Empty homes in England have risen by more than 10% over the past five years, according to the Local Government Association (LGA). The LGA and Empty Homes network study reveals that one million properties across England in 2022 were unoccupied, an increase of nearly 60,000 homes since 2018. Despite the introduction of an empty homes […]

Every year my team and I challenge ourselves to come up with a Black Friday Offer even better than the year before. Last year’s offer was pretty amazing, if I say so myself, but I think we have done it again, and come up with an even better offer this year, which I am confident […]

Rental properties should be seized from landlords who consistently break the rules and take advantage of tenants, says a Labour MP. Clive Betts, the chair of the levelling up, housing and communities select committee, told the Guardian, that confiscated homes could become the property of councils, which could then use them to house people in […]

Private rents increased by more than 6% in England, according to the ONS lettings price index. London saw a big surge in rent prices at 6.8% ­­­– the biggest annual rate rise since London records started in 2006. Private rental prices in Wales increased by 6.9% in the 12 months to October 2023 and by […]

The Home Office has issued an update to the Right to Rent guide for landlords and letting agents. The sixth version of the guide comes into force alongside the Immigration Act 2014 (Residential Accommodation) (Maximum Penalty) Order 2023 and the Immigration (Restrictions on Employment and Residential Accommodation) (Codes of Practice) (Amendment) Order 2023. All landlords […]

Hello Property118 memebers. My question is if there are changes to a tenancy for anoccupational contract in Wales must the guarantor be told of these changes? In the case I am considering it’s about applications made by the tenant to add pets to the property. This can obviously significantly increase the risk of damages for […]

The government has tabled amendments to make it illegal for landlords and letting agents to have blanket bans on renting to people who receive benefits or who have children. Other amendments include introducing a Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector. The amendments will be considered at the Committee stage for the Renters Reform […]

A professional membership body has expressed support for a property portal for landlords but believes it won’t remove the need for selective licensing. The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) highlighted the lack of environmental health professionals to enforce housing standards in the PRS and the role played by licencing in providing funding for enforcement. […]

Renters have lost faith in the government following the delay of Section 21 evictions, according to a new survey. The survey of more than 1,000 current tenants across England and Wales, commissioned by Benham and Reeves, reveals that 91% of renters believe the government doesn’t care about them or their quality of life. The government […]

Regular property inspections are crucial to tackling the bed bug crisis, says inventory chief. Daniel Evans, chair of the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks, said dealing with any infestation early was vitally important. This comes after newspaper reports of “bed bug invaders” across the UK with cities like London and Manchester being bed bug hotspots. […]

More than 12,000 social homes in Greater Manchester are to be treated for mould and damp problems following the release of government funding. Earlier this year, Housing Secretary Michael Gove announced £15 million in funding to tackle damp and mould health hazards. The government also recently announced a new ‘Awaab’s law’ that will force social […]

Hi, I have asked my tenant for a rent increase from £800 to £1100. But she is blaming now that there is a clause in the tenancy agreement which says that the rent will be reviewed annually and be increased according to inflation. So this should only be £855 as the inflation rate is now […]

I issued a section 21 which expired in early September. The tenant stayed in. My insurer took over and seems they are going the Section 8 route, not the Section 21, even though all procedures were followed exactly with the S21. I have a rent guarantee policy in place and I understand this may be […]

Angela Rayner has accused landlords of using Section 21 “as an easy get-out to turf people out of their home.” In an interview with ITV News, Ms Rayner slammed the government for delaying no-fault evictions which was first promised in 2019. The Shadow Housing Secretary also said Section 21 is having a “devastating impact on […]

The Renters Reform Bill is taking centre stage and is beginning its next passage through the House of Commons to the Committee stage. Organisations across the private rented sector were invited to give evidence and propose amendments to a cross-party group of MPs. The NRLA and Propertymark called for more clarity regarding fixed-term tenancies in […]

More than 815,000 private renters are under threat of eviction this winter, according to new research by Shelter. The housing charity reveals private renters in England are fearing the worst, with 3.5 million tenants (43%) saying they are now worried about becoming homeless due to housing costs. Shelter is calling on the government to unfreeze […]

Londoners want homes built on the green belt to improve their housing chances, according to a new survey. In a poll, by property developer Pocket Living, 63% of Londoners aged between 25-45 years old would support green-belt reforms to bolster their housing opportunities. The survey also reveals more than three-quarters (78%) of young people in […]

Tenant demand in the UK reached a record high in the third quarter of the year, with more than seven in 10 landlords reporting an increase, a survey reveals. The research from Paragon Bank found that 71% of landlords saw rising levels of tenant demand in Q3, up from the previous record of 67% in […]

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s cabinet reshuffle has seen Rachel Maclean sacked after just nine months in the job and replaced with Lee Rowley.  Mr Rowley has become the 7th housing minister since 2020 and the 16th over the last 13 years. Mr Rowley will have a lot on his plate with the Renters’ Reform Bill […]

Sadiq Khan has slammed the government for its “poor housing delivery” as new figures reveal the capital is outbuilding the rest of the country. According to new data released by the Department of Levelling Up, up to March 2022, London has increased its housing stock by eight per cent during the years in which Sadiq […]

The most popular search terms among tenants in the UK are reflecting growing concerns over affordability and eviction, research reveals. The study by Zero Deposit analysed Google search term trends around renting to reveal which topics have seen the largest increase in interest from tenants. It reveals that more tenants are worried about the cost […]