Page 42 – Property118
House model on stacked coins with location pin showing Scottish and Welsh colours, symbolising strong rental yields and investment returns.

Scotland and Wales lead for rental yields as landlord margins tighten

21st January 2026

The strongest landlord yields are concentrated in Scotland, Wales and parts of the North, according to research from Dwelly. Its study examined government house price records and the latest ONS rental figures to highlight where returns remain most resilient. The analysis comes after the OBR confirmed that tax on property income, savings and dividends will […]

Relocation concept showing a move from one location to another as renters face rising rents

Two in five renters may relocate to beat rising rents

21st January 2026

Two in five renters who are considering a move say they could be forced to relocate to a cheaper area this year due to rising rents, research reveals. According to CIA Landlords, a poll found that 40% of renters who are thinking about moving say they are likely to so because rents have become unaffordable. […]

Commercial Finance Blog featured image showing buildings, factory, handshake, loan document, calculator, pound sign and growth bars on a teal background.

How to Present Your Portfolio to a Commercial Lender

21st January 2026

Strong presentation increases approval odds and improves terms. Commercial lenders assess the business behind the properties, not just the bricks and mortar. This guide shows landlords exactly what to include, how to package it, and how to avoid the common gaps that slow decisions. The Core Pack Lenders Expect Portfolio schedule with address, unit type, […]

Illustration showing a tenant excluded from a group, representing concerns about discrimination and benefit-based affordability checks

Discrimination against benefit tenants under the Renters’ Rights Act?

20th January 2026

The Renters’ Rights Act is trying to prevent overt discrimination (blanket no DSS policies) when private letting. At the moment, if a tenant approaches you, and they are claiming benefits at an existing address, then this claim is tied to this specific circumstance at this particular time, i.e. at X address and X benefit subsidy […]

Wooden model house with a sold sign and Welsh flag, representing housing policy and empty homes in Wales

Council to force sale of empty houses but not second homes

20th January 2026

A Welsh council has confirmed that second homes will not be affected by its empty homes plan. Pembrokeshire Council has approved its Empty Properties Strategic Plan for 2025–30, which could allow the authority to force the sale of long-term empty properties. During the council meeting, councillors reassured members that the power would be used only […]

Legal compliance checklist with gavel and security shield representing landlord enforcement protection

Help for landlords against local authority fines and penalties

20th January 2026

I suspect that one of the big differences when the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 comes into force after 1 May 2026 is that there will be more enforcement action from local authorities. Not initially, maybe.  But local authorities, after 1 May, will be under a legal duty, under section 107 of the act,  to enforce […]

Buy-to-let mortgage rates and pricing graphic with house outline and percentage symbol

Landbay lowers rates while YBS Commercial removes buy to let tiering

20th January 2026

Landbay has rolled out new buy to let products and reduced pricing across its Premier range, targeting landlords approaching the end of existing deals or planning new purchases. The lender has introduced two additional two-year fixed rate options at 75% LTV, offering a 5.24% deal with no fee and an alternative priced at 2.74%, carrying […]

Landlord Insurance Blog featured image showing a house, shield, umbrella, policy document, tick and pound coins on a teal background.

Employers’ Liability for Landlords – When You Need It

20th January 2026

Most landlords understand public liability, but fewer appreciate when the law requires employers’ liability (EL). If you directly employ anyone to work on your rental business, you’ll usually need EL by law. Fines for non-compliance are steep, and injury claims from workers can be financially devastating. This article explains when EL is compulsory, the grey […]

First-time buyer sign beside a model house, keys and money, symbolising improved housing affordability and lower mortgage costs

Affordability improves as first-time buyer activity rises

20th January 2026

Nationwide says that improving affordability last year helped more first-time buyers onto the property ladder. Its latest Housing Affordability Report shows that slower house price growth, rising incomes and lower mortgage costs all played a part. The building society says price rises have remained well below earnings growth while mortgage rates have continued to fall. […]

Symbolic house with muscular arms and a for-sale sign representing a strong UK property market rebound in 2026

Property market sees strong start to 2026

20th January 2026

The property market has rebounded at the start of 2026, with the highest number of homes for sale in eight years, according to new data. Research from property portal Zoopla shows buyer demand has surged, although it remains 10% below levels seen at the start of 2025. However, demand is more than 20% higher than […]

