More than 430,000 social homes fail to meet the Decent Homes Standard, as a cross-party group of MPs warns the government must do more to tackle poor housing conditions. A report by the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee (HCLG) says social housing conditions have barely improved since the pandemic, leaving residents stuck in appalling […]

Confidence is edging back into the private rented sector, with a growing share of landlords expressing a more positive outlook despite ongoing financial and regulatory strain. Research from Rely, the buy to let lender which is part of the OSB Group, points to a notable upswing in sentiment over the past year. Its annual Landlord […]

Most commercial buildings in England’s largest cities could become unlettable without swift government action on energy efficiency rules, a new analysis warns. Research by the British Property Federation shows 81% of commercial buildings across seven major cities currently sit below an EPC rating of B, leaving around 190 million sq. m of floorspace exposed to […]

As the number of people living in temporary accommodation rises, a taskforce has called on the government to restore Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates. The taskforce, made up of London councils, registered providers and social housing support service firm, Newbridge Advisors, says the supply of private rented sector homes at LHA levels needs to be […]

Rightmove has launched a new Renters’ Rights Act module as part of its qualification for letting agents, as they say it will allow landlords to benefit from agents being up to date with the latest legislation. Rightmove’s Level 3 Certificate for Estate and Letting Agents (CELA) will include the Renters’ Rights module from April, which […]

As the Scottish government launches a consultation on accelerating housebuilding in Scotland, the Scottish Conservatives have accused the SNP of creating the country’s housing emergency. The Scottish government is seeking views on measures to speed up the delivery of new homes as part of its response to the housing crisis. However, the Scottish Conservatives told […]

The government could impose a £1,000 fine on landlords who fail to update their digital contact details under Making Tax Digital (MTD). During a government debate, Shadow Economic Secretary Mark Garnier criticised the penalty, warning it could have a significant impact on vulnerable taxpayers. Under the scheme, which came into effect in April, landlords earning […]

A councillor has warned that landlords in Blackpool could sell up as they struggle to pay “massive selective licensing fees.” In Blackpool, the selective licensing fee costs £772 for a five-year licence, although some discounts are available. However, Reform councillor Emma Ellison warned that landlords are struggling to set up a payment plan, as they […]

Background: For HMO’s, the landlord is responsible for paying the Council Tax (CT), and will then add CT to the general costs of managing and maintaining the property, which in turn influences the rent each tenant is asked to pay. The DWP is rolling out Universal Credit (UC) and the rent payment part of UC […]

The Scottish Housing Secretary has written to the UK government, warning that the continued freeze of Local Housing Allowance (LHA) is making it harder for lower-income renters to access the private rented sector. During the Autumn Budget, ministers announced that LHA rates will remain frozen for a second consecutive year in 2026/27. In a letter […]

England’s rental market showed further signs of cooling last month, with slower annual rent growth and longer void periods hinting that intense tenant competition may be easing. The latest Goodlord Rental Index found that rents rose by 2.4% year-on-year in January. That compares with a 4.6% annual increase recorded in January 2025, pointing to a […]

Two councils have launched a campaign to raise awareness of the risks of damp and mould, urging landlords and letting agents to sign up. Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council are promoting the Healthy Homes campaign on social media and in GP surgeries across the region. The councils say 26 letting agents […]

Propertymark has urged the government to set out clear plans for future energy efficiency standards in commercial property. It warns that agents are being left to operate without direction as major investment decisions loom. The professional body has written to Martin McCluskey, the minister for energy consumers, calling for immediate guidance on Minimum Energy Efficiency […]

The government has announced it will support landlords transitioning to Making Tax Digital (MTD) by waiving penalty points for late submissions during the first 12 months. Under the controversial scheme, from April this year, landlords earning more than £50,000 will be required to keep digital records and submit quarterly updates to HMRC using authorised MTD-compliant […]

Landlords could be forced to install heat pumps to meet EPC C targets, as rumours suggest the government is considering rules that could prevent properties with gas boilers from achieving an EPC C rating. A story in The Telegraph claims that with the government changing the way EPCs are calculated using a new metric system […]

Two-thirds of landlords who are planning to raise rents say looming tax changes are the reason for doing so, a survey reveals. The findings follow the Chancellor’s latest Budget, which set out proposals to lift income tax on rental earnings by two percentage points from 2027. The Office for Budget Responsibility has already cautioned that […]

Many property investors don’t get stuck because there are no deals available. They get stuck because they are unsure how to quickly judge which opportunities are worth their time. When everything looks possible, nothing moves forward. That hesitation leads to endless browsing, overthinking numbers, and waiting for the perfect deal that never quite appears. The […]

I don’t really use Facebook but was surprised to see a post from one of the tenants’ campaign groups come on my feed. If you’ve never had the joy of appreciating how a tenant activist organisation thinks and what landlords are having to deal with, please read on. If you are of a nervous disposition, […]

The average UK house price rose in January, with prices climbing 0.7% after they had dropped by 0.5% in December, Halifax reports. Its latest index puts the average home at £300,077, the first time the figure has surpassed £300,000. Annual growth also strengthened, edging up to 1% from 0.4% in December. Halifax says the market […]

Buy to let lenders are sharpening pricing and criteria as landlords brace for a surge in refinancing activity in 2026. The Mortgage Lender has reduced selected five-year fixed rate standard BTL products by 5bps. The move is timed to coincide with what many expect to be one of the busiest remortgage cycles in recent years. […]

All privately rented homes in one London borough must now be licensed under new rules. The council says the move will expose unregistered landlords to prosecution and heavy financial penalties. A fresh requirement covering smaller Houses in Multiple Occupation has now formally taken effect. That scheme is now sitting alongside existing schemes for larger shared […]