The UK Government’s Making Tax Digital (MTD) initiative is transforming how taxes are reported and managed, with significant implications for property agents. Self-employed individuals and landlords earning over £50,000 per year must comply with MTD for Income Tax Self-Assessment (ITSA) from 2026, and those earning over £30,000 from April 2027. In her Spring Statement on 26 March 2025, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, MP, announced that the threshold will decrease to £20,000 in 2028.

Eight years after the Grenfell Tower tragedy, which claimed 72 lives, tens of thousands of people remain in unsafe homes, with remediation efforts slow and riddled with uncertainty, according to the new report from the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has delivered her Spring Statement, outlining the UK Government’s plans for housing, planning, and welfare benefits as part of its broader economic strategy. The Statement was framed as a continuation of the government's existing strategy rather than a full Budget, with no major tax changes and only a limited number of new policies aimed at correcting a gap in public finances.

The Scottish Government has launched a technical consultation on proposed changes to lodgement fees and penalty charges as part of its ongoing reform of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs). This follows the publication of the Scottish Government’s response to a 2023 consultation on EPC reform and outlines plans to introduce new EPC regulations in 2025, with enforcement scheduled for 2026.

The Department for Communities (DfC) wants to boost homeownership and support 4,000 households purchasing homes over the next four years. The latest funding will also enable 1,200 new builds to expand the much-needed housing options for first-time buyers.

The £77 million investment in flood protection for 2025-26, is aimed at safeguarding communities from the increasing threat of climate change. Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies MS unveiled the plans in the Senedd, emphasising that the funding comes at a crucial time following severe storms that affected hundreds of properties across Wales.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MCLHG) and the Welsh Government have proposed new regulations overhauling how insurance costs are charged to leaseholders in multi-occupancy buildings, to increase transparency and prevent leaseholders from being overcharged through commissions and hidden fees. While Propertymark supports efforts to ensure fairness for leaseholders, we have warned Ministers that these reforms alone will not bring down insurance premiums; a focus on building safety and insurer confidence is needed to achieve real change.

The Northern Ireland Executive has published a draft Fuel Poverty Strategy with proposals for improving energy efficiency in homes, protecting consumers, and fostering collaboration across sectors. Propertymark supports the key principles but has highlighted critical areas that need further consideration, including achievable timescales, sensible exemptions, and cost caps that reflect property values.

The Scottish Government has launched a review of fire safety regulations following the fatal Cameron House Hotel fire in 2017. Recommendations from the Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) highlighted key safety failings and proposed regulatory changes to prevent similar incidents in the future with a particular focus on traditional buildings converted to be used as hotels.

As widely expected, there was an uplift in activity in the sales market due mainly to the Stamp Duty thresholds changing in April, which will see many homeowners pay more property tax in England and Northern Ireland.

Fraudsters exploited the vulnerabilities in the property transaction system by stealing a homeowner’s identity and using a fake driving license to set up a bank account in his name to facilitate a sale in 2021. After four years, on 11 March 2025, a County Court finally granted the owner full possession of his home.

Propertymark has responded to the UK Government’s consultation on proposals to streamline the infrastructure planning process consultation, highlighting key areas where improvements can be made while ensuring the interests of local communities and property professionals are safeguarded. Importantly, we recommend a stronger emphasis on public approval during the pre-application process to ensure that only well-supported projects move forward quickly.

The Bill aims to modernise the UK's planning system, promoting rapid housing development and infrastructure while balancing environmental sustainability. Members should prepare for a dynamic landscape with new opportunities and responsibilities as these reforms take effect, offering new avenues for growth while necessitating adaptability to regulatory changes and a commitment to sustainable development.

The UK Government has committed to banning the sale of new flats on a leasehold basis and reforming the legal framework for commonhold, so it becomes the default and preferred tenure. It will also become easier for existing leaseholders to convert to commonhold, although the complexities of this may take longer to work out. Few agents in England and Wales have experience with commonhold, as less than 20 developments currently exist, so Propertymark has broken down some key parts of the proposals to help members understand the change.

Harmless plants, including Bindweed and dogwood, are frequently mistaken as Japanese knotweed, leading to unnecessary alarm and potential complications during property transactions, and further education is needed to help with identification.

The UK Government has announced its next steps in a significant programme of reform to property ownership, aiming to abolish the traditional leasehold system and promote commonhold as the standard tenure for flats in England and Wales.