This piece is part of our Unbelievable Letting Agent Fails series. Today’s story was first reported in the United Kingdom. In one of the most avoidable blunders imaginable, a letting agent misplaced the master key set for a multi unit building. Overnight, every tenant was affected and every landlord faced security worries and unexpected costs. […]

Some landlords believe that renting their own properties to their own Limited Company creates a more tax-efficient structure. In reality, it can lead to penalties for under-declaring tax. The reasoning behind the concept sounds simple enough. Individual income tax rates can reach 45 per cent, and for those earning over £100,000, the withdrawal of personal […]

Every landlord knows that mortgage rates make or break portfolio cashflow. With thousands of fixed-rate deals coming to an end in 2025, the big question is simple: where are buy-to-let mortgage rates heading? While no one has a crystal ball, we can look at the economic signals, lender behaviour and regulatory environment to forecast likely […]

A landlord compliance expert warns the Renters’ Rights Bill is being mis-sold to the public as protecting tenants, but instead is protecting council budgets through tougher civil penalties. Des Taylor from Landlord Licensing & Defence says landlords could face waiting 12 to 16 months to gain back possession of their property under the Renters’ Rights […]

London’s second homeowners face a Capital Gains Tax (CGT) bill of thousands of pounds, according to new research. Over the past decade, rising property values have left many London investors facing significantly higher CGT bills when selling a second home. However, the Prime London market has remained largely unscathed, and in some cases has even […]

Uncertainty around the Autumn Budget and Renters’ Rights Bill sees a slowdown in the number of new rental properties coming onto the market, according to a new report. Rightmove’s Rental Trends Tracker reveals that the pace at which fresh rental properties are listed has slowed in recent months, now standing just 1% ahead of this […]

With Awaab’s Law coming into effect today for social housing landlords, private landlords are being urged to prepare ahead of it being introduced to the private rented sector. Under Awaab’s Law, social housing landlords must provide alternative accommodation if they fail to fix emergency hazards within strict timeframes. Serious issues such as damp and mould […]

An association warns extending National Insurance on rental income will have serious unintended consequences for small landlords and create a two-tier system. The Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA) warns the rumoured proposal could cause landlords to leave the market and push landlords’ tax rates “to unsuitable levels.” According to IMLA’s report, The November Budget 2025: […]

Can anyone else get over the stupidity of forcing landlords to keep properties which fail to sell empty for in excess of 12 months? I put 6 rental properties on the market this summer, and between them knocked up over 40 months of voids before one sold, and I re-let the others. The upshot has […]

The government has announced new emergency measures to tackle London housebuilding targets by slashing affordable housing requirements to 20%. After weeks of speculation, the government unveiled the Homes for London plan, offering temporary relief from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). This includes 50% borough CIL relief for qualifying schemes that commit to delivering at least […]

This piece is part of our Unbelievable Letting Agent Fails series. Today’s story was first reported in the United Kingdom. A family arrived at their new rental, car packed to the roof, only to discover a simple problem that ruined day one. The letting agent did not hand over the keys. In some versions of […]

It seems it’s one thing after another for landlords, as they rush to take action ahead of the new Renters’ Rights Bill – one of the biggest overhauls of the private rental sector. The bill, which is due to become law, will ban Section 21 “no-fault” evictions, allow tenants to challenge what they might see […]

Watching Matthew Pennycook’s ‘performance’ in Parliament in nodding through the Renters’ Rights Bill, I was struck by two things: landlords must be the only group of people who can be smeared without any comeback, and we were never close to having a seat at the table when the bill was being put together. Not once. […]

Former Shelter chief executive Polly Neate has been nominated as a crossbench Peer in the House of Lords. Ms Neate stood down from her role in March this year and has been a strong advocate for tenants’ rights and pushed for the abolition of Section 21. The Independent House of Lords Appointments Commission which nominated […]

There is a huge elephant in the room surrounding the Renters’ Rights Bill (RRB) and its hapless legislation, and guess what? It isn’t bogey landlords. The true cause of homelessness, high rents, and lack of social housing has little to do with landlords. It’s simply and very obviously a ‘LACK OF HOUSING’. Insufficient housing leads […]

A growing number of aspiring first-time buyers are discovering that even two salaries may no longer be enough to get a foot on the property ladder. Mortgage data firm Twenty7tec has warned that Britain could be reaching a ‘two-salary ceiling’ after new figures revealed that nearly six in 10 first-time buyers earn less than £60,000 a […]

BTL mortgage brokers fear that the Chancellor’s reported plan to impose National Insurance (NI) on landlords’ rental income could trigger a sell-off in the private rented sector. The research from Landbay also warns the move may backfire and deepen the housing crisis. The buy to let lender found that more than seven in 10 brokers […]

Foundation Home Loans and Accord Mortgages have both announced enhancements to their buy to let offerings, widening options for landlords and brokers seeking flexible, competitive funding solutions. Foundation has rolled out a new select fixed fee range across its F1 and F2 tiers, featuring three five-year fixed-rate products aimed at borrowers with clean or specialist […]

House prices have risen again, marking the second straight quarter of growth this year, according to new data from Benham and Reeves. Its latest Property Market Index Review from the lettings and estate agency shows that average UK property values stood at £305,680 in the second quarter of 2025. That’s a 0.7% rise on the […]

A Labour MP has demanded the government introduce landlord licensing powers across whole cities rather than selective licensing schemes. In a written question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Olivia Blake MP asked, “whether ministers would introduce legislation allowing councils to implement landlord licensing schemes covering whole areas, rather than selective schemes”. […]

Mystic Mortar’s Landlord Horoscope Edition: Friday 24 October 2025 Welcome, star-gazers and key-holders, to a week where celestial shadows and radiant lights mingle, shaping both property paths and personal charms. The stars whisper of hidden truths, fresh beginnings, and choices best made with care. This week brings a powerful New Moon and Solar Eclipse in […]