Archive

An amendment is expected to be made by the government to its Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill. The Bill, put forward by...

An influential Labour website says a raft of proposed reforms for the private rental sector will be unveiled next month -...

London Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan says he will build 6,000 “affordable” rental homes by 2030 - with their rents capped. Khan, standing...

The all-party House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee has urged the government to get on with establishing a regulator of...

Labour has waded into the increasingly-fractious debate over the Renters Reform Bill. Activists in groups such as the Renters Reform Coalition and...

Propertymark has used its website and link with a property inspection service to urge letting agents to work with private tenants...

Countryside campaigning charity CPRE has given a warm welcome to Michael Gove’s clampdown on short lets. Earlier this week Housing Secretary Michael...

Knight Frank has taken the unusual step of suggesting a government proposal for the housing market is high-risk and could even...

There’s growing anger over restrictions on private homeowners using their properties via Airbnb and other short let platforms. Earlier this week Housing...

Housing Secretary Michael Gove has this morning announced wholesale changes to planning and regulations surrounding short lets. His proposals include: - planning permission...

The trade body representing short lets providers and support companies has reacted angrily to government proposals for a radical shake up. Housing...

Propertymark is urging the Sunak government to introduce specialist housing courts with expert Judges who can expedite cases and create a...

While most agents remain relatively tight lipped about party politics, the chief executive of Purplebricks has said the Tories should take...

A pressure group unhappy about lack of progress on the Renters Reform Bill wants MPs to be bombarded with complaint emails.  Over...

The government has done a U-turn on its original policy to relax HMO regulations on private rental properties used by asylum...

Two former housing ministers are at war with each other after an attack on Rishi Sunak’s premiership in today’s Daily Telegraph. Sir...

Controversy surrounds a government idea - floated over the weekend - to allow renters to secure mortgages with just one per...

The date has been set for the Spring Budget - the last before the General Election.  It’s to be on Wednesday March...

A prominent housing market commentator says Labour would introduce a tougher version of the Renters Reform Bill if it forms the...

Housing Secretary Michael Gove has given what some commentators have interpreted as a sign that private rental sector licensing from councils...

Plans for leasehold reform face a major early stumbling block as analysis shows plans to retrospectively introduce a cap on ground...

Homelessness charity Crisis says the long-standing government pledge to scrap Section 21 eviction powers can’t come soon enough. The charity has backed...

Former housing minister Rachel Maclean - the victim of a shock sacking by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last month - has...

Changes put forward to the Renters Reform Bill to crack down on rogue landlords, protect vulnerable residents and improve the safety of...

Propertymark wants Housing Secretary Michael Gove to continue with ground rent reforms for leaseholders following the launch of a consultation into this...

The new Housing Minister is Lee Rowley - who was a former housing minister during the short lived premiership of Liz Truss. Rowley...

Propertymark has written to Housing Secretary Michael Gove to remind him of the importance of regulating letting and estate agents. The trade...

There’s been widespread dismay in the industry as the outcome of a Judicial Review has backed the Scottish Government’s objective of...

Propertymark has welcomed the pledge by Housing Secretary Michael Gove not to introduce rent controls in England. The trade body says such...

Rent controls as currently in force in Scotland and under consideration in Wales will not be put into effect in England,...

MPs have given the Renters Reform Bill its Second Reading - a procedure which means it now continues into the Committee...

Propertymark has fired a broadside at Labour saying it must provide agents with a proper court system to handle evictions. Labour deputy leader...

Labour deputy leader and shadow housing secretary Angela Rayner has given her party’s conference an outline of future policy plans. She says:...

Housing Secretary Michael Gove will address the main Conservative party Conference on Tuesday morning next week - but perhaps his most...

The Times is reporting that a delay to the controversial ban on gas boilers is being considered by the government as...

The Financial Times, using sources in the Parliamentary Conservative party, are blaming some Tory MPs for blocking the route of the...

New directives issued by the government put the emphasis firmly on private landlords and their letting agents to take responsibility for...

Propertymark is pressing Housing Secretary Michael Gove to adopt a housing court system to solve the problem of abandoned tenancies. The agents...

A leading property agency is demanding more certainty over new Energy Performance Certificate regulations.  Fisher German says the government should act now...

A body largely consisting of councils wants more controls over Airbnbs and other short lets - and it wants local authorities...

The National Union of Students is urging the government not to give in to what it calls “exploitative” private rental sector...

The Green Party - which ran the Brighton and Hove council until being swept from office in May’s local elections -...

Housing Secretary Michael Gove is being lobbied to take urgent action over the growing problem of abandoned tenancies. Propertymark chief executive Nathan...

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has thrown his weight behind Housing Secretary Michael Gove’s proposals to delay deadlines for EPC improvements in...

Stricter proposals for energy efficiency under review by the government risk damaging the private rental sector if they remain unchanged. That’s the...

Propertymark has branded the plans by Housing Secretary Michael Gove to increase housebuilding “disappointing”. Nathan Emerson, Propertymark chief executive, says: “The UK...

Housing Secretary Michael Gove has this morning said his government should ‘relax the pace’ of EPC reforms expected from private landlords. In...

The BBC says discussions are underway to extend the Renters Reform Bill to specifically outlaw any rental listing banning families and benefit recipients...

It looks as if the Labour Party is turning its back on rent controls on England and Wales. In the past year...

