Selling properties in Liverpool, Nottingham or Manchester could get you higher prices than other landlords

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Selling properties in Liverpool, Nottingham or Manchester could get you higher prices than other landlords

As we hit the middle point of January, data has started to come in about where landlords are selling, and which ones are getting higher prices than anyone else. Whilst landlords still need to be realistic on price, it seems that some areas are starting to perform substantially better than others.

Liverpool, Nottingham, Manchester and Leeds consistently came in as achieving the best results for landlords looking to sell tenanted properties. In part, that’s driven by the fact that for properties £300K and under, there’s simply more buyer options for your rental houses – you’ll likely either sell to a new landlord buyer, or a first-time buyer wanting it as a residential home. That’s first time buyers and investors both chasing the properties.

The result? Prices drive up fast, and landlord exit companies, such as ours at Landlord Sales Agency, are able to manage this to create a bidding war, resulting in far higher prices than anywhere else.

For houses in London fetching higher prices, however, the situation is substantially harder. First-time buyers can’t afford them, you’re only likely to get a smaller pool of second-time buyers, and investors don’t want to touch them. If they’re tenanted, which they mostly are, it doesn’t quite work for the auction style pricing to drive bidding wars. These are generally more suited for traditional estate agents, unless you want to wait and it take a little longer.

Put simply, the way that the market is going at the moment, landlord properties need to be in the right area for the right price. And in Liverpool, Nottingham, Manchester and Leeds, we’re seeing landlords coming to us and walking away with big wins.

For landlords who have properties in these areas looking to sell, Landlord Sales Agency specialises in helping landlords like you both overcome the problems of the Renters’ Rights Act coming into play this May 1^st, the end of Section 21 and the raft of tax penalties and new regulations.

For these reasons and more, like many landlords you’ll probably be considering selling. That’s where we come in. With years of experience in tenanted sales, and a database of over 30,000 active buyers looking to purchase anything from a single property to a full portfolio, Landlord Sales Agency can quickly match you with the perfect buyer. We send out text messages to our database the moment your property is listed with us as well as listing it on our modern online action and working with local agents.  The result is a bidding war, driving the prices for your properties up beyond what traditional agents are able to achieve in a quarter of the time. On average all our properties sell in less than 28 days.

What’s more, we’ll also make sure your property is compliant with all current regulations, essential to prevent a buyers solicitor stopping a sale in its tracks. You’ll get the tenanted sales advice and expertise that traditional estate agents rarely offer.

Our process is straightforward, confidential and designed to protect the landlord’s financial position. Whether you’re a small, private landlord, an experienced landlord or a landlord looking to retire, we’ve got the best team in the UK to assist.

So if you’re a landlord with properties in one of these areas, get in touch today.

There’s no obligation to sell, we’re simply determined to help landlords win. And it’s about time.

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Landlords: Should I stay or should I sell?

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Landlords: Should I stay or should I sell?

The Clash song ‘Should I stay or should I go’ should become the anthem for landlords everywhere because the chasm between Britain’s private landlords and the Westminster bubble has never been wider. On one side stand millions of ordinary people, often pensioners, self-employed workers or families, who have shouldered the nation’s housing burden for decades.

On the other side are MPs, tenant advocacy groups and a Labour government that treats landlords as public enemy number one.

Reading about Parliamentary debates this week on Property118 is not to read about policy issues but one-sided trench warfare.

It’s one thing to talk about the Renters’ Rights Act as a long overdue rebalancing of the sector, even a victory for fairness but there’s an inconvenient truth that the clowns in Westminster seem unable, or unwilling, to acknowledge.

When you make providing homes unworkable, fewer homes get provided.

Landlords invest for their futures

No one appreciates that small landlords are not faceless corporations and most of us are ordinary people who invested for retirement or for family security.

Many did so because self-employment offered no pension, no sick pay and no safety net.

We borrowed, maintained properties, paid tax in more ways than most people realise – this includes income tax, CGT, stamp duty, VAT on repairs – and we’ve housed millions without costing the state a penny in capital expenditure.

And for what?

