UK homes for sale with pound symbols illustrating subdued house price growth and higher mortgage costs

UK house price growth remains subdued

2nd September 2026

Landlords considering their next property purchase or sale face a housing market where weak house price growth and higher mortgage costs continue to restrict activity. Nationwide said UK house prices increased by 1.6% in the year to August, compared with 1.4% in July. Prices rose by 0.2% month on month after seasonal adjustments, following a […]

Welsh homes with house keys, lease documents and a calendar marking the end of Leasing Scheme Wales.

Welsh landlord leasing scheme to end

2nd September 2026

A Welsh government scheme that guarantees landlords an income while councils manage their properties is set to close to new homes at the end of this year, the National Residential Landlords’ Association says. Launched in January 2022, the programme allows landlords to lease properties to local authorities for between five and 20 years, with councils […]

The Building Safety Act and the smaller landlord

The Building Safety Act and the smaller landlord

2nd September 2026

The Building Safety Act 2022 has a reputation as tower-block law, and most landlords with a couple of houses or a handful of flats have filed it under someone else’s problem. That instinct is half right. The Act’s heaviest machinery really is aimed at high-rises and the people who run them. But parts of the […]

Terraced UK rental homes with well-kept gardens and To Let signs

Garden shortage gives landlords an edge

2nd September 2026

Landlords offering a home to rent with a well-kept garden could have an advantage when attracting tenants, as outdoor space is absent from almost two-thirds of advertised rentals in major UK cities. Research by CIA Landlords found that only 36.2% of the 72,930 homes examined included a garden. Leeds recorded the lowest proportion at 25.7%, […]

Landlord choosing between more reward and less risk when selling a property.

Giving Up Equity Can Feel Like a Risk. Our Repeat Landlords Tell a Different Story.

1st September 2026

When landlords first speak to us about selling, one of the biggest questions is understandably price. Landlord Sales Agency doesn’t promise every seller the highest possible theoretical value for their property. Instead, we agree the amount they are happy to receive and use the equity above that figure to create a sale: finding the right […]

Landlord balancing against rising tax, finance and property costs as rental income remains flat

Landlord costs surge as income stalls – HMRC

1st September 2026

The declared expenses of the UK’s individual landlords and partnerships jumped 11% in a year while their total property income barely moved, new HMRC figures reveal. Allowable property expenses reached £34.75 billion in 2024/25, compared with declared income of £58.99 billion. The income figure was virtually unchanged from £59 billion in the previous tax year. […]

PRS Database linking landlord rent and eviction data to support tenant rights

Government urged to expand PRS Database to include rent and eviction data

1st September 2026

The Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database “must not be viewed as an administrative register” but as a tool to empower tenants, a group of organisations has claimed. In a letter to Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook, the Renters’ Reform Coalition and 30 other organisations have urged the government to expand the PRS Database to include more […]

Landlord tax reform plan with UK homes, tax calculator and energy efficiency rating.

NRLA calls for landlord tax reform to boost the PRS

1st September 2026

Landlord tax reform should be used to encourage investment and increase the supply of homes to rent, according to new proposals for the private rented sector from the National Residential Landlords’ Association (NRLA). The 17-page plan calls for changes to Capital Gains Tax rules, energy efficiency incentives and the restoration of Local Housing Allowance rates. […]

HMRC Making Tax Digital sign-up displayed on a laptop beside a model house and landlord MTD checklist.

HMRC starts automatic landlord Making Tax Digital sign-ups

1st September 2026

Landlords who have not signed up for Making Tax Digital (MTD) may soon find that HMRC has done it for them. The tax authority is beginning automatic registration from this month, in stages, for people it believes should already be using MTD for Income Tax. The rules have applied since 6 April to sole traders […]

Students relaxing in shared accommodation with Renters’ Rights Act sign highlighting housing changes

Student rental market hit by Renters’ Rights Act

1st September 2026

As the start of the academic year approaches, industry experts are warning the Renters’ Rights Act has disrupted the student rental market. Speaking to the Financial Times (FT), a number of lettings experts warn the ban on rent in advance has created barriers for international students. As previously reported by Property118, under the Renters’ Rights […]

American renter with luggage in London, reflecting growing US demand for cheaper UK rents

US renters flock to Britain in search of cheaper rents

1st September 2026

More American renters are moving to the UK for cheaper rents since President Trump took office, according to new research. Goodlord analysed more than 300,000 tenancy agreements signed over the past two years, comparing the findings with data from 2023 and 2024. Goodlord claims a combination of President Trump’s controversial political agenda and the opportunity […]

Is your property strategy still right for today’s market?

