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Mystic Mortar landlord horoscope featured image for Friday, 29 August 2025

Mystic Mortar Landlord Horoscope 29 Aug 2025

29th August 2025

Mystic Mortar’s Landlord Horoscope Edition: Friday 29 August 2025 Welcome, star-gazers and key-holders. The skies hum with moving vans and murmurs of fresh tenancy. Take this as playful guidance, not professional advice. Entertainment only, lovely UK landlords, though the cosmos does enjoy a tidy inventory and a timely rent day. Astrological Snapshot – 29 August […]

Rachel Reeves, an England flag, UK coins and a piggy money box

Landlords face paying National Insurance on rental income

28th August 2025

Millions of landlords could be hit by a plan to impose National Insurance contributions on rental income to generate around £2 billion in additional revenue. Treasury sources have told The Times that the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, wants to target ‘unearned income’. The idea is being floated to tackle a £40 billion deficit in public finances, […]

Model house wrapped in caution tape symbolizing unsafe housing enforcement.

Landlords face severe consequences for unsafe housing in Harlow

28th August 2025

Another council has launched a crackdown against landlords, warning “they will face severe consequences for unsafe housing.” Harlow council has announced its Building Harlow’s Future plan, which claims to protect tenants and support responsible landlords who maintain quality housing. However, the council say they will punish landlords who run unsafe properties. Landlords who do the […]

Landbay's sales and distribution director, Rob Stanton wearing a light blue suit and white shirt

Buy to let landlords set to grow portfolios – Landbay

28th August 2025

More than half of the UK’s buy to let landlords are planning to acquire new properties within the next year, Landbay says. Its research points to a surge in confidence among landlords, with 52% expressing intentions to boost their holdings. This marks a big rise from last year’s survey which was carried out after the […]

Property expert discussing landlord sentiment after stamp duty increase

Proposed seller property tax targets London’s homeowners

28th August 2025

Labour’s proposal to replace Stamp Duty Land Tax with a new property tax on home sellers could unfairly burden London homeowners, estate agents Benham and Reeves say. It warns that the suggested tax, which would apply to properties valued at more than £500,000, would disproportionately affect the capital, where 60% of homes listed for sale […]

Student housing crisis poster with bold text over terraced houses.

Student housing crisis looms with the end of fixed-term tenancies

28th August 2025

Student lettings experts are warning that the move away from fixed-term tenancies to periodic contracts could unravel the academic letting cycle. Agency software firm Alto says the Renters’ Rights Bill will leave students and landlords grappling with uncertainty just weeks before the new university term begins in September. It has carried out a survey of […]

The Pet Rock That Needed a Lease Clause

28th August 2025

Some tenancy requests are simple. Others make you reach for the red pen. This one began with a straight-faced email asking whether a “pet rock” could be added to the tenancy as a permitted animal, complete with a name, feeding schedule (“sunlight daily”), and a promise that noise would be minimal. The exchange The letting […]

A wooden house with a key against a wooden backdrop for landlord investors

Best overlooked towns for buy to let yields revealed

28th August 2025

Landlords looking for the best opportunities in buy to let investment should consider research revealing the UK’s most promising local authorities for rental returns. The study by Archimedia Accounts highlights where affordable properties in the country’s most overlooked towns have robust rental demand. The firm’s co-founder, Chris Demetriou, said: “With the cost-of-living crisis, we’re seeing […]

Sadiq Khan with rent control graphic highlighting London housing crisis

Tenant group calls for rent controls to tackle London housing crisis

28th August 2025

The London Renters Union is calling again for rent controls after data revealed tenants are paying nearly half of their income on rent. MyLondon reports data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showing the average Londoner spends 41.6% of their income on rent. Despite tenant groups pushing for rent controls to address the affordability […]

Overpriced homes with ‘For Sale’ signs highlighting slowing UK property sales.

Property market slows as overpriced homes linger – Zoopla

28th August 2025

The UK’s housing market is witnessing a period of slowing growth, with average house prices rising by 1.3% compared to last year, reaching £270,600. That’s according to Zoopla’s latest House Price Index which highlights that growth at the start of the year was 2.1%. The platform says this reflects a buyer’s market and affordability challenges […]

Merton Council seizes control of 18 homes from rogue landlord under management order.

London council takes control of landlord’s 18 homes

27th August 2025

A London council has taken over the long-term management of 18 rented properties in response to the landlord’s repeated failure to comply with safety and licensing regulations. The council says this is one of the first actions of its kind in the country. But Property118 reported five months ago when Newcastle City Council took over […]

Worried man looks at rising costs and paperwork symbolising landlord concerns over rental reforms.

