Rachel Reeves eyes landlords as soft target with plans to introduce rent controls

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Property118

Rachel Reeves eyes landlords as soft target with plans to introduce rent controls

The Guardian is reporting that the Chancellor Rachel Reeves is considering imposing a year-long rent freeze on landlords as a special measure to alleviate the cost of living crisis caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

This will be debated by the government as a package of measures to reduce inflationary pressures on household budgets. The Treasury responded by saying it would not comment on ‘speculation’.

It would be far easier and cheaper for the government to legislate on landlords than tackle the rising cost of fuel, food and mortgage rates.

Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said: “Introducing a rent freeze would be a disaster for landlord and investor confidence and consequently the supply of homes in England. Any hope of growing the market, or even retaining the homes that millions of families rely on, would be lost.

“There is no evidence to suggest that it would make rents more affordable. In fact, the impact on supply would inevitably drive new rents still higher. Such a move would run completely counter to good economic sense and the Government’s own prior decision to rule out such measures.

“At a time when demand for rental housing continues to significantly outweigh supply, we agree with the Housing Minister’s view that any form of rent controls would make life more difficult for renters.

“Even if these reports prove to be speculation, it is reckless for this kind of uncertainty to be created in the same week that major reforms already causing concern among landlords come into force. For many, it may be enough to conclude that this is the moment to exit the private rented sector for good.”

Cynically, one could see how this coincides with the imminent local elections in a desperate effort to buy votes.

As previously reported on Property118, the government has claimed it has no plans to introduce rent controls and, last month, said it opposed rent controls because they would “push landlords out of the market”.

The post Rachel Reeves eyes landlords as soft target with plans to introduce rent controls appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: Rachel Reeves eyes landlords as soft target with plans to introduce rent controls

Most renters report positive landlord relationships ahead of RRA

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Property118

Most renters report positive landlord relationships ahead of RRA

Most renters report positive or neutral relationships with their landlord ahead of the Renters’ Rights Act taking effect this week.

According to Hiscox, just 5% of tenants describe their experience as negative.

Nearly a quarter say their relationship is friendly, with another 24% calling it professional.

Around 30% report neutral feelings, according to the survey.

Create positive renting experience

The firm’s landlord insurance product lead, Michael Dear, said: “These findings highlight the issues driving conversation amongst tenants when it comes to their landlords: privacy, responsiveness and open communication.

“It’s clear that small, thoughtful actions like respecting boundaries, addressing repairs promptly, and being transparent about rent can have a huge impact on tenant satisfaction.”

He added: “Landlords who prioritise these behaviours not only create a more positive renting experience but also build stronger, longer-lasting relationships with their tenants.

“Tenants want to feel secure, listened to, and treated fairly.

“With the Renters’ Rights Act coming into force, those everyday behaviours matter even more.”

What tenants want

The insurer analysed more than 1,000 tenant–landlord discussions on Reddit, using upvotes to gauge which issues attract the most engagement.

The analysis reflects topics most frequently raised online rather than a full ranking of tenant priorities.

Respecting tenant privacy accounted for 59% of total upvotes.

Repair responsiveness followed at 16%, with communication at 13% and rent transparency at 10%.

Safe and habitable conditions were mentioned in 2% of cases.

Complaints about repairs and upkeep drew the highest level of attention, accounting for 49% of upvotes.

Legal compliance issues made up 20% of complaints, and unfair rent increases or hidden charges followed at 14%.

Communication problems are at 10%, while intrusive inspections and deposit disputes accounted for 6% and 2%.

The post Most renters report positive landlord relationships ahead of RRA appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: Most renters report positive landlord relationships ahead of RRA

Why the rental market may tighten even without rising demand

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Property118

Why the rental market may tighten even without rising demand

A common assumption is that rental prices and availability are driven primarily by tenant demand. The latest data suggests that supply-side changes may play an equally important role. According to the Property118 Landlord Sentiment Survey Q1 2026, landlord behaviour alone has the potential to tighten the market, even if demand remains stable.

Based on 2,380 completed responses, 57% of landlords plan to reduce their portfolios, while only 6.8% intend to expand. You can review the full findings here.

The implication is clear: supply dynamics are shifting.

Supply does not require falling demand to tighten

Market tightening is often associated with increased demand. However, supply can also contract independently. The survey data highlights a scenario where fewer properties may be available to rent, regardless of changes in tenant demand. If landlords reduce their portfolios and fewer replace them, the total number of rental properties can decline. This creates pressure on availability.

A gradual reduction in stock

The reduction in supply is unlikely to happen all at once. Instead, it is likely to occur gradually, as individual landlords sell properties over time. Each sale may appear insignificant in isolation, but collectively they can lead to a noticeable shift. This is particularly relevant when selling activity is not matched by new investment. The imbalance highlighted in the Property118 dataset suggests that this may be the case.

