More than half of people in Scotland (54%) live in areas with failing homelessness services, new research by Shelter Scotland claims. Data by the charity reveals 2.9 million people in Scotland live in an area where the local authority does not have a fully functioning homelessness service, meaning they are not guaranteed access to housing […]

A widely held assumption about the private rented sector is that landlords are highly leveraged and therefore vulnerable to interest rate movements. The latest data suggests a different picture. According to the Property118 Landlord Sentiment Survey Q1 2026, most landlords are now operating with relatively low levels of borrowing. Based on 2,380 completed responses, a […]

Renting in London is now unaffordable for key workers, as a tenant group urges the Mayor of London to do more to tackle soaring rents. Research by Generation Rent reveals teachers, nurses and bus drivers would struggle to rent the average one-bed home in most London boroughs. Generation Rent is calling on London Mayor Sadiq […]

Hi, I’m a one rental property owner, a lovely 3 bedroom semi, rendered to EPC C with an allotment and large gardens based in Yeadon, Leeds. I own it outright and have done for 7 years, it returns £900 per month. I’ve a feeling it’s reached it’s full price potential and will need a new […]

The government has released guidance for tenants on challenging landlords through rent repayment orders. Under the Renters’ Rights Act, landlords face tougher penalties, with the maximum amount of rent they can be ordered to repay doubling from 12 to 24 months. The government has also published separate guidance for tenants on the court eviction process […]

Policy often focuses on outcomes. Rent levels, housing availability and tenant protections tend to dominate the discussion. These are important, but they are not where change begins. Change begins with behaviour. The decisions landlords make, whether to expand, hold or exit, ultimately determine how the private rented sector evolves. Those decisions are influenced by policy, but they […]

Tenant demand rose again in March even as the housing market lost momentum, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) says. Its member survey for March shows that lettings demand edged up to 10%, but landlord instructions stayed at -25%. Members are also highlighting that rents will continue rising over the short term. Buyer enquiries […]

A new compliance tool has been launched as landlords face a 31 May deadline to prove tenants have received the Renters’ Rights Act information sheet. Failing to give the tenant the relevant information would see the landlord being hit with a £7,000 fine per tenancy where receipt cannot be evidenced. The document, published on 20 […]

As the Renters’ Rights Act edges closer to coming into force, many landlords are deciding now is the time to sell. However, one organisation is urging letting agents to help prevent landlords from selling up by evolving and adapting their approach. Agent Rainmaker says it’s time for letting agencies to step up and help support […]

A striking demographic pattern has emerged from the latest UK landlord data, and it raises important questions about the future of the private rented sector. According to the Property118 Landlord Sentiment Survey Q1 2026, the overwhelming majority of landlords are now aged 56 and above, with very limited representation from younger investors. Based on 2,380 […]

A legal expert has accused councils of using “bureaucracy as a weapon to generate enforcement revenue” after a landlord was fined £5,000 for ticking the wrong box on a Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) form. Phil Turtle from Landlord Licensing & Defence is warning landlords that minor application errors could cost them thousands of pounds […]

Hi all, I’m currently in the process of remortgaging a leasehold flat and have run into an issue following the lender’s valuation. The property is an office-to-residential conversion (completed around 10 years ago) in a block of flats. The valuer has down-valued the property to £0, stating that they require a Structural Engineer or Building […]

The government’s consultation on Home Buying and Selling reform is a step in the right direction. It recognises what every estate agent and conveyancer already knows: property sales take too long and fall through too often resulting in considerable frustration and abortive costs. I welcome the ambition to shorten the 120-day average transaction time by […]

Since late 2023, HMRC has argued that financing the withdrawal of a positive capital account balance prior to incorporation of a business is a notifiable tax avoidance scheme under DOTAS legislation. From our perspective, this makes no sense because that practice is supported by highly regarded industry textbook guidance published by Lexis Nexis, which says […]

Dear Property118 readers, I am researching a piece for BBC London on the upcoming Renters’ Rights Act and would like to speak to several landlords about what the changes will mean for them. We would specifically like to focus on landlords in London, as that is our broadcast patch and it might lead to a […]

House prices fell by 0.5% last month, reversing a 0.3% rise in February and leaving the average property value at £299,677, Halifax reveals. Its data also shows that annual growth slowed down to 0.8%, down from 1.2% in March. Regional house price differences remain and these are more pronounced, with stronger gains recorded outside southern […]

Hampshire Trust Bank has launched a new buy to let range with rates starting at 5.54%, setting out a tiered structure that separates simpler cases from more complex lending. The new ‘Flow’ proposition sits alongside Core and Bespoke within the lender’s specialist mortgages offer, with pricing and engagement tied more closely to deal size and […]

The government have hinted at stronger enforcement against criminal landlords as research reveals councils collect just 25% of landlord fines. In answer to a written question, Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook says the government will continue to engage with councils to strengthen enforcement in the private rented sector. The news comes ahead of the Renters’ Rights […]

A more concerning signal is now emerging from the UK private rented sector, and it goes beyond portfolio adjustments. According to the Property118 Landlord Sentiment Survey Q1 2026, a significant proportion of landlords are not simply reducing their exposure, they are considering leaving the market altogether. Based on 2,380 completed responses, nearly one in five […]

From a tenant’s perspective, the rental market often feels simple. Availability, affordability and security of tenure tend to dominate the conversation. What sits behind those factors is less visible, and that’s where a massive shift is taking place. The number of landlords is not just influenced by demand from tenants, it is shaped by decisions made […]

My rental tenant of eight years has got herself into a nasty fight with the managing agent of the development. The dispute concerns the new electronic gates of this gated development, which management says she deliberately damaged and was observed doing so. Apparently, this happened back in January, but I was only contacted about it […]