The Competition Appeal Tribunal is hearing an application to allow a £1.5 billion claim against Rightmove to proceed as a group action. The case, brought on behalf of thousands of estate agents, alleges that Rightmove charged excessive and unfair fees and abused a dominant position in the online property portal market.
The Government has issued guidance setting out how the new national landlord register will operate in England under the Renters’ Right Act. It confirms landlord registration duties, the role of lettings agents in supplying property data, the phased regional rollout from December 2026, and penalties for non-compliance.
HMRC has launched a consultation on introducing standardised digital reporting requirements for lettings agents and tenancy deposit protection schemes to improve the collection of rental income data. The proposals aim to replace repeated individual notices with regular structured reporting, with the stated goal of improving data quality, compliance and tax administration.
Goodlord’s latest State of the Lettings Industry report suggests lettings sentiment has improved since the Renters’ Rights Act came into force, but significant concerns remain around rent-in-advance restrictions, reduced rental availability and greater tenancy management uncertainty. The research indicates that some feared impacts, such as pets in lets, have been less severe than expected, while landlord exit from the sector is contributing to tighter supply.
The Property Ombudsman upheld a complaint against a property business that retained a £4,000 Buyer’s Premium after a buyer withdrew when a lender refused to mortgage an investment property. The Ombudsman found the attic conversion issue was material and should have been verified or clearly qualified before the buyer committed financially.
The Government has confirmed that the High Value Council Tax Surcharge, described as a Mansion Tax, will begin at the £2 million threshold, with bills expected from March 2028. The consultation response also sets out proposed deferral arrangements, exemptions for certain property types, and penalties for failing to provide valuation information when requested.
The Chancellor has defended Budget changes that increase Income Tax on rental earnings, arguing the policy protects earned income from employment while asking more from asset holders. From April, landlords will face a 2 percentage point rise in tax on property income, with higher and additional rates also increasing.
The Government has announced Your First Home, a new equity loan scheme for first-time buyers purchasing new-build homes in England, backed by £4.7 billion of government-backed loans. The scheme is due to open for pre-registration by the end of December, with full applications from February 2027 and first loans from April, alongside changes to Lifetime ISA withdrawal rules and a future First Time Buyer ISA.
MPs have heard criticism of the draft Private Rented Sector Database Regulations 2026, with industry figures arguing that the proposed upload process would be highly time-consuming for portfolio landlords and managing agents. The service, to be called Register your Rental Property, would require annual per-property registration fees and compliance by 14 November 2027.
A survey of 537 estate agents in England and Wales found strong support for tighter regulation of the estate agency sector, with 92% backing measures such as mandatory licensing and professional qualifications. Nearly half of respondents said rogue or substandard operators are a problem in their local market, with poor knowledge of property law and regulation cited as the leading concern.
The article reports on expectations ahead of the Chancellor’s first Autumn Budget, with property industry figures hoping for measures to support housing market activity, first-time buyers and landlord confidence. Commentators also call for clearer support for flats, downsizing, empty homes, and energy-efficiency incentives, while warning that tax and policy changes should not undermine scheme viability or investment.
HMRC data cited in the article shows buy-to-let investors recorded £1.15 billion in losses on property sales over the past year, up 32% from £870 million previously. The piece attributes the increase to stagnant or falling house prices in some markets, low net yields, and added uncertainty from the Renters’ Rights Act.