The Labour government still appears genuinely surprised that landlords are selling.

This isn’t hearsay, the data has been there for years, including from bodies like Propertymark.

This week it revealed that the PRS is dominated by older, small scale landlords who are moving towards retirement.

Let’s face it, many of us simply don’t want the hassle, risk or cost of another sweeping regulatory overhaul layered on top of Making Tax Digital, licensing schemes, compliance creep and punitive enforcement powers.

Selling earlier than planned is now act of self-preservation in the face of what’s coming.

PRS isn’t a charity

I’ve said it before but let’s accept that the unintended consequence of the Renters’ Rights Act is obvious to anyone who has ever run a business.

Being a landlord is not a charity because every extra cost or risk gets priced into the rent.

If costs rise, rents rise and if risk becomes intolerable, supply falls.

That isn’t an unacceptable ideology but basic economics and it’s how markets have worked for decades.

But landlords are treated as if they are hoarding homes out of spite.

It’s ludicrous that penalties of up to £40,000 can be imposed at the discretion of councils and rent repayment orders can claw back up to two years of income for technical breaches.

Throw in confiscation orders and banning orders and more than 2.8 million landlords are subject to a compliance regime that barely existed before 1988.

Landlords forced out

It’s incredible that the housing minister Matthew Pennycook had the audacity to say ‘not all regulation is bad regulation’ when answering a question about regulations forcing landlords out.

Really? On that test, Labour’s current approach has failed by a country mile, especially for tenants on benefits, who will increasingly struggle to find anywhere willing to take them once risk and arrears become harder to manage.

In the 1980s, becoming a landlord was seen as aspiration and a way to take control, work hard and invest in the future.

For me, that dream has been slowly dismantled by the politics of envy.

Landlords are vulnerable since we carry personal debt, regulatory risk and unlimited liability without the protections that almost everyone else in the housing system enjoys.

The tedious narrative paints us as villains but we are still desperately needed to house people and keep the lights on.

So, when will ministers answer this simple question: When more small landlords sell, where exactly do the tenants go?

Social housing waiting lists are already bursting and build to rent cannot fill the gap fast enough.

If the goal is to punish landlords, fine but say it openly and don’t pretend the regulations help tenants.

Because when the last small landlord switches off the lights, it will not be MPs or campaign groups looking for somewhere to live.

Until next time,

The Landlord Crusader

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January house price cuts lure buyers

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January house price cuts lure buyers

More than a third of homes for sale across England are being marketed at reduced asking prices, offering scope for buyers wanting early-year savings before the market tightens.

An analysis from Benham and Reeves shows 37% of current listings have already been cut, creating a pool of potential January deals.

Yet the flow of fresh reductions is slowing, with only 0.8% of discounted properties added since 1 January, hinting that choice may shrink as momentum builds.

Researchers reviewed active listings nationwide to identify how many properties had been repriced and when those adjustments occurred.

Lower prices to find a buyer

Marc von Grundherr, a director of Benham and Reeves, said: “2025 was a steady but subdued year for the property market and, as a result, many sellers will have experienced little to no buyer interest, particularly across the more inflated regions of the South and London.

“So, it’s only natural that a sizeable proportion have resorted to reducing their asking price expectations in order to secure a sale and, as a result, there remains a strong opportunity for buyers to find a discounted property today.”

He added: “However, we’re already seeing early signs that the tide is beginning to turn.

“With Autumn Budget uncertainty now firmly behind us, both buyers and sellers have re-entered the market with renewed confidence and those vendors who have listed their home during the opening days of 2026 have been far less willing to budge on price.”

Vendors will negotiate

The firm’s data shows that 337,071 homes are available, with 125,216 now being offered below their original price.

That leaves more than one in three properties with room for negotiation at the start of 2026.

The South East leads on repricing, where 39% of homes on agents’ books carry a reduction.

The South West follows at 38.9%, with the East of England close behind on 38.4% and London records 37.9%.

However, despite that range of choice, signs suggest the trend is already easing.

The firm says that just 1,003 of the reduced-price homes entered the market during the first seven days of the year.

