Page 284 – Property118
pic of new housing development uk govt pledge to build 1 million new homes property118

Government pledges to meet its 1 million new homes plan

24th July 2023

The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has revealed that the Government will meet its manifesto pledge to build 1 million new homes in this Parliament. Since 2010, the Government says that more than 2.2 million new homes have been built and millions of people have moved into home ownership. The PM’s pledge comes ahead of a […]

Gove calls for EPC upgrade delay for landlords

24th July 2023

The Housing Secretary Michael Gove says the Government is ‘asking too much too quickly’ of landlords to comply with EPC measures by a proposed date of 2028, he told the Daily Telegraph. Pointing to protests in Holland over tighter emissions regulations, Mr Gove says the ‘inflexible’ application of rules to reduce pollution will lead ‘to […]

For sale and sold signs outside UK homes amid slowing housing market growth

House prices to drop by ‘double digits’ in a prolonged slump

24th July 2023

Economists have sounded the alarm over the future of UK house prices by forecasting a significant decline of 12% by the end of next year. The predictions come amidst growing concerns that the housing market will fail to bounce back from the impending downturn, largely down to soaring interest rates. S&P Global Ratings, a prominent […]

Tory MP argues that Renters Reform Bill will drive people out of the PRS

24th July 2023

A Tory MP has called on the government to withdraw the Renters Reform Bill. In a government debate, Christopher Chope MP said the consequences of the bill will result in a reduction of supply and high rents. His comments were made during a Westminister Hall debate about the cost of living and the private rented […]

Landlords face uphill battle as Section 21 eviction proceedings soar

24th July 2023

New figures released by the Ministry of Justice have revealed a surge in Section 21 ‘no-fault’ eviction court proceedings initiated by landlords and letting agents in England. According to the data, between January and March 2023, 6,820 landlords started eviction proceedings – that’s up 16% from last year. There have been 61,000 no-fault eviction court […]

Pic of social housing tenants rights training property118

Landmark legislation for social housing unveiled

24th July 2023

The Social Housing Regulation Bill has now become law in what is being hailed as landmark legislation in the sector. The Bill received Royal Assent last week and sets out new reforms for social housing landlords. According to the English Housing Survey 2021-2022, there are nine million people in England who live in social homes […]

Rental yields rise across England and Wales amid housing crunch

24th July 2023

The buy to let market is booming as landlords enjoy higher returns on their properties, according to a new report by Fleet Mortgages. The lender’s Buy to Let Rental Barometer, which tracks rental yields in different regions of England and Wales, shows that the average yield for both countries increased from 5.6% in the second […]

1970s uk street scene

Is the Private Rented Sector heading back to the 1970s?

21st July 2023

Strikes, rocketing-interest rates and high demand for housing. You would be forgiven for thinking that we were back in the 1970s! Fashion may have changed drastically since then but with housing affordability at its worst in decades, renters and homeowners now face heading back to the past. This Property118 investigation turns back the clock to […]

Knight-themed Landlord Crusader logo symbolizing landlord advocacy

Is it now time to work with Shelter and Generation Rent?

21st July 2023

Let’s face it, the debate surrounding Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions in the UK has become increasingly contentious, with media outlets and tenant activist groups condemning landlords for our supposedly arbitrary use of this legal provision. However, it is crucial to shed light on the other side of the story and explore why we opt for […]

Rents hit new high as landlords deal with ‘queues of prospective tenants’

21st July 2023

Tenants are feeling the squeeze as new rents outside of London have hit a new record high of £1,231 – that’s 33% or £300 more than pre-pandemic 2019. Renters in London are now forking out £2,567 for a new tenancy with rents 28% or £559 higher than in 2019. Data from Rightmove also reveals that […]

Pic of old houses for HMO property118.com

How many lodgers are allowed before HMO registration becomes necessary?

21st July 2023

Hello, my London Borough is keen on licensing all HMOs. I live in a four-bedroom (now four-bathroom) house on my own; there are two living rooms and a year-round conservatory but only one shared kitchen. The local authority has said in the past that I don’t need to be registered if I have two lodgers […]

Tenant demand on the rise in London

21st July 2023

Demand still remains strong in London, according to new data. Latest figures from Foxtons Lettings Index reveal that applicant demand rose 19% from May to June this year. The letting agents say London enters the peak lettings season usually in August and September. Central London continued to have the highest average weekly rent Foxtons found […]

RICS logo representing the organisation behind the latest UK housing market survey

Energy efficiency drive by RICS

21st July 2023

A new consultation has been launched for landlords and industry professionals to give their thoughts on how to make energy-efficiency improvements to properties. RICS has launched a consultation which will be aimed at helping surveyors provide useful retrofitting advice. The organisation believes part of the reason why consumers aren’t retrofitting their homes is that they […]

Sadiq Khan demands licensing powers to clamp down on short-term lets

20th July 2023

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is demanding that he be handed powers to tackle London’s rented home supply which is being ‘decimated’ by short-term lets. Fuelled by the likes of Airbnb, the capital has seen an explosion in short-term lets in recent years. Figures show that there were 81,272 properties on the Airbnb platform […]

Rental property sign outside a house highlighting UK housing supply shortage and rent rise concerns

Rents rise at the quickest pace since 2016

20th July 2023

The UK’s renters have seen average rent prices rocket by 5.1% in the year to June, the highest annual increase since the records began in January 2016. The rise was even steeper in Wales and Scotland, where rents jumped by 6.7% and 6.2% respectively. And. according to the latest data from the Office for National […]

pic of house with an epc rating of c landlords london tenants property118

How do the government expect us to afford to achieve EPC C rating? 

20th July 2023

Hello, I own a couple of semi-detached properties on a housing estate built in the mid-70s all of which have an EPC rating of D. All properties have modern double glazing, adequate loft insulation, LED lights, and a modern combi gas boiler with TRVs on radiators. To achieve a C it would require cavity wall […]

gas cooker and hob

Tenant wants to exchange electric cooker with gas cooker?

20th July 2023

Hello, a tenant wants to exchange a (working) electric cooker with a gas cooker. She has says she will pay to have it installed and the necessary certification. A couple of points, would it become her responsibility to maintain it (and replace if necessary) and also provide annual gas safety certification? Grateful for any thoughts […]

Aerial view of Leeds waterfront highlighting key PRS areas relevant to the selective licensing consultation

Higher interest rates no problem for new generation of investors

20th July 2023

In the face of economic uncertainty, many professional landlords and investors are continuing to grow their property portfolios, according to one estate agent. Local estate agents in Leeds HOP say they have agreed to more than £1.5 million worth of investment sales in the area. The estate agents say Leeds is becoming an investment hotspot […]

House prices in the UK continue cooling down

20th July 2023

The UK’s house prices grew by 1.9% year-on-year in May – a slowdown from the 3.2% growth recorded in April, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reports. The average house price was £286,000, up by £6,000 a year ago, but down by £7,000 from the peak reached in September 2022. According to the ONS, house […]

Propertymark policy head highlights concerns over the Renters’ Rights Bill’s impact on landlords and tenants

Mismatch between supply and demand continues in PRS

20th July 2023

Growing demand and low supply leaves renters in limbo, according to new data. The latest figures from Propertymark’s Housing Insight report reveal in June this year an average of 13 new prospective tenants registered per available property over the month. A 57% increase in the mismatch between supply and demand compared to June 2022. According […]