Landlords exiting in under 28 days, achieving up to 90% market value despite rising regulation pressure

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Property118

Landlords exiting in under 28 days, achieving up to 90% market value despite rising regulation pressure

It sounds too good to be true, yet despite the recent headlines and barrages of bad news, landlords are selling, and more than that, they’re selling fast for the right prices.

We’ve all seen the way the market is heading: properties stuck, unable to sell, landlords wanting unrealistic listing prices, which all compounds to a drop in sales. With fears that properties could stay unsold on the market for up to 2 or 3 years, some landlords have even turned to Airbnb, desperate to claw back costs and avoid the strict regulations of the Renters’ Rights Act. But for landlords who know how to cleverly navigate the market, and most importantly, who to turn to when it comes to selling, the decisions are paying off.

At Landlord Sales Agency, we’re seeing around 80 landlords every week coming to us to sell, and we’re delivering. Not only are we able to achieve results that landlords are happy with, we’re super fast and we take the entire sales process off the landlords’ hands, allowing them to relax and let us do all of the hard work. On average all our properties sell in less than 28 days.

A large part of our success has come from managing expectations and understanding how buyers work. Unlike estate agents that oversell a promise by listing landlord properties for unrealistically inflated prices, we focus on lower listing prices that draw buyers in to generate bidding wars.

Landlords still need to be mindful that the market now isn’t what it used to be a year or even two years ago, but the prices they get are far higher than auctions, and with full certainty of sale. It’s why landlords are flooding in to speak to us. And we’re getting the job done.

The need for experts like Landlord Sales Agency selling your properties is palpable. Even for landlords who have the money and the builders to try and hit higher market prices, there are now so many ongoing issues that it can feel almost impossible to resolve everything. Damp problems, reports, compliance requirements; the list keeps growing. Recently, we’ve even seen tenants submit Subject Access Requests (SARs), asking landlords to provide every report relating to the property, including historic damp reports.

On top of that, what many landlords don’t realise is that even if you serve a Section 21 notice, if tenants make a complaint to the council at any stage, you can quickly find yourself facing delays, enforcement action, or even litigation risk. The level of red tape has increased significantly over the last five years.

It’s for this reason that we’re seeing a clear shift, with landlords prioritising selling with certainty and speed over attempting to achieve 100% market value on properties that may never sell.

At Landlord Sales Agency we specialise in landlord portfolio exits, either selling whole portfolios or individual houses, particularly freehold houses. The sweet spot we’re seeing in today’s market is around £200k property values. For these types of properties we’re seeing a rapid uptake by buyers beyond what anyone else is attaining.

We typically achieve between 85 – 90% of market value, which is significantly stronger than most traditional routes or auction outcomes, while still delivering the speed and certainty landlords need. On top of that, landlords are coming to us to manage the entire sale, including meeting all regulations, updating certificates or possible building works. We know how to get properties ready for market, what needs doing and what really doesn’t. It’s that kind of specialist knowledge that is setting us apart and allowing us to push property sale prices up whilst saving landlords money.

Our aim is simple: maximise the most potential out of each property sale, and get the job done faster and better than anyone else.

So if you have properties you want to sell and want to get going, we’re ready.

Get in touch today, and let’s get started.

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Floor coverings will not be mandatory under Decent Homes Standard

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Floor coverings will not be mandatory under Decent Homes Standard

The government has confirmed floor coverings will not be mandatory under the Decent Homes Standard due to cost pressures.

Many social homes do not come with floor coverings, with research by End Furniture Poverty showing more than 1.2 million people in the UK live without floor coverings, with 66% of those affected living in social housing.

For private landlords, they are not strictly required by law to provide carpets or specific floor coverings in all rooms, but they must provide safe, suitable flooring (such as secure wood or lino) under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018.

Need to balance costs

Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook said in answer to a written question about floor coverings that the government’s decision was based on balancing improvements to housing quality with managing costs across existing housing stock.

He said: “Following analysis of the evidence received, we decided that floor coverings should not be included as a mandatory requirement within the new Decent Homes Standard.

“This reflects the need to balance the costs of improving existing stock with the investment required to increase the supply of social and affordable housing, alongside the wider projected costs of delivering the new standard. Increasing supply will help move people, including many vulnerable children, out of unsuitable temporary accommodation.”

Best practice guidance for social housing landlords

Mr Pennycook adds: “Recognising that the absence of appropriate floor coverings can affect tenant safety, accessibility and overall housing quality, particularly for families with young children, older people and disabled tenants, the government intend to issue strengthened best practice guidance encouraging social housing landlords to retain good quality floor coverings between tenancies.

