Ealing Council is consulting on a new borough-wide five-year additional HMO licensing scheme due to begin in April 2027. The consultation follows concerns identified in the borough about property condition, management and related issues in some HMOs, including fire safety, overcrowding and disrepair.
Paragon Bank research suggests that many HMOs are already performing well on energy efficiency, with 66% of surveyed properties rated EPC A to C and none in the lowest F or G bands. The article also notes that more than a quarter of landlords have accelerated improvements in anticipation of proposed Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards requiring EPC band C by 2030.
The article indicates that further details have emerged regarding a government code of practice for estate agents, alongside a consultation on making agent qualifications mandatory. The extract suggests policy development is ongoing, but provides no substantive detail on the proposed requirements or timetable.
The article reports a dispute over rent controls, with activists accusing Housing Secretary Angela Rayner of misrepresenting the effect of the Renters Rights Act on rents. It says the London Renters Union argues rents are still rising sharply and that tribunal-based protections do not prevent market rents increasing, while Rayner has said rent controls are unnecessary and off the table.
SpareRoom reports that room rental supply in inner London fell by 5% in Q2 2026, marking the first negative growth after a three-year period of expansion. The article links the decline to the Renters Rights Act coming into effect and notes that supply is now falling across most of London, with the sharpest drops in north-west and south-west areas.
The Environment Agency has suspended the environmental permit for a waste recycling site in Portsmouth after inspectors identified inadequate dust controls and other breaches linked to waste crushing and screening operations. The site must stop physical treatment of waste until the pollution risk is removed, with corrective actions required and a right of appeal through the Planning Inspectorate.
The Legal Services Board has concluded that inconsistent guidance following the Mazur case was driven by insufficient cross-regulator engagement and differing interpretations of the Legal Services Act. It said regulators updated guidance constructively after the judgments, but earlier advice lacked clarity and consistency, creating risks of uneven outcomes for regulated professionals.
The article critiques the government’s consultation on quid pro quo ground rents alongside the draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill, arguing that the proposed exemption test is likely to be difficult or impossible to satisfy in practice. It also questions the proposed fixed valuation approach for a £250 annual ground rent cap, suggesting it transfers value away from freeholders through a prescribed regulatory mechanism rather than case-by-case assessment.
The Environment Agency has published updated templates and supplementary guidance for sampling and inspection plans required under extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging. Reprocessors and exporters of packaging waste in the UK must use these templates when applying for registration or optional accreditation, and exporters must also complete the overseas reprocessing and interim sites log (OSR) form.
The Environment Agency has carried out an 18-week enforcement campaign, Operation Unite, targeting firms involved in construction waste and asbestos. The article notes that Watford-based PB Donoghue Construction was among the companies inspected.
National Highways has flagged supply-chain disruption as a material risk to delivering projects efficiently, citing economic volatility, geopolitical pressures, labour constraints and shortages of critical components. Its annual report also highlights risks from ageing assets, network capacity pressures and recruitment challenges, while noting improvements in worker-safety metrics and some operational performance measures.
Labour’s Greater Manchester mayoral candidate Bev Craig has set out a housing platform focused on tighter controls in the private rented sector. Her proposals include expanding Article 4 Directions for HMOs, strengthening the Good Landlord Charter, linking local funding for retrofitting to charter compliance, and exploring rent caps or controls through a new commission.
