News Headlines for UK Landlords
PRS Database must be more than a licensing fee collector – Propertymark
Property118 PRS Database must be more than a licensing fee collector – Propertymark An industry body has warned that the PRS Database must not become a duplication of selective licensing. Propertymark says schemes should not duplicate existing regulation, warning that…
Council announces enforcement crackdown on rogue landlords
Property118 Council announces enforcement crackdown on rogue landlords A council has launched an intelligence-led taskforce to tackle rogue landlords and improve standards in the private rented sector. Lewisham council’s new Rogue Landlords Taskforce will target landlords linked to poor housing…
Tenant demand surges as landlords continue to sell
Property118 Tenant demand surges as landlords continue to sell Tenant demand has risen to its highest level in two years, as concerns over landlords selling their properties continue to grow. Data from Pegasus Insight shows 63% of landlords now describe…
Council offers grants to bring rental properties up to EPC C
Property118 Council offers grants to bring rental properties up to EPC C A council is urging landlords to sign up to a new scheme to improve the EPC ratings of their properties while helping to provide temporary accommodation in the…
Which checks cause other landlords to reject a deal before viewing?
Property118 Which checks cause other landlords to reject a deal before viewing? My bottleneck is deciding which BTL listings justify a viewing, especially when agents push for appointments before the numbers are established. I expect a viewing to resolve questions…
Why experience matters when incorporating a property business
Property118 Why experience matters when incorporating a property business I’m going to say this plainly: no other organisation has more practical experience of landlord incorporation than Property118. That is a bold claim, but it is one we have earned the…
Accidental landlords face mortgage complexity, broker warns
Mortgage brokers are warning that homeowners who become landlords after changing personal circumstances face a complex lending landscape that differs significantly from standard buy-to-let arrangements. According to the government's latest English Private Landlord Survey, 37% of individual landlords originally bought…
Modern method auction sales rise 14.5% year-on-year
House sales via modern method auction have increased by 14.5% year-on-year in the UK, according to data from Lomond. The figures suggest a growing shift towards alternative sale routes as buyers and sellers seek faster transaction times. The post Modern…
AI adoption grows but implementation challenges persist
AI adoption in construction and commercial property has increased substantially over the past year, though organisations continue to struggle with converting pilot programmes into regular operational practice, according to research from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. The RICS AI…
Proptech firm joins initiative to reduce transaction times
e4 Strategic has joined the Project 28 Charter, an industry initiative targeting a 28-day timeline between sale agreed and exchange. The proptech provider's VERSA platform supports digital workflows and secure communication between lenders, conveyancers and estate agents. The post Proptech…
Timing is everything when selling your property portfolio
Property118 Timing is everything when selling your property portfolio Timing is everything, from knowing when to buy, when to hold and when to sell, and the same can be said for selling your property portfolio. We know because we are…
Strettons appoints Olivia Boulting as auction director
London property firm Strettons has appointed Olivia Boulting as director and auctioneer in a newly created role designed to expand the company's auction operations. Boulting joins from Auction House UK where she managed teams across offices in Bristol, Devon and…
Half of UK property markets see longer selling times
Properties in half of Britain's local markets are taking longer to sell compared to the same period last year, according to analysis from Zoopla, despite national average selling times remaining static. While the national average time to sell stands at…
High-value property tax could rise beyond 2028 rates
The High Value Council Tax Surcharge may increase beyond its initial 2028 rates as the government seeks to fund spending commitments, according to Knight Frank. The annual surcharge, ranging from £2,500 to £7,400 on properties worth £2 million or more,…
House sales via modern method auction up almost 15% year-on-year
Modern method auction (MMoA) sales are gaining ground in the UK housing market, according to new data from Lomond, a network of lettings and sales agents, which shows that house purchases via this method have increased by 14.5% in the…
e4 Strategic joins Project 28 Charter
e4 Strategic, a proptech digital solutions provider, has joined the Project 28 Charter, supporting the industry-wide drive to create faster and more certain property transactions. Established by Landmark Information Group, Project 28 brings together lenders, conveyancers, estate agents and technology…
AI use surges across property and construction industries
AI adoption across construction and commercial property has accelerated significantly over the past year, but firms are struggling to turn pilot studies into routine practice, according to new research from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The RICS AI…
Reaction to government fast-tracking more homes near stations
Thousands of new homes will be built around England’s train, tram and underground stations under new planning rules introduced on 17 August, helping families to live closer to work, schools and transport. The common-sense changes will fast-track quality homes in well-connected areas,…
Expect a Smorgasbord of taxes on assets and wealth
Andy Burnham returned from his summer holiday last week and his honeymoon as Prime Minister also felt over. The ‘Burnham bounce’ has pushed Labour from the high teens to the mid-twenties in the opinion polls. However, internal conflict over the tough…
Non-residents are selling less UK residential property
The number of UK residential properties sold by overseas individuals fell by almost 9% during the latest tax year, according to HMRC figures obtained by Bowmore Wealth Group. Non-resident individuals sold 16,520 homes in the year to 5 April 2026,…
Providence agrees deal to acquire Hometrack
Private equity firm Providence Equity Partners has agreed to acquire residential property valuation and risk data provider Hometrack for an undisclosed sum. Hometrack supplies automated valuation technology and property risk information to mortgage lenders, investors and insurers across the UK…
US renters flock to UK during Trump’s second term
There has been a sharp rise in the number of US citizens renting properties in Britain since Donald Trump took office in January 2025, according to new analysis conducted by rental market experts Goodlord, which shows that since the President…