1st September 2026

One of the most dangerous phrases in property investing is: “It’s always worked for me.” After more than 30 years investing in property, I’ve learnt that the market never stands still. Interest rates and finance change, legislation and tax evolve, tenant expectations shift and, as a result, the opportunities available to investors change too. Yet […]

Green upward and red downward arrows illustrate contrasting house price trends in UK commuter towns.

Revealed: Commuter towns with strongest asking price growth

1st September 2026

The strongest growth in asking prices is in commuter towns around Glasgow and Manchester, according to Rightmove. Data from the property portal reveals that ten of the 15 fastest-growing hotspots are located around the two cities. However, asking prices in London have fallen year-on-year. Asking prices are rising strongly According to the data, 11 of […]

HMO planning refusals have doubled – where are tenants supposed to live

28th August 2026

Councils refused 1,203 HMO planning applications in 2025. In 2021, the figure was 590. There is an important caveat. The number of applications being decided also increased sharply, from 1,848 to 3,454 across the same 144 English councils. Therefore, councils have not suddenly become twice as likely to refuse an HMO application. The approval rate […]

Property tax document, house key, calculator and pound coins outside a modern UK apartment building.

Landlords could face annual property tax under Burnham

28th August 2026

Landlords could become liable for an annual property tax under proposals that would replace council tax and stamp duty with a charge paid by owners. The Prime Minister Andy Burnham is facing pressure from Labour figures and left-leaning think tanks to consider the overhaul, although he has said major reform is not imminent. The model […]

Plug-in solar panel outside a rented red-brick house with landlord keys and a clipboard nearby.

Landlords face plug-in solar panel requests

28th August 2026

Landlords may now be asked to approve plug-in solar panels at rented homes after the devices became legal across Great Britain this week. The government says the panels can be used from 27 August and could cut household electricity bills by up to £110 a year. The devices can be placed in outdoor areas or […]

Plug-in solar panels outside a Nottingham landlord’s property beside an EPC C sign.

Can plug-in solar panels improve a landlord’s EPC rating?

28th August 2026

Hello all. I am a landlord with many properties in Nottingham. I am going through the process of getting the EPC ratings to a C before the 2030 deadline. I have looked at the plug-in solar panels which are becoming available soon. Have any of the readers of Property118 found out if and how they impact […]

Locked tenant deposits highlighting calls for tougher letting agent enforcement

Letting agent enforcement must improve – safeagent

28th August 2026

The UK’s largest not-for-profit accreditation scheme for lettings and management agents is calling for tougher enforcement after one firm was accused of failing to return deposits to more than 100 tenants. Safeagent made the demand after the allegations were reported by BBC News and it acknowledged the workload facing trading standards officers responsible for enforcing […]

Flatsharers queue to view a room as record tenant demand increases competition for rental rooms

Record demand for rooms puts pressure on flatshare market

28th August 2026

Tenant demand hits record highs as supply drops and flatsharers compete for rooms. Findings from SpareRoom reveal that demand for rooms has reached record levels, with the Merseyside town of Bootle recording the highest demand. The flatshare website is urging the government to raise the Rent a Room Scheme threshold, arguing that encouraging more homeowners […]

Rent controls barrier in front of British terraced homes, house keys and a model property.

Legal experts say rent controls risk landlord exits

28th August 2026

Landlords could face weaker returns and may be pushed towards selling if ministers reverse course and introduce rent controls in England, property lawyers have warned. Kristine Ng, a partner at Morr & Co, and Paul Rooke, a partner at Mayo Wynne Baxter, said restrictions could discourage investment and reduce the number of homes available to […]

Local Housing Allowance gap illustrating the growing divide between housing support and private rents

Landlords face widening Local Housing Allowance gap

28th August 2026

Landlords face a greater risk of arrears and failed tenancies when housing support leaves benefit-receiving tenants unable to meet the full rent, Propertymark says. It has written to DWP minister Baroness Sherlock and urged her to restore Local Housing Allowance (LHA) to at least the 30th percentile of local rents and update rates every year. […]