The government has published what it calls a Guide To The Renters Rights Act on its official website.
It runs to a cool 11,200 words – and that is without giving any implementation dates.
We publish below the overview, but if you want to read the entire document you can find it here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-the-renters-rights-act/guide-to-the-renters-rights-act
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Overview of the Renters Rights Act will:
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Rightmove is announcing a series of AI developments which it claims will help agents reach more potential renters.
There are currently 27 AI initiatives in development, as Rightmove makes AI technology central to its platform to benefit partners and home-movers.
Four new developments – two for consumers and two for agents are now live.
‘AI Keywords’, which is beginning to roll out on the Rightmove app, helps people to more easily find a home which fits their exact requirements using select smart prompts, such as “exposed brick”, “river view” or “underfloor heating”. The AI technology, trained on Rightmove’s 25 years of data, goes beyond existing filters, scanning images and texts in property listings to deliver more relevant properties, and a more intuitive experience for home-movers.
The innovation will provide agents and developers with enhanced visibility for their listings, ensuring their homes are being surfaced to relevant and engaged potential buyers and renters looking for specific features, increasing conversion potential.
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Vendor Prediction Model: serving up more potential sellers to agents
Rightmove has developed a new AI-powered Vendor Prediction Model that uses predictive insights from billions of datapoints across the Rightmove platform to share valuation opportunities more confidently with agents.
The model now powers two agent valuation lead products: Rightmove Discover and Opportunity Manager.
Rightmove Discover sends targeted communications to potential sellers on behalf of agents before they’re active on Rightmove, while Opportunity Manager uses Rightmove data to flag and prioritise potential valuation leads to agents based on their behaviour.
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Online Agent Valuation: time efficiency through AI-powered writing tool
The recently launched Online Agent Valuation usesa built-in AI-powered writing tool that helps agents speed up the process of writing a personal note to a potential seller. Early data shows that more than a fifth of agents who are using the tool are already using the technology to assist them in connecting with valuation prospects more quickly.
Rightmove’s valuation products give agents an edge by providing valuation leads at the earliest stages of the home-moving journey.
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Style with AI: re-imagining a home
‘Style with AI’ helps potential buyers to emotionally connect with properties by visualising their potential and putting their own stamp on the property. People can remove furniture from images, adjust lighting, and change the style of a home, for example to a Scandi or Art Deco style, to better imagine themselves living there.
The new tool, initially available to a subset of Rightmove users, helps to alleviate some of the issues potential home-movers encounter when looking at property images, helping them to consider what the space might look and feel like as their own. It aims to prevent more future home-movers being put off by the current condition of a property and instead bolster confidence to contact an agent for a viewing.
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You’re Hired! Apprentice star to front Propertymark One in 2026
Business powerhouse, football executive, and TV icon Baroness Karren Brady is to take centre stage as the keynote speaker at Propertymark One 2026, next summer.
Known to millions as Alan Sugar’s straight-talking aide on the BBC’s The Apprentice, Brady is described by the agents’ body as bringing “a lifetime of boardroom brilliance, bold leadership, and big ambition to the UK’s premier property event.”
She was the first female Managing Director of Birmingham City FC at just 23, while her current role is Vice Chairman of West Ham United. She’s also a Member of the House of Lords, a Government Small Business Ambassador, and thought by some to be one of Britain’s most inspirational leaders.
After the record-breaking Propertymark One 2025, next year’s event is expanding by 50%, with a main stage, two additional stages, and even more breakout zones to offer further opportunities to connect and learn.
“This is going to be our most ambitious event yet,” says Jason Lee, Head of Commercial at Propertymark. “With a bigger venue, more speakers, and new breakout stages, Propertymark One 2026 is shaping up to be a must-attend experience for everyone in the property world.”
Early bird tickets are now available for Propertymark members at £90 plus VAT, but only until December. More details here: www.propertymark.co.uk/one
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Bank of England set to give housing market a Christmas present
There’s already widespread expectation that the next Bank of England’s meeting – one week before Christmas – will give the housing market a festive gift in the shape of a base rate cut.
Yesterday’s decision to hold base rate at 4.0% was on the knife-edge – five members of the Monetary Policy Committee in favour, while four wanted a 0.25% cut.
September’s lower-than-expected inflation, softer wage growth, and clear signs of slowing activity in the third quarter have strengthened the case for the Bank of England to move towards cutting interest rates in December.
Nigel Green, the chief executive of financial advisory service deVere Group, says: “The Bank’s decision to hold was always expected, but the debate is now shifting rapidly towards when the first cut comes. The combination of three consecutive months of 3.8% inflation, slowing wage growth, and weakening consumer demand points to an economy that is losing momentum. That should focus minds on a December move.”
