The ending of fixed-term tenancies means landlords could lose oversight of the condition of their properties, warns Inventory Base’s Siân Hemming-Metcalfe. Nearly half of landlords plan to inspect their rental properties no more than once a year after the Renters’ Rights Act replaces fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) with periodic tenancies in May, according to Inventory Base. A survey of 885 UK landlords commissioned by the property inspection platform found… Continue Reading Landlords urged to increase inspections post Renters’ Rights Act

What US President Donald Trump says about the length of the war in the Middle East will determine the future of the housing market, says Knight Frank. Leading estate agency Knight Frank says the fate of the housing market this year may depend on what Donald Trump (main picture) declares about the war in the Middle East. Tom Bill, who is Head of UK Residential Research at Knight Frank, claims… Continue Reading Fate of housing market ‘depends on Trump’, says Knight Frank

From today, long-standing practices including Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions came to an end, ushering in a new legal framework based on periodic tenancies, strengthened tenant protections, and a greater reliance on statutory grounds for possession. Propertymark, the letting agents’ trade body, has given this guide to the biggest changes. End of Section 21 and shift to periodic tenancies One of the most significant changes taking effect today is the abolition… Continue Reading Renters Rights Act at a glance

Reports of a year-long rent freeze for the PRS to help tenants with the cost of living have been criticised by the industry, who point out that it may force landlords – already under pressure from the Renters’ Rights Act and increased costs – out of business. Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said such a move would threaten confidence and supply. “Introducing a rent freeze… Continue Reading Industry slams rent freeze proposal

Leasehold reforms are likely to have unintended economic consequences, warns former Treasury economist Martin Beck. Labour’s proposed annual cap on ground rents could deliver an unexpected windfall to property investors rather than just benefiting owner-occupiers, as a significant number of rental properties are leasehold, according to analysis carried out by consultancy firm WPI Strategy. Its Chief Economist, Martin Beck (pictured), says: “While the intention of reform is to support leaseholders, the economic… Continue Reading Ground rent cap will give landlords £8.7bn windfall

Forward-looking sentiment has turned more cautious, although twelve-month expectations “remain positive”, says RICS analyst Tarrant Parsons. Confidence in the UK housing market weakened in February as renewed geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty have weighed on buyer sentiment, according to the RICS latest survey. Its data shows new buyer enquiries continued their decline, with the net balance slipping to -26% from -15% in January, while agreed sales remained subdued at -12%. Near-term… Continue Reading Global headwinds weigh on housing market confidence, warns RICS

Experts warn mortgage rates are climbing at the fastest pace since the Mini-Budget delivered by Kwasi Kwarteng in 2022, due to the effects of the war in the Middle East. The mortgage market is now becoming as turbulent as it was following the Liz Truss mini-Budget, which saw loan rates jump dramatically, according to Moneyfacts. The data comparison firm says there are worrying trends among mortgage offers that resemble the… Continue Reading Mortgage market suffers ‘worst turbulence’ since Truss Mini-Budget

Rightmove claims it’s identified Britain’s most expensive streets. It says Winnington Road in Barnet, London retains its top-spot position as the most expensive street in Great Britain, with an average asking price of £12,538,095.  The analysis is based on Rightmove’s data, with the UK’s largest choice of homes for sale and rent and includes streets where at least five homes have been available for sale across January this year.  Chester Square in Westminster, London, is second, with an average asking price… Continue Reading Britain’s most expensive streets named by Rightmove

Leasehold flat owners risk being unable to sell their homes due to high service charges making them unmortgageable. More than a third of flats may be unsellable, MPs have been warned. Speaking in front of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee in Parliament this week, Harry Scoffin, of campaign group Free Leaseholders, said: “There is a crisis in the flats market at the moment. People cannot sell. They cannot move on.” The… Continue Reading A third of flats may be “unsellable” in latest housing crisis

