An estimated seven million households are struggling to keep up with rent and mortgage payments, according to a new report. A survey of 4,000 people by consumer group Which? reveals nearly half (46%) of tenants and homeowners have found it hard to keep up with rent and mortgage payments, which equates to approximately seven million […]

Students in the UK are facing an “affordability crisis” as rents spiral and supply dwindles. A report by real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield reveals rents have rocketed by more than 9% this year, in the PRS. The average annual private sector rent outside London now stands at £7,632.55, equivalent to 77% of the […]

Scotland’s property tax revenues reached a new record high per transaction in August 2023, according to an analysis by a leading property firm. Scotland’s largest lettings and estate agency, DJ Alexander, says the Scottish Government collected £64.1m from Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) in August 2023 from just 8,950 sales. This means that the […]

The Liberal Democrats have pledged to give private rented sector (PRS) tenants and landlords a ‘fair deal’ in their newly published policy paper which would see three-year tenancies and ‘rent smoothing’ – or rent controls – being introduced. Plans would also see landlords having to apply for a licence – ‘much like getting a driver’s […]

West Lothian Council is facing a housing crisis as the cost-of-living crisis has forced many private landlords to sell off their properties, leaving former tenants in need of accommodation. In a report by the council’s housing needs manager, Sarah Kelly, around 100 private landlords in West Lothian sold up their properties in 2022, resulting in […]

Home sellers across England and Wales have seen a decline in the percentage of the asking price achieved over the last six months, according to a new report. The estate agent comparison site, GetAgent.co.uk, has looked at the original price a property was first listed for sale at, versus the price they achieved upon completion. […]

House prices in the UK have fallen by 0.5% over the last 12 months and are on track to be 2-3% lower by the year-end, according to the latest house price index from Zoopla. However, the average house is still 17% more expensive than before the start of the pandemic, but buyers are returning to […]

It might not be the news you want to hear, but it’s the news you should hear. If you’re a landlord who’s built up a portfolio of buy-to-lets over the last 15 years, you’re probably in a tricky situation. You’ve got two options – stick it out, or sell the properties, cash in and get […]

A council in London is warning Airbnbs are creating an ‘enforcement nightmare’ Westminster council is calling for new powers to clamp down on short-term lets and is calling for calling for the introduction of a compulsory registration scheme for short-term let properties. The council says they have more properties listed on Airbnb than any other […]

Demand for advice around illegal eviction in the PRS soars by 42% in a year, according to new data. Citizens Advice Scotland reveals that overall demand for advice in private sector rents has increased by 15%. Last week the Scottish Parliament passed a final extension to the Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) Act, meaning a […]

It’s taken nearly a week, but the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has hit out at Prime Minister Rishi Sunnak’s U-turn on energy performance certificate (EPC) requirements for rented homes. It says that an alternative system needs to be put in place to tackle climate change – and that the methodology used needs to […]

Private renters in London who have been charged illegal fees by landlords and letting agents are being urged to report them online so London Trading Standards (LTS) can help get their money back. A new project launched by (LTS) and the Mayor of London’s Private Rented Sector (PRS) team aims to help London’s 2.7 million […]

Nearly half of tenants (49%) consider the cost of the deposit when renting as being the biggest obstacle when searching for their most recent rental property, a survey reveals. The Zero Deposit study points to Zoopla research highlighting that rental affordability is now at its worst in a decade, driven by the increasing cost of […]

Hi everyone, we won our possession order back in July 2023, but the tenant has asked for a relief of Sanction CPR 3.9. We have her draft order she got the local law centre to assist with and all the documents she submitted with the hearing date letter. We have received the information about a […]

Hello, our business model is purchasing unbroken blocks of apartments and then splitting the title, refurbishing the units and re-letting. In most cases, the tenancies are all on rolling contracts. For those that aren’t, we let them run and then refurbish. My query is: Assuming the Rent Reform Act does come into play next year, […]

The UK’s private rented sector is facing a supply-demand imbalance that is pushing up rents as landlords exit the market, a survey reveals. The findings from e.surv, which collected data from more than 500 valuers and surveyors, found that rental demand is outstripping supply in most regions – especially in London and the South East. […]

Precise Mortgages has announced changes to its buy to let affordability criteria that could benefit personal ownership and limited company clients. The lender, which is part of OSB Group, says it has simplified the minimum interest cover ratio (ICR) for personal ownership applications. It has also improved how they assess buy to let affordability on […]

The average UK house price is expected to reach £300,000 by August 2025, according to a new report by easyMoney. The online investment platform has analysed the historic data of the UK’s property market since the 1970s to find how quickly it has surpassed each £50,000 house price threshold. It reveals that the average house […]

Demand continues to outstrip supply as rents continue to rocket, one industry body warns. Propertymark’s Housing Insight report reveals August 2023 had an average of 197 prospective tenants registering compared to 149 in July 2022. Figures in August 2023 were up almost 32% year on year and demonstrate a trend that continues to spiral. Very […]

Hello, can I please canvas opinions amongst members? I own two leasehold flats in the same building, within one of the designated selective licensing areas of the local authority. Licences in respect of both flats have been paid for and the licences have been issued. The local authority served Notices on me to gain access […]

Hello, I have been renting out my residential property to a charity. It appears they have recently been granted a planning permission change from C3 (dwelling house) to C2 (residential institution). I was not informed about this and the council approved without querying my consent. I wonder what the implications of this will be when […]