Apparently, the Labour government can redesign the private rented sector, raise landlords’ taxes and remove a possession route used for decades without calculating what the whole package will cost. That is not policymaking, it is gambling, except ministers are playing with other people’s homes. Baroness Taylor of Stevenage has now admitted there was ‘no single […]

The government has claimed guidance on financial penalties for landlords is “more transparent”. The government announced will face on-the-spot fines of £7,000 for severe damp and mould, as well as for broken-down boilers during freezing temperatures. Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook claims the revised Housing Health and Safety System (HHSRS) will make it easier for councils […]

The government has confirmed that letting agents can support landlords in registering their properties on the PRS Database. Under the Renters’ Rights Act, all landlords will need to sign up for the database, which will include information about their properties that tenants can access. If a landlord lets or advertises a property without it first […]

Across two quarters, landlords have been asked what would tempt them to buy again. The answer has not budged. Ahead of falling interest rates, ahead of scrapping the Renters’ Rights Act, ahead of lower Stamp Duty, one lever sits at the top: reverse Section 24. When the Property118 Landlord Sentiment Survey asked landlords to rank […]

Record investment in build to rent (BTR) is failing to translate evenly into new homes, with regional schemes increasingly struggling to remain financially viable. Knight Frank says that just over 6,700 BTR homes have been completed so far in 2026. Nearly half were delivered in London and Tier 1 cities such as Manchester and Birmingham. […]

The High Court has rejected a renewed attempt by worried landlords to stop a council’s selective licensing scheme, paving the way for the implementation of a £1,034 licence. The latest hearing also landed the claimants with a £7,500 legal bill. The ruling follows the court’s written decision on 13 March to dismiss the original judicial […]

Hi, I have two tenants in an all-electric property, and both elements in the hot tank failed. The thermal reset worked for a while, and I tried changing the thermostats, but neither solved the problem. The repair took about six weeks in total to complete. Contributory factors were the contractor not being available and the […]

Leaseholders are among the many people impacted by the cost-of-living crisis, and many are looking to leasehold reform as a means of reducing their property costs. There are near-daily articles about leaseholders whose service charges have increased exponentially. In a speech on 29 April, the Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook illustrated the requirement for commonhold to […]

Hi, rents in Dalston in London have gone through the roof, according to my agent. The market is flooded, flat prices have lost a third of their peak value whilst landlords try to sell. Those not selling have turned to Airbnb; as predicted, the few flats available to rent have jumped in price. I accepted […]

I am just coming up to building insurance renewal and fairly happy to stick with the current broker and insurer. My insurer does cover for differing types of tenants, including the standard ‘norm’ of self-funders (private payers), retired, and those on benefits. The Legal expenses element, though (as part of my building insurance cover and […]

More than three-quarters of landlords are considering refinancing their existing portfolios to fund further buy to let investment over the next year, according to specialist lender Together. Most of that investment is heading to the north of England and Scotland. The lender’s research found 76% of landlords were likely to refinance during the next 12 […]

In a divided vote, the Bank of England has held interest rates at 3.75%. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) narrowly voted 6-3 to keep the Bank Rate unchanged. Three members voted to increase the Bank Rate by 0.25 percentage points, to 4%. Energy prices have remained volatile The MPC said of its decision: “In response […]

The government has confirmed it carried out no assessment of the combined impact of landlord tax hikes and Renters’ Rights Act reforms. In a written parliamentary answer, Baroness Taylor of Stevenage said the government had made “no single assessment” of the cumulative costs landlords will face from the Renters’ Rights Act alongside planned tax changes. […]

Landlords only have until tomorrow (31 July) to apply for court possession under Section 21 or older Section 8 notices. When the Renters’ Rights Act came into force in May, fixed-term tenancies were abolished, and all existing Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs) automatically became Assured Periodic Tenancies (APTs). However, landlords already in the possession process could […]

More than two-thirds of landlords now expect to sell some properties or leave the sector altogether. For every one planning to buy, more than seven are planning to contract or go. The imbalance is not correcting. It is hardening. The Property118 Landlord Sentiment Survey has now asked landlords twice about their intentions, and the trend […]

The Mayor of London has received new powers and funding to make London’s social housing more energy efficient. Sadiq Khan has unveiled more than £58m in new funding to improve the energy efficiency of more than 5,000 homes across the city. The news comes as all PRS homes will need to meet EPC C targets […]

A tenant group claims rents have rocketed by 1,200% since the 1988 Housing Act, with its analysis showing a ten-item supermarket shop would cost more than five times today’s price if food costs had risen at the same rate. Figures from Generation Rent’s ‘cost of renting receipt’ show the average monthly rent in England has […]

I would be grateful for advice from experienced landlords who may have dealt with a similar situation. I own a house in Central London which was let on an Assured Shorthold Tenancy. Shortly after the tenancy commenced, I discovered evidence suggesting that the property was being used for short-term holiday accommodation rather than as the […]

Whilst most insurance companies stipulate that the final exit from communal areas must be protected by a mortice type lock as opposed to a Yale style lock, Health and Safety regulations say exactly the opposite. They state that the exit must not require a key to enable a quick emergency exit, which may be in […]

Competition for tenants remains intense as demand continues to outstrip supply, according to new data. Propertymark’s latest housing insight report reveals the average number of applicants per member branch is eight people per property available. The news comes as the Renters’ Rights Act came into force on 1 May 2026. Securing a home remains challenging […]

One lesson I’ve learnt after more than 30 years in property is that the biggest opportunities rarely come after the headlines. They usually come before them. I’ve seen this happen during the Credit Crunch, Section 24, Stamp Duty changes and periods of rising interest rates. While many investors wait for certainty, experienced investors prepare for […]