Open News

The Labour government is introducing significant changes to planning rules, granting councils and mayors greater powers to acquire land for affordable housing. Under the new legislation, local authorities in England and Wales will no longer need central government...

Propertymark members have sent over 250 letters and emails to Peers ahead of the Lords' Committee Stage of the Renters' Rights Bill, proposing key amendments. The trade body has actively lobbied throughout the Bill’s passage, raising concerns about the removal of...

Government Increases Crown Court Sitting Days, But What About Civil Courts? The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has announced a record allocation of 110,000 Crown Court sitting days for the next financial year, alongside a £28.5m increase in court maintenance funding and...

Specialist lender Landbay has announced the addition of four new limited edition products for small HMOs (Houses in Multiple Occupation) and multi-unit freehold blocks (MUFBs). These new offerings, available at up to 75% loan-to-value (LTV), cater to loans ranging...

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) has announced changes to the Private Rented Sector Housing Guarantee Scheme. They can be seen here, and in summary: Private Rented Sector Guarantee Scheme (PRSGS) Overview The PRSGS provides loans for...

Writing in Landlord Today, Louisa Sedgwick, Paragon Bank’s Managing Director of Mortgages, warns that the Renters' Rights Bill will have the biggest impact on tenants. The article can be seen here, and in summary: The film Don’t Look Up portrays the frustration of...

The latest data from mortgage lender Halifax showed that house prices unexpectedly dipped in February. Prices nudged down 0.1% following a 0.6% increase in January, and versus expectations for them to tick up 0.3%. On the year, house prices were up 2.9% in February,...

Calls for Upgraded Gas Safety Checks in Rented Properties Two industry bodies, the Heating and Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC) and the Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA), are urging the government to enhance mandatory gas safety checks for rental properties....

The Economist has published an article on the proposed amendments to the planning system.  The original can be seen here (subscription will be necessary) and in summary says The Root of the Problem The 1947 Town and Country Planning Act centralised control over land...

Writing in Landlord Today, Sherrelle Collman of Caridon Landlord Solutions warns that the government’s decision to stop automatic Universal Credit deductions for rent arrears could have significant consequences for both tenants and landlords. While removing automated...