A lack of choice for private renters about where they can live will undermine plans set out by political parties to...
Archive
![New Labour Manifesto hints at Rent Controls in Scotland](/upload/images/shutterstock_2258236095.jpg)
A manifesto just released by the Labour Party and dedicated to Scotland hints at ent controls. In recent years Labour has backed...
19 June 2024
From: Breaking News
![Councils that regulate private landlords have 34,000 empty homes](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Property%20Market/PropertyNews3-400x310.png)
An investigation by Sky News and a housing campaigner have revealed that there are some 33,993 vacant council properties in England...
10 June 2024
From: Breaking News
![Labour left puts Khan under pressure over housing policies](/upload/images/shutterstock_1803157102.jpg)
Sadiq Khan, newly elected for a third term as London Mayor, is already under pressure from the Labour Left to be...
10 May 2024
From: Breaking News
![Stricter council enforcement of landlords demanded by agents](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Rental%20Market/LegalAdvice-400x310.png)
Political parties should stop bickering and instead work together to boost enforcement of rental standards in the private sector. That’s the view...
22 April 2024
From: Breaking News
![Councils set to grab over half a billion from higher tax](/upload/images/shutterstock_2261764233.jpg)
Changes to empty home council tax rates could generate an additional £540m from Monday, a lettings agency claims. Since April 2013, billing...
27 March 2024
From: Breaking News
![Another council slaps 100% extra tax on property owners](/upload/images/shutterstock_2385697245.jpg)
A council has agreed a council tax rise of an additional 100% on second home and long-term empty homes, despite widespread...
26 March 2024
From: Breaking News
![Empty Homes Scandal - TV property guru on the warpath](/upload/images/shutterstock_57880816.jpg)
Homes Under The Hammer property expert Lucy Alexander is fronting a new campaign to identify empty homes and bring them back...
20 March 2024
From: Breaking News
![Jeremy Hunt slashes the values of holiday homes](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Property%20Market/A%20surveyor's%20guide%20to%20finding%20a%20profitable%20HMO.jpg)
A legal firm says Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has effectively slashed the value of holiday homes which are sold from April 2025...
08 March 2024
From: Breaking News
![300 per cent council tax premium proposed for long-term empty homes](/upload/images/shutterstock_1123680983.jpg)
Cardiff council is proposing new measures to help bring long-term empty houses back into use. Tomorrow it’s considering introducing a council tax...
06 March 2024
From: Breaking News
![Another council jumps on the selective licensing bandwagon](/upload/images/shutterstock_2029285928(2).jpg)
Yet another council is consulting on whether to continue a selective licensing scheme. The scheme applies to several areas of Burnley and...
04 March 2024
From: Breaking News
![Tax Demand - premiums slapped on second homes and empty properties](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Property%20Market/TaxCoins-400x310.png)
Dorset councillors have approved proposals for a council tax premium on second homes and a tightening up on its existing premium...
19 February 2024
From: Breaking News
![Is a change of government Starmergeddon for Britain’s landlords?](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Property%20Market/PropertyNews2-400x310.png)
I’m not especially political and certainly carry no candle for one flavour or another. I might argue that they’re all pretty...
10 February 2024
From: Legislation & Compliance
![What To Consider When Investing In A Holiday Let in 2024](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Property%20Market/A%20surveyor's%20guide%20to%20finding%20a%20profitable%20HMO.jpg)
If you're thinking of investing in a holiday home this year, there can be a lot to consider. From gathering insight to...
27 January 2024
From: Agent Advice
![Labour council doubles tax on short lets and second homes](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Property%20Market/TaxMan-400x310.png)
Labour-controlled Haringey Council in London says the owners of short lets and furnished holiday homes will be forced to pay double...
22 January 2024
From: Breaking News
![New landlords charged full five-year licence fee on scheme ending soon](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Property%20Market/_licensing-400x310.png)
A north of England council says it’s reviewing the fees for its selective licensing scheme “in terms of potential impact on...
31 October 2023
From: Breaking News
![Vast numbers of homes lie empty despite demand for properties](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Rental%20Market/BuildToRent-400x310.png)
New research shows that 676,000 homes in England are sitting empty. The research comes from property purchasing firm House Buyer Bureau which...
06 October 2023
From: Breaking News
![Higher Taxes for Second Homes - landlords urged to have a say](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Property%20Market/TaxCoins-400x310.png)
There are only a few days left for landlords to have input to a government consultation on council tax hikes for...
