 3 bedroom student HMO where one of the students has been continually aggressive towards her fellow tenants. She has cut all communication with myself and I am now only able to contact her via her parents, who are aware that she has mental health issues even to the point where she […]

Landlords across the UK are continuing to sell off their least profitable properties, boosting the sales market but reducing the supply of rental homes. According to Home.co.uk’s asking price index, landlords are increasingly worried about the prospect of increased taxation and restrictive legislation. Regionally, the North continues to offer better yields compared to London and […]

The estate agency Jackson-Stops is predicting a 2-3% rise in rents across its network in the next 12 months. However, its 2025 property market prediction warns that inflationary pressures and affordability constraints will limit further increases. Also, the potential exit of smaller landlords due to the Renters’ Rights Bill could boost sales supply for first-time […]

Local authorities in England and Northern Ireland are to get powers to implement selective licensing schemes without seeking approval from the Secretary of State. The new rules take effect from 23 December with councils still needing to consult with the public for at least 10 weeks before implementing a scheme. Local mayors will play a […]

A predicted decline in BTL lending to private sector landlords may reduce the number of homes to rent in 2025, UK Finance says. The trade association for mortgage lenders has published an outlook for the buy to let market in 2025 which it describes as ‘challenging’. The main reason given is because of the extra […]

A council has been slammed by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) for “serious failings”. Castle Point Borough Council in Essex has issued an apology to tenants after receiving a C4 grading, making it just the second social housing landlord to be given a non-compliant ‘C4’ rating. This marks a downgrade from the C3 rating […]

The majority of homebuyers plan to continue their property search over the Christmas period to meet the upcoming Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) relief deadline, research reveals. According to Lomond which carried out a survey of current homebuyers, 93% are aiming to complete their property purchase by March 31 2025. That’s when the current SDLT […]

I live in Australia and have a residential BTL changed from a HMO about 5 years ago. The new tenant is a commercial lease with a company that houses refugees. The property is kept immaculately and I have visited it myself to see this in Dec 2023. The mortgage term expires in 2025 and it […]

The UK’s housing market has exhibited surprising resilience in 2024, despite affordability challenges, mortgage market activity as house prices demonstrated positive momentum. That’s according to Nationwide’s chief economist, Robert Gardner, who also highlights the deposit hurdle facing first-time buyers. He also points to the high rent costs, and the strain of higher mortgage rates is […]

2025 looks set to be a seismic year for the private rented sector, with the Renters’ Rights Bill expected to become law by summer, one firm says. Other policy changes include more clarity on energy-efficiency targets. While Ed Miliband has announced that all private rented sector properties must meet EPC C targets by 2030, the […]

Landlords across the UK are increasingly adopting green initiatives, but there remains room for further improvement. According to recent data from Redwood Bank, nearly a quarter of landlords benefiting from specialist business loans are already managing energy-efficient properties. Its Green Reward scheme, launched at the end of last year, has been popular among commercial property […]

The New Year will see buyers race to beat stamp duty changes and more landlords selling up, according to Propertymark’s latest Housing Market Insight report. Propertymark reveals that despite static rental prices, many landlords are struggling to break even as rising mortgage rates and costs force rent increases to cover expenses. The report reveals demand […]

A council has launched a selective licensing consultation to clamp down on poor landlords and tackle damp and mould. North East Lincolnshire council (NELC) want to introduce selective licensing in the East Marsh area. The council claims the East Marsh area is in the top 1% of most deprived wards in the country. Homes suffer […]

A national accreditation body for plumbers is warning landlords to protect tenants from lead in their drinking water. Watersafe, the national register of approved installers, says landlords should make sure plumbers only use lead-free solder or fittings that don’t need solder when working on drinking water systems. Lead solder, a metal alloy traditionally used to […]

Landlords remain resilient despite the stamp duty hike announced in the Budget. Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that the stamp duty surcharge on additional homes would increase from 3% to 5% immediately. However, analysis by Hamptons claims the change has had little impact on landlord activity. In November this year, 10.7% of property sales across Great […]

The average price of properties coming onto the market has seen its usual seasonal festive drop, but Boxing Day could be a busy day for sellers. According to Rightmove’s House Price Index, new seller asking prices are expected to drop by a seasonal 1.7% (-£6,395) this month to £360,197, in line with the usual December […]

Inheritance tax thresholds could trigger a crisis in the rental market, according to new research. Analysis given to the Telegraph by accountancy firm RSM UK, reveals that if landlords sold just one property to settle the inheritance tax bill, it could wipe out one in ten rental properties currently on the rental market. The research […]