That, it says, reflects greater reluctance among new vendors to soften their stance, even though later adjustments remain possible.

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MPs clash over property income tax amid warnings it will hurt landlords and tenants

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MPs clash over property income tax amid warnings it will hurt landlords and tenants

A Conservative MP claims Labour’s decision to raise tax rates on property income will hurt renters and reduce rental supply.

The Autumn Budget increased tax rates on dividends, property, and savings income by 2 percentage points.

In a Parliamentary debate on the 2026-2027 income tax charge, the Conservatives argued that many landlords are ordinary people who will struggle to afford the higher taxes.

The Finance Bill 2026, which implements these Budget measures into law, included a proposed Conservative clause requiring the government to publish an assessment within six months of the impact of the new property income tax.

This clause was not agreed to, but could potentially be reinstated later in the parliamentary process.

Landlords are not people gaming the system

Speaking during the debate, Shadow Financial Secretary Gareth Davies, pointed out the government’s stereotype of landlords is far different than the reality.

He told MPs: “Government members may take great satisfaction in what could be described as a war on landlords, but we should pause and remind ourselves who many landlords are.

“They are not barons or vast landowners; they are ordinary people doing what we have encouraged them to do for decades: taking responsibility for their future. They are the couple, one parent works long hours in a steady job, and the other juggles work and family life, who save carefully and invest in a small property because they know that the state pension alone might not be enough when they retire.

“They are the retired couple who inherit a modest flat from their parents, a flat that is not a windfall, but a source of security in later life, and who rent it out to supplement a fixed income.

“These are not people gaming the system, as many Labour Members have tried to suggest in the past, but people responding to it. They are good people. Forty-four of them are Labour MPs.”

Mr Davies warns the measures will hurt landlords and tenants as he called for the government to publish an assessment of the impact of imposing new rates of income tax on property income.

He said: “This new tax does not just hit landlords, though, it hits renters, too. The British Property Federation and the Office for Budgetary Responsibility have both warned that this measure could restrict the supply of private rental properties, adding pressure to an already strained market.

“The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) both say that rents will rise faster as a direct result. New clause 12 in my name seeks to force the government not to rely on their stereotypes about landlords, but to assess the impact of their new renters’ tax on both the supply and cost of private rental properties.”

Not fair that renters pays a higher rate of tax on their income than landlords

The Exchequer Secretary, Dan Tomlinson, claimed the landlord tax rise is fair and reasonable and rejected the Conservatives’ clause calling for an impact assessment.

He said: “Those with property, savings or dividend income currently pay lower rates of tax than those whose income comes from employment as they do not pay national insurance contributions.

“It is not fair that the tax system treats these types of income so differently. For example, it is not fair that a renter pays a higher rate of tax on their income than the landlord from whom they are renting their property.”

He adds: “The shadow Financial Secretary raised the change landlord income tax, the two percentage point increase. I fully understand, as does he, that there are many reasons why people end up becoming landlords.

“We want to make sure that the taxation is fair and reasonable, which is why landlords do not pay national insurance in the way that their tenants do, and it is why we have taken steps to reduce, but not close in full, the gap in tax treatment, with the two percentage point increase. Landlords will still typically pay a lower rate of tax than their tenants, but the gap will be reduced following the measures set out in the Budget.”

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Housing Minister dismisses fears that regulation will force small landlords out

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Housing Minister dismisses fears that regulation will force small landlords out

Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook has rejected claims that more regulation will drive small landlords out of the market.

During a debate in Parliament, Conservative MP Edward Leigh warned that imposing more regulations on small landlords would cause them to leave the private rented sector, ultimately harming vulnerable people.

However, Mr Pennycook said that “not all regulation is bad” and argued that under the Renters’ Rights Act, landlords would be able to rely on simpler grounds for possession.

Do not accept that all regulation is bad

In oral questions to the Housing, Communities and Local Government, Mr Leigh asked Mr Pennycook whether regulations could cause more harm than good.

