Quick News Updates

A widening disconnect between letting agents, landlords and tenants is emerging in the private rented sector as it prepares for the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act, according to new research

The Deposit Protection Service (DPS) has facilitated £1m in donations to homelessness charity St Mungo’s since the partnership began at the end of 2024.

Agents do not necessarily need specific instruction. If you are acting on behalf of the landlord, the safest approach is to serve it.

Delays in possession cases are driving landlord losses beyond £10,000 in several parts of the country, according to new analysis from Legal for Lettings.

This has now been published by the Government and can be downloaded from the page linked below:

In a written question, Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing, claimed rules in the Renters’ Rights Act will prevent landlords from evicting tenants to convert properties into holiday lets.

Some 68% of tenants say the single biggest factor that would make them stay in their rental home long term is the relationship with their landlord or agent,

Since 14th May 2025, letting agents have been brought formally into the UK’s financial sanctions reporting regime. This means they are now legally required to screen landlords, tenants and guarantors against the UK sanctions list and to take action if concerns arise.

A new report warns that rogue locksmith scams are increasing, with some operators advertising low prices before charging customers hundreds of pounds once work is underway.

Tenants have been using Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud reports to challenge rent and holding deposit payments, according to LettsPay.

The most delayed jurisdictions include Barnet, Birmingham, Brentford, Bromley, Central London, Clerkenwell, Croydon, Edmonton, Kingston-upon-Thames County Court and Family Court, Romford, Slough, Stratford, Wandsworth and Willesden.

Propertymark has set out a series of considerations for the rollout of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 in its submission to the London Assembly Housing Committee.

Landlord Licensing & Defence has raised concerns over what it describes as “double jeopardy” enforcement, in which licence conditions repeat existing legal requirements.

Three-quarters of tenants in England say they are happy with their renting experience, with only a small minority reporting dissatisfaction, research reveals.

Starmer announced the cap in a video posted on TikTok – the first time a UK prime minister has used the platform to unveil a major government policy.

Propertymark says major omissions in the Government’s new Warm Homes Plan are “deeply concerning” for landlords and agents.

The Sentencing Council has unveiled a public consultation that appears to suggest that not enough landlords are currently being imprisoned for the offences.

Mr Pennycook also said “the government do not support the introduction of rent controls, including rent stabilisation measures, for the reasons that we debated at some length during the passage of the bill.”

Sir Stephen Timms says following three-council trial, 38 more are to take up powers enabling them to recoup rent from landlords who let unlicensed properties to ‘benefits’ tenants.

Local authorities have been given draconian new powers to enforce good behaviour by landlords and letting agencies, including being able to enter premises where tenancy records are kept, take evidence, including paperwork, computers and phone,s and also being able to force a landlord’s tradespeople, agent and even past tenants to hand over paperwork.

Student sector faces major disruption as new possession timetable means landlords cannot guarantee empty homes for ‘next year’s cohort’ says NRLA.

Judge rules in favour of tenants, in spite of what he calls their “inappropriate” and “highly unsociable” behaviour.

Criminal landlords and sham letting agents are exploiting a lack of enforcement by councils to create a shadow lettings market, according to new academic research.

From that day, councils gain their new investigatory powers. Not in May. Not as a gradual rollout. They begin immediately, right in the middle of the festive lull when most agents are running on reduced staff and leftover Quality Street.

The government has no idea how the Renters’ Rights Act will impact the tribunal that considers rent appeal cases, a Freedom of Information request has revealed.

A recent survey found that 57% of landlords do not feel prepared for the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act, with many looking to their letting agents for guidance.

Racehel Reeves is not the only one – Labour councillor Michael Situ  has now stepped down as Southwark Council’s cabinet member for housing due to licensing failures. No doubt other landlord Councillors are anxiously checking with their letting agents …

Local authorities will be handed powers to fine ‘landlords, letting agents, or anyone acting on their behalf’ when the first phase of the new tenancy rules comes in next year.

The homelessness charity Crisis is set to become a landlord for the first time in its 60-year history, declaring that Britain’s housing emergency has reached a “catastrophic scenario.”

MPs have called on the government to tighten rules for HMOs amid reports of anti-social behaviour and a lack of family homes causing frustration among their communities.

Landlords have been encouraged to put aside personal views and consider whether a particular pet is compatible with their rental property.

Read the statement of the gov.uk website

Plymouth City Council says it wants to “showcase how to do it right” when it comes to enforcing the Renters’ Rights Bill once the legislation receives Royal Assent in the next few weeks.

The Distress for Rent Act 1737 is one of the oldest statutes that you may see in your practice with (at s18) a draconian remedy for landlords: a claim for ‘double rent’.

The Renters’ Reform Bill is nearing the end of its legislative journey after the House of Lords rejected several key amendments. The Bill will now return to the House of Commons for final approval before receiving Royal Assent.

When the music stops in May and the students pack up early, who’s left to foot the bill?

The new policy includes introducing rent controls, scrapping the Right to Buy scheme, applying business rates to short-term lets such as Airbnbs, and imposing double council tax on long-term empty properties.

According to Action Fraud data, from April 2024 to March 2025, 143 cases of payment diversion fraud were reported, with an average loss of £82,000 per victim.

More tenants prefer to deal with a landlord directly rather than being managed by a letting agent, new research from the NRLA reveals.

Steve Reed removes one property tax threat from the table but with the Budget looming, concerns grow over what the Chancellor will target instead.

New research highlights a rental sector undergoing significant transition.

Despite London Mayor Sadiq Khan saying that powers to cap rents are “at the top of his list,” the Labour government insists it has no plans to introduce them.

The companies were fined under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 for breaching Client Money Protection rules and failing to display clear fees.

In an unprecedented move, Merton Council has forcibly taken over the long-term running of a landlord’s rental properties after he repeatedly failed to license them.

Paul Hoy tells The Neg the banning of rent in advance within the Renters’ Rights Bill is likely to create a significant increase in demand for rent guarantor service like his.

Pet damage insurance launch offers first ‘dual cover’ for landlordsDespite the Government doing a U-turn on allowing landlords to request tenants get pet damage insurance, Total Landlord has now launched its product into the market.

Despite the media narrative of landlords lining their pockets with cash, more than half (51%) of individual private landlords report gross income of less than £10,000, according to Savills.

A letting agent has been barred from operating in the property sector for three years after threatening to unlawfully evict a tenant with a young family.

Concerns have been raised about a new amendment to the Renters’ Rights Bill, which would allow local councils to carry out surprise inspections of private rented properties without giving advance notice to landlords.

Almost half – 46% – of renters surveyed were unaware they could challenge unfair deposit deductions, and only 4% had used the formal dispute resolution process to recover funds.