Propertymark has emphasised the importance of retaining fixed term tenancies under the Renters Reform Bill. Propertymark chief executive Nathan Emerson met Housing Minister Jacob Young MP, who has responsibility for the Bill. Emerson says: “We had a very positive meeting with the Housing Minister who is absolutely engaging on all aspects of this important piece of legislation. “We know from member agents the importance of retaining fixed term tenancies as… Continue Reading Retaining Fixed Term Tenancies – New Appeal

The Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has announced the end of a tax scheme that offered tax incentives for landlords with holiday lets in favour of long-term renters. He said the Furnished Holiday Lettings regime was causing a ‘distortion’ in the housing market and depriving local people of affordable homes. Mr Hunt said: “I am concerned this tax regime is creating a distortion meaning there are not enough properties available for local… Continue Reading Long-Term Renters Favoured Over Holiday Rentals

Propertymark has again urged the UK government to continue with its target of building 300000 new homes in England a year in response to changing demographics. This follows the publication of the latest Office for National Statistics’ figures, which show that the divorce rate is the smallest it has been since 1971. They show 80,057 divorces completed in England and Wales in 2022, with Propertymark claiming that “many legal experts… Continue Reading 300000 New Homes! Agents Plea To Government

HM Treasury raked in £6.3 billion in property-related tax in the 10 months from April 2023 to January 2024 according to data released by HMRC. This is £400m more than in the same period just one year earlier, and demonstrates a continued upward trend of increasing property-related tax bills. While just four per cent of estates are picking up the tab, the proportion of families affected is higher and the… Continue Reading Property-Related Tax Rakes In Hundreds Of Millions

Countryside campaigning charity CPRE has given a warm welcome to Michael Gove’s clampdown on short lets. Earlier this week Housing Secretary Michael Gove announced that councils will be given greater power to control future short-term lets by making them subject to planning consent. Meanwhile, a new mandatory national register will give local authorities the information they need about short-term lets in their area, and the government suggests this “will help… Continue Reading Clampdown On Short Lets – More Campaigners Back Gove

There’s been a surge in enthusiasm for energy efficient houses according to research from heat pump advocates OVO. It says that a survey shows 66 per cent of those planning to buy a home in the next two years are specifically looking for energy efficient houses with green installations that improve and reduce carbon emissions. Exploring the relationship between energy efficiency and property value, data from Rightmove shows that improving… Continue Reading Energy Efficient Houses Surge In Interest

Ukrainians who came to the UK following the Russian invasion will be able to apply for 18-month Ukrainian Visa Extensions, the government says. Since the invasion almost exactly two years ago some 200,000 Ukrainians and family members have come to the UK; the visas of the first to come to the UK were due to expire in March 2025 although with the extension this will now be at least September… Continue Reading Ukrainian Visa Extensions – Likely Impact On PRS

New figures from lenders trade body UK Finance show a massive fall in buy to let loans for those aged 55 or over. In the last three months of 2023 there were just 7,980 buy to let loans or remortgages from the 55-plus investors, down 52.86 per cent. “New buy to let mortgages have fallen off a cliff among older landlords, with the number of these loans halving in a… Continue Reading Buy To Let Loans Fall For Older Landlords

The government is considering relaxing heat pump rules in England which manufacturers believe could result in a boost in sales, Michael Gove’s housing department has revealed. It is consultation on removing a restriction that they must be at least one metre from the boundary of a property (under existing permitted development rights), which it says isn’t necessary from a noise control perspective and causes an unnecessary barrier to their roll-out.… Continue Reading Heat Pump Rules To Be Relaxed

A basic tenet of property rights that landlords should be able to reclaim their property after an agreed period from a tenant is being undermined by Michael Gove’s push to end Section 21 evictions, a leading free market thinktank has claimed. Reem Ibrahim (main picture, inset), a spokesperson for the IEA, says that although it laudable for the Government to protect tenants and create a fairer rental market, the real consequences… Continue Reading No-Fault Evictions Ban – Basic Property Rights

