Page 20 – Property118
Damp and mould visible on an interior wall corner highlighting housing health risks

Councils launch damp and mould awareness campaign for landlords

9th February 2026

Two councils have launched a campaign to raise awareness of the risks of damp and mould, urging landlords and letting agents to sign up. Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council are promoting the Healthy Homes campaign on social media and in GP surgeries across the region. The councils say 26 letting agents […]

Modern commercial building with EPC energy rating chart and keys, representing upcoming energy efficiency standards for non-domestic property

Propertymark urges clarity on commercial energy efficiency rules

9th February 2026

Propertymark has urged the government to set out clear plans for future energy efficiency standards in commercial property. It warns that agents are being left to operate without direction as major investment decisions loom. The professional body has written to Martin McCluskey, the minister for energy consumers, calling for immediate guidance on Minimum Energy Efficiency […]

Tax dashboard showing charts and quarterly records with no penalties symbol, illustrating Making Tax Digital support for landlords

Landlords spared late filing fines in first year of Making Tax Digital

6th February 2026

The government has announced it will support landlords transitioning to Making Tax Digital (MTD) by waiving penalty points for late submissions during the first 12 months. Under the controversial scheme, from April this year, landlords earning more than £50,000 will be required to keep digital records and submit quarterly updates to HMRC using authorised MTD-compliant […]

Air source heat pump installed on an exterior brick wall with energy efficiency rating graphic

New EPC metric system will drive landlords to install heat pumps

6th February 2026

Landlords could be forced to install heat pumps to meet EPC C targets, as rumours suggest the government is considering rules that could prevent properties with gas boilers from achieving an EPC C rating. A story in The Telegraph claims that with the government changing the way EPCs are calculated using a new metric system […]

House with sign showing rent and tax rising, illustrating landlords increasing rents due to upcoming tax changes

Rental tax rise will push up rents – NRLA

6th February 2026

Two-thirds of landlords who are planning to raise rents say looming tax changes are the reason for doing so, a survey reveals. The findings follow the Chancellor’s latest Budget, which set out proposals to lift income tax on rental earnings by two percentage points from 2027. The Office for Budget Responsibility has already cautioned that […]

Why the property deal fast tracker helps investors move forward

6th February 2026

Many property investors don’t get stuck because there are no deals available. They get stuck because they are unsure how to quickly judge which opportunities are worth their time. When everything looks possible, nothing moves forward. That hesitation leads to endless browsing, overthinking numbers, and waiting for the perfect deal that never quite appears. The […]

Knight-themed Landlord Crusader logo symbolizing landlord advocacy

No, landlords aren’t crying – we are packing up

6th February 2026

I don’t really use Facebook but was surprised to see a post from one of the tenants’ campaign groups come on my feed. If you’ve never had the joy of appreciating how a tenant activist organisation thinks and what landlords are having to deal with, please read on. If you are of a nervous disposition, […]

Sold house sign showing property sold for over £300,000, reflecting rising UK house prices

House prices top £300,000 for the first time – Halifax

6th February 2026

The average UK house price rose in January, with prices climbing 0.7% after they had dropped by 0.5% in December, Halifax reports. Its latest index puts the average home at £300,077, the first time the figure has surpassed £300,000. Annual growth also strengthened, edging up to 1% from 0.4% in December. Halifax says the market […]

Percentage symbol being cut, representing rising rental deposits and upfront moving costs

Lenders cut buy to let rates and expand lending criteria

6th February 2026

Buy to let lenders are sharpening pricing and criteria as landlords brace for a surge in refinancing activity in 2026. The Mortgage Lender has reduced selected five-year fixed rate standard BTL products by 5bps. The move is timed to coincide with what many expect to be one of the busiest remortgage cycles in recent years. […]

PRS licensing documents and keys representing new private rental licensing rules in Brent

London council brings all PRS homes under mandatory licensing

6th February 2026

All privately rented homes in one London borough must now be licensed under new rules. The council says the move will expose unregistered landlords to prosecution and heavy financial penalties. A fresh requirement covering smaller Houses in Multiple Occupation has now formally taken effect. That scheme is now sitting alongside existing schemes for larger shared […]

Cracked judge’s gavel symbolising a broken housing court system affecting landlords and evictions

Broken court system sparks petition for faster evictions

6th February 2026

It’s long been a concern of landlords, even before the soon-to-be-overburdening Renters’ Rights Act, that the court system for housing is broken and set to deteriorate rapidly from May this year, when the Act comes into force. In response to this, landlords and letting agents may be interested to know that a government petition calling […]