Labour MP supports Renters’ Rights Bill despite concern from local landlords and agents

27th August 2025

A Labour politician has expressed support for the Renters’ Rights Bill, despite pushback from local landlords and letting agents. Labour MP for Basingstoke Luke Murphy claims to the Basingstoke Gazette that “tenants do not have control over their homes.” However, landlords and letting agents in the area have voiced concerns over the bill, particularly over […]

Key with house-shaped keyring showing a sun and waves, symbolizing holiday homes and rentals

Rising costs push second homeowners toward holiday lets

27th August 2025

Most second homeowners are now considering letting out their properties due to mounting financial pressure, claims new data. A survey by Sykes Holiday Cottages reveals  71% of second homeowners who don’t currently rent out their properties are now more likely to do so, as cost pressures and council tax surcharges mount. More than half (56%) […]

Illustration of a house with energy efficiency rating scale highlighting sustainable housing progress

Energy efficiency gains help transform England’s PRS

27th August 2025

England’s housing stock has expanded by 9% over the past decade, reaching 25.4 million dwellings by 2023, outpacing the 7% population growth, the English Housing Survey reveals. An analysis of the report’s data by Nationwide’s senior economist, Andrew Harvey, found that a key driver of this transformation is the improvement in energy efficiency. That’s particularly […]

Symbol of landlord fines with figure in handcuffs chained to a house

Council fines landlords £450,000 for unlicensed rental properties

27th August 2025

A council has issued £450,000 in penalties to landlords operating rental properties without proper licences, as part of its clampdown on the safety and quality of the city’s PRS. Birmingham City Council is now urging landlords to secure the necessary licenses or risk fines of up to £30,000 per non-compliant property. In June 2023, the […]

Frustrated man with chaotic thoughts and Scottish flag, highlighting confusion over rent controls.

Scotland’s rent adjudication system brings higher rents amid rent cap call

27th August 2025

Scotland’s PRS is coming under intense scrutiny as data reveals a rent adjudication system which sees tenants being hit with higher rents than landlords have asked for. An investigation by The National newspaper found that tenants were left with big rent rises after they had applied for a rent adjudication. Now, the Scottish Greens are […]

Cannabis plants seized behind police barrier in rental property

Tenants growing cannabis at the property and arrested?

27th August 2025

A neighbour contacted me to say that the police attended my property, arrested the tenant for growing cannabis, and disconnected the electricity. I’ve tried calling the police, but they wouldn’t confirm anything and said they would only contact me if necessary. As the landlord, I’m unsure of the proper steps to take next. Can I […]

Scales balancing money against a tenancy agreement with text asking if it’s fair

Fees After Tenants Break a Contract: Fair or Not?

27th August 2025

Most tenancies end without major dispute, but when a tenant breaks their contract early the question is always the same: who pays for the fallout? A recent tribunal case shows how landlords can recover reasonable costs – and where the line is drawn. The case Tenants had signed for a fixed term but gave notice […]

House model on stacked coins with rising rent arrows

Renters’ Rights Bill could have had an unwanted side effect on tenants due to rent hikes

27th August 2025

The Renters’ Rights Bill may have triggered a surge in rents across England, claims a comparison website. Research by Go.Compare reveals more than half (53%) of tenants have seen rents rise since the Renters’ Rights Bill was announced. The comparison website warns costs could increase ahead of the Renters’ Rights Bill entering its final stages. […]

Council document stamped approved with North Lincolnshire Council text.

Council greenlights licensing scheme despite landlord objections

27th August 2025

North East Lincolnshire Council has approved a selective licensing scheme in targeted areas in one ward. Following a 10-week public consultation which revealed lots of tenant support but little from landlords, the scheme will launch within six months. The ward, East Marsh, ranks in the top 1% for deprivation. It has low life expectancy, high […]

Angela Rayner next to houses stacked up with a pile of money

Angela Rayner faces hypocrisy claims over £800,000 seaside flat purchase

26th August 2025

Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy prime minister and housing secretary, has sparked controversy after purchasing a three-bedroom seaside flat in Hove for £800,000. Newspapers report that the acquisition, made earlier this year, adds to her property portfolio, which already includes a constituency home in Ashton-under-Lyne, valued at £650,000, and access to a grace-and-favour apartment in Westminster’s […]