Page 65 – Property118
Woman sitting on sofa with head down, symbolizing stress and uncertainty about housing safety.

Unofficial abusive partner has taken over flat?

17th September 2025

Hi, we have a studio flat rented to a single vulnerable lady, who we were introduced to by the local council. We received a message from her today saying she’s had to move out as a man she let stay with her has become abusive and controlling and is taking drugs. She’s gone to a […]

Model house in front of cracked brick wall with sign reading "Repair Needed"

Safeagent pushes for clearer Decent Homes Standard in the PRS

17th September 2025

The UK’s leading not-for-profit accreditation body for lettings and management agents, safeagent, has put forward a robust response to the recent Decent Homes Standard consultation, which concluded last week. The organisation is pushing for a practical and effective framework to improve living conditions in the private rented sector while warning against overly complex regulations. Isobel […]

New Homelessness Minister Alison McGovern stands before the Houses of Parliament with refugee silhouettes in the foreground.

Government announces new Homelessness Minister

17th September 2025

The Labour government has appointed a new Homelessness Minister more than a month after Rushanara Ali’s resignation. Alison McGovern will serve as Minister for Local Government and Homelessness, facing a difficult task as the number of homeless households in England reaches unprecedented levels. The appointment follows Ms Ali’s resignation, which came after the i newspaper […]

Person bundled in layers of clothing with energy efficiency scale beside them, highlighting fuel poverty.

Call to impose EPC rules on landlords as tenants ration energy

16th September 2025

More than 4.5 million private renters in England and Wales, equivalent to 41% of the sector, had to limit their use of gas and electricity last winter to manage crippling energy costs, Citizens Advice reveals. The charity says that 3.5 million renters, or one in three tenants in the PRS, found it challenging to maintain […]

Stacks of coins with house models and location markers symbolizing UK property investment growth

‘Second cites’ spearhead rental yield surge for landlords

16th September 2025

Britain’s property hotspots are shifting away from traditional favourites like London, Birmingham and Manchester, as a new set of second cities delivers the strongest rental yield growth. According to West One Loans, which examined PRS data alongside house values in 63 urban centres across the country, it also compared 2025 yield projections with 2023 performance […]

Stacked coins with rising arrows symbolizing increasing UK rental costs

Rents will climb as house price growth slows – Knight Frank

16th September 2025

Britain’s housing market faces a period of subdued house price growth, while rents will rise, according to property consultancy Knight Frank. The firm says there will be 4% rent rises across the UK this year, and they’ll go up by 3.5% in each of the next two years. The rise is down to a growing […]

Map highlighting affordable property investment opportunities in northern UK regions

Budget property hotspots offer opportunities for savvy landlords

16th September 2025

Landlords seeking cost-effective places for investment should turn their attention northward, according to research from Zoopla that reveals striking regional variations in affordable housing stock. The comprehensive analysis exposes a tale of two markets across Great Britain, with northern regions presenting impressive investment propositions that southern counterparts cannot match. While only 12% of properties nationwide […]

Eviction notice highlighting landlord dispute over rising rents

Labour peer in storm over tenant removal and rent hike

16th September 2025

Labour has been drawn into another rented home row after one of its biggest donors, Lord Waheed Alli, removed a family from his London property before it was put back on the market at a much higher rent. The Islington townhouse, a five-bedroom former residence of the peer, had been home to a family of […]

Landlord Insurance Blog featured image showing a house, shield, umbrella, policy document, tick and pound coins on a teal background.

Landlord Liability Insurance Explained

16th September 2025

Most landlords focus on buildings and contents insurance, but landlord liability cover is just as important. Without it, you could face paying compensation and legal costs personally if someone is injured or suffers damage at your property and holds you responsible. The risks are not theoretical — real claims are happening every day, and costs […]

Young people enjoying a luxury yacht trip while facing rising rent and housing costs

Not all tenants appear to be struggling to pay rent

16th September 2025

Most landlords will have encountered a tenant struggling to pay rent or refusing to do so to spend cash on Christmas presents or holidays, for instance. But two news stories in the last few days highlight a frustrating issue as young tenants complain about unaffordable rents while splashing out big sums on luxury experiences and […]

BTL Mortgage Blog featured image showing a house, key, calculator, percentage sign and pound coins on a teal background.

