Housebuilders will receive automatic approval to construct homes near train stations under new government plans. Housing Secretary Steve Reed has announced updates to planning rules that will streamline development on land within a 15-minute walk of train stations, including some green belt areas. Councils in England will also be required to notify the government when […]

The UK’s private rents grew by 5% in the year to October, although the pace of growth has begun to ease, the Office for National Statistics says. The annual rise seen in September was 5.5% and the average monthly rent is £1,360. England’s average was up 5% to £1,416, Wales saw a stronger 6.7% increase […]

The BBC has admitted to skewing evidence to give an exaggerated or false picture of Trump. Unfortunately, the desire to follow a set narrative appears to be a cancer in organisations such as the government, courts and the Ombudsman, where populist agendas are followed and evidence is ignored. The Renters Rights Act is a shining […]

A London council has revealed a clamp down on the spread of HMOs by bringing under full planning control any bid to convert family homes into a house in multiple occupation. The shift marks a significant change in how the borough manages shared housing, and officials say it is aimed at protecting neighbourhoods without shutting […]

The buy-to-let looked like a solid investment. The figures stacked up, tenants paid on time, and the landlord assumed service charges were routine admin. But after ignoring several demands from the freeholder’s agent, arrears mounted. A county court judgment followed, along with legal costs and interest. The landlord’s entire year’s rental income was swallowed by […]

Landlords will have until 30 April 2026 to serve Section 21 eviction notices in England. The government has published guidance on the Renters’ Rights Act for landlords and letting agents, including a guide on evicting tenants and key dates. Property118 has picked out the key parts of the guidance to help landlords. Section 21 claims […]

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (RRA) has received Royal Assent and will be implemented in stages starting on 1 May 2026. Landlords need to be aware of a new risk, and those who try to protect themselves by taking the maximum permissible tenancy deposit need to check their procedures, as they may already be in […]

Rightmove is introducing a new tool that lets people hunting for a place to live share their shortlisted homes with the friends or relatives they plan to move in with. It will, the platform says, mark a shift towards more collaborative property searching. The feature, called Shared Lists, is available to both renters and buyers. […]

Landlords are sounding the alarm over tax proposals, warning that the November Budget could deepen the country’s rental supply crisis if tax rises are introduced. The latest figures from Pegasus Insight show anxiety building across the private rented sector. It found that eight in 10 landlords describe the proposed National Insurance charge on rental income […]

As the Renters’ Rights Act approaches its commencement date, a property management company has outlined how much landlords should be setting aside for repairs and maintenance. Aduivo says landlords may need to spend close to a quarter of their rental income (23.6%) on maintenance. Landlords are also required to carry out regular safety checks, including […]

Rents along the Elizabeth line have surged ahead of the wider London market, with some commuter towns recording growth of more than 40% since the route opened in May 2023. Research from London lettings and estate agent Benham and Reeves shows that average rents near the line’s stations have risen by 13.3% over the past […]

Energy efficiency and sustainability have become central themes in the property market. For landlords, EPC regulations are not just a compliance issue – they increasingly shape lender appetite. Green finance products are also emerging, offering better terms for energy-efficient properties. But how do lenders really view EPC requirements, and what does this mean for landlords […]

A regional mayor is warning what he calls ‘rogue’ landlords that they will face severe repercussions if they ignore the Renters’ Rights Act. West Midlands’ mayor Richard Parker welcomed the legislation and promised the region would act swiftly to enforce the new rules, aiming to boost living standards and safety for people in private accommodation. […]

The landlord wanted to keep up with rising costs and decided to raise the rent. A quick letter was drafted and sent to the tenant giving 30 days’ notice of the new amount. The tenant refused to pay and sought advice. It turned out the notice was invalid — the tenancy agreement required a Section […]

Short-let properties are not the same as standard buy-to-lets from an insurer’s point of view. Higher guest turnover, longer unoccupied gaps, and additional amenities like hot tubs or log burners all change the risk profile. Many claims are declined because a landlord used a standard landlord policy for a property that was being advertised on […]

The flat had always been easy to let. But when the last tenant moved out, the landlord hit an unexpected roadblock. The EPC showed an F rating, below the minimum standard of E required for private rental properties in England and Wales. Until costly upgrades were completed, the property could not be legally let. The […]

Landlords are pinning their hopes on commonhold to cut rising costs and improve building management, research from Landbay reveals. It found that nearly half of respondents (46%), said they were banking on lower service charges if commonhold is introduced. Many see the current model as bloated and opaque yet believe a reset could shift control […]

Critics of the Renters’ Rights Act have warned of a “six-month fire sale” as landlords rush to sell before the act comes into force. The government announced the Renters’ Rights Act will come into effect on 1 May 2026, with rules including landlords no longer being able to use Section 21 evictions, and fixed-term tenancies […]

Professional landlords are reshaping the market as they move into specialist buy to let products and complex portfolio strategies, Foundation Home Loans reveals. The lender’s latest quarterly research points to a sector that is shifting towards structured borrowing, targeted acquisitions and a more corporate approach to property investment. Foundation says that one in 10 landlords […]

The UK’s housing market is quickly cooling as a glut of properties for sale starts to drag down prices and sap confidence among buyers, new figures show. According to Home.co.uk, the shift is no longer confined to weaker areas with regions that recently propped up national growth are now struggling. For months, northern markets have […]

Like so many others on the forum are finding, the recent changes in the property rental market are forcing undesired changes, making it feel like a game of chess when trying to decide the way forward after 35 years of being a landlord. The latest conundrum concerns a property I purchased from my grandmother all […]