The rental had an ageing hot water system, but the landlord never considered legionella risk. When a tenant complained of recurring health issues, the council investigated and referred the case to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The landlord had no written risk assessment and no evidence of controls such as flushing or temperature checks. […]

Most landlords read the 2025 Budget and focused on the rise in property income tax rates. They would have been forgiven for thinking that was the main story. Every headline pointed in that direction. Every press release echoed the same message. A far more significant change was hidden from view. The Government has quietly rewritten […]

Jim Rogers once said that the smartest investment strategy he ever learned was simple. Observe the masses and do the opposite. Baron Rothschild went further with his infamous line: Buy when there is blood in the streets, even if the blood is your own. Both statements feel uncomfortable. They run against instinct. They also cut […]

Property industry experts have warned that Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Autumn Budget decision to raise income tax rates on property income will hurt tenants. Ms Reeves confirmed in the Budget tax rates on dividends, property income and savings income will rise by 2 percentage points. The Chancellor also announced a new High Value Council Tax surcharge […]

I felt compelled to write this article because it’s one of the most frequently asked questions by clients when we are discussing Family Investment Company structures during consultations. Many landlords reach this question once they start thinking beyond their own lifetime. It usually appears when a parent begins to wonder how their children will feel […]

The government claim that ending fixed-term tenancies “will end the injustice of tenants being trapped paying rent for substandard properties,” as they issue new guidance for landlords on tenancy reform On 1 May 2026, all fixed-term tenancies will become periodic under the Renters’ Rights Act. The government guidance says that if a tenancy agreement has […]

One in three letting agents has admitted they have taken no steps to prepare for the implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act, according to new research. Data from Goodlord, based on a survey of 700 letting agents, shows that while more than 69% say they have taken concrete steps to get ready for the changes, […]

Rent controls in Scotland will be introduced in phases and are not expected to take effect until mid-2027. Under the Housing (Scotland) Act, councils must first assess rent conditions in their areas and submit proposals for designated rent control zones to the Scottish Government by 31 May 2027. Two industry bodies told Property118 that flexibility […]

Hello, hopefully a quick question. It is my understanding that if a Head Lease (from the freeholder) prohibits pets residing in the property, then this would constitute a valid reason to decline a tenant’s request. Thoughts? Some Head Leases I have seen only permit subletting via an AST to a single household. In this example […]

The landlord assumed the property’s existing alarms were sufficient. But during an inspection, it was found that the rental had no smoke alarm on the first floor and no carbon monoxide alarm near a solid fuel appliance. The council served an improvement notice under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), warning that failure […]

Don’t be fooled by the “2% tax rise”. Once Section 24 kicks in, that tiny headline increase turns into a 14% drop in real cashflow for a typical mortgaged portfolio. We modelled the numbers on an 8-property landlord, and the results are eye-opening. If you want to understand what the 2027 changes truly mean for […]

In somewhat good news for landlords, Chancellor Rachel Reeves decided against extending National Insurance to rental income in the Autumn Budget. However, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) warns that landlords will still be worse off under this Budget. While National Insurance on rental income was not introduced, the Budget did raise tax rates on […]

The Government’s decision to announce a Mansion Tax alongside higher taxes on property income has triggered immediate concern across the housing sector. Reactions began pouring in within minutes of the Autumn Budget, reflecting a market already stretched by regulatory change, financial pressure and fragile confidence. Lenders, estate agents and sector specialists all warn that the […]

James had been a landlord for more than fifteen years. He owned twelve rental properties with a combined value of approximately £2.7 million. The portfolio looked solid on the surface. It also felt far heavier than it used to. Rising interest due to coming off low fixed rates, increasing legislation, and more maintenance work were […]

The Renters’ Rights Act risks slowing down energy-efficiency upgrades, with more than half of landlords expected to delay or reduce spending on improvements, according to new data. Polling by rental management app August reveals that 62% of landlords say the Act will make them spend less on property improvements, while 54% are likely to delay […]

Applying for commercial finance is not the same as applying for a standard buy to let mortgage. The sums are larger, the structures more complex, and lenders apply much deeper scrutiny. Unfortunately, many landlords trip up by making avoidable mistakes that cost them time, money, and credibility with lenders. Mistake 1 – Poor Preparation Too […]

More than 20 community groups, unions and charities have signed an open letter demanding that the City of Edinburgh Council takes firmer action against ‘rogue’ landlords. Campaign group Living Rent’s Leith branch delivered the letter to the council’s senior figures, accusing the authority of letting negligent landlords operate with little scrutiny. The signatories say the […]

Agent Rainmaker has set a new benchmark after raising £102,250 for Promise Dreams, the highest total the charity has ever received from a single event. The sum was generated at Agent Rainmaker Live, which took place in London recently and attracted hundreds of letting agency owners from around the country. The two-day gathering celebrated business […]

Landlords pulled record levels of equity from buy to let remortgages in the first six months of the year as confidence slowly returned to the market. A Paragon Bank analysis shows that between January and June, investors withdrew £1.94 billion to finance portfolio growth. That’s the largest amount ever recorded for an opening half year […]

A trio of buy to let (BTL) lenders has moved to strengthen options for landlords with Darlington Building Society, Shawbrook and Pepper Money each launching enhancements. Darlington Building Society has entered the limited company buy to let space with two fixed rates. It has rolled out a two-year fix at 5.29% and a five-year alternative […]

The tenancy started smoothly, with no mention of pets. But months later, the landlord discovered two large dogs living in the property. The tenancy agreement made no reference to pets at all — neither granting permission nor prohibiting them. When complaints arose about noise and damage, the landlord found they had no contractual grounds to […]