Page 50 – Property118
Rachel Reeves controversy over unlicensed rental property highlighted through email evidence.

Emails reveal Rachel Reeves misled the Prime Minister over unlicensed rental home

31st October 2025

It’s a controversy that doesn’t look like it’s going away after it was revealed that the Chancellor Rachel Reeves told the Prime Minister she was unaware that her Dulwich home needed a licence to be rented out. However, emails released for ‘transparency’ show that the claim was untrue. Conservatives are calling for Ms Reeves to […]

Halloween Tenant Nightmares: Damage That Defies Description

31st October 2025

End-of-tenancy walk-throughs rarely shock seasoned landlords. This one did. The front door stuck on a swollen frame, the air felt heavy, and the first step into the lounge crunched on broken glass. What followed looked like a DIY experiment gone wrong. The walk-through from hell Room by room the damage escalated. Doors were off hinges. […]

Golden judge’s gavel symbolising housing tribunal rulings and landlord accountability.

Councillor pushes to make landlord tribunal rulings public

31st October 2025

An Edinburgh councillor is calling for housing tribunal rulings against landlords to be made public. Independent councillor Ross McKenzie says greater transparency is needed and the ways in which landlords are ruled not fit to let properties should be made public. The Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL) says councils should work with landlords to promote […]

Wooden letter tiles spelling “leasehold” beside a red question mark, symbolising confusion about property ownership.

Unreasonable price to purchase freehold for terrace property?

31st October 2025

I own a three-bedroom terraced property with over 900 years remaining on the lease and a nominal ground rent of £15 per annum. My freeholder has asked me to apply for a leasehold enquiry at a cost of £400 and has indicated that the purchase of the freehold alone would cost £10,000, excluding solicitor and […]

Scissors cutting a red percent symbol with the words “Buy to Let,” symbolising falling mortgage rates.

BTL lenders cut rates and boost borrowing limits as competition heats up

31st October 2025

It’s been a week of growing competition across the buy to let mortgage market as several major lenders roll out rate cuts and higher borrowing limits to help landlords. The Mortgage Works (TMW) has lifted its maximum loan per property to £2 million for both standard BTL and limited company applications, up from £1.5 million. […]

Mystic Mortar Landlord Horoscope 31 October 2025 – square cartoon Halloween-themed illustration with fortune teller, pumpkin, ghosts and bold headline.

Halloween Landlord Horoscope 31 Oct 2025

31st October 2025

Mystic Mortar’s Landlord Horoscope Edition: Friday 31 October 2025 Welcome, star-gazers and key-holders, to a Halloween edition where cosmic shadows dance across the property world. The stars whisper of mystery, charm and the need for careful choices as October closes its doors. This week, the Sun journeys deeper into Scorpio, intensifying focus on secrets, power […]

Two people shaking hands above a torn tenancy agreement on the floor.

The verbal agreement trap that cost a landlord dearly

31st October 2025

It all started with trust. The landlord had let to the tenant before, so when they asked to extend their stay, he agreed on the spot. No paperwork was signed, no dates or clauses were written down, just a friendly handshake and the tenant’s word that the rent would continue monthly “as usual.” For several […]

Chancellor Rachel Reeves faces ethics probe over rental licence breach

Rachel ‘Double Standards’ Reeves rented out family home without a selective licence

30th October 2025

The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has referred herself to the government’s ethics watchdog after admitting she broke housing law by renting out her family home without a selective licence. She admitted to the breach after questions were raised over her Dulwich property, which was listed for rent at £3,200 a month when she moved into Number […]

Man standing in front of a homeless person sitting on a rainy city street at night

Landlord slams selective licensing as cause of Nottingham’s homelessness crisis

30th October 2025

One of Nottingham’s largest landlords has blamed selective licensing for the city’s homelessness crisis. Mick Roberts, who has housed benefit tenants for the past 28 years, pushed back against claims by Nottingham MP Nadia Whittome, who says the city’s homelessness problem is caused by a lack of council powers. According to Nottinghamshire Live, Nottingham has […]

pic of auctioneer selling a house buyer landlord bargain property118

Advice on selling rental bugalow at auction?