Demand is only part of the equation

Focusing solely on tenant demand provides an incomplete picture. Even if demand remains constant, a reduction in supply can alter market conditions. Fewer available properties can lead to increased competition among tenants, changes in pricing and shifts in availability. Understanding both sides of the equation is essential. The survey highlights how landlord decisions contribute directly to the supply side.

A structural rather than cyclical shift

Short-term fluctuations in supply and demand are common. What the data suggests is something more structural. The combination of reduced portfolios, limited expansion and an ageing landlord base points towards a longer-term change in how supply is generated. This is not simply a response to current conditions, but part of a broader transition.

A different kind of pressure

The potential tightening of the rental market may not come from increased demand, but from reduced supply. This creates a different type of pressure, one that is less visible in traditional indicators but equally important.

For now, one conclusion stands out: the rental market may tighten not because more tenants are entering, but because fewer landlords are choosing to remain.

A conversation worth having?

If you are weighing up your own strategy, whether that’s to sell, expand, or restructure to improve profitibility, it is worth having a discussion with a Property118 consultant to take a closer look at how your portfolio is structured as a whole now, and to forecast the outcomes based on multiple scenario’s.

These conversations are typically most useful for landlords with established portfolios and relatively modest borrowing who are beginning to reflect on how their assets could work more effectively in the years ahead.

/* “function”==typeof InitializeEditor,callIfLoaded:function(o){return!(!gform.domLoaded||!gform.scriptsLoaded||!gform.themeScriptsLoaded&&!gform.isFormEditor()||(gform.isFormEditor()&&console.warn(“The use of gform.initializeOnLoaded() is deprecated in the form editor context and will be removed in Gravity Forms 3.1.”),o(),0))},initializeOnLoaded:function(o){gform.callIfLoaded(o)||(document.addEventListener(“gform_main_scripts_loaded”,()=>{gform.scriptsLoaded=!0,gform.callIfLoaded(o)}),document.addEventListener(“gform/theme/scripts_loaded”,()=>{gform.themeScriptsLoaded=!0,gform.callIfLoaded(o)}),window.addEventListener(“DOMContentLoaded”,()=>{gform.domLoaded=!0,gform.callIfLoaded(o)}))},hooks:{action:{},filter:{}},addAction:function(o,r,e,t){gform.addHook(“action”,o,r,e,t)},addFilter:function(o,r,e,t){gform.addHook(“filter”,o,r,e,t)},doAction:function(o){gform.doHook(“action”,o,arguments)},applyFilters:function(o){return gform.doHook(“filter”,o,arguments)},removeAction:function(o,r){gform.removeHook(“action”,o,r)},removeFilter:function(o,r,e){gform.removeHook(“filter”,o,r,e)},addHook:function(o,r,e,t,n){null==gform.hooks[o][r]&&(gform.hooks[o][r]=[]);var d=gform.hooks[o][r];null==n&&(n=r+”_”+d.length),gform.hooks[o][r].push({tag:n,callable:e,priority:t=null==t?10:t})},doHook:function(r,o,e){var t;if(e=Array.prototype.slice.call(e,1),null!=gform.hooks[r][o]&&((o=gform.hooks[r][o]).sort(function(o,r){return o.priority-r.priority}),o.forEach(function(o){“function”!=typeof(t=o.callable)&&(t=window[t]),”action”==r?t.apply(null,e):e[0]=t.apply(null,e)})),”filter”==r)return e[0]},removeHook:function(o,r,t,n){var e;null!=gform.hooks[o][r]&&(e=(e=gform.hooks[o][r]).filter(function(o,r,e){return!!(null!=n&&n!=o.tag||null!=t&&t!=o.priority)}),gform.hooks[o][r]=e)}});
/* ]]> */

