Landlord press review: October 2026
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: What happened to UK house prices in September?; Scottish buyers see house price gap narrow as mortgage costs rise; Will fixed deals fall by Christmas?; Average landlord portfolio grows to 18 properties as rental yield rises to 7.9% in England & Wales; The big buy-to-let exodus – is it worth being a landlord anymore?… Happy reading and… renting!
The market
The UK housing market update we have been waiting for
The Government’s latest plans to support homeownership could have implications well beyond the housing market, creating a potential catalyst for UK-listed companies exposed to the sector.
UK housing stocks were already deeply undervalued. Now they have a catalyst. The government’s new equity loan scheme could revive new-build activity, unlock earnings growth and reshape the outlook for the sector.
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What happened to UK house prices in September?
The annual rate of growth in UK house prices halved to 0.8% in September, from 1.6% in August, according to an index.
The average property value fell by 0.2% month on month in September, following a 0.2% increase in August.
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Property market activity remains subdued as affordability and uncertainty weigh on buyers
“UK residential property transactions came in at 95,220 on a seasonally adjusted basis in August 2026, 1% lower than July and 2% below the level recorded a year earlier.
It is worth remembering that transaction figures are inherently backwards-looking, reflecting decisions made and mortgages agreed several months ago.
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House prices hold steady amid ongoing market pressure
Despite ongoing market uncertainty, house prices held steady in September.
According to the Lloyds House Price Index, prices recorded no monthly growth (0.0%), following a 0.3% decline in August.
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House prices fall faster in London as property market stays ‘subdued’
House prices in London and southern England have been falling this year, as property experts warn that the regions property markets are being worst hit by rising mortgage rates and stamp duty.
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UK BTR investments tops £900m in Q3
More than £900m was invested in the UK build-to-rent (BTR) sector in the third quarter of 2026, according to property consultancy Savills, taking year-to-date investment to more than £4bn, higher than at the same point in any previous year.
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Scottish buyers see house price gap narrow as mortgage costs rise
The gap between house prices and earnings in Scotland is beginning to narrow, although rising mortgage costs continue to put pressure on buyers.
Data from the Bank of Scotland shows the typical Scottish home now costs 5.3 times average earnings, down from 5.4 a year ago.
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Mortgage
38% jump in high-LTV mortgages after FCA cuts red tape for lending to youngsters
The value of new mortgages with deposits of less than 10% of a property’s value increased by 38% to £24.7bn in the year to 30 June 2026, up from £17.9bn the previous year, according to analysis.
The value of new mortgages where the deposit is less than 5% of the property value more than doubled to £1.5bn, up from £720m (a rise of 100.4%).
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Will fixed deals fall by Christmas?
Mortgage rates could be cheaper by Christmas, with one broker predicting fixed deals may fall by up to 0.35 percentage points – but borrowers have been warned against waiting for a dramatic drop.
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Signs that soaring mortgage rates are now biting harder
The average price of a newly listed home rises by 1.0% this month (+£3,575) to £371,015, which leaves prices virtually flat compared with a year ago, down by 0.1%. However, the national increase masks mixed seller reactions as rising mortgage rates intensify affordability pressures in an already price-sensitive market.
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Rent
Generation Rent wants landlord fines for exaggerating deposit claims
Generation Rent has called for fines against landlords who repeatedly make exaggerated deposit claims, handing the government a petition with 17,000 signatures.
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54% of parents ‘return rent paid by adult children to help them save a deposit’
More than half of parents who charge their adult children rent are putting some or all of the money towards helping their child save to buy their own home, a survey indicates.
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Tenant referencing is getting tougher but are we going too far?
Since 1st May, Section 21 is gone, so landlords need a valid ground for possession and have to follow the proper process. That understandably changes how people look at risk before they hand over the keys.
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Rent in Bristol and Bath now £500 a month higher than all other major cities outside London
The average rent for a home in Bristol is higher than in any other major city outside London – but for the first time in years, it’s now more expensive to rent in Bath than it is in Bristol.
Renters are experiencing a big increase in the average rents in both cities, but Bath and North East Somerset it is rising more quickly…
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Average landlord portfolio grows to 18 properties as rental yield rises to 7.9% in England & Wales
Average annual rental yields across England and Wales increased to 7.9% in Q3 2026, while the average number of investment properties owned by landlords rose to 18.
The regional picture was also broadly positive, with only two of the 10 regions covered by Fleet – the North West and Wales – recording an annual fall in average yields.
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Cost of renting a room in London surges past £1,000 – how much is it in your area?
Londoners struggling with sky-high rents won’t be surprised to hear the cost of renting a room in the capital has returned to within just £1 of its all-time high.
New figures from SpareRoom reveal that average monthly room rents in inner London reached a staggering £1,002 in the third quarter of 2026…
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Who is really putting rents up?
Landlords with one to three properties were more than twice as likely as those with ten or more to have made no rent increase at all in the past year (35.8%, base 514, against 16.4%, base 421).
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Rents dip across most UK regions but affordability remains a challenge
Despite signs of improvement in the rental market, affordability pressures persist, prompting an industry body to call on the government to support landlords.
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Advice
Right to Rent changes for England’s landlords from October
Landlords in England who use digital verification services for Right to Rent checks must choose registered providers under a revised code taking effect on 1 October.
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The big buy-to-let exodus – is it worth being a landlord anymore?
Landlords are leaving the market in their droves as a host of factors squeeze the buy-to-let (BTL) market.
Around 44,000 BTL homes were sold by landlords across the UK between the start of July and mid-September…
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Liverpool vs Leeds: Which City Is Better for Property Investment?
Although Liverpool and Leeds are both major cities in the North of England, their property markets differ in terms of average purchase prices and investment entry costs.
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Landlord database: think twice before registering your properties early
Registering early may sound sensible, but under Regulation 10 of the draft rules, your first property could determine the annual renewal date for later properties in your portfolio.
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Other
UK homebuyers least willing to compromise as affordability bites
UK homebuyers have not given up on homeownership and are more resistant than buyers in other nations to adapting their expectations, finances and lifestyles to make it possible.
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Poor EPC ratings raise landlord sale fears
Landlords looking to sell homes with poor EPC ratings may face buyers willing to pay more for a more efficient property, research suggests.
Those surveyed by the lender Together put an average £5,293 premium on a home with better energy efficiency.
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England looks to extend Awaab’s Law beyond social housing sector
Under the legislation introduced to social housing last year, legal deadlines were set for landlords to fix dangerous damp and mould.
Now a government consultation will look at how it is introduced for private renters and what types of other accommodation should benefit in future…
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Self-managing landlords work 51 hours every month
Landlords who manage their own properties spend an average of 51 hours a month overseeing them.
Even those paying for full management by an agent are spending an average of 11 hours a month on admin.
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Will tenants miss the small landlord?
We all know there’s no ribbon-cutting ceremony when a landlord decides not to put up rent to help a tenant struggling with bills.
Perhaps there should be, given how little attention those decisions receive until the landlord making them decides to sell.
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Why mortgage-free landlords say they are leaving, and why it is not about debt
Almost half (47.6%) of landlords with more than half of their portfolio making a loss after all costs and tax plan to leave the rented sector completely within three years (base 126). Among landlords with no loss-making property, the figure is 19.8% (base 934).
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