Property, explained.

Why buy-to-let isn't shrinking, just changing hands

Landlords are leaving the private rented sector at the fastest rate in at least a decade, according to figures published this month. Read only the headline and you would assume buy-to-let is in freefall. Look at what is actually happening to the properties...

Rents hit record high as UK rental supply falls

UK rents have climbed to a new record high, and the reason is not complicated: there are fewer homes to rent than there were a year ago, and the number is still falling. New figures published this month show the first drop in rental supply in three years, ...

Leasehold reform bill returns: what it means for you

Leasehold reform is back at the top of the government's to-do list. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has confirmed that the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill will be brought before Parliament this autumn, reviving a promise that stretches back to the 2024 Ki...

PRS landlord database: rollout confirmed for December 2026

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government confirmed on 9th September 2026 that the long-awaited Private Rented Sector Database will start rolling out to landlords from 15th December 2026, with the West Midlands going first. It is one of the...

How to sell in a slower market: 7 steps for autumn 2026

Rightmove's August 2026 House Price Index recorded the biggest August fall in newly-listed asking prices in eight years, down 2% in the month to an average of £364,999. Nationwide's own index told a steadier story, with annual growth ticking up slightly to...

How to defend a Section 13 rent increase at tribunal

Since 1st May 2026, Section 13 has been the only lawful way to increase the rent on an assured periodic tenancy in England. Rent review clauses and informal agreements with tenants no longer count, and every increase now has to be able to stand up if a ten...