The Bank’s decision came only three weeks ahead of the Budget, where it is expected that taxes will rise further.
Bank governor Andrew Bailey says: “We held interest rates at 4% today. We still think rates are on a gradual path downwards but we need to be sure that inflation is on track to return to our 2% target before we cut them again.”
The Bank said it expected food price inflation to remain higher this year before slowing in 2026, citing higher global agricultural prices.
“Households continue to change their shopping habits to reduce spending, such as buying more vegetables and reducing meat consumption,” it reported.
It said fashion retailers were reporting falling sales “due to competition from the second-hand market”, adding that accommodation providers were seeing shorter stays and restaurants faced “weak demand” with lower spending per visit.
It also said childcare costs and caring obligations were leading some people to reduce their working hours or “even stop working”.
The Bank forecast the unemployment rate would hit 5% in the final three months of the year and remain around that level until 2028.
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Hands Off! Reeves told not to grab more tax from landlords
Imposing further tax rises on the rental market would critically damage the government’s ambitions for economic growth and social mobility.
That’s the warning just weeks before the Chancellor delivers a pivotal Budget.
It comes from the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) which wants the government to recognise that the private rented sector is a vital driver of economic opportunity. With around 11m renters in England alone, the sector provides the flexibility and mobility they need to access education, training, and jobs across the country.
A report for the NRLA by former Treasury official, Chris Walker, finds that renters typically live closer to town and city centres, as well as their workplaces, than homeowners.
This research reveals that 45% of private renters live within 5km of where they work, compared with just 29% of owner-occupiers. The report concludes that the sector plays a vital role in “supporting opportunity, career progression and productivity.”
This assessment is shared by the Nationwide Building Society’s specialist buy-to-let lender which notes how the sector has “an important role to play in economic growth by supporting labour mobility.”
Analysis by the NRLA has also found the sector is more likely than the social rented sector to give aspiring first-time buyers the platform from which to buy their first home. Government figures show that 25% of new owner-occupiers have previously rented privately, compared to just 1% who have moved into homeownership from social housing.
Alongside these research findings, figures published by accountancy firm PwC reveal how small and medium-sized landlords support almost 400,000 jobs across the UK. Likewise, research produced by Aldermore Bank shows how landlords spend an average of £6,000 a year on local services, with nearly four in five using local tradespeople to maintain or improve their properties.
In light of this importance, the shortage of homes for private rent to meet demand is hindering growth and productivity. The leading property portal, Zoopla, reports that the number of homes available to rent is down by 10% compared to 2019, whilst tenant demand has risen by 23% over the same period.
The former head of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Paul Johnson, who recently spoke to the NRLA’s ‘Listen up Landlords’ podcast, has warned that higher taxes would lead to fewer homes to rent and higher rents for tenants.
NRLA chief executive Ben Beadle comments: “The private rented sector is a significant driver of labour and social mobility. It enables people to move for work, access higher education, and seize new opportunities – everything the Government wants to promote as part of its growth agenda.
“Instead, landlords are facing yet more speculation about tax hikes that would hinder investment, reduce supply, and ultimately drive-up rents.
“The Chancellor must use this critical Budget to back responsible landlords who provide good homes and support local economies. That means using the tax system to encourage long-term investment, as opposed to prioritising short-term revenue grabs.”
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Smaller landlords likely to be hit most by Renters Rights Act burden
A leading accountant is warning that measures imposed on landlords by the Renters Rights Act will hit unevenly.
Clare Bowen, a partner at Monahans, says: “Larger landlords have more scope to spread costs and can offset one property against another. For someone with one or two rentals, there isn’t that flexibility. They don’t have the same access to trade support or professional management and every new rule adds to the strain.”
She notes that accidental landlords, people who didn’t set out to build a portfolio but found themselves letting a property after a change in circumstance, are likely to feel the pressure most.
“We often see couples later in life who’ve moved in together and decided to rent one of their homes rather than sell it. They’re not doing it to make money, they’re just trying to cover the costs of the property. The new Renters Rights Bill will make that much harder. I think we’ll see some be pushed to decide it’s simply not worth it.”
Bowen says the one-year limit on rent increases, tighter controls on deposits and the inability to request rent in advance will reduce the financial buffer landlords rely on when things go wrong.
“If a tenant stops paying, the impact will be felt much faster. Combine that with the tougher eviction rules, and it could leave landlords in a difficult position. There needs to be some balance between protecting tenants and recognising that landlords have financial responsibilities too.
“You can’t keep piling on costs without expecting rents to rise. For some, the maths just doesn’t work anymore,” she adds.
