Councils can enter a landlord’s business premises under rules set out in the Renters’ Rights Act. However, government guidance makes clear that the business premises power cannot be used to enter premises that are wholly or mainly used as a home. In December last year, under the Renters’ Rights Act, councils were given powers to […]

If most landlords were starting again today, many would not structure things the same way. That is becoming increasingly clear. There is a growing disconnect between how portfolios are currently held and how landlords would choose to hold them if given a clean slate. The preference has shifted, but the structure has not. That gap is not accidental. It […]

In an exclusive for Property118, solicitor Tessa Shepperson of Landlord Law answers some of the most common questions landlords are asking following the abolition of assured shorthold tenancies and section 21.  The Renters’ Rights Act is now in force, and we have said goodbye to assured shorthold tenancies and section 21 (save from where notices […]

I have just received an enquiry from a potential tenant who wants to move to one of my properties due to the current landlord moving undesirables next door. They had a contract allowing one month’s notice. They now apparently have to give two months’ notice. Surely, as they have only just received the RRA information […]

The vitriol directed at landlords has resulted in laws that protect rogue tenants to a quite remarkable degree, delaying their inevitable removal, often at the expense of the landlord’s health and well-being. The truth is rogue tenants, people who disrespect the contract, then use the law to support their errant behaviour, are better served now […]

Average house prices in Scotland rose by £3,532 over the past year, according to analysis of the latest index by DJ Alexander. The figures show average prices grew from £183,152 in March 2025 to £186,684 in February, a rise of 1.9%. That rise still leaves Scotland ahead of England and Wales, where average prices fell […]

Landlords with mortgages could face a busy year of refinancing as thousands of them plan to review their buy to let loans in the face of higher costs and regulatory change. Pegasus Insight’s latest Landlord Trends research found that 39% of landlords plan to remortgage within the next 12 months. Larger portfolio landlords are expected […]

Tackling unfair rent increases is central to the success of the Renters’ Rights Act, while fees to challenge them risk creating a significant barrier for tenants, a charity has claimed. Anti-poverty charity Z2K says the act will give tenants the chance to challenge unfair rent increases and gain stronger protections. However, as previously reported by […]

Landlords facing remortgage decisions have been handed fresh buy to let options as lenders cut rates, restore higher-LTV products and widen criteria for more specialist cases. The Mortgage Lender, Molo, Fleet Mortgages and Coventry for Intermediaries have all announced changes aimed at brokers working with landlord clients, with new rates and products covering standard buy […]

An industry body has warned that hefty tribunal fees must not detract from wider court reform as the Renters’ Rights Act comes into force. Propertymark has told letting agents and landlords about a new tiered fee framework for the Property Chamber of the First-tier Tribunal, introduced under the Renters’ Rights Act which will see landlords […]

Many landlords asking whether to sell are starting with the wrong question. They ask: Should I sell anything at all? Often, the better question is: If I were to sell one property, which one should it be? That shift in thinking can be powerful because it moves the conversation away from emotion and towards strategy. For years, many […]

There is a lot to read about the Renters’ Rights Act, and not much of it is calm. Law firms write for landlords who already have a solicitor. Software companies write to sell software (yes, OK, fair cop, but we were landlords first!). The trade press writes for clicks. The result is that a piece […]

As the dust begins to settle on the 2026 Scottish elections, landlords, tenants, and everyone involved in the private rented sector (PRS) in Scotland are wondering what the results actually mean. At the time of writing, there has been no new Scottish government formed, but it seems likely at this stage that John Swinney will […]

A left-wing think tank has called on the government to introduce rent controls to tackle “unaffordable housing costs”. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) warns more than 2.5 million renters could end up living in unaffordable housing without government intervention. The call comes as the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has urged the next […]

The government has published guidance for councils on when it is illegal for a landlord or letting agent to ask for rent in advance. Under the Renters’ Rights Act, landlords and agents can no longer accept large amounts of rent in advance. As previously reported on Property118, landlords can only accept rent in advance in […]

Higher-rate Stamp Duty receipts from landlords and second-home buyers now account for the majority of takings in more than half of English local authorities, research reveals. According to Paragon Bank’s review of government data, it found that higher-rate additional dwelling (HRAD) transactions generated at least 50% of total stamp duty receipts in 164 local authorities […]

Security was always meant to be the end goal. For many landlords, that meant building a portfolio large enough, and stable enough, to provide long-term income and financial independence. Over time, that goal has been achieved. Debt has been reduced, equity has accumulated and risk has been managed. What follows is not always what people expect. Instead […]

Buy to let landlords are paying up to £5,839 more over a two-year mortgage term than they were a decade ago, research suggests. And, tucked behind the headline figure, the sharper squeeze is being felt by those on interest-only loans, where monthly costs have climbed by nearly two-thirds. The analysis by Benham and Reeves found […]

England’s tribunal and court system is already struggling with case delays as the Renters’ Rights Act adds fresh pressure to rent appeals and possession cases. The warning comes from Real Estate:UK which submitted Freedom of Information requests to the five Tribunal Property Chambers. It asked for the number of tenant rent appeal cases over the […]

Despite the government’s claim that the private rented sector has doubled in size, research reveals a decline in supply. Analysis by Savills for The Telegraph shows a drop in the number of homes to rent in London, which has fallen by 21.7% compared with two years ago. The data also reveals that, at the same […]

Scotland, Northern Ireland and London recorded some of the largest monthly rent rises in April, while Wales and parts of northern England moved the other way, Propertymark says. The organisation’s latest rent and salary tracker shows Scotland’s average monthly rent rising from £1,123 in March to £1,167 in April, a 3.9% increase. Northern Ireland saw […]