Rishi Sunak reveals a major initiative to force local councils to be more flexible and allow more inner city development. Building on inner city sites will be ‘turbocharged’ under a government push to provide more homes, an initiative to be led by PM Rishi Sunak. Planning rules are to be given a major shake-up to ensure local councils allow inner city development of more ‘brownfield’ sites such as derelict and… Continue Reading Inner City Development Major Initiative

Housing Secretary makes major private rental sector policy U-turn during BBC interview over the weekend. Housing Secretary Michael Gove has committed to outlawing Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions before the General Election, which must take place before the end of January next year. The announcement by Gove, which was in answer to a question by BBC journalist Laura Kuenssberg during her weekend political show, is a major U-turn by the… Continue Reading Private Rental Sector Policy U-Turn

Letting agents have once again called on the Government to establish a network of dedicated housing courts to process evictions and help speed up the currently arduous, expensive and slow system. This follows Michael Gove’s comments over the weekend that banning no-fault evictions would happen before the General Election. The Ministry of Justice and housing ministers has previously rejected calls for a separate housing court including by MPs and leading… Continue Reading Network Of Dedicated Housing Courts Say Agents

Government ministers, housing campaigners, landlords, letting agents and many of the other actors in the drama that is the private rented sector have been arguing hard about who is to blame for the high rental prices and lack of supply within the market. The problem, particularly in London and other big cities, is real – my nephew, who is making the transition from living with his parents to living by… Continue Reading High Rental Prices Drama – Who Is To Blame?

Connells boss Jason Willetts says the PM’s plan is no ‘silver bullet’, and the Government is still ‘miles away’ from hitting its housebuilding target. LAND & NEW HOMES UK’s biggest agency pours cold water on Sunak’s housing plans Connells boss Jason Willetts says the PM’s plan is no ‘silver bullet’, and the Government is still ‘miles away’ from hitting its housebuilding target.  Connells has poured cold water on PM Rishi Sunak’s… Continue Reading Housebuilding Target Miles Away

Propertymark is urging the Sunak government to introduce specialist housing courts with expert Judges who can expedite cases and create a consistent standard of judgments. This would reduce the pressure on County Courts, improve access for both landlords and tenants and speed up the processing of claims, says the trade body. Research on the current system from Citizens Advice found just 23 per cent of tenants feel confident applying to… Continue Reading Housing Courts To Counter S21 Removal

According to the BBC, the Government is no longer committed to increasing the Disabled Facilities Grant, the amount disabled people in England can claim to adapt their home. The fund, known as the Disabled Facilities Grant, is used to cover the costs of adaptations which those with disabilities may need to help them live independently. The maximum amount a person can claim from the DFG is £30,000 in England which… Continue Reading Disabled Facilities Grant – Ministers Backtrack

A survey of local council private rental licensing schemes says 19 selective and additional licensing schemes and consultations will be taking place within the first four months of 2024. Already this year six new rental licensing schemes have begun – they’re in Greenwich, Nottingham, Islington, Warwick, and Luton. London takes the lead with active consultations starting in Haringey, Lambeth, Waltham Forest, and most recently Bexley, all indicating council objectives to… Continue Reading Rental Licensing Schemes For 2024 Rising

Propertymark wants the Bank of England to cut interest rates following data showing repossessions and buy to let mortgage arrears soar. Lenders trade body UK Finance says buy to let mortgage arrears of 2.5 per cent or more of the outstanding balance increased to 13,570 in the last three months of 2023 – the latest data. Some 500 buy to let mortgaged properties were taken into possession in Q4, which… Continue Reading Buy To Let Mortgage Arrears Soar

A legal firm that specialises in helping landlords has issued a warning about the dangers of selective licensing schemes that many local authorities in the UK are implementing. Selective licensing schemes aim to improve the quality and management of private rented properties in areas with low demand or high antisocial behaviour. However, Landlord Licensing & Defence claims that the dangers of selective licensing schemes are ineffective, unjustified and costly for… Continue Reading Dangers Of Selective Licensing Schemes