Rushanara Ali, the homelessness minister, has stepped down from her role following allegations of her handling of a rental property in east London, Downing Street has confirmed. The controversy arose when Ms Ali, a key figure in promoting the Renters’ Rights Bill, was accused of raising the rent on her property after ending a tenancy, […]

The impending Renters’ Rights Bill looks like it will have a huge impact on the PRS and it leaves, one industry expert says, landlords grappling with a choice. Should they manage rented properties themselves or recruit professional agents to navigate the complexities? With the legislation expected to become law later this year, it promises sweeping […]

The UK’s property values edged up in July, marking the biggest monthly increase this year, Halifax reveals. It says that the average home now costs £298,237, a 0.4% rise from June’s £297,157, translating to an extra £1,080. Over the past year, prices have grown by 2.4%, slightly down from June’s 2.7%. Mortgage rates are easing […]

A new project in partnership with Prince William to provide affordable homes for young people aims to “act as a bridge between supported accommodation and the private rented sector.” As the Duchy of Cornwall, Prince William owns land at 60 Sancroft Street in Vauxhall, where 16 independent living homes will be created for young people […]

More than one in five privately rented properties in England, which is around 1.027 million homes, could be classified as illegal under the Decent Homes Standard, a study reveals. According to Inventory Base, its analysis, based on government figures, reveals that these homes fail to meet the Decent Homes Standard (DHS), which is part of […]

Three buy to let lenders have unveiled fresh initiatives to attract landlords and commercial property investors, each bringing distinct offerings to a competitive market.  Landbay has boosted its Summer Special range by introducing five product transfer options and trimming rates by up to 0.10%. These deals, available for limited companies, cater to standard properties with […]

A think tank claims that Right-to-Buy has become “England’s biggest housing disaster”, costing taxpayers £200 billion. A report by the think tank Common Wealth reveals that since 1980, nearly two million (1.94 million) council homes in England have been sold under the Right-to-Buy scheme. The flagship policy, launched by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the […]

James and Sarah had never planned to become large-scale landlords. Their first buy-to-let was meant to be a side project to generate a little passive income alongside James’s consultancy work. One property became two, then three, and over two decades, the business grew quietly in the background until it had reached a scale neither of […]

The Bank of England has announced an interest rate cut to the lowest level in two years, despite concerns about rising inflation and a weakening economy. The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted by a majority of 5-4 to reduce the Bank Base Rate by 0.25% to a total rate of 4%. In […]

Labour’s Minister for homelessness, and a strong supporter of the Renters’ Rights Bill, is facing criticism after evicting tenants and then pushing the rent up on the property. The i Newspaper reports that Rushanara Ali, evicted four tenants from her east London townhouse and subsequently increased the rent by £700 a month. The Bow property, […]

An industry body is calling for incentives to support landlords as demand continues to outstrip supply. Propertymark’s housing insight report reveals available rental stock contracted further, averaging 9.75 properties per member branch, exacerbating supply shortages. Propertymark is now urging the government to support landlords and acknowledge the role they play in the housing market. Many […]

While one London council launches ‘surprise’ visits on private landlords to catch them breaking laws, it’s not the same situation for them as one of its own tenant families is suing over a serious rat infestation. The mother alleges that her family’s council home is unfit for human habitation due to severe rat infestations, pervasive […]

There’s a growing reliance of landlords on buy to let mortgage brokers when navigating the complexities of limited company BTL arrangements, a survey reveals. The findings from Coventry for Intermediaries show that 55% of landlords engaging a broker for their limited company BTL feel ‘very confident’ in the process. That’s in stark contrast to the […]

From dealing with a global pandemic to overcoming unexpected challenges along the way, George Ball’s property journey is one of perseverance and determination. Through his hard work, he has now won Property Development of the Year at the Property Investors Awards. How George’s property career started George first entered the property market when he bought […]

Growing numbers of Britain’s small-scale landlords are exiting the private rented sector, driven by concerns over the government’s Renters’ Rights Bill, a survey reveals. According to data from Alto, a property management software provider, 34% of letting agents say they have seen a notable increase in independent landlords offloading their properties. The survey, which gathered […]

After 30 years in this sector, I’ve never seen a time like this. The landscape for landlords is shifting fast and if you’re still managing your rentals like it’s a decade ago, you’re setting yourself up for a fall. The Renters’ Rights Bill is the biggest shake-up we’ve seen since the Housing Act 1988. It’s […]

A landlord group says a new report on the PRS shows “a 2D version of rent pricing” rather than the reality. Rodney Townson, from landlord organisation iHowz, tells Property118 that SpareRoom’s report on the UK rental market makes interesting observations but fails to capture the full picture, and instead focuses on a “too narrow view […]

Following the advice of their Home-buyer surveyor, my purchasers had a Home-buyer CCTV Pipe Survey done on the house I’m selling. The report has come back with the following recommendations: Lateral 3 / Inspection 1: This lateral, which leads downstream to the main line, has a displaced joint at the material change from PVC to […]

A Nottingham landlord says “the council’s hands are tied by homeless-inducing rules” because selective licensing fails to protect tenants. Mick Roberts, one of Nottingham’s largest landlords for housing benefit tenants over the past 28 years, is trying to sell 11 of his properties. However, Nottingham City Council is now demanding full selective licensing fees, despite […]

Landlords earning more than £50,000 will have to adopt Making Tax Digital (MTD) for paying their income tax from April 2026. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) says it wants to modernise financial reporting by mandating digital record-keeping and quarterly submissions through compatible software. To help landlords, it has published an updated list of complaint software […]

London has been crowned as the premier destination for residential property investment in the UK, real estate firm Colliers says. It’s the first time that London has been at the top since 2021, when the firm’s Top UK Residential Investment Cities Report was published. Manchester secures second place, lauded as ‘the regional city of choice […]