Landlord press review: December 2025
Like every month, Rentila offers you an overview of the main real estate news of interest to landlords and tenants. This month, we focus on: House price growth slows but market remained resilient despite Budget worries; Mortgage searches fall by 14.64% after Budget shake up; The UK housing market to shift from subdued to steady as prices rise in 2026; Government confirms no new tenant protections before Renters’ Rights Act; Progress on EPC upgrades has halved in past five years… Happy reading and… renting!
The market
Southern England sees first house price fall in 18 months
House prices have slipped across London and the South for the first time in 18 months, Zoopla’s data reveals.
But it warns that the Budget’s removal of a proposed property tax on homes above £500,000 offers relief for more than 210,000 sellers.
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House price growth slows but market remained resilient despite Budget worries
Annual house price growth dipped in November but the market remained resilient despite threats of increased taxation in the Autumn Budget, new figures show.
House prices are up 1.8% in the year to November, according to Nationwide’s House Price Index, down 0.6 percentage points from October’s annual price growth figure of 2.4%.
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Tax hikes will worsen the housing crisis, landlords warn
Private landlords north of the border have warned the Scottish government that increasing property taxes will further worsen the housing crisis.
The Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL), issued the warning following the recent UK Budget and ahead of the Scottish Budget, due on 13 January 2026.
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Stagnant house prices: The uncertainty surrounding the UK market in November
According to Halifax’s latest house price index, the typical house price increased by just £138 month-on-month, reaching a new record of £299,892. However, year-on-year growth slowed sharply, dipping to 0.7% in November, down from 1.9% in October.
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What’s going to happen to the UK housing market in 2026?
House prices are expected to record modest growth over the coming years, rising by 2.5% across Great Britain by the fourth quarter of 2026 as cooling inflation and easing interest rates support the market, according to the latest housing market outlook.
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Expectations remain positive for housing market in Wales despite slower market
Expectations for the housing market in Wales remain positive despite a slower market in November as uncertainly around the UK Budget impacted on confidence, according to the latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Residential Market Survey.
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Fears new UK rental laws will ‘push prices up’ in Coventry
Coventry Live readers have mixed views as Labour councillors on Coventry City Council debate the new Renters’ Rights Act, which received Royal Assent last month and will take effect nationwide from May next year.
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Housing market shows signs of stabilisation as buyers pause for budget clarity
Average house prices in England and Wales held steady at £352,500 in November, marking a pause in the market’s recent downward drift as buyers and sellers awaited the Autumn Budget. The latest House Price Index shows a growing north-south divide…
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The UK housing market to shift from subdued to steady as prices rise in 2026
House prices will rise between two and three per cent next year as the UK’s housing market shifts from subdued to steady, and normality resumes for the first time since the pre-Covid era, according to new findings from a national estate agent.
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Mortgage
What comes next for the mortgage and property market?
As 2026 approaches, the UK mortgage and property market is entering a period of cautious optimism mixed with structural change. Falling inflation, the prospect of further rate adjustments, and shifting tax and regulatory pressures are reshaping buyer behaviour, lender strategies, and long-term affordability.
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Mortgage approvals dipped and savers ploughed more cash into Isas in October
The number of mortgages being approved for house purchase slipped back in October compared with the previous month, according to Bank of England figures.
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Mortgage searches fall by 14.64% after Budget shake up
The slowdown was led by purchases. Residential searches fell to 1,167,382 – down 14.64% month on month and 2.91% year on year. Non–first time buyer residential purchase searches fell 17.01% compared with October and 13.77% year on year.
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Banks in mortgage war as rates plunge in major boost to buyers
Those on fixed-term five-year deals taken out during the post-lockdown buying spree in 2020 will have been watching with concern as they would be due to renew at the end of this year. At the time, they would have been on mortgage products with extremely low interest rates attached – but across 2022 and 2023, rates rose rapidly to combat inflation.
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Mortgage rates ‘highly likely’ to dip below 3.51% in 2026
Mortgage rates are “highly likely” to drop below the current market leading rate of 3.51 per cent in 2026 as the mortgage price war rages, according to brokers.
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Bank of England to cut rates on December 18 to 3.75% and again in Q1 2026
The Bank of England will cut interest rates by a quarter point to 3.75% on December 18, according to all economists polled by Reuters, with evidence showing still-elevated inflation drifting downwards convincing most that a tightly split policy committee will flip towards easing.