“We are also establishing a working group and pilot with the sector to identify cost-effective ways for tenants most in need to access essential floor coverings and wider furnishings.”

The government has confirmed all private and social homes will need to meet the Decent Homes Standard by 2035.

Under the new standard, landlords will need to meet certain criteria, including that homes must be in a reasonable state of repair and provide core facilities and services, including a kitchen with adequate space and layout, an appropriately located bathroom and WC, and adequate protection from external noise.

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Tenancy Deposit Scheme claims it is helping landlords and tenants

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Property118

Tenancy Deposit Scheme claims it is helping landlords and tenants

The UK’s longest-running tenancy deposit protection scheme claims it has resolved more than 33,000 disputes and protected £2.45 billion in deposits.

Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) Social Impact report 2024/25 claims it has supported tenants and landlords by resolving disputes and reducing court demand by diverting disputes from the courts.

The news comes as the government says that, under most possession grounds in the Renters’ Rights Act, landlords must prove deposits were protected in a government-approved scheme.

Fairer and faster outcomes for tenants and landlords

According to the report, TDS’s early dispute resolution service saw 42% of disputes settled without adjudication.

TDS says this “saved landlords and tenants time and stress as well as reducing demand on the justice system by creating wider savings of the public purse.”

The scheme’s Tenancy Redress Service (TRS) offers free, impartial mediation for both tenants and landlords to resolve mid-tenancy issues.

Between April 2024 and January 2025, it received 169 enquiries, the majority from tenants (102).

TDS says that, by protecting more than £2.45 billion in deposits and resolving more than 33,000 tenancy deposit disputes, this “ensured fairer and faster outcomes for tenants and landlords”.

Steve Harriott, chief executive of TDS, said: “Our work touches millions of people every year. But social impact is not only about the numbers. It is about reducing stress, creating financial security, giving people access to secure housing, and raising standards across the property sector.

“We’re proud that initiatives from early dispute resolution to outreach programmes are making life easier for our customers and communities.”

The TDS academy has also launched to provide education and training to landlords and letting agents.

The academy has delivered more than 1,000 hours of training, which they say will help raise standards in the private rented sector.

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Marriage, civil partnerships and why landlords should not ignore the obvious

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Property118

Marriage, civil partnerships and why landlords should not ignore the obvious

When Martin Lewis recently described marriage as the “ultimate inheritance tax hack”, he was making a technical point rather than a romantic one. The same principle applies equally to civil partnerships.

If you are legally married or in a registered civil partnership, you can leave your entire estate to your spouse or civil partner free of inheritance tax. If you are cohabiting without that legal status, you cannot.

For landlords with substantial portfolios, that difference is not theoretical. It can determine whether six figures remain within the family or are paid to HMRC.

This is not about sentiment. It is about structure.

The spousal and civil partner exemption landlords overlook

Under current UK rules:

• Each individual has a £325,000 nil rate band.

• There is an additional residence nil rate band of up to £175,000 when a qualifying main residence passes to direct descendants.

• Any unused allowances transfer to a surviving spouse or civil partner.

• Transfers between spouses or civil partners are exempt from inheritance tax, both during lifetime and on death.

In practical terms, a married couple or civil partners can often pass on up to £1 million free of inheritance tax, provided their estate includes a qualifying residence and planning is aligned.

Unmarried, non-registered couples cannot transfer unused allowances. There is no automatic exemption, regardless of how long they have lived together.

Only legal status counts.

For landlords sitting on appreciating property assets, that distinction materially alters long-term outcomes.

Why this matters more in later life and second relationships

Many landlords rebuild their personal lives after divorce or bereavement. They may have lived with a new partner for years. They may share property and financial responsibilities. Yet unless they marry or register a civil partnership, inheritance tax law treats them as unrelated individuals.

On first death, assets passing to an unmarried partner may face inheritance tax at 40% above available thresholds. There is no deferral. No automatic doubling of allowances.

In a £1.5 million property-heavy estate, that can translate into a substantial and immediate tax liability. That is capital which could otherwise stabilise borrowing, support the survivor, or preserve assets for children.

Entering into marriage or a civil partnership in this context is not simply a personal decision. It is a liability management choice.

The commercial lens landlords instinctively understand

Property investors routinely assess structure, risk and efficiency.

