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Cheaper mortgage fixes have almost disappeared in a matter of weeks.Moneyfacts data reported by Property Industry Eye sh...
09/10/2026

Cheaper mortgage fixes have almost disappeared in a matter of weeks.

Moneyfacts data reported by Property Industry Eye shows that only nine sub-5% fixed-rate mortgage deals remain, down from 1,494 at the start of September. A 99% fall. The average five-year fix has now reached 6%, while the average two-year fix stands at 5.98%.

That repricing matters beyond mortgage advice. Higher monthly payments can reduce buyer budgets, delay moves and make asking prices harder to support. For agents and sellers, realistic pricing and early affordability checks are becoming even more important if transactions are to keep moving.

The pressure is being driven by rising gilt yields and volatile swap rates, which have increased lenders’ wholesale funding costs. Several major banks also raised selected fixed rates repeatedly during September.

For buyers, the practical question is no longer just whether a property is attractive, but whether the numbers still work at today’s rates, and with enough room for change.

How are higher mortgage rates affecting your plans: a lower budget, a delayed move or a different type of mortgage?

House prices look more affordable on paper. Lloyds research, reported by The Negotiator, says the average home in Britai...
08/10/2026

House prices look more affordable on paper. Lloyds research, reported by The Negotiator, says the average home in Britain now costs 7.3 times average earnings, down from 7.6 and the lowest level since 2015. For first-time buyers, the figure is below six times earnings at 5.9.

But the upfront cost tells a different story. Average monthly mortgage repayments have risen to around £1,157, while a 10% deposit remains close to £24,000.

The lower price-to-earnings ratio is a positive shift, but it does not remove the cash-upfront and monthly-payment hurdles. That matters across the housing market: affordability is not just about prices compared with wages, but whether households can assemble a deposit and sustain repayments.

Is buying genuinely more affordable, or just more affordable on paper?

A proposed three-year “emergency brake” on private rents has reopened one of the most contested questions in the rental ...
08/10/2026

A proposed three-year “emergency brake” on private rents has reopened one of the most contested questions in the rental market.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski used his party conference speech to call for a temporary cap, limiting rent rises to whichever is lowest of CPI inflation, wage growth or 2%, as part of what the party calls a fair rents guarantee. He argues it would end the “fear and uncertainty” facing renters and give wages time to catch up.

The pushback is equally clear. Propertymark has warned against rent controls, pointing to Scotland, where members reported rent increases between tenancies, stalled investment and landlords leaving the market following temporary caps. International evidence, it notes, also suggests controls can reduce investment and the supply of rental homes.

That is the tension at the centre of this debate: short-term relief for renters against the longer-term need to keep enough homes available to rent. Any policy that only addresses one side risks shifting the pressure rather than removing it.

If rent rises were capped for three years, what would that mean where you rent or let?

The Conservatives have set out proposals to scrap stamp duty and cut up to £50,000 from the cost of building a new home ...
07/10/2026

The Conservatives have set out proposals to scrap stamp duty and cut up to £50,000 from the cost of building a new home through a major overhaul of housebuilding regulation.

The plan includes abolishing the Future Homes Standard, replacing Section 106 agreements and the Community Infrastructure Levy with a single infrastructure levy, and moving the functions of Natural England and the Environment Agency elsewhere.

The party says the changes would reduce planning delays, lower construction costs and help increase housing supply. However, this is a political commitment that would only apply if the Conservatives returned to power. These are proposals, not enacted policy, and no implementation date has been set.

The debate is whether deregulation would genuinely bring house prices down and speed up delivery, or whether it could weaken environmental, quality and infrastructure safeguards. For buyers, developers, landlords and agents, the implications could reach from affordability and supply to construction standards and future property values.

Would cutting stamp duty and building costs actually make homes more affordable, or does the money simply get absorbed elsewhere?

When landlords leave the private rented sector, renters feel the effects quickly.New SpareRoom figures reported by Prope...
07/10/2026

When landlords leave the private rented sector, renters feel the effects quickly.

New SpareRoom figures reported by Property118 show that 78% of landlords in England have no confidence in the rental market. Around 27% say they are leaving altogether, rising to 44% among single-property landlords, while 36% are reducing their portfolios.

The result is less choice for renters, record-high room rents and growing competition for available homes. Demand for rent guarantors has also increased by around 50% since the Renters’ Rights Act came into force.

The figures highlight a difficult policy tension: measures intended to improve security for tenants must be considered alongside the supply of homes available to rent.

How are rising rents and tighter availability affecting renters locally?