22 August 2023
From: Breaking News
![Extinction Rebellion jumps on housing protest bandwagon](/upload/images/shutterstock_1227135172.jpg)
After genteel protests from the Generation Rent ginger group and more pro-active protests from the Acorn group of rental activists, tomorrow...
07 July 2023
From: Breaking News
![Activists back Labour Mayor’s demand for power to seize homes](/upload/images/Rental%20Market/House-in-Hand-400x310.jpg)
The Generation Rent campaign has given its support to a call by London Mayor Sadiq Khan to be given powers to...
26 May 2023
From: Breaking News
![Labour Mayor wants powers to seize empty properties](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Rental%20Market/RentalMarketLondon-400x310.png)
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, wants new powers to impose higher tax on empty homes - and even seize them...
24 May 2023
From: Breaking News
![More Airbnbs in big cities than households on waiting lists - claim](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Property%20Market/shutterstock_2198282283.jpg)
A news service claims that in many UK cities there are now more entire homes listed on Airbnb than there are...
05 May 2023
From: Breaking News
![Second homes to be clobbered with more than double council tax](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Property%20Market/Taxes-400x310.png)
Councils are to be given powers to enact huge tax increases on second homes and empty properties, the Scottish Government proposes. New...
18 April 2023
From: Breaking News
![Rent Freeze at centre of local election party pledges](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Rental%20Market/Rent_Freeze-400x310.png)
An immediate private sector rent freeze and eviction ban for the duration of the cost of living crisis is the key...
06 April 2023
From: Breaking News
![How To Protect Landlords’ Empty Homes](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Rental%20Market/Happy(F)Landlord-400x310.png)
According to the most recent statistics there are 676,452 vacant properties in England, nearly half a million of which have been...
18 March 2023
From: The Big Issues
![Council to spend £1m gathering information about HMOs](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Rental%20Market/Estate_AgentOnline-400x310.png)
A council is to spend £1m “to gather information about the conditions of specific groups of privately rented properties and proactively...
01 March 2023
From: Breaking News
![Are second homes “flipped” to Airbnb to avoid council tax?](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Misc/airbnb400x310.jpg)
Campaigners behind the National Empty Homes Week - running until March 5 - are accusing some second home owners of “flipping”...
01 March 2023
From: Breaking News
![Fishermen blame landlords for pricing locals out of homes and jobs](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Rental%20Market/Buy-to-let-2-400x310.png)
A fishing organisation is blaming landlords for contributing to a housing crisis which, they say, means locals cannot live in coastal...
27 February 2023
From: Breaking News
![Labour’s “a home for £1” idea mocked by leading agent](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Property%20Market/HousePrices_pound-400x310.png)
A Labour Party proposal to sell some long-empty homes to first time buyers for just £1 has been dismissed as the...
22 February 2023
From: Breaking News
![Landlords may suffer double council tax during void periods](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Property%20Market/TaxTime-400x310.png)
Landlords say housing standards in one of the UK’s biggest cities could sugar because of council tax changes for empty homes. Manchester’s...
14 February 2023
From: Breaking News
![Tens of millions to restore empty homes - but not for private landlords](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Developments/PropertyPlanning-400x310.png)
A £50m scheme to bring more empty homes back to life in Wales - but private land are excluded from applying. The...
02 February 2023
From: Breaking News
![Council shines spotlight on empty private homes - but not its own…](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Property%20Market/Property-forecast_400x310.png)
A council is reminding residents they have only a week left to comment on empty private homes. Caerphilly council’s draft ‘Private Sector...
11 January 2023
From: Breaking News
![Airbnb accused of using charity to disguise housing market damage](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Rental%20Market/EvictionNotice-400x310.png)
The charity Action on Empty Homes, which is mounting a campaign against short let properties, has attacked Airbnb for making a...
28 October 2022
From: Breaking News
![Do we have an Empty Homes problem or a New Build House problem?](/upload/images/adv-2021/sponsored-content/Open%20Property%20Group/opg_sold_house%20Resized.jpg)
With cost of living increases impacting homeowners, landlords and tenants, are the 44,130 vacant houses across cities in England a bigger...
19 October 2022
From: Sponsored Content
![Activist campaign to limit homes used for Airbnb-style short lets](/upload/images/library/airbnb-logo400x310.png)
A new campaign has been launched calling for the regulation of Airbnb and other short lets in England. Action on Short Term...
