Page 2 – Property118
Rental home EPC rating graphic urging landlords to upgrade before the 2030 deadline

Landlords told to prepare early for EPC C 2030 upgrades

20th May 2026

A firm has warned landlords to act now rather than later to meet the EPC C 2030 deadline. Glevum Windows says that with the Renters’ Rights Act now in force, landlords should start preparing upgrades without delay. According to BTL lender The Mortgage Works, only one in three landlords (33%) has a clear understanding of […]

Dog looking out apartment window after tenant requests permission to keep a pet in a no-pets building

How should I respond to a pet request in a no-pets tenancy?

20th May 2026

Hello all, we have just received a request for a pet (dog) in our apartment block. The tenant has been with us for less than a year, and their original contract stated ‘No Pets’. We have a complete block of 14 flats, which has carpeted hallways and zero amenity space. The closest green space is […]

Social Housing Bill presented in Parliament with housing developments and families symbolising affordable housing reform

Social Housing Bill aims to boost supply but Shelter warns government must go further

20th May 2026

The government has unveiled the Social Housing Bill to Parliament, but one charity claims it does not go far enough. The bill aims to incentivise the building of more social homes and protect social housing tenants. However, while Shelter has welcomed the bill, the housing charity says the government must do more, calling for 90,000 […]

Buy to let mortgage rates cut as landlords weigh refinancing options

Landlords get new buy to let mortgage rate cuts

20th May 2026

Landlords facing higher refinancing costs have been given fresh buy to let options after three lenders announced rate cuts and product launches. Leeds Building Society has reduced rates across its buy to let mortgage ranges, with cuts of up to 0.22%. Its BTL five-year fixed rate, running to 31 August 2031, has been cut from […]

Selective licensing approved stamp beside large 3D lettering symbolising landlords overturning council licence conditions

Landlords win as selective licensing rules are amended

20th May 2026

In a victory for landlords, a letting agent has successfully overturned unreasonable selective licensing conditions imposed by Charnwood borough council. AST Lettings Ltd brought a First-tier Tribunal case against the council, challenging burdensome selective licensing conditions on behalf of two of their landlords in the area. Following the ruling, the council has agreed to amend […]

Angela Rayner outside HMRC offices as a missile labelled “HMRC Penalty” flies past, symbolising avoided fines

Experts question why Angela Rayner avoided stamp duty penalty

20th May 2026

The stamp duty scandal involving Angela Rayner has prompted questions from industry experts over how she was able to avoid a financial penalty. Ms Rayner resigned as Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary after admitting she failed to pay the correct amount of stamp duty on her flat in Hove. However, last week Ms Rayner […]

Queue of prospective tenants outside homes for rent in a UK residential street amid housing shortages

Tenant demand is rising as home supply falls – RICS

20th May 2026

Tenant demand continues to rise while the supply of available homes for rent remains is falling, the latest RICS UK Residential Survey reveals. The survey found tenant demand rose to a net balance of +14%, while landlord instructions remained negative at -17%. A net balance of +25% of respondents also say they expect rents to […]

BlackRock isn’t buying your street. The truth is actually far more disturbing.

19th May 2026

There’s a growing narrative that giant institutions like BlackRock are buying up Britain’s suburban housing stock and pushing ordinary renters out of the market, but the reality is more complicated, and arguably more worrying. The large institutional funds are not the slightest bit interested in your average three-bedroom semi, ex-council flats, or the ageing Victorian […]

Stressed landlord facing court action over missing rental compliance documents and blocked possession claim

Miss one of these 7 documents and a court can block your possession claim

19th May 2026

Since 1 May 2026, Section 21 no longer exists. Every possession claim in England now runs through Section 8, and every Section 8 claim requires a specific legal ground. But here is the part that too few landlords have internalised: courts have the power to refuse possession if your compliance paperwork is not in order. […]

Selling with tenants in place may be easier than you think

19th May 2026

One of the most common reasons landlords postpone selling is simple: “I can’t sell yet, the property is tenanted.” That assumption keeps many owners stuck for months, sometimes years, but in reality, a tenanted property does not automatically prevent a sale. In some cases, it can even broaden the pool of potential buyers. The key is understanding […]

NEW Property118 readers poll: early responses reveal a familiar pattern

19th May 2026

Last month, we quietly introduced a short reader’s poll. It takes less than a minute to complete, and whilst responses are still at an early stage, the initial results are already pointing to something many experienced landlords will recognise in their own situation. Before we get into that, you can access the poll here: https://www.property118.com/property118-monthy-reader-poll/ […]

: Buy-to-let property at a crossroads under Making Tax Digital changes for UK landlords

Forget the RRA for a moment. Time to get out?