/* = 0;if(!is_postback){return;}var form_content = jQuery(this).contents().find(‘#gform_wrapper_585′);var is_confirmation = jQuery(this).contents().find(‘#gform_confirmation_wrapper_585′).length > 0;var is_redirect = contents.indexOf(‘gformRedirect(){‘) >= 0;var is_form = form_content.length > 0 && ! is_redirect && ! is_confirmation;var mt = parseInt(jQuery(‘html’).css(‘margin-top’), 10) + parseInt(jQuery(‘body’).css(‘margin-top’), 10) + 100;if(is_form){form_content.find(‘form’).css(‘opacity’, 0);jQuery(‘#gform_wrapper_585′).html(form_content.html());if(form_content.hasClass(‘gform_validation_error’)){jQuery(‘#gform_wrapper_585′).addClass(‘gform_validation_error’);} else {jQuery(‘#gform_wrapper_585′).removeClass(‘gform_validation_error’);}setTimeout( function() { /* delay the scroll by 50 milliseconds to fix a bug in chrome */ }, 50 );if(window[‘gformInitDatepicker’]) {gformInitDatepicker();}if(window[‘gformInitPriceFields’]) {gformInitPriceFields();}var current_page = jQuery(‘#gform_source_page_number_585′).val();gformInitSpinner( 585, ‘https://www.property118.com/wp-content/plugins/gravityforms/images/spinner.svg’, true );jQuery(document).trigger(‘gform_page_loaded’, [585, current_page]);window[‘gf_submitting_585′] = false;}else if(!is_redirect){var confirmation_content = jQuery(this).contents().find(‘.GF_AJAX_POSTBACK’).html();if(!confirmation_content){confirmation_content = contents;}jQuery(‘#gform_wrapper_585′).replaceWith(confirmation_content);jQuery(document).trigger(‘gform_confirmation_loaded’, [585]);window[‘gf_submitting_585′] = false;wp.a11y.speak(jQuery(‘#gform_confirmation_message_585′).text());}else{jQuery(‘#gform_585′).append(contents);if(window[‘gformRedirect’]) {gformRedirect();}}jQuery(document).trigger(“gform_pre_post_render”, [{ formId: “585”, currentPage: “current_page”, abort: function() { this.preventDefault(); } }]); if (event && event.defaultPrevented) { return; } const gformWrapperDiv = document.getElementById( “gform_wrapper_585″ ); if ( gformWrapperDiv ) { const visibilitySpan = document.createElement( “span” ); visibilitySpan.id = “gform_visibility_test_585″; gformWrapperDiv.insertAdjacentElement( “afterend”, visibilitySpan ); } const visibilityTestDiv = document.getElementById( “gform_visibility_test_585″ ); let postRenderFired = false; function triggerPostRender() { if ( postRenderFired ) { return; } postRenderFired = true; gform.core.triggerPostRenderEvents( 585, current_page ); if ( visibilityTestDiv ) { visibilityTestDiv.parentNode.removeChild( visibilityTestDiv ); } } function debounce( func, wait, immediate ) { var timeout; return function() { var context = this, args = arguments; var later = function() { timeout = null; if ( !immediate ) func.apply( context, args ); }; var callNow = immediate && !timeout; clearTimeout( timeout ); timeout = setTimeout( later, wait ); if ( callNow ) func.apply( context, args ); }; } const debouncedTriggerPostRender = debounce( function() { triggerPostRender(); }, 200 ); if ( visibilityTestDiv && visibilityTestDiv.offsetParent === null ) { const observer = new MutationObserver( ( mutations ) => { mutations.forEach( ( mutation ) => { if ( mutation.type === ‘attributes’ && visibilityTestDiv.offsetParent !== null ) { debouncedTriggerPostRender(); observer.disconnect(); } }); }); observer.observe( document.body, { attributes: true, childList: false, subtree: true, attributeFilter: [ ‘style’, ‘class’ ], }); } else { triggerPostRender(); } } );} );
/* ]]> */

The post Why the rental market may tighten even without rising demand appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: Why the rental market may tighten even without rising demand

Northern Ireland politicians clash over rent controls

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Property118

Northern Ireland politicians clash over rent controls

Rent controls are not the solution to rising rents in Northern Ireland, claims the Communities Minister.

In a heated debate between politicians, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons (DUP) pointed out that rent controls do not work.

The news comes after Northern Ireland landlords could soon face some of the longest Notice to Quit periods in the UK under new legislation.

Rent controls are not the solution

In a heated debate in the Northern Ireland Assembly, Gerry Carroll MLA claimed “landlords have been able to run riot and rip people off”.

Mr Carroll said: “A 53% increase in private rents is disgusting but not surprising. It is something that I, and many others, warned about years ago. The truth is, Minister, that you have allowed landlords to run riot and rip people off.

“When are you going to introduce rent reduction and rent caps? It should not fall on my shoulders to bring forward a private Member’s Bill on the issue, but I am doing so because you have failed to act on this issue.”

Lack of supply and demand

Mr Lyons hit back, arguing that rent controls do more harm than good.

He said: “I understand that the Member is passionate about the issue, and he is bringing forward what he thinks is the solution.

“However, as I have said repeatedly, his solutions will make things worse because, unless we deal with the issue of demand and the lack of supply, we will never be able to tackle the issue.

“In the past, I have provided, and I am happy to do so again, to the House the information, research and evidence that show that it simply will not work for people. Our focus needs to be on what has been proven time and time again to work, which is an increase in the supply of housing across all tenures in Northern Ireland.”

The post Northern Ireland politicians clash over rent controls appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: Northern Ireland politicians clash over rent controls