How Much Equity Do You Really Need? Buy-To-Let Loan-to-Value Ratios Explained

15th September 2025

One of the first questions landlords face when financing or refinancing a buy-to-let property is how much equity they will need. In other words, what loan-to-value (LTV) ratio is acceptable to the lender? The answer has a direct impact on your borrowing capacity, mortgage rate, cashflow and growth strategy. This article explains how lenders view […]

2025 CGT Rules for Buy-to-Let – What Landlords Need to Know

15th September 2025

Thinking of selling a rental property this year? The headline price is not the number that matters. What counts is your net cash after fees, redemption, and CGT, and how that compares to a refinance or partial sell-down. This guide explains the 2025 Capital Gains Tax (CGT) rules that affect landlords and shows how to […]

Person sealing a moving box with tape, symbolizing tenants moving out early.

Landlords hit by surge in short-stay renters

15th September 2025

Landlords are grappling with a growing problem as more renters walk away from fixed-term agreements well before their tenancies are due to end. Known as ‘stopover tenants’, research by property software provider Alto shows that nearly a third of letting agents have encountered tenants abandoning six- or 12-month tenancies after only a month or two. […]

Cartoon sloth wearing glasses reviewing rising rent chart

Rent growth slows as the PRS cools – Zoopla

15th September 2025

The UK’s private rented sector is cooling down with average rents climbing 2.4% compared to last year, Zoopla reveals. Its latest Rental Market Report points out that this is the smallest annual rise in four years and a sharp drop from the rapid growth seen 12 months ago. Monthly rents now average £1,300, up by […]

House with falling red price graph and pound symbol, showing UK property market decline.

House prices dip, driven by London and the South – Rightmove

15th September 2025

The average cost of a home in Great Britain has dipped below last year’s levels for the first time since January, primarily due to a slowdown in southern regions, Rightmove says. Despite a modest monthly gain of 0.4% in September, which brought the typical new seller’s asking price to £370,257, the national market is now […]

Pound coin squeezed in a clamp symbolising financial pressure on landlords

Falling BTL rates bring little relief as landlords brace for Budget squeeze

15th September 2025

While buy to let mortgage costs for landlords have eased to their lowest levels in nearly three years, landlords remain under pressure from tighter rules, rising repossessions and the prospect of new tax measures in the Autumn Budget, one financial platform warns. According to Moneyfactscompare.co.uk, the average two-year fixed BTL rate now stands at 4.88%, […]

Stacks of coins with rising financial graphs and growth arrows

Rents fell in August as inflation grew

15th September 2025

The cost of rent for new lets saw a 0.4% year-on-year decline in August as the rate of inflation grew for the ninth consecutive month, research reveals. Data from Hamptons shows that the rent on a new tenancy is £1,387. The firm says that the fall in rents is the joint second-largest annual decline since […]

A person touching digitial images, a question mark and Leasehold

Freeholder Dispute – Urgent advice needed after demands?

15th September 2025

Hello everyone, I’m facing a serious issue with my Freeholder situation and would really appreciate some guidance. Background: I purchased my leasehold flat in 2001. The block has 8 flats in total. I am the only leaseholder – the other 7 owners bought the freehold together in 2007. In 2016, I extended my lease. Service […]

Why SDLT Planning Matters

14th September 2025

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) remains one of the most significant transactional costs for landlords in England and Northern Ireland. In 2025 the landscape is shaped by three realities: Additional Dwelling Rate (ADR) at 5% for purchases of additional residential properties. 2% Non-Resident Surcharge for overseas buyers on residential transactions. Multiple Dwellings Relief (MDR) abolished […]

Happy puppy holding house keys with welcome sign, symbolizing new pet-friendly rental homes

Renters’ Rights Bill could create 1 million new pet owners

12th September 2025

Landlords are facing the prospect of the Renters’ Right Bill enabling a surge in pet ownership with up to one million PRS households welcoming furry friends. An analysis by Go.Compare examines how the Bill will reshape living arrangements for private tenants in England. Its data reveals there’s a huge amount of pent-up demand among renters […]

A man looking bewildered with an Eviction notice sign and a question mark in a red bubble sign

Seeking legal advice on Distress for Rent Act?

12th September 2025

Our tenant (AST) in London gave us a valid break notice on June 20th, 20205, to leave our flat on August 20th, 2025. However, he didn’t leave, doesn’t provide timing estimates on when he will vacate, hardly communicates, and hardly even uses the property! My 19-year-old son and a flatmate were supposed to move into […]