The Scottish government has officially launched its First Homes Fund to help first-time buyers. Under the scheme, it offers first-time buyers a £10,000 contribution towards a deposit, which can be used to buy any property with a value of up to £300,000. The Scottish government claims more than 2,000 households could be supported to take […]

Rents continue to rise as government legislation puts pressure on landlords, according to new research. Data by Aldermore reveal two out of three renters are paying more rent than expected as tenant demand continues to surge. The news comes as the Renters’ Rights Act came into force on 1 May 2026. Surge in tenant demand […]

The buy-to-let market has become harder to justify for small landlords as demand across the UK continues to fall, according to new research. Data from estate agent emoov shows online searches for “buy-to-let landlord” have dropped sharply, with only one UK city recording an increase in interest. The figures come after the Renters’ Rights Act […]

The government has hinted at giving councils more powers to clamp down on short-term lets and second homes. In response to a written parliamentary question, Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook confirmed the government was considering “additional powers” for councils to tackle the pressures created by short-term lets and second homes. The news comes as MPs have […]

Private landlords must take action and work with councils to prevent fly-tipping, claim MPs. MPs claimed that landlords tackling fly-tipping will help prevent areas from becoming “dumping grounds” and make it easier for landlords to rent their properties. During a debate on the impact of fly-tipping in residential areas, MPs say landlords must work with […]

The government claims financial support is available to landlords to meet EPC targets. In answer to a written parliamentary question, the government claim they want to expand the availability of private finance options to help landlords meet energy-efficiency targets. The government has announced all private rented properties will need to meet EPC C targets by […]

Hello Everyone, We received our tenant’s notice letter on 30th June, and they are flying out of the country on 5th July! Instead of paying the full two months’ notice period rent, they are demanding that we return their deposit, minus just five days’ rent for this month! We are trying very hard to find […]

Shelter claims workers are suffering sleepless nights over housing costs. Research by the housing charity claims more than half (53%) of working people in England say the cost of housing has made them feel anxious in the last six months. The news comes as Shelter and HSBC have renewed their partnership for a further two […]

Rental inflation has hit its highest level in two years, with a firm blaming the Renters’ Rights Act for the rise. Goodlord’s latest rental index shows June recorded the highest year-on-year rental inflation since August 2024, rising to 6.5% after holding at a 10-month low in April and May. Average rents in June also rose […]

A housing coalition is calling on the next Prime Minister to introduce rent controls to help tackle the cost-of-living crisis. The Renters’ Reform Coalition says a cap on rents would help make housing more affordable while allowing the government to increase housing benefit each year. The call comes after Keir Starmer resigned as Prime Minister, […]

The government has released data showing a divide in damp and mould across the private rented sector and social housing. According to the government’s local authority housing stock condition modelling report 2024, damp and mould remain prevalent across both rented tenures, alongside homes classed as non-decent. The findings come as all private and social landlords […]

Every year or two, I carry out a detailed review of my own property and investment portfolio. The exercise is not confined to checking whether my properties have increased in value or whether the rents still cover the mortgages. I want to understand how much equity is tied up in each asset, what cashflow that […]

One of the most common questions landlords ask is whether they would pay less tax by owning their rental properties through a limited company instead of personally. It is an understandable question, but it is also one that is surprisingly difficult to answer properly without running the numbers. The answer depends on far more than […]

A government committee has urged the government to introduce incentives for landlords to raise standards in the private rented sector (PRS). The Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee’s report on housing conditions in the PRS calls on the government to speed up compliance with the new Decent Homes Standard ahead of the 2035 deadline. […]

Back in June, a number of published landlord guides were citing 42 days as the response window for tenant pet requests under the Renters’ Rights Act. The correct figure is 28 days. That correction got attention at the time, but with the law now in force and landlords actively relying on these documents, it’s worth […]

With energy bills continuing to rise, EPC ratings are playing an increasingly important role for buyers and tenants, according to a property portal. Data from Rightmove shows that the latest energy price cap increase could add up to £591 a year to bills for households in the lowest EPC-rated homes. The energy price cap is […]

Scottish housebuilding is at its lowest level in a decade as political parties slam SNP over failures. Figures released by the Scottish government show in total, 17,268 new homes were built (completed), and 14,955 homes were started in 2025-26 in Scotland. Completions were down 10% (-1,914) and starts down 4% (-693) from 2024-25. The Scottish […]

More than 5,000 residential buildings over 11 metres still have unsafe cladding, with remediation expected to cost billions, according to new government data. Government statistics show that, despite targets to fix all unsafe cladding by 2029, progress remains slow. The figures come as commercial buildings over 1,000 square metres will be required to meet EPC […]

The government claim the Renters’ Rights Act provides “tangible benefits” to landlords despite admitting it has introduced no measures to help small landlords. The act came into force on 1 May this year, bringing major changes, including the abolition of Section 21 evictions and giving tenants the right to request permission to keep a pet. […]

Rental yields have risen, but periods of political volatility have caused problems in the mortgage market, new figures reveal. Fleet Mortgages’ Rental Barometer found that while six out of 10 regions across England and Wales recorded a quarterly decline in yields, the average rental yield across England and Wales increased by 0.3% year-on-year to 7.8%. […]

The government has claimed that the new Landlord Redress Scheme will support both landlords and tenants, claiming “good landlords have nothing to fear”. Under the Renters’ Rights Act, the private landlord ombudsman scheme will provide independent dispute resolution, which the government describes as “fair and impartial” and intended to give tenants access to redress outside […]