He asked: “We all know that rent inflation is caused by over-demand and lack of supply, and we can agree on the need to address problems by building more houses and tackling immigration.

“Does the Minister agree that the more controls and regulations are imposed on landlords, particularly small landlords, the more they will get out of the rented sector altogether, causing less supply and rent inflation, which will hit vulnerable people?”

In response, Mr Pennycook claimed the build-to-rent market will form an important part of the market in the coming years.

He said: “I do not accept that all regulation is bad. In many ways, we have clarified and made simpler the grounds for possession that landlords can use under the Renters’ Rights Act, but he is absolutely right to say that we need more supply of all homes, including in the private rented sector, and that we need to support the build-to-rent sector, which will be an important part of the market in coming years.”

Government does not support rent controls

Elsewhere during the debate, Labour MP Dan Carden welcomed the Renters’ Rights Act power to tackle unfair rent increases but was concerned that market rents would be used as a benchmark to prevent unaffordable rents from rising, and called for rent controls.

In response, Mr Pennycook claimed rent controls were not part of the government’s plan.

He said: “We will of course, keep the implementation of the Act under continual review, but, as I have said, it allows tenants to challenge unreasonable rent increases at the first-tier tribunal, which will make a judgment on whether the increases are fair and meet that market-rate definition.

“We have, however, made it clear that the government do not support the introduction of rent controls, including rent stabilisation measures, for the reasons that we debated at some length during the passage of the bill.”

You can watch Mr Pennycook’s response to Conservative MP Edward Leigh below.

House_of_Commons_12_01_26_15_04_15(1)

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Two thirds of landlords plan limited company BTL purchases

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Two thirds of landlords plan limited company BTL purchases

Nearly two thirds of landlords expect their next buy to let purchase to be made through a limited company, research reveals.

According to Paragon Bank, the long-running shift away from personal ownership is far from over, with younger and newer investors driving the change.

The study shows 63% of landlords plan to acquire future rental homes using specialist purchase vehicles (SPV).

Change driven by taxation

Paragon’s managing director of mortgages, Louisa Sedgwick, said: “Our research shows how owning property via a limited company structure has become increasingly popular over the past decade, driven by changes in taxation.

“Nearly two thirds of landlords intend to make future purchases through limited companies, so we expect the overall proportion of property held within a company structure to increase steadily in the coming years, particularly when you include those landlords who will incorporate existing property from personal name.”

She added: “It’s encouraging to see that they will continue to adapt in this way, particularly the next generation of landlords who seem to have realised the potential benefits of this ownership structure early in their lettings business careers.”

Younger landlords keener

Polling more than 500 landlords, the headline figure masks sharp differences by age.

The lender found that appetite for company ownership is strongest among those at the start of their landlord careers.

The survey found that all of the respondents aged 25 to 34 said they would buy through a limited company.

Among landlords aged 35 to 44, the proportion drops to 82%, before falling again to 73% for those in the 45 to 54 bracket.

Older cohorts remain more cautious, with 54% of 55- to 64-year-olds and 48% of landlords aged 65 to 75 planning to use SPVs for future purchases.

Limited company investment

The lender’s How limited company ownership is becoming the new normal report also points to further restructuring ahead.

Nearly a third of landlords, 32%, said they intend to move properties currently held in their own name into a company structure at some point.

Paragon’s analysis highlights how limited company ownership has risen consistently throughout the last 10 years.

It says there’s a pattern linked to tax reforms introduced in the mid-2010s.

With the ability to offset mortgage interest against rental income removed, many landlords have concluded that corporate structures offer a more workable long-term route.

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Tenant group claims rising rents to blame for homelessness increase

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Tenant group claims rising rents to blame for homelessness increase

A tenant group and a homelessness charity have claimed that unaffordable private rents and a chronic lack of social housing are forcing more people into homelessness.

The Renters’ Reform Coalition and Crisis warned that increasing numbers of people are being pushed into temporary accommodation or onto the streets as freezing temperatures set in.

Government figures show that nearly a third of households in temporary accommodation, 42,740, are housed outside their local area, an increase of 10% in just one year.