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Why getting a mortgage is about to become easier
First-time buyers and the self-employed could soon find it easier to get a mortgage under new borrowing rules set out by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
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Rent
Rent increase rules for landlords under the Renters’ Rights Act
The government has issued guidance on how rent increases will work under the Renters’ Rights Act.
Tenants will be able to challenge rises in court, and Tribunals can defer increases by up to two months in cases of hardship.
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Rent arrears drop but landlords tighten referencing checks
Despite rental arrears falling, tenants may face stricter referencing checks ahead of the Renters’ Rights Act.
Data reveals the value of rent arrears has fallen for the third consecutive quarter of 2025…
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Rental discrimination under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025
In the “Renters’ Rights Act 2025: Implementation roadmap” guidance published on 13 November 2025, it is set out that the provisions on discrimination will come into force on 1 May 2026 during the commencement and transitional provisions for Phase 1.
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Tenants face rising costs as Budget hits landlords
The chancellor’s November Budget is adding to rent pressures in prime London, despite wider measures aimed at curbing inflation.
Rental income tax for landlords is set to rise by 2%, a move expected to reduce supply as some landlords exit the market, driving rents higher.
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Government confirms no new tenant protections before Renters’ Rights Act
The government has confirmed no further protections for tenants will come in before 1 May 2026.
The Act will abolish Section 21 evictions and convert all fixed-term tenancies into periodic tenancies.
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Midlands areas with the cheapest and most expensive rent prices in 2025 revealed
New statistics have revealed the areas of the West Midlands with the cheapest and most expensive rent prices in 2025.
The local authority area with the highest rent price in the region was Solihull.
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Changes to UK rental law in 2026 explained
Major changes to rental law are set to transform the relationship between UK landlords and renters from May 2026.
From 1 May 2026, the updated Renters’ Rights Act will bring in stronger protections for tenants while also establishing clearer guidelines for both parties.
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Advice
Government issues guidance on court eviction process for landlords
The government has issued guidance for landlords on the process they will need to follow to evict tenants under the Renters’ Rights Act.
According to the guidance, after 1 May 2026, landlords wishing to evict a tenant solely for unpaid rent will need to use the Possession Claim Online Service (PCOL).
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Top 10 locations for buyers and renters revealed
The UK’s most sought-after places to buy a home and rent have been revealed, as buyers eye up major cities including London, Manchester and Glasgow.
While house prices have been rising in London, this has not put people off moving to the city.
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Other
Landlords warn Renters’ Rights Act will delay EPC improvements
The Renters’ Rights Act risks slowing down energy-efficiency upgrades, with more than half of landlords expected to delay or reduce spending on improvements, according to new data.
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Property income tax rates to rise 2% from 2027: Autumn Budget 2025
Reeves said property income tax would rise by 2% across basic, higher and additional rates, taking these to 22%, 42% and 47%, respectively.
This will raise around £500million a year in extra tax, according to an accidentally-published document from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) this morning.
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Study reveals wealthy investors are losing faith in the UK fior investing and business
Wealthy investors are losing faith in the UK as a place to start a business and invest, new research shows.
Nearly two out of three (64%) don’t think the UK is a good place to set up a company while nearly half (47%) do not believe it is currently a good place to invest.
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Government rules out using rental payment history as proof of affordability
The government has confirmed rental payment history will not be used as mandatory proof of affordability for tenancy agreements.
Many landlords ask for a guarantor to provide financial protection, particularly when dealing with tenants who may face financial difficulties, have poor credit, or lack stable employment.
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Rachel Reeves faces £7,550 bill to upgrade EPC rating on her rental home
The Chancellor Rachel Reeves is facing a £7,550 bill to improve the energy performance of her London home under Labour’s tougher EPC rules for private landlords.
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Progress on EPC upgrades has halved in past five years
The pace of progress towards improving the energy efficiency of homes has halved over the past five years compared to the previous five, despite the government’s policy push, a report by Rightmove has found.
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Landlord Lessons Finale: Property is a business, not passive income
Running a rental property business involves managing customers in the form of tenants, responding to regulations enforced by councils and government departments, handling finances such as mortgages, tax and insurance, and protecting reputation.
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Tenants prioritise EPC ratings when choosing a home
As tenants increasingly seek more energy-efficient homes, many landlords are choosing to sell properties with lower EPC ratings, according to a new report.
A report reveals a stark postcode divide and EPC upgrade challenge for landlords, with some property types costing nearly £1,400 more than others per year to heat.
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