“It’s good to see tenants’ rights being strengthened, but landlords will need clear guidance on what to do when a tenant stops paying, or when they’re stuck in months of court delays.”
Bowen also believes that the new Ombudsman and Private Rented Sector Database could be beneficial if implemented effectively, especially if it improves education and accountability on both sides.
“Some landlords don’t even realise they should be paying tax because their mortgage repayments match their rent. They don’t understand that only the interest is deductible, not the repayment element.
“Before we bring in more penalties, there needs to be more education. The database could help with that, but it needs to support landlords as well as monitor them.”
When it comes to larger investors, she believes that they will be able to find new opportunities as others leave the market.
“We’ll probably see institutional investors stepping in where smaller landlords leave. There’s strong demand for rental property, especially in the big cities, and investors with cash will take advantage of that.”
Perhaps surprisingly, she is unconvinced that the Renters’ Rights Bill will be the end of property reform.
“It feels like the start of a longer process. Standards will keep rising, and that’s a good thing, but costs will keep rising too. The Government is clearly pushing for higher quality in the private sector, and that means landlords have to plan carefully and make tough decisions on whether they want to stay in the industry or sell up.”
Her advice to clients is to not make any rash decisions and seek professional guidance on the best course of action under their specific circumstances.
“Review your portfolio regularly. Look at each property on its own merits and check whether it’s still worth holding. Some landlords will find they’re better off selling one or two and improving the rest. It’s about going in with your eyes open and keeping a close watch on what each change means for your finances.
“With the Autumn Budget now just weeks away, it’s worth keeping an eye on what further changes the Labour Government may bring forward during their time in Parliament.”
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Labour council calls on landlords to help its homelessness problem
Exeter council’s Housing Access Together (HAT) scheme is on the lookout for landlords with available homes.
The Labour-controlled authority says the scheme can play an important role in making sure empty properties in the city are filled with people who need them.
A statement from the council says: “Exeter landlords looking for a good tenant are being urged to take advantage of the service which is completely free and matches landlords with tenants of any type or size of property. The scheme aims to create sustainable tenancies that work for both landlords and tenants.
“The HAT scheme offers a generous incentive package, including up-front cash and no letting agent fees. There is rapid payment processing for deposit and rent in advance, comprehensive suitability and affordability assessments of potential tenants and guidance on legal obligations.
“The council will also carry out Right to Rent checks and supplies the tenancy agreement if required. Landlords maintain full control over who moves into their property and can choose whether to offer a tenancy or not.”
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Housing minister records statement to landlords’ conference
Baroness Taylor, the government spokesperson for housing in the House of Lords, has spoken at the National Residential Landlords Association conference – but only via a pre-recorded message.
She told the conference’s 900 delegates that the passing of the Renters Rights Act into law marks a crucial moment for the private rented sector, describing it as a “truly transformational” reform, and she thanked the association “for the vital role it plays in ensuring these historic changes work for landlords and tenants alike.”
She also acknowledged that the vast majority of landlords already provide good-quality homes and services, adding that the Act will deliver a modern system that works for both parties — ensuring landlords adapt to the removal of Section 21 while enabling them to regain possession of their properties if and when necessary.
She vowed to ensure fair practice in the private rental market by ending rental bidding and rental discrimination.
Association chief executive Ben Beadle adds: “The NRLA conference has proven, once again, to be the highlight of the property year. It was a pleasure to meet with so many of our excellent NRLA members at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool.
“We were delighted to hear from Baroness Taylor acknowledge the NRLA’s hard work in ensuring the Renters’ Rights Act works for landlords and tenants alike. Most of all, the event was a reminder of why we do what we do — to ensure the rental market works efficiently for responsible landlords and tenants.”
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Around 280 investment properties … going, going, gone!
Some 280 investment properties – existing homes, mixed-use schemes and development assets – go under the hammer in two weeks time at the latest auction by Allsop.
The highest value lot in the catalogue is a freehold, partially built, six storey, mixed use development on Ealing Broadway, London, which is guided at £5m+.
Once completed, the building will provide commercial premises and nine residential apartments. The residential accommodation comprises of three one-bed apartments, five two-bed apartments and one three-bed (duplex) apartment. The commercial premises will be arranged over the ground and part of the first floor.
The November auction will be Allsop’s 10th dedicated residential auction of the year, with a total of £426m raised so far this year from residential auctions alone.
Managing partner Richard Adamson says: “This is our 10th residential auction catalogue of the year released only a week after our October sale which realised over £68m. The November catalogue features over 280 lots and will be another two-day sale on 19th & 20th November. There are a number of high quality investment and development opportunities across the country being sold on behalf of housing associations, banks, receivers, administrators, funds, Reits and property companies.”
This article is taken from Landlord Today