Homes sold under Right to Buy have soared in the past year, despite government proposal for reforms. Government data reveals 14,275 council homes were sold under the Right to Buy scheme in England during 2025-26, an increase of 90% compared to 2024-25. Under the new reforms, the minimum eligibility period would increase from three to […]

Landlords are housing a rapidly growing number of people approaching retirement who could struggle to cover their rent once their wages stop. An analysis by Sky News shows the number of privately renting households aged 55 to 64 has risen by 82% since 2008. Continuing to rent throughout a 20-year retirement would cost the average […]

Starts on new build-to-rent homes fell 79% in the year to June 2026, according to a Savills analysis for Real Estate:UK. That left 2,176 homes entering construction, down from 13,893 a year earlier. Starts outside London fell 84%, while the number of homes under construction nationwide was 21% lower in Q2 2026 than in the […]

An industry body has urged the First Minister of Wales not to press ahead with plans to introduce rent controls and abolish no-fault evictions. Propertymark has written a letter to First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth ahead of the proposed Welsh Rental Bill 2027, which is set to reshape the private rented sector in Wales. Under […]

Two sets of official figures published on the same day appear to point in opposite directions. Fewer landlords are falling behind with their mortgages, yet more landlords are asking the courts to return their properties. The distinction may reveal something more important than a simple arrears story. Two official reports published today tell very different […]

Landlords buying or refinancing now have new buy to let fixed-rate options, including products at 75% LTV from 3.55%. Paragon Bank has refreshed its range for individual and limited company borrowers across England, Scotland and Wales. Its green mortgage rates for single self-contained properties at 75% LTV start at 3.55% for two years and 4.95% […]

Landlords who have not signed up for Making Tax Digital (MTD) face being automatically enrolled from September, although late first quarterly updates will not attract penalty points this tax year. HMRC will begin registering those required to use the system in stages over the coming months. It says that more than 436,000 sole traders and […]

Overseas tenants are struggling to provide a UK-based guarantor despite being able to afford the rent, according to new data. Findings by Zero Deposit reveal rents in London have soared to more than £2,000 a month, as landlords increasingly demand guarantors from prospective tenants. The news comes as, under the Renters’ Rights Act, landlords and […]

High demand and limited supply continue to push rents higher, with the salary needed to rent in London soaring. Propertymark’s rental price and average salary tracker reveals that London recorded the strongest monthly rental growth, with average rents rising from £2,385 to £2,484 (+4.2% month-on-month). This increase means the representative annual salary needed to secure […]

A landlord has slammed a council’s selective licensing application process as “not fit for purpose”. Paul Cunningham, chair of the Eastern Landlords Association (ELA), told Property118 that the software used to apply for Great Yarmouth Council’s selective licensing scheme is “not user-friendly”, adding to a growing sense of frustration among landlords in the area. The […]

Small landlords can now use a free system to log repair reports and retain evidence showing how each case was handled. Lettie has launched the plan for landlords with up to four properties, a group it says represents around 83% of landlords in England. Tenants can report problems through WhatsApp at any time, while communications […]

The rental market remains constrained by a lack of supply as some landlords choose to leave the sector. The latest RICS UK Residential Survey for July 2026 points to a subdued housing market, alongside continued shortages in rental stock. Landlord instructions remained firmly negative at -27%, with survey feedback indicating that some landlords are reducing […]

There is an uncomfortable statistic buried in the latest insolvency figures which ought to interest anybody wondering why Britain continually promises to build more homes while struggling to get them out of the ground. According to the latest figures from the Insolvency Service, 3,805 construction companies in England and Wales became insolvent in the 12 […]

Letting agents are being warned to watch out for AI-generated tenant complaints as the use of artificial intelligence continues to grow. Propertymark is warning members that while AI presents opportunities for the lettings sector, it also brings several challenges, particularly when dealing with tenant complaints and disputes. The warning comes as the government admits it […]

Rent controls could push more landlords to sell and reduce the number of homes available to tenants, Propertymark has warned as the debate over imposing rent controls gathers pace. The property body argues that limiting prices tackles the effect of the housing shortage rather than the shortage itself. In London, the average rent for a […]

Buy to let mortgage searches slipped in July as landlords continued to weigh borrowing costs, taxation and regulation before committing to new deals. Research firm Twenty7tec said BTL search volumes remained slightly below their level a year earlier, while residential purchase searches also fell 3% compared with June. Across the mortgage market, 1,790,196 searches were […]

The government claims it is taking action to tackle the impact of short-term lets. In response to a written parliamentary question, Labour’s Baroness Taylor of Stevenage said the government would review additional measures aimed at giving councils greater powers to tackle the pressures caused by short-term lets. The news comes as MPs have called on […]

Every reform has winners and losers. In this story, everyone already knows the cast: leaseholders good, freeholders bad, cap the rent — cue the applause. The proposal is simple. Ground rents in existing long residential leases would be capped at £250 a year for 40 years, then fall to a peppercorn. It sounds administrative, but […]

Landlords with properties in three Burnley neighbourhoods could face new or renewed selective licensing requirements under plans now open for consultation. Burnley Council is proposing to redesignate existing schemes in Burnley Wood with Healey Wood and around Leyland Road, while introducing a new licensing area around Lyndhurst Road. Residents, landlords, businesses and community organisations can […]

The following is the risk warning prescribed by the FCA for promotions relating to non-readily realisable securities. Commercial disclosure: I have personally invested in the type of loan note described in this article. Property118 may receive a commercial introduction fee if a reader subsequently invests. Property118 does not provide regulated investment advice. Don’t invest unless […]

A landlord who believed he had found an ideal tenant was later threatened with substantial financial penalties after his property was secretly converted into an unlicensed house in multiple occupation (HMO. The landlord let a four-bedroom house to a man who said he wanted it for himself and members of his family. He appeared organised, […]