Can anyone else get over the stupidity of forcing landlords to keep properties which fail to sell empty for in excess of 12 months? I put 6 rental properties on the market this summer, and between them knocked up over 40 months of voids before one sold, and I re-let the others. The upshot has […]

The government has announced new emergency measures to tackle London housebuilding targets by slashing affordable housing requirements to 20%. After weeks of speculation, the government unveiled the Homes for London plan, offering temporary relief from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). This includes 50% borough CIL relief for qualifying schemes that commit to delivering at least […]

This piece is part of our Unbelievable Letting Agent Fails series. Today’s story was first reported in the United Kingdom. A family arrived at their new rental, car packed to the roof, only to discover a simple problem that ruined day one. The letting agent did not hand over the keys. In some versions of […]

It seems it’s one thing after another for landlords, as they rush to take action ahead of the new Renters’ Rights Bill – one of the biggest overhauls of the private rental sector. The bill, which is due to become law, will ban Section 21 “no-fault” evictions, allow tenants to challenge what they might see […]

Watching Matthew Pennycook’s ‘performance’ in Parliament in nodding through the Renters’ Rights Bill, I was struck by two things: landlords must be the only group of people who can be smeared without any comeback, and we were never close to having a seat at the table when the bill was being put together. Not once. […]

Former Shelter chief executive Polly Neate has been nominated as a crossbench Peer in the House of Lords. Ms Neate stood down from her role in March this year and has been a strong advocate for tenants’ rights and pushed for the abolition of Section 21. The Independent House of Lords Appointments Commission which nominated […]

There is a huge elephant in the room surrounding the Renters’ Rights Bill (RRB) and its hapless legislation, and guess what? It isn’t bogey landlords. The true cause of homelessness, high rents, and lack of social housing has little to do with landlords. It’s simply and very obviously a ‘LACK OF HOUSING’. Insufficient housing leads […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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’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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]