The Welsh government must support investment in the private rented sector and avoid further regulation in the upcoming Welsh Budget. Propertymark has responded to the Senedd’s consultation ahead of the publication of its Draft Budget on 17 November 2026. The industry body is calling on the Welsh government to increase housing supply and provide financial […]

Goodlord has updated its digital Right to Rent service ahead of new rules taking effect for England’s landlords from today (1 October). Under the new code, checks through unregistered digital providers will no longer offer a statutory defence against civil penalties. The rules require digital checks to be carried out through a registered Digital Verification […]

Hello, I’ve been having a lot of issues lately with British Gas and looking to see if anyone’s managed to get around their wall of useless customer service. My tenants (a family with young kids) have been left with a leaking hot water cylinder. BG came out, confirmed it’s dead and needs replacing, and then […]

More than one million County Court Judgments (CCJs) were registered in England and Wales last year, as more than half of landlords say tenant referencing has become more important following the ban on rent in advance. Research by LRG reveals that tenant referencing has never been more important for landlords, with Section 21 abolished and […]

Housebuilding in Scotland has fallen to its lowest level in a decade, with the number of homes completed at its lowest level since 2015 and new starts at their lowest level since 2013. New data released by the Scottish government shows that housebuilding activity in Scotland has slowed, with fewer social and new-build homes being […]

The Prime Minister has warned landlords who rent out the “worst-quality homes” will be given warnings and could ultimately face having their properties taken over by councils. Speaking at the Labour Party conference, Andy Burnham also said he would reform Right to Buy and tackle the empty homes crisis. The comments come as the government […]

Higher mortgage rates have helped drive a 9% annual fall in sales agreed across the UK, according to Zoopla’s latest House Price Index. Also, a quarter of homes listed for sale in September have already been on the market within the past year. The index reveals that annual growth in property prices has slowed to […]

Nearly two-thirds of landlords say they will put rents up to recover losses from tax and regulatory changes, research reveals. According to Pegasus Insight, tenants could face tighter scrutiny too, with landlords reporting that the changes will affect whom they are prepared to let to. Ahead of the Budget on 28 October, the research firm […]

Middlesbrough leads the student property market for potential landlord returns, with an average gross advertised yield of 24.3%. That’s according to Accommodation for Students research which found the town also appeared among the cheapest places for students to live in its previous affordability research. Across England and Wales, the average gross advertised yield was 8.4%. […]

Propertymark has urged landlords and letting agents in Scotland to prepare for Awaab’s Law, which comes into force in just a week. From October 6, landlords will be required to address damp and mould within strict timeframes. Under the Renters’ Rights Act, Awaab’s Law will also be extended to the private rented sector in England. […]

Demand continues to outstrip supply, with fears the Renters’ Rights Act’s 12-month re-letting ban could further squeeze the rental market. Propertymark’s Housing Insight report shows an average of nine applicants competing for every property available across member branches. Affordability pressures are also pushing more tenants into rental arrears. Decline in supply According to the data, […]

The government has announced plans to strengthen leaseholders’ rights by introducing regulation for property agents and capping fees. Under the proposed rules, the government will legislate to introduce caps on fees, setting limits on what landlords can charge. The government claims, under the current system, leaseholders “can be forced to pay fees in order to […]

A Labour peer has urged the government to introduce an empty homes strategy to help end homelessness. Lord Bird claimed nearly two million homes have been lost from the social housing sector through Right to Buy, and more needs to be done to tackle homelessness. The comments come as councils in England will be able […]

Landlords have largely complied with EPC regulations, but many have only undertaken energy-efficiency improvements to meet minimum standards, according to new research. Data from global credit rating agency Morningstar DBRS reveals that while 13.8% of rental properties were initially rated F or G, only 1.9% received these ratings at their most recent inspection, following the […]

Landlords in England who use digital verification services for Right to Rent checks must choose registered providers under a revised code taking effect on 1 October. However, tenants cannot be disadvantaged for choosing acceptable paper documents instead. The revised Home Office codes cover checking procedures and avoiding unlawful discrimination. They update guidance on digital evidence, […]

An industry body is warning landlords ahead of another Making Tax Digital deadline. Propertymark has urged landlords and sole traders already using Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax to send their second quarterly update to HMRC by 7 November 2026. Making Tax Digital for Income Tax became compulsory in April 2026 for landlords and […]

Rural landlords face an average bill of £24,200 to bring houses that are below EPC C up to that standard; that’s £8,900 more than urban owners, research reveals. According to Savills, even where properties start with the same energy rating, countryside homes are more expensive to improve. Meanwhile, 79% of estate managers surveyed by the […]

In a victory for landlords, Great Yarmouth Council has been forced to U-turn and withdraw a raft of additional licensing conditions following a successful challenge by the Eastern Landlords Association (ELA). The council has now reverted largely to the mandatory conditions prescribed by the Housing Act 2004, although its selective licensing scheme remains in place. […]

The Renters’ Rights Act has introduced new legislation to ensure some property is kept empty for a year. If a tenant is issued a section 8 for property sale purposes and the landlord subsequently changes their mind about the sale, the property cannot be re-let for a year. Meanwhile, the government is contemplating legislation to […]

Councils in England will be able to take control of homes left empty for six months under government plans to cut the current two-year threshold. The powers they would use have attracted no applications since 2021, according to the government. Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs) allow local authorities to take over a property’s management and […]

Despite a fall in service charges for leasehold properties across London, charges still remain high. Data from The Property Institute (TPI), covering 20,000 homes across the capital, reveals a 5.6% drop in charges for buildings over 18 metres since 2025. Yet across London, average charges have risen by 1.1% over the past two years. Height […]