UK residential street with flats and terraced houses alongside a rising pound symbol, reflecting rental yield growth

Flats and terraced homes drive buy to let yield gains in 2025

20th January 2026

Flats and terraced properties delivered the strongest increases in gross rental yields during 2025, with Wales and the North East leading regional performance. That’s according to lending data from Paragon Bank, which found that gross yields on flats ended the year at 6.33%, up 0.24 percentage points on the same point a year earlier. Terraced […]

Stack of legal documents beside a judge’s gavel with a warning symbol, representing court delays and housing law pressure

NRLA urges clarity as Renters’ Rights Act could overwhelm courts

19th January 2026

The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has warned court capacity could be overwhelmed by the Renters’ Rights Act. In a letter to the Justice Select Committee, NRLA chief executive Ben Beadle pointed out that landlords are having to wait weeks for court hearings to regain possession of their properties. With three months to go until […]

Woman tangled in red tape symbolizing landlords trapped by taxes and regulations

We are feeling SO trapped?

19th January 2026

We had planned to sell our 4 BTLs when we retired in 2015, but time seems to have slipped by, and we are still trapped with 3 of them. Two of them have been tenanted by the same people since 2006, and the third is currently vacant. With all the nasty stuff coming down the […]

Cartoon house jumping with pound sign and 2.8% figure symbolising rising UK house prices in January

January house prices jump 2.8% as buyer confidence returns

19th January 2026

The average asking price of newly listed homes jumped to £368,031 in January, marking a 2.8% rise from December and the biggest January increase ever recorded. According to Rightmove, the £9,893 monthly increase is also the strongest rise seen in any month since June 2015. National prices are now 0.5% above levels seen a year […]

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Coventry launches EPC buy to let deals as TMW cuts rates

19th January 2026

Coventry for Intermediaries has rolled out a new range of buy to let products aimed at landlords investing in energy-efficient homes, offering lower pricing for properties with stronger EPC scores. The new deals are open to both individual and limited company landlords and apply to homes rated A, B or C. The lender says the […]

Illustration showing rising rental yields with stacked coins and plants in front of a house labelled rent

Rental yields rise again across England and Wales

19th January 2026

Rental yields across England and Wales improved in the final quarter of 2025, extending gains seen earlier in the year, data shows. Fleet Mortgages says its research shows that the strength of the yields reinforces the appeal of buy to let investment. The lender’s Q4 Rental Barometer shows average returns rising on both an annual […]

Falling UK rents illustrated by pound symbols dropping around the word “Rents” against a blue sky

Falling rents set a new record as landlord investment drops

19th January 2026

Rents across Great Britain ended 2025 lower than where they began for the first time on record, as softer demand, easing pressures in London and falling investor activity reshaped the lettings market. The findings from Hamptons found that newly agreed rents dropped by 0.7%, marking the first full calendar year decline since its Lettings Index […]

Buy-to-let mortgage market analysis displayed on a laptop as activity trends are examined

Buy to let mortgage searches fall by a fifth

19th January 2026

Mortgage activity cooled sharply in December as the year closed, yet figures suggest the market finished 2025 in a firmer position than earlier in the autumn, according to the latest data from Twenty7tec. Buy to let searches dropped 23.06% month on month to 189,902 as advisers and borrowers stepped back over the festive period. However, […]

UK house prices forecast to rise in 2026, shown with pound sign, upward arrow and Scottish flag

Scotland tops Zoopla’s 2026 house price forecast

19th January 2026

Zoopla is forecasting that the average UK house price will rise by 1.5% in 2026. It points to Scotland and Northern England for offering the strongest growth prospects fuelled by affordability and demand. The property portal’s analysis shows Scottish markets dominating the national rankings, taking nine of the top 10 positions. Motherwell leads the table, […]

BTL Mortgage Blog featured image showing a house, key, calculator, percentage sign and pound coins on a teal background.

Product Transfers vs Remortgages – Which Is Better for Landlords?

19th January 2026

When a buy-to-let mortgage deal comes to an end, landlords face a key decision: should they do a product transfer with their current lender, or a full remortgage to another lender? Both options have advantages and drawbacks. In 2026, with affordability tests still challenging and rates shifting, understanding the trade-offs can save landlords time, money […]