A regional agent with 3,500 properties under management has written a long letter to Housing Secretary Michael Gove complaining about the...

Propertymark says it’s spotted what may be the first sign of a U-turn on one aspect of the controversial Renters Reform...

Private landlords should hold fire on plans to quit the private rental sector and give the government a chance to incentivise...

Propertymark says it’s going to send a briefing on behalf of letting agents to every MP and member of the House...

The co-leader of the Green Party wants the Renters Reform Bill to go further in restricting the powers of private landlords. Carla...

The pro-tenant anti-landlord Renters Reform Bill has at last been published by the government which first promised it in 2019. It has...

In a surprise move, Housing Secretary Michael Gove has given the stand-in leader of activist group Generation Rent a prime role...

The government has back-tracked on its decision to publish the long-awaited Renters Reform Bill this week. The Mirror newspaper reports that “procedural issues”...

Housing Secretary Michael Gove says the long-awaited Renters Reform Bill, first promised in 2019, will finally be introduced into Parliament this...

  The Renters’ Reform Bill is finally due to be published and introduced into Parliament next week. Housing Secretary Michael Gove has told Sky...

A lettings agency chief says tighter EPC targets will be “devastating” for the private rental sector. Ben Quaintrell - managing director of...

The new trade body for short lets has reacted angrily to a government plan for AirBnb and other short let hosts...

A prominent lettings agent in the north of England has written to Housing Secretary Michael Gove urging him to cease attacking...

A combination of regular inspections and pro-active installation of ventilation can help to reduce the risk of dangerous damp and mould...

RMT rail union leader Mick Lynch and Labour leaders including Andy Burnham and Sadiq Khan are leading a call for an...

A council says it’s using planning powers to try to control the proliferation of Airbnbs, but suggests the real answer may...

Propertymark has written to Housing Secretary Michael Gove outlining its concerns about the latest licensing scheme proposal from a local council. The...

A warning letter signed by 330 major players in the private rental sector has been delivered to Housing Secretary Michael Gove. The...

A prominent letting agent has written an open letter to Housing Secretary Michael Gove, calling for a halt on government attacks...

Housing Secretary Michael Gove is being asked to take urgent action over housing conditions across social and private rental sectors.  Following the...

Agents have expressed their anger at the government effectively scrapping any meaningful house building targets. Housing Secretary Michael Gove scrapped the mandatory...

Housing Secretary Michael Gove has sent a letter to the Competitions and Markets Authority saying the watchdog is independent - but...

The government is to open a consultation on whether residential properties should require planning consent to be used as short lets...

Propertymark has given its backing to a clampdown by Housing Secretary Michael Gove on private landlords - although landlords themselves appear...

As the Rishi Sunak government’s lower ranks finally take shape, the junior ministers working with Housing Secretary Michael Gove have been...

It’s been an embarrassing weekend for Housing Secretary Simon Clarke - backing a candidate for the Tory leadership who didn’t turn...

The new Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, has been welcomed by the agency establishment - even though some may be wondering how long...

There appears to be no space for discussion on the government’s private rental sector reform policies at the Tory Party conference...

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer picked on the buy to let and holiday home sectors as targets for future restrictions, in...

Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has announced that stamp duty will be cut.  In future there will be no stamp duty on the first...

Lee Rowley is the new housing minister, specifically responsible for taking charge of the government’s rental reform agenda. The government has confirmed...

The government is intervening further in the running of Liverpool council, which operates a controversial private rental sector licensing scheme. Housing Secretary...

A Build To Rent promotional website appears to be ruing the day that Boris Johnson sacked Michael Gove from his role...

A prominent trade body is warning Tory leadership candidates not to put rental reform on the back burner and add to...

The boss of an online lettings agency is warning the government against undue delay and greater uncertainty in the rental reform...

The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has been packed with MPs loyal to outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson, as...

Within two hours of Greg Clarke being appointed by Boris Johnson as the new Housing Secretary, the leader of Generation Rent...

If housing really is seen by Prime Minister Boris Johnson as one of his key policy goals, there must be uncertainty...

Speculation in national newspapers suggests that the government is considering giving local mayors some powers over parts of the private rented...

A selection of property industry figures have spoken out against the government’s latest proposals to extend Right To Buy to housing...

Shelter has made an outspoken attack on a government proposal to extend Right To Buy to housing association tenants. The idea -...

The criticism by landlords aimed at Housing Secretary Michael Gove for some of his comments regarding the cladding issue, has now...

The government’s new Levelling Up White Paper, revealed this morning, includes a radical reshaping of the private rental sector. Section 21 eviction...

A radical shake up of the private rental sector is expected to be announced tomorrow by Housing Secretary Michael Gove. The main...

Propertymark has entered the debate about whether buy to let landlords should be amongst those receiving help from the government in...

Owners of second homes who abuse a tax loophole by claiming their often-empty properties are holiday lets will be forced to...

Labour has joined with campaign groups Generation Rent and Shelter in calling for the speediest possible ending of Section 21 eviction...

The Scottish Government - which earlier this year suggested it would be clamping down heavily on Airbnbs, especially in Edinburgh -...

A new call has come for government action to stop the hemorrhage of properties shifting from long term rental to Airbnb...

Councils across Scotland have been given £10m to provide grants to tenants who have Covid-related arrears and risk eviction. The grants will...

A new survey has revealed that just 11% of people think Michael Gove, who was announced as the new Housing Secretary...