Rightmove reports that rental supply fell slightly below last year’s level in Q2 2026, marking the first annual decline in available rental homes in four years. While tenant competition has eased from its 2022 peak, demand remains above pre-pandemic norms and regional rental pressures persist, with the North West showing the strongest mismatch between supply and demand.
New research highlights a rising concentration of HMOs in some of England’s least affordable cities, with Oxford and Cambridge among the highest-ranked locations outside London. The article also notes increasing use of Article 4 Directions and HMO licensing, alongside landlord sales ahead of the Renters’ Rights Act, as the market adjusts to tighter regulation and higher standards.
The new First Minister of Wales has set out a legislative programme that prioritises stronger rights for private renters, including measures aimed at improving affordability and restricting no-fault evictions. The agenda also includes a Community Right to Buy scheme and rural proofing provisions as part of a wider housing policy package.
The article reports that Oxford and Cambridge have the highest shares of HMOs outside London, based on analysis by Property Buyers Today. It also argues that new licensing rules and the Renters’ Rights Act are reshaping the HMO market by encouraging higher standards and potentially reducing supply from less compliant landlords.
Hamptons data suggests landlord exits from the private rented sector are most concentrated in London and the South of England, where higher prices, lower yields and mortgage costs are squeezing returns. The article also notes that the Renters Rights Act and a 12-month re-letting ban may be influencing sales decisions, although tax changes and borrowing costs are presented as the larger long-term drivers.
The article reports that the Renters Rights Act’s new Ground 1A process for selling a rental property now carries a mandatory 12-month re-letting ban if the property is not sold. Hamptons’ analysis suggests this could leave a substantial number of unsold former rental homes out of the lettings market, with flats and properties in the South of England appearing most exposed.
A lettings agent and four others have been convicted in connection with an organised cannabis cultivation network operating through multiple rented properties in Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes. Police said fraudulent tenancy documents were used and that the agency’s offices contained evidence linked to the criminal activity, with sentencing still to follow for at least one defendant.
Hamptons reports that landlord sales have slowed after the Renters’ Rights Act, with more landlord purchases than sales recorded in June for the first time since 2019. The research suggests the new 12-month re-letting ban after serving notice to sell may be making landlords more cautious, particularly where sales are slower and failed sales are more common, such as in flats and in London and the South.
Hamptons data suggests landlord exits from the private rented sector remain most concentrated in London and the South of England, where higher prices, lower yields and mortgage costs are putting the greatest pressure on returns. The article also notes that the Renters Rights Act and a 12-month re-letting ban may be influencing disposal decisions, although tax changes and borrowing costs are presented as the longer-term drivers.
A new report from the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose and the New Economics Foundation argues that rent controls could reduce private renters’ costs while leaving most landlords profitable. It models scenarios for a 10% and 20% rent reduction and claims the policy could also lower housing benefit spending, though it may prompt some landlords to sell.
Deposit replacement provider Reposit reports strong first-half 2026 growth, which it attributes in part to the Renters Rights Act and wider demand for risk-managed renting solutions. The company says sales rose 58% year-on-year overall, with Build to Rent sales up 103%, alongside increased agent adoption and new platform integrations.
Ashfield Council is promoting an East Midlands Housing Conference on 20 October focused on the Renters Rights Act and its practical impact on the private rented sector. The event will offer guidance on compliance, with keynote presentations from housing law specialist David Smith and Suzanne Smith, alongside workshops and an exhibition for landlords and housing professionals.
