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.
The article reports that estate agents and surveyors are increasingly being targeted by hackers, with cyber attacks on British property services businesses rising 17% year on year to 208 incidents. It highlights the volume of sensitive personal and transactional data held by property firms, including identity documents, bank details and tenancy records, which can be exploited for ransom, identity theft and payment diversion fraud.
Official Ministry of Justice figures show a sharp rise in property tribunal cases following the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act, with increases across private rented sector disputes, leasehold matters and rent-related cases. Savills says the data suggests the new regime is already generating more conflict and may put pressure on tribunal capacity and rent review processes.
The article reports that a new national landlord registration service in England will launch on 15 December, beginning in the West Midlands and then rolling out regionally. Registration will become a legal requirement for landlords, with deadlines extending to November 2027, and future rules will also require registration of unoccupied properties before marketing. The piece also notes that HMRC’s Valuation Office will take over initial decisions on rent increase challenges, while tenants continue to use the First-tier Tribunal during the transition.
Propertymark warns that landlords and letting agents are facing a more complex licensing environment, with higher civil penalties for Housing Act offences and expanding local licensing schemes across England. The article also highlights the forthcoming PRS Database and the risk of rent repayment orders where properties are left unlicensed.
The article argues that the Government’s planned High Value Council Tax Surcharge, branded by the author as a mansion tax, will create significant valuation and administrative challenges for high-value homes in England from April 2028. It highlights likely disputes over threshold-based valuations, the potential need for internal inspections, and the burden this could place on surveyors, valuers, lawyers and tribunals.
Street.co.uk has added the government’s official Form 4A into its rent review workflow, allowing letting agents to generate, sign and serve rent increase notices within the platform. The update is designed to reduce manual administration and support a more consistent compliance process for periodic tenancy rent increases under the Renters’ Rights Act.
An employment tribunal has upheld claims of pregnancy and sex discrimination against Purplebricks Group plc, awarding a former agent more than £47,000 in damages. The case centred on the handling of the employee’s pregnancy disclosure, return to work on reduced hours, and the failure to adjust performance targets to reflect her circumstances.
