Industry bodies and agents are warning that new housing delivery in Scotland is under severe pressure, with rising construction and finance costs, alongside additional policy burdens, pushing many schemes to pause or abandonment. The article also cites a decline in private sector new-build starts and says the housing emergency in Scotland is worsening, with Glasgow highlighted as particularly affected.
The government’s impact assessment for extending Awaab’s Law to private rented tenancies forecasts continued growth in England’s private rental sector, rising from 4.827 million households in 2026 to an estimated 5.378 million by 2035. It also notes uncertainty around landlord numbers due to limited recent data, while suggesting sector consolidation may support remediation work at scale.
The article argues that home buying reforms will only reduce delays if property data is trusted, connected and consistently applied across the transaction. It highlights the role of Ordnance Survey, HM Land Registry and common identifiers such as UPRNs in improving data interoperability, and notes that future sales packs and AI tools will depend on reliable underlying information.
The article argues that a new first-time buyer support scheme will have limited impact unless Stamp Duty is reformed. It says current tax settings are discouraging investors and developers, contributing to weaker market confidence and slowing the delivery of new homes.
The Regulator of Social Housing has updated its guidance on how it engages with landlords when concerns arise, including how it assesses material issues, gathers evidence and decides whether to escalate or close engagement. The update also reflects the introduction of the Competence and Conduct Standard and sets out how responsive engagement may lead to inspections, investigations or landlord improvement work.
The Regulator of Social Housing has updated its guidance on how it reviews landlord information between programmed inspections, including changes to reflect the Competence and Conduct Standard. The article explains how regulatory returns, annual accounts, business plans and Financial Forecast Returns are used to assess risk, inform inspections and support wider sector monitoring.
The Environment Agency has declared drought status in Yorkshire following sustained low reservoir and river levels after a dry spring and summer. It says water companies are being monitored against statutory drought plans, with weekly coordination through the National Drought Group and increased scrutiny of supply, leakage and demand reduction measures.
The Regulator of Social Housing has updated its guidance on how it assesses issues of potential regulatory concern, including language changes to reflect the introduction of the Competence and Conduct Standard. The document explains that the regulator uses a risk-based, case-by-case approach and may seek further information from landlords and, where appropriate, other stakeholders when considering material issues.
The Regulator of Social Housing has updated its guidance on how it publishes regulatory judgements and gradings, including language changes to reflect the Competence and Conduct Standard. The guidance explains when judgements are issued, how grades are applied to large and small landlords, and how different types of regulatory engagement affect published outcomes.
Taylor Wimpey has stopped building new homes in London, saying the viability of new schemes has become fundamentally broken and that development costs have risen to prohibitive levels. The company cited policy-related cost pressures, including the requirement for a second staircase in high-rise buildings over 18 metres, alongside a broader decline in expected London completions.
The Regulator of Social Housing sets out its landlord-level approach to regulating registered providers of social housing, including local authorities and private registered providers. It explains that regulation is based on statutory objectives and standards, with a focus on overall delivery of outcomes, governance, financial viability, and consumer protection rather than individual tenant disputes.
The Regulator of Social Housing has updated its guidance on how it investigates suspected serious failings and decides whether to take regulatory or enforcement action. The update reflects the introduction of the Competence and Conduct Standard and explains how the regulator assesses concerns, gathers information, and chooses from its range of powers.
