House prices are rising in most parts of Britain, but the latest figures show London moving in the opposite direction. The e.surv House Price Index for April puts the average house price at £327,800, up 1.7% year on year. Prices rose by 0.2% over the month and 0.3% over the quarter, with the strongest annual […]

The housing sector has reacted to the Scottish government’s new cabinet after it scrapped the standalone housing secretary post. Shirley-Anne Somerville was appointed Housing and Social Justice Secretary after John Swinney was re-elected as First Minister. A housing charity has criticised the SNP’s decision to merge the housing brief into a wider portfolio, arguing that […]

An industry body has urged letting agents to review outdated online content to remain compliant with the Renters’ Rights Act. Propertymark says that with the first phase of the Renters’ Rights Act now in force, agents should audit all published consumer information, legal statements, terms and conditions, and guidance hosted on their websites. The industry […]

Landlords arranging larger loans, borrowing for improvement work or buying through a limited company have new buy to let products and revised finance routes to consider. Buckinghamshire Building Society, Paragon Bank and ModaMortgages have each announced changes to their landlord ranges, while Moneyfactscompare.co.uk has selected a reduced-rate Leeds Building Society five-year fix in its latest […]

Labour Party leader hopeful Andy Burnham has been accused of hypocrisy over reports that he lets a London flat that was partly bought with MPs’ expenses cash. The Makerfield by-election candidate bought the two-bedroom former council flat in Kennington in 2005, according to The Sun on Sunday. It reports that its value has since doubled […]

Several landlords in Dorset have hit out at the Renters’ Rights Act coming into force, describing it as a “sledgehammer to crack a nut”. Speaking to the Bournemouth Daily Echo, landlords raised concerns about the legislation, particularly the abolition of Section 21, saying it will make it harder to remove troublesome tenants. The news come […]

Landlords with larger portfolios are still looking to buy despite the Renters’ Rights Act, higher costs and uncertainty over the economy, research reveals. Handelsbanken’s fifth annual Property Investor Report found that 84% of professional property investors plan to increase their holdings over the next year. That’s up from 54% in last year’s survey. The report, […]

The government has claimed councils “should take a proactive approach to enforcement” under the Renters’ Rights Act. In a written parliamentary answer, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Housing, Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, said the government aims to establish a “sustainable funding system for enforcement”. The news comes after a landlord expert warned that councils no longer need […]

Never in the history of rental property has so much damage been done by so few to so many. It is now evident it’s not just bad landlords that are being impacted, but all landlords and all tenants, literally millions of people. By treating landlords as serious criminals for not sending a four-page letter to […]

Landlords facing heavier compliance duties under the Renters’ Rights Act are expected to drive further demand for professional property management. Rushbrook & Rathbone says the property management sector is already expanding, with the number of operational businesses rising by 2.8% over the past year. Its analysis of the latest VAT and PAYE enterprise data shows […]

Hello everyone, The Renters’ Rights Act changes are causing havoc as student tenancies fall in with the academic year. If someone gives notice, the whole house is deemed to have given notice. We have had cases where 4 people are going through anxiety because the 5th has given notice. If the whole house gives notice […]

According to Zoopla, almost half of properties listed for sale never actually sell. Their advice is simple: realistic pricing remains critical for sellers looking to secure a sale in a competitive market. Too many landlords are given optimistic valuations based on best-case vacant possession value — without being told the hidden cost of achieving it. […]

Landlords weighing up remortgages, sales or new purchases could see mortgage costs rise this year thanks to a looming bonds market clash, one property expert predicts. That is being fuelled by concerns around the policy agenda of a potential new government. Tom Bill, the head of UK residential research at Knight Frank, says higher borrowing […]

A charity is urging the government to unfreeze Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates, warning that housing costs have become increasingly unaffordable. In response to government statistics showing that older private renters are spending more than a third of their income on housing costs, Independent Age has called on ministers to raise LHA levels. The news […]

A Freedom of Information response from MHCLG, published last week, revealed that the government’s mandatory Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet was downloaded just 153,000 times in the first four weeks after publication. There are 2.3 million private landlords in England. Even allowing for agents downloading once and distributing across portfolios, those numbers do not come […]

When the Tories’ Renters’ (Reform) Bill was progressing, I was among the very first to sound the alarm about the effective handing over of a property’s control to the tenant. I also argued that removing Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions was never about there being ‘no-fault’ but it was used as a reason for a quick […]

The government has confirmed it is considering giving leaseholders the right to keep a pet. In response to a written question, Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook said the government was considering the issue as part of its wider leasehold reforms. The news comes as, under the Renters’ Rights Act, tenants now have the right to request […]

Potential Labour Party leader and Prime Minister Andy Burnham has called on the government to crack down on the private rented sector by using compulsory purchase orders. Speaking on the Social Housing Podcast, the Manchester Mayor said landlords who fail to bring their properties up to a decent standard should have their homes compulsorily purchased. […]

While the Q1 Ministry of Justice figures released today do not currently show a dramatic spike in landlord possession claims overall, the data does suggest that pressure within the private rented sector remained elevated ahead of the Renters’ Rights changes. However, we believe it is still too early for the figures to fully reflect the […]

Two industry bodies have joined forces to offer a “more impactful voice on behalf of the private rented sector”. The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) will now take over responsibility of The Lettings Industry Council (TLIC). The NRLA will take charge of the TLIC secretariat, which brings together a wide range of lettings professionals, including […]

Six in 10 tenants say they understand the Renters’ Rights Act and what it is meant to do, a sharp rise since the bill became law this month. Barclays’ Property Insights says awareness among tenants has risen from 19% in October to 60% since the Act came into effect. Plus, 62% believe it will improve […]