Unaffordable rents put people at risk of homelessness

Re-posting an article from The Independent on X (formerly Twitter) about the lack of affordable housing pushing more people into temporary accommodation and onto the streets, the Renters’ Reform Coalition claimed unaffordable private rents are to blame.

Renters’ Reform Coalition posted on X, formerly Twitter: “Unaffordable rents put people at risk of homelessness.

“Along with a lack of social housing, this means that more people are forced onto the streets in this freezing cold weather.

“The government must address the cost of renting crisis.”

The private sector isn’t affordable

Francesca Albanese, director of policy and social change at Crisis, told The Independent: “We are seeing a massive increase in temporary accommodation and seeing record levels of people accessing them. There isn’t enough social housing, and the private sector isn’t affordable, and that is decades in the making.

“It’s very unsettling for individuals; becoming homeless is very isolating and dangerous. With shelters and emergency accommodation, people come in for a few days when the weather is cold, but it’s very difficult to then engage in that support someone might need, and link them to the right services in the long term.”

She added with the cold weather more and more people are accessing emergency accommodation.

Ms Albanese said: “These kinds of shelter are facing pressures of their own in terms of provision, as we’ve seen rough sleeping going up but we’ve not seen huge increases in funding for emergency accommodation. Emergency provision such as this is vital and lifesaving, and we know people can’t survive when temperatures plummet, and we know it doesn’t cover everybody and there needs to be more of it.”

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Landlord Liability Insurance – What Every Landlord Should Know

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Landlord Liability Insurance – What Every Landlord Should Know

When landlords think of insurance, they often focus on buildings and contents. Yet liability insurance can be even more important. If a tenant, visitor, or tradesperson is injured on your property and alleges negligence, the costs of defence and compensation can be devastating. Liability claims can run into hundreds of thousands of pounds. This article explains what landlord liability insurance covers, common claim scenarios, and the pitfalls that catch landlords out.

What Is Landlord Liability Insurance?

Liability cover – often called property owners’ liability – protects landlords against legal costs and compensation if someone suffers injury or property damage linked to their rental property. It usually comes bundled with landlord buildings insurance but can also be arranged as a standalone product.

Typical Limits of Indemnity

Most landlord policies offer cover of £2m or £5m. For HMOs and higher-risk lets, £5m is generally recommended. Large portfolios and commercial landlords sometimes opt for £10m or higher, depending on lender requirements.

Common Liability Claim Scenarios

• Slips, trips and falls – e.g. a tenant slips on a poorly lit communal staircase or uneven paving.
• Falling objects – roof tiles, guttering, or loose fixtures falling and injuring someone.
• Escape of water – leaks from your flat damaging the neighbour’s property.
• Fire safety breaches – inadequate alarms or fire doors leading to injury claims.
• Contractor incidents – if you employ staff directly and do not have employers’ liability, you could face uninsured claims.

What’s Usually Excluded?

• Asbestos – claims linked to asbestos exposure are often excluded unless specifically endorsed.
• Deliberate acts – intentional harm or negligence won’t be covered.
• Unlicensed HMOs – if a licence is required but missing, insurers may decline related claims.
• Employers’ liability – this is separate and required if you employ cleaners, caretakers, or maintenance staff directly.

How to Protect Yourself

Insurers expect landlords to take reasonable steps to manage risks. Good documentation not only keeps tenants safe but also supports your defence if a claim arises.

• Keep inspection logs for communal areas, lighting, and paving.
• Maintain fire safety records – alarms, extinguishers, doors, and evacuation routes where required.
• Respond quickly to repair requests and keep records of correspondence.
• Ensure certificates (gas, electrical, EPCs) are up to date.
• Check your sum insured and indemnity limits meet lender or licensing requirements.

Case Example

A tenant in a converted HMO tripped on a loose stair carpet and fell, sustaining a serious back injury. The landlord’s insurer settled the claim for over £80,000, including compensation and legal costs. Because the landlord kept inspection logs showing regular checks, the claim was processed smoothly. Without evidence of inspections, the landlord could have faced allegations of neglect and potential refusal by the insurer.

