The article reports a rise in cannabis farm incidents and associated property damage, with insurers and fire services highlighting significant repair costs, vacancy periods and safety risks for landlords. It notes that organised criminal groups are increasingly using vacant commercial premises and disguising operations as legitimate businesses, making detection more difficult at the letting stage.
Campaigners say there is still no clear timetable for ending the leasehold system, despite repeated government commitments to reform it. The article highlights concerns that leaseholders continue to face uncertainty and rising costs while ministers say legislation will come soon but will take time because the issue is complex.
England is set to introduce a mandatory landlord register from 15 December, with a £65 annual fee per rental property and a phased rollout beginning in the West Midlands. The scheme will require landlords to provide property and compliance information through GOV.UK One Login, with penalties for missing registration deadlines.
The article reports that proposed Government reforms could end insured tenancy deposit schemes, prompting many landlords to consider custodial schemes or deposit alternatives. Survey results cited by Zero Deposit suggest a sizeable minority of landlords would adopt alternative products, while most would move to custodial arrangements if the current model changed.
The article reports that eviction disputes are increasing across the private rented sector, with landlords seeking vacant possession more often and tenants more frequently challenging notices. A law firm attributes the trend to worsening economics for landlords, including tax changes, refinancing costs, compliance burdens and uncertainty over future energy standards.
New research from Pegasus Insight suggests that 26% of landlords experienced rent arrears in the past year, a figure that has fallen from its 2020 peak but remains significant. The report also highlights persistent void periods, especially among larger portfolios and HMO operators, against a backdrop of ongoing inflationary and regulatory pressures.
The National Leasehold Campaign is urging the Prime Minister to accelerate the promised £250 ground rent cap for leasehold properties, framing it as an immediate cost-of-living measure for leaseholders. The article argues that many households would see more certain and direct savings from a ground rent cap than from the Government’s recently promoted plug-in solar initiative.
