Critics say free challenges and delayed rent uplifts will encourage speculative claims and lead to huge backlogs at First-tier Tribunals. Reforms designed to protect private renters from excessive rent rises could overwhelm England’s housing tribunal system with tenants routinely challenging increases, senior judges, lawyers and landlord groups have warned. The…

Landlords are already facing long waits for possession even before May’s rule changes as possession timelines rise. Landlords in England and Wales are waiting significantly longer to regain possession of their properties, with the average process now taking more than 26 weeks as repossession volumes continue to rise, says Sim…

Agents’ body Propertymark has renewed its call on government to unfreeze Local Housing Allowance (LHA). LHA is calculated by the government and, in theory, reflects local market rents.  However, since introduction in 2008,they have been frozen at different times.  In November’s Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves again froze LHA for 2026/27.…

A new petition demands a government U-turn on new eviction policies and the creation of a rogue tenant database. The petition is on the official Parliament website and runs until late July. It calls for the introduction of a six-week fast track court process for possessions on mandatory grounds S8/7A…

The average UK private tenant spent £10,580 on rent in 2025 – equivalent to 41% of their net income.   This marks a significant rise from 2024 when renters spent an average of 36% of their take-home pay on rent.  The personal share of rent paid by each tenant increased by £684 (6.9%), while…

Planning reforms alone won’t guarantee the government will meet its house building targets. That’s the message from Propertymark, which has issued a new position paper about the UK’s housing shortage.  The agents’ trade body says that while planning reform is frequently cited as the primary solution to the shortage, it…

Rumble with the Agents is set to return to London in June, for another unforgettable night of white-collar boxing, networking and fundraising. Now in its 11th year in London, the event has raised over £200,000 for charities. The 2026 London event will feature at least four live boxing bouts, with male and female…

Steep increases in room rents are diminishing savings and keeping older renters in shared homes for longer, it’s claimed. But this is creating a barrier to entry for younger renters, according to new data from flatshare site SpareRoom. As a result, under 35s in the flatshare market are in decline…

HM Revenue and Customs data shows that Capital Gains Tax receipts for 2025 were £13.646 billion. This is down from £14.900 billion in 2024 – a fall of 8.4 per cent. Jason Hollands, managing director at wealth management firm Evelyn Partners, comments: “Taxpayers are swerving this and the previous government’s…

A committee of MPs has branded schemes that left 30,000 homes with insulation defects as “catastrophic.” The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) says the energy efficiency schemes had “serious failings at every level.” The schemes were instigated by the then-Conservative government in 2022. Now the PAC even goes so far as…

Letting agents’ body Propertymark is taking credit for a softening of government policy on EPC targets for the private rental sector (PRS). PRS homes must meet EPC Band C by October 2030 unless an exemption applies.  This extended deadline is described by Propertymark as “a welcome change” from a possible…

The government has issued revised guidance on giving notice to private tenants before May 1. This is the date when much of the Renters Rights Act (RRA) comes into effect. The three latest revisions to the guidance all concern deposits. The government says that landlords, or their agents, must ensure…