The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has appointed Andrea Keenoy as interim Housing Ombudsman from 1 August, with a permanent successor to be confirmed later. The announcement follows the end of Richard Blakeway’s second term and highlights the Ombudsman Service’s recent focus on complaint handling, systemic powers and issues such as damp and mould.
A London landlord and associated letting agencies have lost an appeal at the First-tier Property Tribunal over penalties linked to non-compliance with Waltham Forest’s selective licensing scheme. The tribunal upheld £105,000 in fines across six test properties, rejecting arguments about licence duration, liability, and alleged double punishment.
Accountants are warning that many taxpayers, including landlords, misunderstand the new Making Tax Digital for Income Tax requirements ahead of the first quarterly submission deadline on 7 August. The scheme now requires qualifying taxpayers to keep digital records and file quarterly updates using compatible software, with wider rollout thresholds set to bring more landlords into scope over time.
Landlords in Scotland are reportedly facing long delays of eight to 12 months to obtain possession orders through the housing tribunal, with legal costs potentially reaching around £10,000 before cases are resolved. The article says these delays, alongside rising costs and regulation, are contributing to some landlords selling up and reducing rental supply.
The article reports claims from Generation Rent that Section 21 evictions are disproportionately affecting black households and contributing to higher rates of homelessness and temporary accommodation. It also cites wider allegations of racial discrimination in the private rented sector and in rental application processes.
A London landlord and his property management company have been fined and ordered to pay court costs totalling £63,000 after being prosecuted over unsafe conditions at an unlicensed 22-room HMO in Kensington and Chelsea. The case involved serious fire and health and safety failings, including damaged fire doors, inadequate fire separation, covered alarms and electrical defects, with the court finding the operators failed to act on opportunities to remedy the issues.
Brighton & Hove Council is expanding its selective licensing scheme from four wards to six this autumn, with a phased rollout expected to cover 13 wards in total. The council says the scheme is intended to improve property conditions and management in the private rented sector, with support offered to landlords and agents and an estimated 7,274 properties requiring licences.
The article reports criticism from a Labour councillor who describes HMOs as a source of investor profit supported by public spending, particularly through temporary accommodation demand. It also notes that several councils, including Labour and Reform UK-led authorities, are considering or implementing tighter controls on HMOs through Article 4 directions, licensing, and related planning measures.
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.
The article reports that Generation Rent has called for a further package of rental sector reforms ahead of Andy Burnham potentially becoming Prime Minister. Its proposals include bringing forward the Decent Homes Standard, accelerating Awaab’s Law, strengthening EPC compliance enforcement, and abolishing Right to Rent checks.
The article warns landlords to handle waste carefully when cleaning, repairing or refreshing properties during the summer. It highlights that improper disposal of hazardous materials such as asbestos, lead paint and treated timber could expose landlords to prosecution.
