Hello Neighbour

05/05/2026

London rents just had their steepest annual fall we've recorded.

April rental values down 10.9% year on year, accelerating from March's 7.6% decline. A quick read from properties letting right now.

April is usually one of the busiest months in the London lettings calendar. Previous years recorded 67, 62 and 40 enquiries per property in 2023, 2024 and 2025. April 2026 came in at 29, down from 30 in March, 32 in February and 36 in January. A clear break from the seasonal pattern, but still more than double the Rightmove average of 12.

Affordability is doing the heavy lifting. With rents close to 11% down year on year, landlords are pricing more realistically to secure the right tenants quickly.

The picture matches wider national trends. Zoopla's latest UK Rental Market Index points to weakening demand, improving supply and slower rental growth, with lower migration and a stronger first time buyer market cited as drivers. What our April data adds is that this rebalancing is happening more sharply at the new-let end of the London market, where rents had run furthest ahead of affordability.

The Renters' Rights Act is in force from today. Our full RRA resources, including our recent webinar with Suzanne Smith of The Independent Landlord: hello-neighbour.com/renters-rights-home

Full April update on the blog: hello-neighbour.com/insights/hello-neighbour-insights-london-rental-prices-down-10.9-in-apr-26

16/04/2026

We are delighted to see Hello Neighbour's chairman, Phil Shelley, featured in an important article in The Times on letting agent fees. https://hubs.li/Q04cpnLK0

This is an issue we have been campaigning on for some time. It sits at the heart of our mission to change lettings for good. Landlords deserve far greater clarity on what they are being charged and why.

With the Renters' Rights Act coming into force on 1 May, we are calling for total transparency across the industry. Every agent should publish their Terms of Business clearly and in full so landlords can make genuinely informed decisions.

A more open and honest market is better for landlords, better for tenants and better for trust in the sector as a whole.

09/04/2026

Following the strong response to our first session, we’re hosting another exclusive, extended live webinar on the Renters’ Rights Act ahead of its implementation on 1 May 2026.

When: Wednesday 15 April | 11:00 – 12:15 | Online

The Renters’ Rights Act is bringing significant change for landlords, and many are still asking what it means in practice and how to stay compliant without losing control.
That’s why we’re once again joined by Suzanne Smith, best-selling author and founder of The Independent Landlord, alongside the Hello Neighbour team for a second live Q&A focused on practical steps you can take now.

What we’ll cover:
• Recap of the Renters’ Rights Act
• What landlords need to do between now and the end of May 2026
• Extended Q&A from the audience

Suzanne is one of the most trusted independent voices in the sector, and this session is designed to give landlords clarity, confidence, and control ahead of the changes.

Reserve your place: https://hubs.li/Q04b8fR30

If you missed the first session or want to go deeper, this is your final opportunity before the new rules come into force.

26/03/2026

Is Rent and Legal Protection Worth it?

Listen to our free webinar this Friday to find out: https://hubs.li/Q048r7w50

Right now:
• Possession delays have reached 25 weeks
• Nearly 1 in 3 tenants are struggling to pay rent
• Section 21 is set to be removed from 1st of May

From 1 May, the landscape will shift. Possession claims will rely on Section 8 grounds, potentially with longer timelines and up to 3 months’ rent arrears required for arrears-based claims.

As rent guarantee and legal expenses insurance can help landlords reduce some of the additional risks that the Renters’ Right Act brings, we’re holding a free webinar this Friday (27 March, 12pm). We will be joined by Lee Power from Alan Boswell Group, who insure over 100,000 properties, and will cover:

→ The potential impact of the Renters' Rights Act on rent arrears and possession claims
→ What rent guarantee & legal expenses insurance actually pays out
→ Real case studies, including one landlord who lost £60,000 in legal costs
→ Live Q&A with Lee

Whether you're a first-time landlord or managing a portfolio, this is one hour that could save you thousands.

Register here: https://hubs.li/Q048r7w50

Can’t make Friday? Register anyway and we’ll send you the recording.

11/03/2026

The Good Landlord Handbook, published by The Independent Landlord.

Huge Congratulations to our Independent Non-executive Director, Suzanne Smith - The Independent Landlord.

She has just published The Good Landlord Handbook, which promises to be the go-to book on all things letting.

With under 2 months until the Renters' Rights Act comes into force, the book is perfectly timed for any landlord who wants to understand precisely what they should be doing to meet this new regulation.