Viewed commercially, marriage or civil partnership does three powerful things:

1. It permits unlimited transfers between spouses or civil partners without inheritance tax.

2. It defers inheritance tax entirely on first death.

3. It allows full transfer of unused nil rate bands, effectively doubling the available thresholds for the survivor’s estate.

This creates time and flexibility. Time to refinance. Time to reorganise ownership. Time to plan succession deliberately rather than reactively.

For landlords focused on business continuity and legacy, that flexibility can be more valuable than any single tax saving.

For couples who choose not to formalise the relationship

There will always be personal reasons not to marry or register a civil partnership. That is entirely legitimate.

The key is awareness. Wills, trusts, lifetime gifting and life assurance can all mitigate exposure, yet none replicate the simplicity and certainty of the spousal or civil partner exemption. They introduce additional cost, complexity and ongoing administration.

Choosing not to formalise a relationship should be a conscious, informed decision, not a structural oversight.

Inheritance tax planning is rarely about the tax itself. It is about security for the person left behind, protection for children, and preserving the value of a lifetime’s work.

For landlords, marriage or civil partnership remains one of the most powerful structural tools available under UK inheritance tax law. Surprisingly, it is also one of the most frequently overlooked.

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Renters turn to commuter towns as demand soars

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Property118

Renters turn to commuter towns as demand soars

Demand has soared in commuter towns such as Esher as renters are priced out of cities, according to a new report.

Findings by SpareRoom reveal renters are seeking more affordable options as rent prices have risen sharply in recent years.

However, the flatshare website warns that as more renters migrate to cheaper towns, those areas may not remain affordable for much longer.

Esher has the highest demand in the UK

According to the report, Esher, a commuter town in Surrey, 30 minutes from London Waterloo station, has recorded one of the largest year-on-year increases in demand (+32%). It also currently has the highest demand in the UK, with an average of 11.2 people searching for every room available to rent.

Meanwhile, Kilmarnock, a Scottish town with strong transport links to Glasgow, has seen flatshare demand double over the past year, the sharpest rise anywhere in the UK. There are now seven people searching for each available room.

The average monthly room rent in Kilmarnock in 2025 was £588, allowing the typical flatsharer to save more than £1,000 per year compared with renting in Glasgow, where the average room costs £683 per month.

Elsewhere, commuter towns around Glasgow are also seeing rising demand. In Motherwell, located southeast of the city, demand has increased by a third, while in Paisley, to the west of Glasgow, demand has risen by 16%.

Huge problem with affordability

Matt Hutchinson, director of SpareRoom, has warned that rent prices in commuter towns could soar.

He said: “City living was once to flatsharers what suburban living was to families with 2.4 children. But the tides are turning. Given how high rents are now compared to where they were five years ago, people are faced with no choice but to chase affordability. It’s not an urban exodus, but it’s certainly flatshare sprawl.

“When even flatsharers are turning away from major cities, you know there’s a huge problem with affordability. More renters migrating to cheaper towns puts upward pressure on rents. These towns won’t be affordable much longer and then where do people go?

“Quite soon, renters will simply be out of options. It’s bad for the economy too which relies on a flexible workforce. If people can’t take advantage of new job opportunities, everyone loses.”

Rent prices have surged

The report also reveals that rents have surged by 40% over the past five years in cities such as Liverpool, reaching a record high of £555 per month in the final quarter of 2025.

Demand is also climbing rapidly in towns on the edge of the city. Birkenhead has seen demand rise by 33%, while Widnes is up 22%. Widnes now has the third-highest demand in the UK, with an average of 10.2 people searching for every available room.

In the Midlands, several towns are experiencing some of the strongest demand for rooms to rent anywhere in the country. West Bromwich leads the way, with 10.5 people per room, followed by Halesowen (9.8), Smethwick (7.4), Kidderminster (7), and Sutton Coldfield (6.7).

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Council unveils consultation on HMO planning rules

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Property118

Council unveils consultation on HMO planning rules

Landlords and residents are being asked to comment on proposed planning restrictions targeting shared housing in Kidderminster.

A six-week consultation has now begun with Wyre Forest District Council seeking views on introducing an Article 4 direction for HMOs there.

Anyone who lives, works or owns property locally, alongside landlords and sector groups, can submit an opinion.

The Article 4 direction will remove permitted development rights for changing family homes into small HMOs without consent.

Important opportunity

The council’s cabinet member for planning, Coun Dan Morehead, said: “We know many HMOs in Kidderminster provide good quality homes.

“But we’re also listening to residents who are concerned about the number of poorly managed properties in some areas.

“These proposals are about making sure HMOs are in the right places and meet the standards our communities deserve.”