Bank of England building with red London bus in front, symbolising UK property and financial markets

Bank of England holds interest rates at 3.75% as a Spring cut looms

5th February 2026

The Bank of England has kept interest rates at 3.75%, leaving borrowing costs at their lowest point since February 2023. However, experts are predicting that rate reductions will be seen in the Spring. The decision by the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee was widely anticipated by economists and financial markets. Most forecasts had pointed to a […]

Landlord calculating tax with digital icons highlighting Making Tax Digital reporting and HMRC deadlines

HMRC writes to landlords as Making Tax Digital deadline approaches

5th February 2026

HMRC will write to thousands of landlords in the coming weeks ahead of the rollout of Making Tax Digital (MTD). Under the controversial scheme, from April this year, landlords earning more than £50,000 will be required to keep digital records and submit quarterly updates to HMRC using authorised MTD-compliant software. HMRC will contact landlords with […]

Stacked coins with upward arrows symbolising rising rental income and property investment returns

Landlords profitable but nervous ahead of Renters’ Rights Act

5th February 2026

Most landlords remain profitable, but confidence is under strain as the Renters’ Rights Act edges closer, research reveals. The findings from Aldermore show 85% of landlords are currently making a profit from their portfolios, with just 6% reporting losses. Yet the same research highlights widespread anxiety about what lies ahead once the RRA begins rolling […]

Council official holding a property licence form in a village affected by second homes and holiday lets

Generation Rent calls for stronger council powers as holiday lets surge

5th February 2026

A dramatic rise in second homes and Airbnb-style holiday lets has driven families out of their communities as landlords prioritise profitability, according to a new report. Research by Generation Rent found that by 2022, there were more than 330,000 holiday homes in England, accounting for around 7% of the private rented sector. The tenant group […]

Hands signing a tenancy agreement with keys on the document, highlighting uncertainty over tenant move-out dates.

Deed of surrender or email advising leaving date?

5th February 2026

Hi, we are in the process of buying a flat with tenants in situ. Their lease expires at the beginning of August. We have met them, and they said they plan to leave on that date. Before we complete the purchase, we plan to meet the tenants again and are considering whether it is better […]

Map showing England split north and south with house price growth rising in northern regions and falling in the south

Rising house prices narrow the North-South gap

5th February 2026

House prices in England and Wales have risen, narrowing the traditional North-South gap, according to new figures. Data from Garrington Property Finders reveals a new set of hotspots in its Best Places to Live index, with average property prices rising 1.4% in England and 1.5% in Wales. The firm says the Bank of England base […]

Refinance approved document with calculator, coins and rental property, illustrating buy-to-let mortgage refinancing

Four in 10 landlords plan to refinance buy to let mortgages

5th February 2026

Four in 10 landlords are planning to refinance their buy to let property over the next year, research from Paragon Bank has found. It says that 39% of landlords expect to remortgage or switch products during 2026. More than half of landlords holding four or more buy to let mortgages, (53%), say they plan to […]

Empty wallet held above household bills and a calculator, reflecting the financial strain of rising rents

Rising rents pushing renters into poverty claims charity

5th February 2026

Sky-rocketing rents are pushing millions of renters into poverty, a charity has claimed. A report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation reveals soaring rents have pushed two million private renters below the poverty line. The charity is urging the government to tackle high housing costs and strengthen support for renters. A third of renters living in […]

Chalkboard-style illustration asking “Are you prepared?” with Renters’ Rights Act message and forward arrow

Letting agents urged to prepare now for Renters’ Rights Act

5th February 2026

Letting agents should start preparing for the Renters’ Rights Act sooner rather than later, claims firm. Property inventory firm No Letting Go, warn rules are already in place for councils under the Renters’ Rights Act to carry out surprise inspections. The firm warns letting agents should treat the current period as a live compliance phase […]

Clipboard showing a failed housing disrepair claim in front of a neglected rental property

Housing disrepair claims fail tenants and landlords – legal expert

4th February 2026

Housing disrepair claims now risk doing more harm than good for tenants, a legal expert has warned. Des Taylor, a legal expert at Landlord Licensing & Defence, says the current system has become driven by financial incentives for solicitors, often rewarding legal process over practical outcomes. Mr Taylor is calling on the government to fix […]