Rightmove data indicates that rental supply fell below the previous year’s level in Q2 2026 for the first time in four years, with the total number of homes to rent now 1% lower year on year. The article links the shift to the implementation of the Renters Rights Act, while noting that tenant competition has eased from recent peaks and regional rental conditions remain uneven.
LRG has partnered with Nexus to provide Making Tax Digital support across its UK lettings network, covering agent-managed landlords using rent collection or fully managed services. The rollout is positioned as one of the largest MTD implementations in the lettings sector, with the software designed to streamline record-keeping and reporting for landlords.
The article reports expectations of tougher enforcement against rogue landlords in the second half of 2026, driven by the Renters Rights Act and higher fines, alongside increased local authority enforcement funding. It also suggests contested evictions may take longer to resolve through the courts, adding pressure to the possession process.
Winkworth’s trading update indicates that revenue and pre-tax profit are expected to remain in line with market expectations despite an uneven market backdrop and wider political and economic uncertainty. The lettings business has remained resilient, with the company noting continued performance after the Renters Rights Act came into force on 1 May and ongoing network expansion through new office openings.
TwentyEA reports that around 850,000 private rented sector properties have left the UK market over the past decade, with the largest volume of former rental homes sold in 2025. Despite this, overall rental supply has risen to a seven-year high, supported in part by growth in Build to Rent and increased listings in 2026.
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.
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.
