The OBR’s latest Budget analysis paints a subdued outlook for the housing market, warning that higher property income tax on landlords could reduce rental supply and put upward pressure on rents over time. It also forecasts modest house price growth, higher mortgage rates, and weaker housing supply, with regulatory and fiscal changes cited as adding cost and complexity to residential development.
Bury Council is set to approve the transfer of Six Town Housing’s remaining stock into the council’s Housing Revenue Account, following a strategic review that concluded the commercial and regulatory risks of continuing the subsidiary were too high. The proposed approach excludes Sherborne House, where the council will seek a registered provider to take on the lease for supported accommodation.
HMRC data cited in the article shows buy-to-let investors recorded £1.15 billion in losses on property sales over the past year, up 32% from £870 million previously. The piece attributes the increase to stagnant or falling house prices in some markets, low net yields, and added uncertainty from the Renters’ Rights Act.
Propertymark is urging the Chancellor to use the Budget to review the cumulative tax burden on private landlords, including mortgage interest relief, Capital Gains Tax and additional-property Stamp Duty. It also calls for wider reform of property taxation, energy-efficiency incentives and Local Housing Allowance uprating to support market stability and rental supply.
Reported crystallised losses on sales of residential buy-to-let investments rose 32% in the latest tax year to £1.15 billion, according to data cited from HMRC and Bowmore Wealth Group. The article links the increase to flat or falling house prices, higher mortgage costs and the impact of the Renters’ Rights Act on landlord behaviour.
New YouGov research commissioned by Safeguard Europe suggests damp and mould remain widespread in UK homes, with private renters and council tenants reporting the highest incidence. The article also references the introduction of Awaab’s Law for social landlords in England and notes that the Renters Rights Act 2025 could allow the regime to be extended to private landlords in future.
The article reports that many landlords are tightening tenant referencing and affordability checks following the Renters’ Rights Act, with a significant share also asking for guarantors. It also notes low awareness among landlords of the forthcoming registration requirement under the Act, alongside signs of portfolio adjustment and increased tenant-related disputes.
Cornwall Council says it is facing significant council tax refund claims from second home owners who have reclassified properties as short-term holiday lets. The article highlights a dispute over a perceived tax loophole, with local politicians calling for reform and the self-catering sector arguing that holiday lets support the local economy.
The National Residential Landlords Association has urged the Chancellor to use the upcoming Budget to support the private rented sector through tax reform, higher housing benefit rates and measures to encourage investment in new rental homes. The statement also calls for targeted support to help landlords meet energy efficiency targets ahead of the October 2030 deadline.
The article reports concerns from property industry figures that further tax changes in the Budget could accelerate exits from the private rented sector, particularly among smaller landlords. It argues that rising costs, regulatory pressures and uncertainty over future taxation may drive consolidation, with larger professional operators better placed to absorb portfolios.
A landlord in Sefton has been ordered by the First-tier Tribunal to repay £22,477.02 in Housing Benefit after properties were let without the required selective licences. The order follows an earlier prosecution in which the landlord admitted five offences and was fined for operating unlicensed rented properties.
A council has issued what it says is its first fine for serving an unlawful Section 21 notice after the Renters Rights Act removed that route to possession. The landlord was penalised by Gateshead council after serving the notice after 1 May, with the authority indicating that further cases are under consideration.