Sunderland has by far the highest rental yields in the UK
A new analysis of Zoopla data by Landlord Resource shows the lowest-yielding and highest-yielding locations in the UK for buy to let landlords. Sunderland has the highest average gross yield of 9.3% – a rate that is also 1% higher…
Industry renews pressure for Help to Buy scheme revival
The Home Builders Federation has renewed calls for the government to reintroduce the Help to Buy Equity Loan Scheme, citing record-low planning approvals and suppressed demand in the new-build market. The scheme, which operated between 2013 and 2022, generated a…
Government fast-tracks housing near transport hubs
The government has announced planning reforms that will fast-track approval for thousands of new homes near public transport stations across England. Industry bodies have welcomed improved transport access but warned against creating fragmented developments. The post Government fast-tracks housing near…
Estate agencies face £45,000 annual AML compliance costs
Estate agencies in the UK may need to allocate approximately £45,000 annually for a dedicated compliance officer to meet anti-money laundering obligations, according to analysis by property technology firm Coadjute. The estimate follows HMRC's updated AML guidance requiring risk-based approaches…
Council launches ‘intelligence led’ crackdown on landlords
The claim of support for "good" landlords has not been explained by the council
Tax threat to landlords – Burnham warned against change
The warning comes from one of the industry's top analysts
Compliance red tape set to cost agents tens of thousands a year
Anti-Money Laundering is no longer a 'side desk' issue
Royal rental properties fail energy efficiency rules
The Guardian has seen the EPCs relating to some 700 Royal rental properties
What you should do if you missed Making Tax Digital deadline
The next quarterly update is November 7
Burnham Bounce Struggles to Lift Property Market (opinion)
Tom Bill is head of residential research at Knight Frank
Rents still rising but at rate below general inflation
New figures have been produced by letting agency Hamptons
Homes taking longer to sell in hundreds of UK areas as property market divides
Property118 Homes taking longer to sell in hundreds of UK areas as property market divides More than half of homes in England and Wales are taking longer to sell this summer due to higher mortgage rates, claims Zoopla. Data from…
Modular homes could help end temporary accommodation crisis
Property118 Modular homes could help end temporary accommodation crisis One of the UK’s largest social housing providers claims modular homes could be the key to solving Britain’s housing crisis. Places for People (PfP) wants to work with councils across the…
Renters’ Rights Act sparks rise in pet ownership
Property118 Renters’ Rights Act sparks rise in pet ownership Millions of renters have welcomed a pet or are planning to get one following the Renters’ Rights Act. Data from Simply Business reveals, since the Act came into force in May,…
Scam contractors lead to safety warning from care body
Check credentials before work begins
Rayner housing target looks doomed to fail – new figures
The sites approved for new private housing in England have hit a 20-year low
Overseas buy to let owners quitting at a slow pace – new research
A wealth management service has studied the trends
Why the outrageous increases in landlord fines misses the mark?
Property118 Why the outrageous increases in landlord fines misses the mark? Like many other Renters’ Rights Act policies being introduced, the increase in fines appears to be based on populist belief and emotion. It is hoped the fines will benefit…
New planning rules aim to unlock thousands of homes near train stations
Property118 New planning rules aim to unlock thousands of homes near train stations The government has announced new planning reforms aimed at making it easier to build homes near train stations. Under the government’s new National Planning Policy Framework, there…
The government’s objective is to make ownership cheaper and easier but can commonhold deliver?
Property118 The government’s objective is to make ownership cheaper and easier but can commonhold deliver? Article by Katherine Simpson, Partner at Edwin Coe LLP The government’s language on leasehold reform remains forthright. Ministers speak of, “bringing the feudal leasehold system…
The hidden Rent Act problem with the Decent Homes Standard
The Renters Rights Act 2025 so far has had little impact on protected and statutory tenancies. These are tenancies which originated before 15 January 1989 and so come under the jurisdiction of the Rent Act 1977. As no new protected…
Council proposes 50% landlord fine uplift
Property118 Council proposes 50% landlord fine uplift Landlords in one local authority area could see locally set housing fines increased by up to 50% where the council finds aggravating factors such as previous non-compliance, a breach lasting more than six…
Is Sunderland really smarter than Cambridge for landlords?
Property118 Is Sunderland really smarter than Cambridge for landlords? An email landed in my inbox describing Cambridge as the worst city in Britain for buy-to-let investors and asking whether Sunderland could now be the smartest place to invest. I can…
Largest August price drop since 2018, says Rightmove
The average asking price of a newly listed home coming to the market for sale has fallen by 2.0% (-£7,360) this month to £364,999, according to the latest house price index from Rightmove. The firm says that prices usually fall…
UK property market takes an unexpected 11% summer knock
The biggest talking point in the UK property market this week is the 11% drop in sales agreed from last week. Some summer softening is perfectly normal, but the size of this week’s fall was slightly unexpected, particularly after the previous…
Landlords paying in cash are negotiating large discounts
Buy-to-let investors are capitalising on a cooling housing market, using their chain-free position and increasingly their cash reserves to push for steep price reductions, according to new analysis from Hamptons using Connells Group data. In July 2026, landlords accounted for…
New collaboration between Land Registry and Ordnance Survey
A new collaboration between HM Land Registry (HMLR) and Ordnance Survey (OS) will help transform the property market by enhancing data accessibility and innovation in the housing and geospatial sectors. This will reduce friction for citizens and businesses, boost confidence…
Households earning £100m a year exporting solar power
British households have received almost £100m for selling surplus solar electricity back to the grid through Octopus Energy during the past year. More than 400,000 households are now using the supplier’s export tariffs, receiving an average payment of £244 over…
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