He added: “This consultation is an important opportunity for people to tell us what they think, and we hope as many residents as possible will get involved.”

Planning permission needed

Under the change, landlords would need to apply for planning permission before switching use to properties housing up to six tenants.

The council points to a rising concentration of HMOs in some neighbourhoods.

It associates this with pressures on parking, waste services and the availability of larger homes.

If progressed, the direction would come into force in February 2027 so all new small HMOs would require formal approval.

The authority says this would enable it to manage location and consider neighbourhood impact before schemes proceed.

The exercise runs until 6 April, and there’s an online survey for people to use.

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Reform UK vow to scrap the Renters’ Rights Act

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Property118

Reform UK vow to scrap the Renters’ Rights Act

Reform UK will pledge to scrap the Renters’ Rights Act if it wins the next general election, with deputy leader Richard Tice arguing the law is already reducing supply and pushing up rents.

The Act secured Royal Assent in October after it was introduced by former housing secretary Angela Rayner and builds on the earlier Renters’ Reform Bill first unveiled by the Conservative government in 2019.

Labour said the legislation would ‘level the playing field and create a fairer housing market for all’.

In a speech in Birmingham, Mr Tice described the Act as ‘well intentioned’, but said it was ‘already reducing the supply of properties to rent and therefore increasing the prices’.

Too risky for landlords

He continued: “The issue is many landlords are now concluding that’s it’s too risky to be able to essentially remove an occupier/tenant if they want, for example, to sell the property, if the tenant is not paying.

“There’s a balance of risk and reward.

“Too many landlords have said enough is enough.”

Mr Tice added: “Again, it’s well intentioned in terms of the issues around the period for notice to quit, but actually it’s just gone way beyond this.”

Plans are a ‘disgrace’

The chief executive of Generation Rent, Ben Twomey, said: “Forcing people back into insecure and unsafe homes is not a promise, it’s a threat levelled at England’s 11 million private renters.

“Our homes are the foundations of our lives, so it is disgraceful to see Reform UK pledging to roll back new and essential protections that would improve the quality of our homes and help us to stay in them for longer.”

He added: “Reform UK had nothing to say at the debates about the Renters’ Rights Bill when it was passing through Parliament.

“They also haven’t spoken to renter groups like us about their plans, which would be a gift to unscrupulous landlords who are responsible for the poor conditions renters face right now.”

RRC also disagrees

On X/Twitter, the Renters’ Reform Coalition said: “Over two-thirds of the public supports the end of Section 21 evictions.

“So, why does Reform want to repeal renters’ rights?

“Scrapping the Renters’ Rights Act would just mean more homelessness and insecurity for England’s 11 million renters. Reform should think again.”

Labour’s ‘daft’ reforms

Reform says it would introduce a ‘great repeal bill’ to reverse the rental reforms and other Labour measures it describes as being ‘daft’.

The repeal would sit within a broader economic plan focused on investment and growth.

Housing policy would be absorbed into a new Great Office of State, the Department of Business, Trade and Energy.

The proposed department would take on responsibility for business regulation and energy as well as housing.

Smarter regulation planned

Mr Tice has also set out plans for ‘smarter regulation’, lower energy bills and a British sovereign wealth fund to support manufacturing.

The Local Government Pension Scheme, under the proposals, would be converted into a fund of up to £575bn to back domestic growth.

The party says it would prioritise strategic industries, including steel, oil, gas and defence.

It will also call for ‘heavy tariffs and tight quotas’ on Chinese cars, citing concerns about Britain’s automotive sector.

Watch Richard Tice announce the repeal of the Renters’ Rights Act:

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Landlord says council has ‘ditched’ a vulnerable tenant as clean-up bill mounts

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Landlord says council has ‘ditched’ a vulnerable tenant as clean-up bill mounts

A Nottingham landlord claims the city council has ‘washed its hands’ of a vulnerable tenant it placed in his property nearly two decades ago.

As a result, he has been left facing mounting costs, enforcement action and a potential £30,000 fine.

Mick Roberts, the largest landlord of benefit tenants in the city, says the tenant was referred to him by Nottingham City Council in 2007.

The tenant, now 70, is living with cancer, uses a wheelchair and has other health problems.

Not a social worker

Mr Roberts insists he does not blame the tenant for the condition of the house and garden, which can be seen in the video below.

Instead, he argues that the council has failed to ensure the right support was in place for the tenant.

Mr Roberts told Property118: “I’m not a social worker, not a counsellor, not a council worker.

“I housed him on the council’s say so.”