01 September 2022
From: Breaking News
![Delay in council tax premiums imposed on second homes](/upload/images/library/House-Tax-400x310.jpg)
One of the country’s second home and holiday let hotspots has been told it will be unable to levy extra council...
28 July 2022
From: Breaking News
![Landlords to be offered incentives at council talk-in](/upload/images/Housing%20Market%20%26%20Property%20Images/MillennialAgents-2020-400x310.jpg)
Landlords and owners of empty homes iare being invited to a free event next week to find out more about help...
07 July 2022
From: Breaking News
![Government wants national register of short term lets](/upload/images/library/BuytoLet3-400x310.jpg)
A review into the effect of short-term lets has been launched by the government. The government says future policies could involve physical...
30 June 2022
From: Breaking News
![Rent controls would add to London’s lettings stock shortfall](/upload/images/Housing%20Market%20%26%20Property%20Images/UKHouses2-400x310.png)
A new calculation suggests London needs almost 85,000 new private rented homes a year to meet its housing needs. And it adds...
07 March 2022
From: Breaking News
![Landlords offered leasing scheme to bring empty homes back to use](/upload/images/Housing%20Market%20%26%20Property%20Images/EmptyHomes-400x310.jpg)
A council is calling on landlords of empty properties to take the necessary actions to get their homes back into use...
01 March 2022
From: Breaking News
![Wanted - quarter of a million new rental properties every year](/upload/images/Housing%20Market%20%26%20Property%20Images/PropertyMarket-2-400x310-min.jpg)
New research commissioned by the landlords’ trade body shows that the UK needs almost 230,000 new private rented homes a year...
15 February 2022
From: Breaking News
![Conservatives increasingly keen on helping renters rather than landlords](/upload/images/Housing%20Market%20%26%20Property%20Images/EnglishHolidayHome-400x310.jpg)
A poll of Conservative voters shows strong majorities for higher taxes on second homes and empty properties, and tougher demands on...
10 February 2022
From: Breaking News
![New bid to get landlords to long-term lease properties to councils](/upload/images/library/LeaseholdImage-2020-400x310.jpg)
The Welsh Government has announced a £30m pot from which councils can pay for easing properties from private landlords. Under the Welsh Government’s...
30 November 2021
From: Breaking News
![Free advice for landlords on lettings incentives](/upload/images/library/MillennialAgent-400x310.jpg)
Landlords and owners of empty homes in North Somerset are invited to a free event next month to find out more...
29 October 2021
From: Breaking News
![Council in talks with landlords to buy back empty homes](/img/default/llt.png)
Bury council is to spend £1m buying empty homes from landlords and other owners. The council says it will shortly identify which...
15 July 2021
From: Breaking News
![New attack underway on rental and holiday homes](/img/default/llt.png)
An estate agent in Scotland is warning that a new attack on the rental sector and holiday homes may be underway. Jennifer...
12 July 2021
From: Breaking News
![Cash help to get empty homes back to habitable condition](/img/default/llt.png)
A grant scheme helping buyers to get empty properties back into use has been relaunched in part of Wales. The Valleys Taskforce...
30 June 2021
From: Breaking News
![Top Labour MP speaks out against “greed of the mega-landlords”](/img/default/llt.png)
Former Labour Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell has spoken out against what he calls “the greed of the mega-landlords.” The veteran MP -...
02 June 2021
From: Breaking News
![Landlords’ comments wanted on concept of investing in empty homes](/img/default/llt.png)
With buy to let and traditional commercial property both under challenge thanks to government regulations and Coronavirus, the government is now...
16 March 2021
From: Breaking News
![Landlords encouraged to use ‘under-utilised’ homes for council](/img/default/llt.png)
Owners of apparently empty or under-utilised properties in a prime London area are being asked to bring them into use to...
01 March 2021
From: Breaking News
![New call to scrap stamp duty surcharge to stop supply dwindling](/img/default/llt.png)
The National Residential Landlords Association is calling on the Chancellor to scrap the three per cent stamp duty levy on the...
05 February 2021
From: Breaking News
![Landlords set out key reform demands ahead of election](/img/default/llt.png)
The National Residential Landlords Association has released its manifesto for the 2021 Welsh Parliament elections - and it makes the case...