19th May 2026

Making Tax Digital will affect landlords, especially those who have other self employments and not using an accountant. Will have to do five self-assessment tax returns a year from this 2026 tax return (2025-26 tax year), depending on income. The income band drops each year – 2026 return (25-26 tax year) needs +£50k income from […]

Digital property management platform supporting Build-to-Rent and portfolio landlords

NRLA introduces new platform for portfolio and BtR landlords

19th May 2026

The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) is teaming up with a real estate advisors to launch NRLA Living to support portfolio and Build-to-Rent landlords. The organisation announced the launch of NRLA Living at the UKREiiF conference alongside agents Bidwells. Ben Beadle, the chief executive of the NRLA, said: “The private rented sector is undergoing once-in-a-generation […]

Scales balancing rent controls against rising rents in London property market scene

Charity urges balanced rent controls to tackle rising rents

19th May 2026

A charity is calling for rent controls to be introduced in a balanced way to mitigate unwanted consequences. A report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation reveals that if rent increases were capped at the Consumer Price Index (CPI) within tenancies, and CPI + 2% between tenancies, renters would save £1,200 by 2030. However, industry experts […]

Business partners shaking hands beneath Making Tax Digital branding and digital tax documents

Making Tax Digital not for Partnerships?

19th May 2026

Good Morning All, I have just spent the Morning contemplating Making Tax Digital to find some very vague comments regarding partnerships. I duly phoned HMRC, who, to my amazement, answered within 10 minutes. They confirmed that anyone in a partnership does NOT have to comply with MTD yet! It seemed too good to be true… […]

Map of UK regions showing rising northern house prices and falling southern property values

North-South house price divide widens as stock surges

19th May 2026

Rising capital gains in northern regions are contrasting with house price corrections across southern areas as new property listing values reach a monthly average of £378,304. Rightmove’s figures show this 1.2% increase in May outpaces the 1% 10-year seasonal average, despite a broader annual decline of 0.3% since May 2025. House prices rose by 2.7% […]

Cheetah carrying a sack labelled “rents” racing up a rising graph above London homes

Rents rose before Renters’ Rights Act took effect

19th May 2026

Landlords saw rents rise at their fastest pace in 11 months in April, the final month before the Renters’ Rights Act became law. Hamptons says a tenant moving into a newly let home in Great Britain paid an average of £1,396, up 1.9% on a year earlier. It was the fifth month in a row […]

Calendar showing June 2026 beside a tenancy agreement and Welsh flag, highlighting upcoming landlord law changes in Wales.

Welsh landlords must update contracts by June 2026

19th May 2026

Welsh landlords have been urged to prepare ahead of a new law change under the Renters’ Rights Act or face financial consequences. From 1 June 2026, it will become unlawful for landlords in Wales to discriminate against tenants who have children or receive benefits. However, Propertymark has warned the new rules could create additional administrative […]

Council enforcement fine notice being delivered through a landlord’s letterbox without prior warning

Landlords face immediate fines as councils shift enforcement approach

18th May 2026

A landlord expert has warned councils no longer need to warn landlords before they fine them. Phil Turtle, director of Landlord Licensing & Defence, has warned that councils across the country are moving straight to formal enforcement. Landlords could also face a financial penalty of up to £7,000 for minor breaches and £40,000 for the […]

Fair rents concept illustrated with rising rent costs, house model and upward arrow over stacked coins

Call for ‘fair rents’ system as prices rise in a ‘national phenomenon’

18th May 2026

Private landlords face renewed pressure over rent controls after research found private rents are rising by between 6% and 9% a year in every region of England. The New Economics Foundation (NEF) says rent rises are now a ‘national phenomenon’, with the lowest income private tenants spending 48.5% of their income on rent. Its report […]

Tenant holding a compensation claim form in a mould-damaged flat with visible black mould on walls

Tenant wants compensation for mould?

18th May 2026

Hi, I am after a bit of advice, please, from the Property118 community. I have a flat which is managed by a letting agent, and a while ago there was mould in the flat, which the handyman sorted, but warned that the same thing would happen if the windows aren’t opened. Well, this did happen […]