Final Thoughts

Liability insurance is not a “nice to have” – it is essential protection. Landlords face real risks of injury or damage claims, and the costs can be life-changing. Ensuring adequate limits, maintaining safety compliance, and keeping inspection records will not only keep tenants safe but also safeguard your financial position if the worst happens.

Request your quote or call-back

The most efficient way to get a personal quote with the best price and cover possible is to call the team on 01832 770965 so we can focus on your enquiry when you are ready and sitting down with your portfolio details to hand.

Alternatively, you can use the form below to request one of our team to give you a call back.

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Publication date: Tuesday 13 January 2026

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Damp and mould is harming tenants’ mental health – claim

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Property118

Damp and mould is harming tenants’ mental health – claim

An organisation claims private renters and social housing tenants are suffering anxiety as damp and mould problems in their homes go unresolved.

Research by the Centre for Ageing Better says landlords play a vital role in tackling damp and mould issues, but claims many tenants’ mental well-being is being negatively affected when problems go unresolved.

The organisation says damp and mould can be caused by a range of factors, including inadequate heating, poor insulation and building quality, slow repairs, and a lack of ventilation.

Renters experiencing anxiety and depression due to damp and mould

According to the survey, of only 3,982 people nationwide conducted by Censuswide and commissioned by Health Equals, almost three in ten (29%) respondents living in private rented accommodation or social housing who had previously experienced problems with condensation, damp, or mould said their landlord had not resolved the issue.

However, a third (33%) reported that their landlord had successfully addressed the problem.

More than 40% of survey respondents living in privately rented or social housing with a household member who has experienced stress, anxiety or depression due to cold, condensation, damp or mould in the home, reported that the issue was not resolved by their landlord.

Millie Brown, deputy director for Homes at the Centre for Ageing Better, said: “No one should have to live in a cold, damp or mouldy home that damages their health and potentially poses a threat to their life.

“But the reality is that many people most at risk, especially those with health conditions and older people, are disproportionately living in poor quality homes that are making them more ill.”

As previously reported by Property118, in the latest English Housing Survey, the majority of private renters (77%) agreed they felt safe and secure in their home, and 65% of renters said their landlord responded promptly to maintenance issues.

Decent Homes Standard implementation date should be brought forward

The research also reveals 57% of people who own their home outright are concerned about energy bills, increasing to 74% among social tenants and 76% among private tenants.

One in four people from low-income households (25%) cannot comfortably heat their living rooms in cold weather, compared to around one in 20 (6%) among high-income homes.

More than one in five people (21%) from low-income households live in homes with condensation, damp or mould compared to around one in eight people (12%) in high-income households.

The organisation is calling for the Decent Homes Standard implementation date of 2035 to be brought forward claiming “renters shouldn’t have to live in homes that could damage their health for another decade.”

The group is also calling for the government to introduce a Warm Homes Plan to tackle “the poorest quality housing stock and those who need support the most.”

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Time to challenge Leeds selective licensing rules through a Judicial Review?

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Property118

Time to challenge Leeds selective licensing rules through a Judicial Review?

We are the Leeds Landlord Lobby Group, currently organising a Judicial Review into recent regulatory decisions affecting the private rented sector in Leeds concerning selective licensing, which we believe are unlawful, disproportionate, and damaging.

This issue does not affect landlords alone. It directly impacts estate agents, increasing compliance burdens, operational and legal risk, and exposure to significant financial penalties, including for technical or administrative errors. These risks are already influencing landlord behaviour, reducing supply, and increasing pressure on agents and tenants alike.

To challenge this, we have launched a GoFundMe campaign to fund the legal costs of the Judicial Review. You can see by clicking here. 

Further background and context can be found here:

Leeds Landlord Lobby Group:
https://leedslandlordlobbygroup.org/

Landlords Judicial Review:
https://landlordsjudicialreview.org/

This challenge is not about avoiding regulation. It is about securing fair, lawful, and workable regulation that protects tenants without unfairly penalising those operating responsibly within the sector.

Any support would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Martin

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