The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy MP, has confirmed that England’s register of short-term and holiday lets (STLs) will be fully operational by March 2027. Scotland and Northern Ireland already operate similar schemes, and Wales is implementing a visitor accommodation register from October 2026. Better data on STLs should help local authorities better understand local housing impacts and support compliance with existing health and safety rules.

Legislation to modernise Scotland’s compulsory purchase system will be brought forward during this parliamentary term, following a consultation in 2025. Propertymark’s views are quoted in the Scottish Government’s published consultation reports, reflecting the value of member insight in shaping reforms that can support housing, regeneration, and infrastructure while protecting the rights of property owners and occupiers.

The Law Commission’s latest proposals aim to make business tenancy renewals clearer, quicker, and better suited to the modern commercial property market. While we welcome most of the proposed changes, we have highlighted important caveats where caution is needed to prevent a rise in disputes and to ensure that all parties have adequate protections.

HM Land Registry will add property and spatial identifiers to its monthly Price Paid Data from 28 August 2026, helping estate agents provide more reliable information to buyers and sellers. Unique Property Reference Numbers (UPRNs) and INSPIRE IDs will be available in separate lookup tables alongside the dataset. The change will make it easier to connect sale prices with other property, address, and location data.

More than 436,000 sole traders and landlords have submitted their first quarterly update under Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. However, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has now begun identifying those who have not yet registered and transferring them to the new system proactively.

The Future Homes and Buildings Standards will introduce new minimum requirements for energy efficiency, low-carbon heating and renewable electricity in new homes and non-domestic buildings in England. For property professionals, the changes will affect the homes coming to market, the systems buyers and tenants need to understand, and the information agents may need to provide about heating, ventilation, solar panels and energy performance.

Propertymark has urged the UK Government to ensure that reforms to the building lifecycle support property agents, improve the home-moving process, and give consumers confidence that building work has been completed properly. Our members work closely with other professionals throughout the life of a building, and we have highlighted how consistent standards, clear responsibilities, and reliable records would help agents provide a better service to sellers, buyers, landlords, tenants, and leaseholders.

The proportion of owner-occupiers has changed little over the past decade and remains below its 2003 peak, while high prices, large deposits, and a weak development pipeline continue to restrict access for first-time buyers and suppress mobility for those already on the property ladder. New planning rules may help, but government and industry evidence supports Propertymark’s position that wider reform is needed across housebuilding and the buying and selling process to restore adequate supply and revitalise the market.

The first phase of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 has been in force since 1 May 2026, but local regulation is continuing to develop alongside it. Councils across England are consulting on new selective licensing schemes and planning controls for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), creating further checks, costs, and responsibilities for agents and landlords.

Cyber crime incidents can impact property businesses of all sizes. A lack of cyber security can leave firms vulnerable to substantial losses and the impact can be huge and long lasting. Even using third-party hosting companies or sites doesn't remove the risk of exposure to crime and subsequent liabilities. Propertymark industry supplier, Gallagher, explains the steps property agents can take to prevent and manage risk.

Revenue Scotland has refreshed its guidance on how Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) applies to leases. The update does not introduce new tax rules but provides a useful reminder that further returns may be required when a lease is reviewed, varied, assigned or ended. By treating LBTT as an ongoing responsibility, rather than a one-off task at the start of a lease, property professionals can support compliance by building tax prompts into their lease processes.

Commercial property agents handling telecommunications sites in England and Wales should note a change to where disputes under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 are decided. From 30 July 2026, certain disputes fall within the jurisdiction of the First-tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal, rather than the courts.

The UK Government is seeking evidence on whether a small group of residential leases, known as quid pro quo arrangements, should be exempt from its proposed annual ground rent cap. The Draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill, which is due to be introduced to Parliament in autumn 2026, will cap ground rents on most existing residential long leases at £250, before reducing them to a peppercorn—effectively zero—after 40 years. However, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is considering different treatment for specific cases.

Two linked announcements are intended to reduce unnecessary delay, complexity and cost within England’s higher-risk building regime. One will change how occupied buildings are assessed, while the other could allow a wider range of urgent safety work to proceed without prior approval.

Legislation is being prepared that could reshape the private rented sector in Wales. Propertymark is already engaging with Welsh Government Ministers and officials to ensure that new duties are proportionate, evidence-based, and achievable for agents.