Home buyer confidence is improving as mortgage costs ease, bringing more people back into the housing market, although activity remains below last year’s opening pace. The latest UK House Price Index from Zoopla shows buyer demand has recovered after a subdued end to 2025. That’s when uncertainty around the Autumn Budget caused many households to […]

Scotland’s private rented sector has shown signs of stabilisation over the past year, with rent rises broadly tracking inflation. DJ Alexander says its analysis of the latest statistics shows average rents for two-bedroom homes rose by £28 a month to £921 in the year to September 2025. That represents a 3.1% annual increase, matching inflation […]

An MP has asked whether the government will prevent landlords from raising rents under the Warm Homes Plan. In a written question, Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy asked if the government will stop landlords from increasing rents after using grants and loans from the plan to fund energy efficiency measures. The government has again insisted that […]

Landlords in Wales will be barred from discriminating against tenants with children or those who receive benefits from 1 June. The Welsh government says that landlords will need to give tenants, or contract holders, a new occupation contract or a statement of variation. The statement can be served up to 14 days after the new […]

At the time of writing, the Scottish Budget process is ongoing in the Scottish Parliament. Sectors across our economy and public sector are watching events as they unfold carefully, and Scotland’s private rented sector (PRS) is no different. The decisions made and the negotiations had will have a significant impact on us as landlords and […]

A tenant group claims the “Renters’ Rights Act will only be as effective as how well it is enforced”, as they claim councils need more enforcement powers. Speaking to the London Assembly Housing Committee on the implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act, the Renters’ Reform Coalition claimed local authorities have not used existing powers to […]

Industry experts have welcomed the government’s plans to cap ground rents at £250 a year in older leases and introduce wider leasehold reform. Under the proposals, new leasehold flats will be banned, while ground rents on existing leases will be capped at £250 annually before being reduced to a peppercorn after 40 years, meaning no […]

Landlords across England are still reluctant to advertise homes as pet friendly, even as the Renters’ Rights Act gets closer, research reveals. According to Inventory Base, just 8.2% of rental properties are currently marketed as welcoming pets. The inspection and compliance technology firm says that represents an annual rise of 0.6% since January 2025. Landlords […]

A major council is offering financial support to social renters who want to move into a smaller, easier to manage home, as pressure on larger family housing continues to build. The scheme is aimed at tenants living in council or housing association properties that have more bedrooms than they now need, or which have become […]

Build to Rent (BTR) investment in the UK reached £4.7bn in 2025, with a late surge in dealmaking helping the sector close the year stronger than many expected. Data from Knight Frank show £1.7bn was invested in the final quarter, capping a year shaped by tighter financing conditions and wider economic pressure on real estate. […]

Most homeowners checking their house price last year saw values edge higher, although where you live mattered more than ever, Zoopla has revealed. Its analysis shows that half of the UK’s 30 million homes increased in value during 2025. Around 15.2m properties recorded gains of at least 1%, with an average uplift of £9,900. For […]

The government has announced that ground rents in England and Wales will be capped at £250 a year for leaseholders. Under the plans, they will fall to a peppercorn rent after 40 years, meaning no payment at all. The cap will apply to most residential leasehold agreements signed before July 2023, removing future shocks for […]

More than 30,000 homes have been left with defects from government insulation schemes, according to a new report. The Public Accounts Committee describes a “clear systemic failure,” with no senior officials in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero knowing whether the schemes were effective for at least two years. A Nottingham landlord has […]

Landbay has rolled out a new set of five-year fixed Premier remortgage products, pairing assisted legals with a free valuation as lenders continue to compete on both price and processes. The buy to let lender has partnered with digital conveyancing firm Conveyd to support brokers handling straightforward remortgage cases. Landbay said the move is intended […]

A tenant group has demanded a freeze on evictions and rents during any post-flood repairs. ACORN says there is no national voice for tenants on flooding, and renters bear the brunt of the consequences. However, ACORN fails to mention that renters can take out insurance to protect their belongings in case of flooding. Freeze on […]

Asking rents are slipping deeper into decline, adding fresh downward pressure to house values at the start of 2026, one index reveals. Home.co.uk says that annualised rent growth is now running at -4.1%. Every English region, along with Scotland and Wales, is now showing year-on-year falls. The news follows an announcement from Hamptons that newly […]

The Mayor of London has unveiled plans to build 6,000 rent-controlled homes for key workers by 2030. Sadiq Khan claims building rent-controlled homes will help key workers in the capital save thousands of pounds a year. However, the City Hall Conservatives argue rent controls do more harm than good and Mr Khan’s plans are a […]

London is pressing ahead with Build to Rent (BTR) activity despite signs of a nationwide slowdown, an analysis from Foxtons has found. It says that planning volumes in the capital are up 8.5% year on year. The firm reviewed Q3 2025 planning figures and found 106,406 BTR homes are currently in the national pipeline. That […]

Landlords in one city with empty properties are being encouraged to work with a council-backed scheme designed to bring homes back into use quickly and with minimal cost. The council says it wants landlords who want to fill a vacant property and avoid letting agent charges to get in touch. The Exeter City Council initiative, […]

If being a landlord was such a great deal, then properties with tenants would sell at a premium? It’s no surprise to landlords that a quick internet search, and simple common sense, will tell you that one of the quickest ways to destroy property value is to buy a house at market value, then put […]

Tenant default is one of the biggest risks for landlords. Even with strong referencing, job losses, illness, or disputes can leave tenants unable or unwilling to pay. Rent guarantee insurance (RGI) promises to protect landlords against these losses, but the detail of each policy makes a huge difference. This article explains how RGI works, what’s […]