The Good Landlord Handbook, paperback version, is an Amazon #1 bestseller, as is the Kindle version. There is a digital version available as well. [link to her website]

Hello Neighbour has benefited hugely from her guidance and wise counsel for the last year, and we are delighted she is bringing her undoubted expertise to a much wider audience.

We highly recommend picking up a copy!

02/03/2026

February Lettings Insights from Hello Neighbour

In February, average rents in London rose 3.7% year-on-year.

At the same time, the number of enquiries per property continued to fall, with 32 enquiries recorded in February 2026, one of the lowest levels we have seen over the past three years.

We expect rents to remain broadly flat in the coming months, much as they did in the second half of last year. We expect the number of enquiries per property to increase as we move into the summer months, following a similar trend to previous years, but continuing to remain lower than in prior years.

You can read the blog here. https://hubs.li/Q045bN5f0

26/02/2026

Hello neighbour partners with Alan Boswell Group.

We’re delighted to announce that Hello Neighbour is partnering with Alan Boswell Group to provide specialist landlord insurance solutions.

With regulatory changes coming into force on 1 May, protecting rental income and property assets has never been more important.

We know lettings inside out, but we are not insurance experts, nor are we authorised to advise on it. So we’ve partnered with what we believe is one of the very best in the business.

Alan Boswell Group:
• 40+ years supporting landlords
• 86,000+ properties insured
• 450+ specialist staff

Together, we’re making it easier for landlords to navigate change with confidence.
If you’re reviewing your rent protection or landlord insurance ahead of May, now is the right time.

You can read more about the announcement here: https://hubs.li/Q044JVhD0

24/02/2026

The UK self-letting market wouldn’t look the way it does today without OpenRent.

That’s the starting point.

OpenRent profoundly disrupted the lettings market, proving landlords don’t need expensive high-street agents to let property safely and effectively. Taking an estimated 17.1% of the market is no small achievement.

They opened the door.
Everything that followed stands on that foundation. But markets evolve.

Landlords today face more regulation, higher expectations, and far less appetite for complexity. Advertising alone isn’t enough anymore, landlords want clarity, reassurance, and a process that just flows.

That’s where Hello Neighbour comes in.

Hello Neighbour is following in OpenRent’s footsteps, by being:
Cheaper. Faster and Safer.
A few key differences landlords care about:
• Hello Neighbour charges £29 including listing on Rightmove compared to £79with OpenRent)
• Support available from the start
• Control over your tenant’s deposit in a custodial scheme
• Seamless information flow from listing → to viewings to offer negotiation to tenancy agreement.

This isn’t about replacing what came before.
It’s about building the next iteration of self-letting, and giving landlords more choice. One that reflects today’s regulatory environment, landlord expectations and technological opportunity.
OpenRent proved self-letting could work.
Hello Neighbour is focused on making it cheaper, calmer, clearer, and more supported.

You can read more here: https://hubs.li/Q044tZX-0

20/02/2026

Richard Jenkins, our co-founder and CEO, is the latest guest in Landlord Today’s 60 Second Interview series.

He explains why Hello Neighbour exists, where the lettings process still lets people down and how we are rebuilding the key steps so tenancies get agreed and set up properly, without the usual friction.

He also shares what we are watching as the Renters’ Rights Act nears on 1 May 2026 and why the basics, marketing, viewings, referencing and move-in are about to matter even more.

Read it here:

We interview Richard Jenkins, CEO and Founder of Hello Neighbour – Richard Jenkins, CEO and Co-founder of Hello Neighbour

11/02/2026

We’ve partnered with No Letting Go to provide independent professional inventories, check-in and check-out services for Hello Neighbour landlords.

With the Renters’ Rights Act due to be implemented from 1 May 2026, having clear, independent evidence of a property’s condition from day one will matter more than ever.

Inventories are one of the simplest ways for landlords to protect themselves from disputes, support fair deposit discussions and demonstrate how a property has been looked after over time.

No Letting Go has over 15 years’ experience, more than 90 offices across the UK and completes thousands of reports every year. We have been trialling the service for the past six months and have been impressed by the quality and consistency of reporting.

This partnership is part of how we continue to change lettings for good, by building practical protections into the letting process rather than leaving landlords to piece things together themselves.

To read more, click here: https://hubs.li/Q042JRS30

Hello Neighbour partners with No Letting Go to offer landlords independent inventory services, enhancing tenancy protection and compliance with the upcoming Renters' Rights Act.