Page 62 – Property118
Concept image showing housing unaffordability with two people separated under torn paper reading “Un-affordable”

Two incomes no longer enough as first-time buyers hit affordability wall

24th October 2025

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 […]

Model house surrounded by “housing crisis” blocks with National Insurance sign.

Chancellor’s National Insurance plan for landlords will push up rents

24th October 2025

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 […]

Green house and percentage symbol representing eco-friendly buy-to-let mortgage offers.

Lenders boost buy to let choice with new fixed fee and green deals

24th October 2025

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 […]

Miniature man climbs ladder toward house atop stacked coins symbolizing rising UK property prices.

House prices climb as sellers hold firm on their expectations

24th October 2025

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 […]

Official stamping housing licence documents on a desk, representing landlord licensing policy.

Government rejects calls to extend council landlord licensing powers

24th October 2025

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 Landlord Horoscope image for 24 October 2025

Mystic Mortar Landlord Horoscope 24 Oct 2025

24th October 2025

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 […]

Letting Agent Fail: £50 to View a Flat Through a Window

24th October 2025

This piece is part of our Unbelievable Letting Agent Fails series. Today’s story was first reported in the United Kingdom. Prospective tenants expect to step inside a property during a viewing. In this case, a letting agent allegedly asked viewers to pay a £50 fee to look at a flat from the pavement, peering through […]

Energy efficiency rating chart with calculator and pen, highlighting EPC band C.

Labour government clashes over upgrade costs for EPC C targets

23rd October 2025

Officials in the Treasury and the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) are arguing over how much landlords should pay for energy efficiency upgrades to reach EPC C targets, claims The Times. The Times reports that rows between the two departments centre on the Warm Homes Plan, which aims to help homeowners save […]

Government rejects rent control proposal as minister warns of negative impact on renters and landlords.

Housing Minister rules out rent controls despite pressure from Sadiq Khan

23rd October 2025

Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook says introducing rent controls will make life more difficult for renters and landlords. In response to a written question, Mr Pennycook says the government has no plans to introduce rent controls. The news comes after London Mayor Sadiq Khan claimed the “power to cap rents” is top of his list under […]

Blue house model with “LHA Unaffordable” sign highlighting the housing affordability crisis.

Only 1% of London rental homes affordable under LHA rates

23rd October 2025

Average rents continue to outpace Local Housing Allowance rates (LHA), pushing families into homelessness, according to a new report. Data by property consultants SimplyPhi reveal 26,064 properties were available to rent in London, however, only 1% were available to rent at LHA rates. The news comes after the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) and Shelter, […]

A person with a magnifying glass in front of a laptop with digital images coming out, and letting agents wording

Majority of small letting agents comply with sanctions checks but large firms lag

23rd October 2025

Letting agents are being warned to follow the rules or face fines, as despite new sanctions checks coming into force, some are still not complying. According to Goodlord, more than a quarter (28%) of large letting agencies (those with 11 or more staff) aren’t currently performing Politically Exposed Person (PEPs) and sanctions checks, even though […]

Final notice letter symbolizing rising buy-to-let repossessions despite falling arrears

BTL mortgage arrears drop but landlord possessions edge higher

23rd October 2025

Arrears in the buy to let sector have dipped, but repossessions are on the rise, according to the latest figures from UK Finance. At the end of the second quarter of 2025, 11,270 BTL mortgages were in arrears of more than 2.5% of the outstanding balance. That’s a drop of 560 cases from the previous […]

Chalk house with pound symbol and rising arrow illustrating UK rent increases to £1,343 in July 2025.

Rent growth slows as house prices continue to rise

23rd October 2025

Private rents across the UK rose by 5.5% in the year to September, reaching an average of £1,354 per month, the Office for National Statistics reveals. Its latest Price Index of Private Rents shows that while rents rose sharply, the rate of growth has eased from 5.7% recorded in August. England saw average monthly rents […]

Confused student surrounded by books, symbolizing uncertainty about the Renters' Rights Bill.

Seven in 10 students unaware of Renters’ Rights Bill and its impact on them

23rd October 2025

A survey has revealed that 68.6% of students have never heard of the Renters’ Rights Bill, despite it being due to reshape the student accommodation landscape as early as next year. The findings from StuRents point to a knowledge gap among student renters, even as the legislation threatens to disrupt long-standing tenancy patterns. The proposed […]

Houses of Parliament and new update sign for renters rights bill

Renters’ Rights Bill to become law as it heads for Royal Assent

22nd October 2025

The Renters’ Rights Bill is expected to become law shortly after the Commons approves the final version of the bill. Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook says the government will set out, as soon as possible, a plan for the bill’s implementation, but gave no specific date for when this will happen. Under the bill, Section 21 […]

Sign showing “National Insurance on rental income” outside office buildings.

National Insurance on rental income could give older landlords an advantage

22nd October 2025

The rumoured proposal of introducing National Insurance on rental income could benefit older landlords. Media reports suggest Chancellor Rachel Reeves could announce in the Autumn Budget that millions of landlords may be hit by plans to impose National Insurance contributions on rental income, generating around £2 billion in additional revenue. However, PropTech firm Reapit claims […]

Hands shielding a paper-cut family inside a house with an energy efficiency gauge below.

MP demands tenants be protected from eviction following EPC upgrades

22nd October 2025

An MP has called for greater eviction protection for tenants from landlords who have received grants to improve a rented property’s energy performance certificate (EPC) rating. In a written question, Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP Jim Shannon asked whether the government “has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing tenants’ protections from eviction, […]

A person writing on a form with a Red cross and question mark

Section 21 possession claim form confusion?

22nd October 2025

I recently left a court hearing somewhat bemused after a rapid-fire interrogation of the bundle provided. It appears I hadn’t ticked the right box on a form, and with the hearing now adjourned for two months, I’m left in a difficult position with tenants wanting to move in, yet I can’t get rid of the […]