Landlord told to clear garden

The property, in Bulwell, has become heavily cluttered, with lots of garden waste and damage to boundary fencing.

Mr Roberts says he and a prospective buyer have already cleared some of the rubbish, but more work is required.

He claims that, despite the tenant’s health issues, the council has ‘absolved themselves of all responsibility’.

Mr Roberts has been left to fund the clean-up and address enforcement notices.

Needs a licence

That’s because the council’s licensing officers are also pursuing him for a property licence at a cost of £890, he says.

They are warning him that failure to comply could expose him to fines of up to £30,000 under housing enforcement powers.

At the same time, local community protection officers have issued instructions requiring the gardens to be cleared and fencing repaired by a set deadline.

The garden debris and broken fence were caused by the tenant.

Landlord will fix it

Mr Roberts said: “And yes, you’ve guessed it – it’s the landlord’s fault the house is like this.

“For a tenant the council asked me to house!”

He stresses that he does not blame the tenant, explaining: “He’s 70 and needed help. He didn’t get the correct help.

“But that’s OK, the landlord will sort it.”

Nottingham City Council has been approached for comment.

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Landlord says council has ‘ditched’ a vulnerable tenant as clean-up bill mounts

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Property118

Landlord says council has ‘ditched’ a vulnerable tenant as clean-up bill mounts

A Nottingham landlord claims the city council has ‘washed its hands’ of a vulnerable tenant it placed in his property nearly two decades ago.

As a result, he has been left facing mounting costs, enforcement action and a potential £30,000 fine.

Mick Roberts, the largest landlord of benefit tenants in the city, says the tenant was referred to him by Nottingham City Council in 2007.

The tenant, now 70, is living with cancer, uses a wheelchair and has other health problems.

Not a social worker

Mr Roberts insists he does not blame the tenant for the condition of the house and garden, which can be seen in the video below.

Instead, he argues that the council has failed to ensure the right support was in place for the tenant.

Mr Roberts told Property118: “I’m not a social worker, not a counsellor, not a council worker.

“I housed him on the council’s say so.”

Landlord told to clear garden

The property, in Bulwell, has become heavily cluttered, with lots of garden waste and damage to boundary fencing.

Mr Roberts says he and a prospective buyer have already cleared some of the rubbish, but more work is required.

He claims that, despite the tenant’s health issues, the council has ‘absolved themselves of all responsibility’.

Mr Roberts has been left to fund the clean-up and address enforcement notices.

Needs a licence

That’s because the council’s licensing officers are also pursuing him for a property licence at a cost of £890, he says.

They are warning him that failure to comply could expose him to fines of up to £30,000 under housing enforcement powers.

At the same time, local community protection officers have issued instructions requiring the gardens to be cleared and fencing repaired by a set deadline.

The garden debris and broken fence were caused by the tenant.

Landlord will fix it

Mr Roberts said: “And yes, you’ve guessed it – it’s the landlord’s fault the house is like this.

“For a tenant the council asked me to house!”

He stresses that he does not blame the tenant, explaining: “He’s 70 and needed help. He didn’t get the correct help.

“But that’s OK, the landlord will sort it.”

Nottingham City Council has been approached for comment.

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Councils struggle with damp and mould targets under Awaab’s Law

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Property118

Councils struggle with damp and mould targets under Awaab’s Law

Two councils in Suffolk that manage 700 homes have failed to meet targets for addressing damp and mould, according to a BBC report.

Under Awaab’s Law, social housing landlords must investigate any significant hazards, including damp and mould, within 10 working days of becoming aware of them.

However, Mid Suffolk District Council resolved only 63% of hazards, while Babergh District Council resolved 78%.

100% resolution rate challenging

David White, the head of housing transformation and regulation at the two councils, admitted an 100% resolution rate was challenging due to issues with contractors, but the councils have undergone changes to improve their housing stock.

Mr White told the BBC: “Over the last 18 months we have implemented over 40 new contracts with repairs, assets and asset management because we had none before, and we were doing it on a piece-by-piece basis. We had none of the performance measure in the contract.”

Mandeep Bhogil, interim director of housing at the councils, told the BBC that they are now “embedding” the new contractors and “finessing” the data they can extract from them.

Fair, proportionate and effective

The news comes as Awaab’s Law is set to be extended to the private rented sector. The government has not confirmed a date, but it is expected to come into force in 2027.

It says it understands the differences between social housing and the private rented sector and will apply the law in a way that is “fair, proportionate and effective” for both landlords and tenants.

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