A recent Upper Tribunal decision has underlined the importance of clear management agreements, robust oversight, and accurate licensing checks for landlords and property managers involved with Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) after a landlord was cleared of responsibility for more than £20,000 in fines relating to an unlicensed rental property.

The UK Government has set out further reforms across housing, communities, and local government. Proposals affect leasehold, building safety, social housing, local authority standards, and tourism levies, all of which could impact local housing markets and influence the way councils, owners, agents and residents interact.

The UK Government has set out how it intends to ban the sale of new leasehold flats, expand the legal framework, and improve accessibility to make commonhold the default tenure for flats in both residential and mixed-use developments. Propertymark welcomes efforts to address the entrenched problems in the leasehold system, and we have put forward our recommendations for strengthening the draft legislation, ensuring the role of professional managing agents is recognised and supported, and the sector has adequate time to prepare.

Matthew Pennycook MP stated that leasehold remains a barrier to a fair and efficient property market and confirmed that the UK Government aims to ‘get the job done’ by the end of this Parliament, making commonhold the default tenure for new flats. However, he also stated that reform must be phased to avoid legal, administrative and market disruption — meaning the five million existing leases in England and Wales will not end immediately.

Propertymark has highlighted the challenges property agents face when identifying the hidden influence of Designated Persons in transactions. The Office for Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) is examining how the rules are applied in practice, and we’ve been clear that whilst agents are committed to preventing financial crime, the current expectations are often difficult to meet.

With the Senedd election approaching on 7 May 2026, housing remains a critical issue across Wales. All major parties recognise the need to increase supply and improve affordability, but their approaches differ significantly. The next Welsh Government will need to strike a careful balance between raising standards and maintaining investment, particularly in the private rented sector (PRS).

With the Scottish Parliament election approaching on 7 May 2026, all major political parties have set out their housing priorities. The next Scottish Government will need to strike a careful balance between improving standards and maintaining supply. Policies that focus too heavily on regulation risk reducing investment, while those that prioritise supply must still ensure quality and consumer protection.

Transactions are taking longer than at any point in recent years, creating uncertainty for consumers and placing additional pressure on property agents working to keep chains together. Although market activity is showing some resilience, movers are facing waits of up to 17 weeks to exchange, exposing ongoing inefficiencies in the system.

The UK Government has published draft regulations introducing a new disclosure regime for land agreements that give control over development without transferring ownership. The rules, which will apply in England and Wales, stem from the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 and are expected to come into force on 6 April 2027.

Our response to the Sentencing Council’s consultation on proposed new guidelines was informed by survey responses from members, supporting a more structured, practical and consistent framework for enforcement across the private rented sector, with enough flexibility built in to address different levels of offending.

Property agencies can face a variety of risks in their everyday operations, many of which may lead to liability claims when unexpected incidents occur. Whether supporting staff, handling client interactions, conducting property viewings, or managing office operations, unforeseen events can have considerable impact on the business. A liability claim may result in financial strain, operational disruption and reputational damage. For property agents, understanding these exposures is an important step in managing risk effectively. Gallagher, Propertymark's insurance supplier, shares insight into the risks property agents may face and the types of protection that can help keep businesses resilient.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has announced a new improvement plan to accelerate remediation works on higher-risk buildings (HRBs) across England to tackle ongoing delays in the approvals process. A series of operational changes designed to reduce application backlogs, improve decision times, and support higher-quality submissions from industry have been included.

For over two million non-domestic properties across England, new rateable values have come into effect from 1 April 2026, marking the start of the latest three-year business rates cycle that will run until March 2029 and is expected to have significant implications for commercial property agents, landlords, and tenants navigating changing market conditions.

The Interim Measures Alarm Fund (IMAF) is designed to improve resident safety while reducing the financial burden on leaseholders in buildings awaiting remediation. The fund marks a continuation—and expansion—of efforts to address building safety following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, while also aligning with long-standing industry calls, including Propertymark’s campaigning, for practical and cost-effective interim safety solutions.

Tackling empty homes is a practical and achievable way to increase housing supply without relying solely on new development. By combining stronger local action, targeted incentives, and clearer national direction, governments can unlock the potential of existing housing stock and support more people into secure homes.