A leading agent has warned landlords and letting agents that Section 8 evictions will cost around £3K, and that’s before the loss of rent is counted. Landlords face eviction costs of around £3,000 to evict tenants once the Renters’ Rights Act becomes law in May, a leading agent has warned. Greg Tsuman (pictured), MD at Martyn Gerrard, says court fees and legal costs could add up to that figure before… Continue Reading Landlords “face eviction costs of £3,000” under Renters’ Rights Act

The private rental sector in England alone has to deal with more than £470m worth of rent arrears in a year. Propoly has analysed the latest available government data on rent arrears in England and found that in the year 2024-25, an estimated 210,163 rented households fell into arrears. The average amount of arrears across the year stood at £2,238, which means the nation’s annual total arrears came to an… Continue Reading Private rental arrears near half a billion pounds a year

Experts expect the Bank of England and its Governor Andrew Bailey to respond to the effect of war in the Middle East by keeping the interest rate at 3.75%. The Bank of England is expected to hold interest rates at 3.75% this week as war in the Middle East becomes a major factor. A reduction in the Bank Rate and a much-needed boost to the housing market, had been anticipated… Continue Reading Trump’s war dashes hope of rate cut this week

A fire service wants the private rental sector to play its part in minimising the risks from e-bike and e-scooter fires.  London Fire Bridge had over 200 such fires to attend across the capital in 2025. The fires ranged in their severity with the most serious sadly resulting in deaths, injury and destructive damage to homes.  In 2025, two people lost their lives, taking the total number of fatalities in London from these types of fires… Continue Reading E-bike fire safety – private rental sector urged to play its part

Ninety-day London limit is unenforceable without adding nights-let data to the Government’s planned national register, says MP Rachel Blake. In a push for new legislation, a Labour MP has forced a Commons debate over short-term lets, arguing that London’s legal cap is meaningless unless ministers close what she calls a major enforcement loophole. Rachel Blake (pictured), MP for Cities of London and Westminster, used the Ten Minute Rule procedure to… Continue Reading Labour MP calls for more tracking of short lets

The latest Rightmove tracker reveals an average mortgage payment £119 per month cheaper than at the same time last year. Mortgage payments for the average homeowner now stand 7% cheaper than a year ago, according to Rightmove’s latest tracker report. This is despite house prices being 0.5% higher in January than at the same time in 2025, and a jump from December to January of £35 in mortgage payments. Rightmove’s… Continue Reading Mortgage payments fall more than £100 – Rightmove

Markets are betting on a March cut after January CPI drops from last month’s 3.4% to 3% and cost pressures ease. Inflation fell to a 10-month low in January, prompting traders to raise expectations that the Bank of England could cut the base rate at its next meeting on 19 March. The Consumer Prices Index dropped to 3% from 3.4% in December, according to the Office for National Statistics, which… Continue Reading Inflation fall boosts hopes for interest rate cut

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan insists measures to boost new build figures in the Capital will help, despite claims from housebuilders they are unworkable. London Mayor Sadiq Khan (main picture) is in a “furious row” with developers over delays to measures designed to kickstarting housebuilding. The Government announced last year it is to cut the affordable element of each development from 35% to 25%, and to relax some of the… Continue Reading Mayor in ‘furious row’ with developers over housebuilding rules

Revealing land option agreements will improve transparency and help smaller developers compete for sites, says Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook. Developers in England and Wales could soon be required to disclose land option agreements and similar contracts, it has been revealed. The move is part of Government plans to create a public register of land that has been earmarked for development. Under the new proposals being developed by Planning Minister Matthew… Continue Reading New public register will expose developers’ private land deals

Landlords have borrowed £6.6bn in clear sign they have not been put off by looming Renters’ Rights Act. Buy-to-let mortgage borrowing continues to grow, with fresh lending figures indicating landlords are still investing in rental property despite regulatory change and headlines around landlord exits, according to Alexander Hall’s Managing Director Richard Merrett (pictured). The brokerage firm’s latest market analysis, which is based on historic Bank of England data, shows buy-to-let… Continue Reading BTL lending data shows landlords still investing