Page 49 – Property118
Black mould spreading across a damp bedroom wall corner above wooden flooring

Tenant demanding compensation for mould?

12th February 2026

I have a tenant who complained about mould and the handyman went to sort this out and said the same thing would happen if there was no ventilation. I bought a dehumidifier for the tenant, but six weeks later, the tenant complained again of mould, saying he should be allowed to leave before the end […]

Dumped furniture piled on a neighbour’s driveway outside a UK terraced house

New tenant dumped items next door?

12th February 2026

Hi all, I have a new tenant who’s been in for less than one month since January and just found out they have dumped furniture onto next door’s drive. The owner is away and has sent me a message saying this needs to be cleared, as they gave no permission for the items to be […]

Rising rents illustrated by stacked coins and upward red arrow beside a model house

Housing market shows signs of recovery but rents set to rise – RICS

12th February 2026

House prices appear to have stabilised, but supply remains constrained and rents are expected to rise, according to the latest RICS survey. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) says that although tenant demand has increased, the ongoing imbalance between supply and demand is pushing rents higher. The survey found that a net balance of […]

Model house beside a calculator with a downward arrow symbolising falling UK rental prices

Rents fell in January but tenant affordability pressures remain

12th February 2026

Rents fell in most UK regions in January, signalling a clear post-Christmas slowdown, but the cost of accessing rented housing remains stubbornly high when set against earnings. Propertymark’s latest rent price and salary tracker shows month-on-month declines across much of the country. The sharpest drops were recorded in the North East at −10.0%, followed by […]

Checklist showing 2020–2024 milestones beside a model house and keys, symbolising longer rental tenancies over recent years

Regulation changes drive longer tenancies

12th February 2026

A reduction in rental supply due to small landlords leaving the market has caused tenancies to become longer, claims firm. The deposit alternative provider Flatfair says the rental market has changed dramatically over the last few years due to regulation and is encouraging letting agents to reassess how tenancy risk is managed. Under the Renters’ […]

Piggy bank beside stacked coins illustrating tenant deposit protection rules under new rental guidance.

Government clarifies deposit rules under Renters’ Rights Act

11th February 2026

The government has published new guidance on deposits when giving notice to tenants. The latest clarification comes as the Renters’ Rights Act comes into force on 1 May 2026. The government says landlords must place a tenant’s deposit in a government-approved tenancy deposit scheme such as the Deposit Protection Service (DPS), MyDeposits or the Tenancy […]

Magnifying glass highlighting a verified badge, symbolising scrutiny of guarantor requirements in renting

Government claim blanket guarantor requirements could hinder tenants

11th February 2026

The government claim a guarantor can act as a barrier to renting for some tenants. In answer to a written question, Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook says landlords and letting agents must consider a tenant’s individual circumstances and will monitor the use of guarantors. According to the English Private Landlord survey, nearly a quarter (21%) of […]

Sold house on a stack of cash symbolising landlords exiting the rental market at strong prices

Landlords with £200K properties selling faster than anyone else

11th February 2026

As this week’s news reported that UK rents were falling again in a “rental market cool,” the number of landlords looking to sell continued to increase. The latest HomeLet Rental Index revealed that the average UK rent had slowed down by 1.1% in January 2026. Whilst the figures might not seem much, London in particular […]

Tracker and fixed buy-to-let mortgage rates illustrated with house, rising chart, and rate cut symbol

BTL tracker launches and rate cuts boost lending competition

11th February 2026

Landbay has expanded its buy to let (BTL) range with the launch of new tracker and fixed products, as lenders continue repricing in response to interest rate expectations. The lender has introduced two two-year trackers alongside two zero fee five-year fixed deals within its Premier range, which is aimed at landlords holding up to 15 […]

Model house, calculator and magnifying glass on planning maps illustrating UK housing development and costs

Planning reforms alone will not fix housing crisis – Propertymark

11th February 2026

An industry body has warned the government that planning reforms alone will not be enough to deliver 1.5 million homes. Propertymark’s Meeting UK House Demand position paper sets out recommendations for policymakers, including empowering councils to build more homes and supporting smaller developers in development planning. The Labour government promised in its manifesto to build […]

Light bulb with red FAILED stamp and the word compensation glowing inside, symbolising failure to deliver fair redress

Social housing landlords failing residents on compensation

11th February 2026

The Housing Ombudsman has called for fair compensation across the social housing sector after a report found that social housing landlords are failing to apply their own compensation policies correctly. According to the report, there were numerous cases where residents living in poor housing conditions received no compensation. The Housing Ombudsman has launched new compensation […]

Silhouette of a prisoner behind bars with a red question mark symbolising uncertainty about custody location

Tenant in prison – can I serve a Section 8?

11th February 2026

Hello, I have a tenant on remand in prison for the last three weeks. He has no family or friends, despite phone calls and emails with no reply. I cannot find out which prison he is in. He is now 10 weeks behind with his rent; the severity of the alleged crime suggests that he […]

Piggy banks and a house beneath an upward arrow symbolising rising rents and growing tenancy deposits

Tenants are tying up £2,524 in overlapping rental deposits

11th February 2026

Renters moving home are being left to juggle thousands of pounds in overlapping tenancy deposits, as rising rents push up the cash required to secure a new property. Research compiled by Reposit shows tenants switching between homes are tying up an average of £2,524 while waiting for their previous deposit to be returned. At the […]

House on stacks of coins surrounded by tools, symbolising the cost of property upgrades under new housing standards

New Decent Homes Standard could cost landlords billions

10th February 2026

Landlords will need to fork out £26.5 billion to meet the new Decent Homes Standard, according to government data. Statistics published by the government for its English Housing Survey Briefing: Modelling a new Decent Homes Standard reveals landlords will have to spend billions to meet the new standard by 2035. Under the new standard, landlords […]

Failed inspection stamp over a damaged social housing kitchen with signs of damp, decay and disrepair.

MPs warn of social housing crisis as thousands fail Decent Homes Standard

10th February 2026

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 […]

Professional landlord figure overlaid with residential housing, representing renewed confidence in the private rented sector

Landlord optimism rebounds as sector confidence climbs

10th February 2026

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 […]

EPC energy efficiency scale beside modern commercial buildings highlighting risk of properties becoming unlettable

Four in five commercial buildings at EPC risk amid government delay

10th February 2026

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 […]

Model house sitting on a suitcase filled with folded clothes, representing temporary accommodation and housing insecurity

Taskforce urges government to restore LHA rates

10th February 2026

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 […]

Letting agency office with qualification certificates highlighting updated Renters’ Rights Act training for agents

Rightmove launches Renters’ Rights Act module for letting agents

10th February 2026

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 […]

Cracked red umbrella sheltering a small house against a Scottish flag backdrop, symbolising Scotland’s housing crisis

Scottish Conservatives accuse SNP of worsening housing crisis

10th February 2026

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 […]

Digital tax compliance interface highlighting a £1,000 fine risk for landlords under Making Tax Digital

Landlords face fines for not updating contact details under Making Tax Digital

9th February 2026

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 […]