Propertymark has published a report criticising the pace of leasehold reform, arguing that existing leaseholders continue to face rising costs, restrictive terms and uncertainty in the market. The report says the planned move to commonhold will take time and should not delay further reforms for current leaseholders, with evidence that leasehold issues are affecting sales and market confidence.
TwentyEA reports that nearly 850,000 properties have left the UK private rented sector over the past decade, with the largest volume of former rental homes sold in 2025. Despite this landlord exit, overall rental supply has risen to a seven-year high, supported in part by growth in Build to Rent stock and regional differences in asking rent trends following the Renters Rights Act.
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.
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.
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.
A lettings agent and four others have been convicted in connection with an organised cannabis cultivation network operating through multiple rented properties in Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes. Police said fraudulent tenancy documents were used and that the agency’s offices contained evidence linked to the criminal activity, with sentencing still to follow for at least one defendant.
Propertymark reports that rising tax, regulatory and compliance pressures in the residential rental sector are encouraging some investors to consider commercial property instead. The article notes stronger interest in industrial, warehousing and smaller office space, while larger offices remain subdued and retail demand is mixed.
A new report from the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose and the New Economics Foundation argues that rent controls could reduce private renters’ costs while leaving most landlords profitable. It models scenarios for a 10% and 20% rent reduction and claims the policy could also lower housing benefit spending, though it may prompt some landlords to sell.
FCS Compliance will host a free 30-minute webinar for agents on 16 July covering recent updates to the Money Laundering Regulations and the likely expectations from HMRC. The session will focus on practical steps firms may need to take to update risk assessments, customer due diligence, policies, training and audit trails.
Deposit replacement provider Reposit reports strong first-half 2026 growth, which it attributes in part to the Renters Rights Act and wider demand for risk-managed renting solutions. The company says sales rose 58% year-on-year overall, with Build to Rent sales up 103%, alongside increased agent adoption and new platform integrations.
A survey commissioned by the TDS Charitable Foundation found that most private renters in England were unaware of, or did not understand, the Renters Rights Act shortly before its implementation. The findings suggest that key protections, including the ability to challenge above-market rent increases, may be underused unless awareness improves.