11 December 2020
From: Breaking News
![Landlords are accepting lower rental offers to avoid void periods](/img/default/llt.png)
A growing number of buy-to-let landlords with empty homes are looking to avoid lengthy void periods and maximise profits in the...
09 June 2020
From: Breaking News
![UnderTheDoormat offers free accommodation for NHS workers](/img/default/llt.png)
UnderTheDoormat, which provides short-let properties in London, is opening up its homes to doctors and nurses for free as they care...
24 March 2020
From: Breaking News
![BTL landlords are worried about the prospect of a Labour government](/img/default/llt.png)
Hundreds of buy-to-let landlords have expressed concerns for the future of the buy-to-let industry if Labour comes into power. Boris Johnson is...
09 September 2019
From: Breaking News
![Labour’s new ‘tax bombshell’ – party plans to scrap council tax for renters](/img/default/llt.png)
Renters would stop paying council tax under radical plans being considered by the Labour Party. A Labour-commissioned report calls on the party...
05 June 2019
From: Breaking News
![Iain Duncan Smith criticises former chancellor’s housing polices](/img/default/llt.png)
Former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith has criticised policies of former Conservative chancellor George Osborne with regard to housing. Speaking at...
27 March 2019
From: Breaking News
![Offer landlords tax incentives to end the ‘scandal of empty homes’, says RLA](/img/default/llt.png)
The government is being urged to do more to address the ‘scourge’ of empty homes in England by supporting buy-to-let landlords...
13 March 2019
From: Breaking News
![‘National scandal’ as the number of empty homes across England rises 5%](/img/default/llt.png)
Buy-to-let landlords are often blamed, primarily by those under the age of 40, for the existing housing crisis because property investors acquire...
12 March 2019
From: Breaking News
![Will paying 50% more council tax get landlords ‘a return on their investment’?](/img/default/llt.png)
A 50% council tax increase could be on the way for owners of empty properties across many parts of the country...
07 December 2018
From: Breaking News
![Almost a third of first-time buyers want landlords to sell to long-term tenants](/img/default/llt.png)
As the Chancellor prepares to deliver his Budget today, research from Aldermore has revealed the measures prospective first-time buyers want put...
29 October 2018
From: Breaking News
![Council to pay private landlords £5,000 reward to house tenants](/img/default/llt.png)
A new landlord reward scheme designed to increase the stock of private rented accommodation in the marketplace in Rochford, Essex, has...
23 October 2018
From: Breaking News
![Grants of up to £25,500 offered to landlords to restore empty homes](/img/default/llt.png)
Private landlords are being offered money to help encourage them to restore their empty homes in the London borough of Barnet. Empty...
22 October 2018
From: Breaking News
![Conservative think tank is wrong in its call for landlords to ‘disinvest from the sector’](/img/default/llt.png)
Proposals drawn up by Conservative think tank Onward to allow existing buy-to-let properties to be eligible for 100% capital gains tax...
09 October 2018
From: Breaking News
![Council launches new private rental scheme in bid to provide more homes](/img/default/llt.png)
Peterborough City Council has launched a new private rental scheme aimed at landlords who are looking for a long term tenant...
18 June 2018
From: Breaking News
![Council tax discount for landlords may be scrapped](/img/default/llt.png)
Buy-to-let landlords could soon be hit with an empty homes tax after the Chancellor Philip Hammond yesterday gave local councils the...
23 November 2017
From: Breaking News
![Autumn Budget: Key points at-a-glance](/img/default/llt.png)
The Chancellor Philip Hammond has delivered his Autumn Budget. Here are the key points of his speech impacting private landlords and...
23 November 2017
From: Breaking News
![Free open day for private landlords in Stirling](/img/default/llt.png)
Private landlords in Stirling may be interested in attending a free private rented sector open day and conference to be hosted...
05 May 2017
From: Breaking News
![Landlords offered £1,000 to bring empty homes back into use](/img/default/llt.png)
Owners of vacant homes in the Rochford district in Essex are being offered grants of up to £1,000 by Rochford District...
04 November 2016
From: Breaking News
![Cash incentives to help bring empty properties back into use](/img/default/llt.png)
Homeowners and prospective landlords across the Deepings and Bourne districts of Lincolnshire are being offered grants of up to £5,000 to...
03 June 2016
From: Breaking News
![RLA calls for action on empty homes in the capital](/img/default/llt.png)
Action is needed to tackle the scandal of ‘buy-to-leave’ investors who are denying Londoners the homes they need, according to the...