30th October 2025

My final rental is now vacant and will be ready to go on the market in a couple of weeks. I do have an estate agent lined up, but I’m wondering whether to try an auction. Its a small detached bungalow in Runcorn, Cheshire. Could I ask for people’s experience of selling at auction? I’m […]

Hand stamping document symbolising approval of Leeds selective licensing scheme

Four London councils plan or expand Selective Licensing schemes

30th October 2025

Four London councils, plus one in Hertfordshire, are to expand or consult residents on implementing selective licensing schemes. In Islington, the borough’s selective licensing scheme will be extended to seven new wards, bringing thousands more rented homes under regulation. The scheme currently applies to Finsbury Park, Hillrise and Tollington but will soon include Barnsbury, Caledonian, […]

Living room filled with packed moving boxes and a red alarm clock symbolizing urgency during tenant move-out.

Landlords foot the bill for tenants’ abandoned belongings

30th October 2025

Landlords are spending hundreds of pounds disposing of items left behind by tenants, according to a survey by Direct Line Insurance. From a full aquarium with live fish to 50 tubs of ice cream left in a freezer, some tenants have abandoned unusual possessions that landlords must remove at their own expense. The survey found […]

Rising rental costs shown with red arrow, house model, and pound sign

Rents surge across Britain since last Halloween

30th October 2025

Rents continue to rise as landlord uncertainty over the Renters’ Rights Act sees rental supply shrink, according to new analysis. A report by lettings agents Benham & Reeves shows which areas of the rental market are haunting tenants this Halloween, revealing the largest increases in average monthly rents since this time last year. The Renters’ […]

Anti-social gang drinking and smoking police council property118.com

Renters’ Rights Act aims to support landlords dealing with anti-social behaviour

30th October 2025

A Labour minister has claimed the Renters’ Rights Act will help tackle anti-social behaviour. Sarah Jones MP, Minister of State at the Home Office and former head of campaigns at Shelter, says tenants committing anti-social behaviour causes misery, and landlords will have the tools necessary to keep people safe. The Renters’ Rights Act received Royal […]

Person pointing at lease extension search with modern apartment building.

Help with rental property lease extension?

30th October 2025

Hello everyone, I’m seeking advice on extending the lease for my rental property, which is approaching the dreaded 80-year short lease/marriage value that I want to avoid. The property is a flat in a block of 6 flats. Each flat owner (leaseholder) also owns a share of the Freehold company that owns the Freehold. In […]

Letting Agent Billed Tenant £50 for ‘Air Freshener Fee’

30th October 2025

Most landlords and tenants are familiar with the usual costs that can crop up when moving out of a rental property. Cleaning fees, deposit deductions, and damage charges are nothing new. Yet one tenant in Birmingham was left stunned when their letting agent issued a £50 bill for an ‘air freshener fee’. The explanation? Apparently, […]

A damaged rental living room with stains and missing inventory report on the table.

The missing inventory that cost a landlord thousands

30th October 2025

It was meant to be a quick turnaround. The landlord thought skipping the inventory would save a day’s hassle and a few hundred pounds. But when the tenancy ended, the property was left with stains, missing items and damage that no one could prove was the tenant’s fault. With no signed check-in report, the deposit […]

Labour deputy leader named among MPs renting out rooms to colleagues

29th October 2025

Labour’s new deputy leader is among MPs renting out rooms to colleagues at taxpayers’ expense, new figures reveal. New figures from the Daily Mail show five landlord MPs pocketed over £30,000 last year by letting properties to colleagues in the House of Commons. The Parliamentary watchdog had previously pledged to review the practice amid concerns […]

Council officer presses door buzzer while conducting a housing inspection visit.

Councils to gain power for surprise inspections without notice at the end of this year

29th October 2025

From December, councils will have the power to enter private rented properties without needing a warrant in certain circumstances. Under the Renters’ Rights Act, councils will have the power to carry out surprise inspections, and landlords will not have to be notified before an inspection takes place. The government has now published investigatory powers guidance […]