Could councils soon have stronger powers over poor-quality private rented homes?Andy Burnham has proposed a series of me...
06/10/2026

Could councils soon have stronger powers over poor-quality private rented homes?

Andy Burnham has proposed a series of measures, but these remain policy commitments, not enacted law.

The proposals include warnings for landlords to improve the worst-quality properties, followed by easier council acquisition if improvements are refused. Compulsory purchase could also bring some substandard homes into council ownership.

Separately, councils in England could be allowed to intervene in homes left empty for six months, rather than the current two-year threshold. This would generally mean council management rather than immediate ownership. Exemptions would still apply, and tribunal approval would remain part of the process.

Propertymark supports action against genuinely poor housing, but says enforcement must be proportionate and assessed case by case. It also wants clarity on remedial work, tenant access, responsibilities between parties and how properties would be managed if transferred to local authorities.

Should councils have stronger powers over poor-quality rentals, or is enforcement of existing tools the real gap?

House prices look more affordable on paper, but the upfront cost of buying still tells a different story.Lloyds research...
05/10/2026

House prices look more affordable on paper, but the upfront cost of buying still tells a different story.

Lloyds research cited by The Negotiator shows that the average home in Britain now costs 7.3 times average earnings, down from 7.6 and the lowest level since 2015. For first-time buyers, the ratio is below six times earnings, at 5.9.

But a lower price-to-earnings ratio does not remove the immediate hurdles. Average monthly mortgage repayments have risen to around £1,157, while a 10% deposit remains close to £24,000.

That gap matters. Affordability is not only about the relationship between salaries and property prices; it is also about having enough cash upfront and being able to sustain the monthly payment. For the wider housing market, improving headline affordability may support confidence, but borrowing costs and deposit requirements continue to shape demand.

Do you think buying is becoming genuinely more affordable, or just more affordable on paper?

Tenant referencing is moving closer to the centre of rental decision-making.A report published today found that almost h...
02/10/2026

Tenant referencing is moving closer to the centre of rental decision-making.

A report published today found that almost half of landlords in England and Wales say referencing has become more important since restrictions on advance rent were introduced. With Section 21 ending on 1 May 2026 and advance rent limited, affordability and suitability need to be assessed before a tenancy begins, not after problems emerge.

But stronger checks should not mean opaque or inconsistent decisions. Landlords and agents need clear criteria, accurate income and identity checks, and a fair process that gives applicants an opportunity to explain their circumstances. A CCJ or unusual employment pattern should prompt context, not an automatic assumption.

For renters, preparing documents early and understanding the criteria can help avoid delays. For landlords, a consistent, well-documented approach helps manage risk fairly, alongside access to hundreds of suitable, pre-referenced tenants who are ready to move in.

Done well, referencing protects both sides: less admin, more tenants, and fewer avoidable surprises after move-in.

How are referencing expectations changing in your part of the market?

Rising costs are becoming a bigger pressure point for the private rented sector.New Pegasus Insight research, reported b...
02/10/2026

Rising costs are becoming a bigger pressure point for the private rented sector.

New Pegasus Insight research, reported by Property Industry Eye, found that 64% of landlords would look to recover higher costs through increased rents. Meanwhile, 83% said tax and regulatory changes could make them more selective when choosing tenants, while 88% are concerned about the planned two-percentage-point increase in income tax on personally held rental income.

The impact could reach beyond monthly rents. If investment becomes less attractive, some landlords may sell or postpone expansion, reducing the number of homes available to rent. For renters, that could mean higher prices and less choice. For agents, it may mean a tighter market and greater importance placed on efficient compliance, referencing and property management.

Landlords who continue letting need reliable access to hundreds of suitable, pre-referenced tenants who are ready to move in, while renters need a fair and transparent route into available homes.

The central question is how to improve standards without making it harder to provide enough good-quality rental housing. Are rising tax and regulatory costs already affecting your decisions?

Regulation of managing agents has been confirmed, and the property industry response has been broadly positive.The annou...
01/10/2026

Regulation of managing agents has been confirmed, and the property industry response has been broadly positive.

The announcement is being welcomed as a step towards stronger professional standards, clearer qualifications and greater accountability. Supporters say effective oversight should help improve consistency, transparency and confidence for leaseholders and residents.

The practical detail will matter. The reforms are focused on managing agents, including those operating in leasehold and privately managed settings, rather than signalling that every high-street letting agent is immediately covered. No fixed implementation date has been confirmed, so the scope, requirements and enforcement arrangements still need to become clearer.

For property businesses, the direction of travel is clear: professional knowledge, responsible conduct and reliable complaints processes are likely to matter more than ever.

What would effective regulation need to achieve in practice?

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