A government pilot allowing councils to use rent repayment orders to recover misused housing support payments is set to be expanded. The Department for Work and Pensions, alongside the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, works with local councils to identify benefit-claiming tenants living in unlicensed properties, with landlords facing rent repayment orders from […]

Lloyds has revealed its 2025 housing hotspots, with most regions across the UK seeing rising house prices. Plymouth recorded the steepest annual increase in house values, up 12.6%. House prices also rose across Yorkshire and the Humber, while the South East saw property values fall. Plymouth saw the strongest house price growth According to the […]

One of the most frustrating experiences for landlords is having an insurance claim declined. In many cases, the reason is non-disclosure or misrepresentation at the point of purchase or renewal. Put simply, insurers expect you to provide accurate information about the risk. If key facts are omitted or misstated, they may reduce a payout or […]

In a Property118 comment on 27 December, member “Spock” said: “I have a student property. Traditionally, I have always asked for the rent payment for the first month a few days before the start of the tenancy start date. I never hand out keys until I know that everyone has paid the first month’s rent. […]

The government claim it will keep Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates under review. In answer to a written question, Homelessness Minister Alison McGovern says the government is working to support private renters with their rent. The news comes after the government froze LHA rates for the second year in a row in the Autumn Budget. […]

The Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced the Spring statement will take place on 3 March 2026. Ms Reeves has asked the Office for Budget Responsibility to prepare an economic and fiscal forecast. The news comes after the Autumn Budget in November, which raised tax rates on dividends, property, and savings income by 2 percentage points. […]

A survey claims one in five renters in the private rented sector (PRS) say they are living in poor housing conditions, as a tenant group calls for a date for when Awaab’s Law will apply to the PRS. The findings by the End Fuel Poverty Coalition reveal that 26% of adults reported mould in their […]

More than 1,200 fires broke out in purpose-built flats over the past year where no fire alarms were installed, according to new data. Findings from Drax Technology reveal London recorded the highest number of fires. The firm analysed incident data reported by Fire and Rescue Services across England, covering purpose-built flats of all sizes between […]

Room rents in Wales have soared nearly three times more than the average room rent across the UK over the past year, according to new research. Data from SpareRoom reveals that room rents in Wales have risen by 40% over the past five years, from £419 to £586 per month, compared with a 28% increase […]

How BTR is responding to demands for increased professionalism in the private rented sector. Article by Andy Jones, group director of corporate sales at LRG. The Renters’ Rights Act has been met with mixed reactions across the property sector. While some private landlords have expressed concerns over increased regulation, corporate landlords – particularly those operating […]

Can I ask if anyone has experience with Earnings Attachment Orders regarding ex-tenants’ debt? We`re currently going through a legally expensive (defended) Section 21 eviction before the Renters’ Rights Act comes in. The debtor does work (when he feels like it!) for agencies. IF we win (who knows with the law!), and if and when […]

Two articles published on Property118 in recent days have sent a clear message to the sector. The most recent revealed the government’s newly published civil penalty tables, which show fines of up to £35,000 for breaches under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. https://www.property118.com/landlords-fines-renters-rights-act/ The second article , published a week ago, explained why acting early […]

The government is imposing new regulations on new landlords’ databases. As responsible landlords, we demand efficiency and proportionality in compliance. A recent excellent article by the property118 team pointed to the disproportionate nature of regulation. >> https://www.property118.com/deposit-disputes-remain-rare-despite-rising-rents-tds/ The data points to the schemes holding 4.7 million deposits amounting to schemes holding £5.5 billion in cash, […]

Experts are warning that new rules for councils, which come into force this Saturday (27 December), will give authorities unprecedented powers to enforce compliance. Under the Renters’ Rights Act, councils will gain the power to carry out surprise inspections, including entering premises where tenancy records are kept, and to issue fines running into thousands of […]

Not every property project goes to plan. Unexpected costs, tight deadlines, and lender withdrawals can stall even the most experienced landlord’s plans. This case study shows how bridging finance, when used strategically, turned a stalled project into a success – and highlights the lessons other landlords can learn. The Challenge A landlord had agreed to […]

A council has launched a consultation on proposals to introduce additional HMO licensing, which would mean all HMOs in the area would need to be inspected. Telford and Wrekin Council has launched a 10-week consultation on the proposals and is asking landlords to have their say. We want to make sure that homes in HMO […]

When tenants left in January 2024, I used a local estate agent to find a new tenant, but after ten viewings, there were no takers, despite this being a very desirable flat. I went to inspect it and found it covered in black mould. While cleaning it up, a single lady asked to rent it, […]

Estate agents are predicting a “Boxing Day bonanza” as pent-up demand after months of Autumn Budget uncertainty drives sellers to put their homes on the market. Parkers Properties believes that this year’s Boxing Day could see an influx of homes coming onto the market that is “greater than the norm.” Traditionally, Boxing Day marks the […]

A charity is calling for the Scottish government to do more to tackle rising rents, as private renters’ debt is on average £4,000. Research by Citizens Advice Scotland reveals that private renters’ debt is twice that of social renters. The charity claims rent controls alone won’t solve the housing crisis and says the Scottish government […]

The private rented sector is heading into a turbulent 2026, with the Renters’ Rights Act set to drive sweeping operational change across the market, according to Allison Thompson at Leaders. The firm’s national lettings managing director warns that timing will matter as much as intent once the next phase begins. She says: “From an operational […]

Hi Everyone, With the Renters’ Rights Act stating that all tenancies are to be periodic from May 2026, how will that affect Buy to Let mortgages that have terms that condition the tenancy must be an AST? Are we being forced by the Act to breach mortgage Terms and Conditions? Is there a provision in […]