Like every month, Rentila offers you an overview of the main real estate news of interest to landlords and tenants. This month, we focus on: UK house price growth softening but stronger in North; Housing market faces challenges with the Renters’ Rights Bill and oversupply; Mortgage rates rising despite Bank of England interest rate cuts; One in five tenants borrow cash to pay for their deposit; Average London rent soars to £2,243 per month; Tenant awareness of Renters’ Rights Bill remains low… Happy reading and… renting!
Annual house price growth accelerates but rental prices slow
Annual UK house price growth accelerated to reach 4.9% in the year to January 2025, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures.
The annual rate of house price growth increased from 4.6% in the 12 months to December 2024.
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London’s rental market thrives with stable rents and surging tenant activity
London’s rental sector is displaying resilience with consistent tenant demand, robust supply and a notable increase in tenants securing homes.
With average weekly rents climbing slightly to £557 and a 30% surge in renters moving in February, the capital’s lettings landscape remains a dynamic hub for both tenants and landlords.
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UK house price growth softening but stronger in North
“There was no change in prices month-on-month, after taking account of seasonal effects. These price trends are unsurprising, given the end of the stamp duty holiday at the end of March (transactions associated with mortgage approvals made in March, especially toward the end of the month, would be unlikely to complete before the deadline)…”
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UK house prices fell in March
The average price of homes in the UK fell by 0.5% in March, marking a sharper decline compared to the 0.2% drop seen in February, Halifax reports.
It says that the average property value is £296,699, a drop of £1,575 from £298,274 the previous month.
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Housing market losing momentum after expiry of stamp duty break
The UK housing market has softened in recent days, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) UK Residential Property Survey for March 2025 has revealed.
The initial rush to complete sales before the April 1 deadline notably subdued towards the latter end of March, according to respondents.
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How could Trump’s trade war impact the UK property market?
Since early February this year, when Donald Trump first announced his plans for tighter tariffs on foreign imports, there has been a lot of uncertainty surrounding the strength of the global economy.
Fast-forward to April, and Trump’s recent escalation of tariffs has sent shockwaves through global markets and had a significant impact on worldwide economies.
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Housing market faces challenges with the Renters’ Rights Bill and oversupply
The UK’s housing market is navigating turbulent waters as the Renters’ Rights Bill is already sparking unease among landlords, with many contemplating selling up, one index reveals.
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Buy-to-let mortgage rates fall as lenders compete for landlord business
ModaMortgages, Keystone Property Finance and Zephyr Homeloans have all announced rate cuts across their buy-to-let mortgage products, reflecting increased competition among lenders targeting property investors.
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Mortgage rates are higher today than six months ago – despite two Bank of England rate cuts
Homeowners have seen mortgage rates rise since October despite the Bank of England cutting the base rate twice, new exclusive analysis has revealed.
Meanwhile, savers have seen average rates slashed at 2.4 times the pace of the base rate cuts during that time.
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Mortgage rates rising despite Bank of England interest rate cuts
UK homeowners have seen average mortgage rates rise over recent months, despite the Bank of England cutting its base rate twice since October 2024. At the same time, savers have been hit with a steeper return decline, more than double the pace of the base rate reductions.
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Mortgage completions surged 50% in March as buyers rushed to beat stamp duty deadline
The number of mortgage completions in the UK increased by 50% in March as purchasers raced to avoid higher stamp duty payments, according to Barclays. This was even higher among first-time buyers.
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Nationwide cuts rates for first-time buyers and home movers
Nationwide will be reducing rates by up to 0.25 percentage points on selected two, three and five-year fixed rate products across its first-time buyer and home-mover ranges.
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Rent inflation in Liverpool higher than it has ever been
Rent price inflation in Liverpool at the start of this year was higher than it has ever been, according to new ONS data.
Inflation in the average monthly rent has increased every year for the last six years, from 0.0% in January 2019 to 10% in January 2025.
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One in five tenants borrow cash to pay for their deposit
One in five renters are taking out loans to help pay for their five-week cash deposit when moving into a new home, research reveals.
The findings from Reposit show that 6% of tenants have taken out £1,500 or more, while 18% secured sums between £1,000 and £1,500.
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Renters’ Rights Bill will shrink the student rental market
An industry body warns the Renters’ Rights Bill will have huge consequences for students and cause supply to plummet.
Research by Propertymark reveals many student landlords are worried about the abolition of fixed-term tenancies.
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Government launches EPC grants for landlords with rent increase ban
A new funding scheme for energy-efficiency improvements has opened to landlords in England, but landlords will be forced not to raise rents during the EPC works.
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Rental yields strengthen in England and Wales
The average rental yield in England and Wales stands at 7.4%, reflecting an annual rise of 0.3% compared to the same period last year and matches the previous quarter’s figure, one index reveals.
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Rent increases to be capped at 6% under Scottish Government plans
Tenants living in rent control areas would see their rent rise by a maximum of 6% under proposals put forward by ministers at Holyrood.
The Scottish Government has lodged amendments to the Housing (Scotland) Bill, which sets out how rents will be capped in controlled areas.
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Cities where landlords offer the largest immediate rent discounts
Coventry is the frontrunner for the largest reductions in immediate rental costs, offering a substantial 16.7% discount for 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom properties compared to standard ‘anytime’ rentals, research reveals.
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Average London rent soars to £2,243 per month
The average UK monthly private rent rose to £1,332 in the 12 months to March, but in London tenants are paying on average £2,243, the highest in the country.
Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed monthly rents in the private sector rose 7.7% to £1,332 over the 12-month period.
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Should tenants worry more about the Renters’ Rights Bill than landlords?
As many as 50% of agents say that they are concerned about the forthcoming Renters’ Rights Bill, data commissioned by Propertymark revealed earlier this year.
Some agents added that they worry once the Renters’ Rights Bill becomes law that it will add more administrative burdens to letting agents…
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Landlords could save £3.4bn with regular inspections
Letting agents and landlords could unlock annual savings of £3.4 billion by carrying out inspections every THREE months, one firm says.
The study from Inventory Base says this strategy will act as a vital shield, catching small problems before they balloon into hefty bills or regulatory violations.
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Landlords could potentially exploit an eviction loophole in the Renters’ Rights Bill
A critical flaw may have been found in the Renters’ Rights Bill (RRB) which might allow landlords to circumvent the ban on no-fault evictions, one firm says.
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Are you a landlord? These are the costly mistakes you could be making
Landlords are counting the cost of common and costly mistakes, from ill-judged renovations to mis-timed sales, a new survey reveals.
A significant number of buy-to-let investors are regretting decisions that have impacted their profits, according to a research…
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Tenant awareness of Renters’ Rights Bill remains low
Despite the media coverage and calls from tenant activist groups, research reveals that 43% of tenants admit to being ‘slightly aware’ or completely in the dark about the Renters’ Rights Bill.
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Fears that landlords could face another stamp duty hike
There are fears that Chancellor Rachel Reeves might unveil an additional increase to the stamp duty surcharge for second home purchases during her Spring Statement.
During last year’s Autumn Budget, Ms Reeves stunned investors by boosting the stamp duty land tax (SDLT) surcharge from 3% to 5% for those buying additional properties.
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Landlords urged to boost EPC efficiency by 2030
By 2030, ‘it is proposed, but not yet passed into law and under consultation,’ that all rental properties in England and Wales must achieve an EPC rating of C or higher, a move that could slash tenants’ yearly energy costs by approximately £240.
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Big jump in landlords planning to sell up
Just over a third of landlords plan to sell at least some or all their buy-to-let properties, the latest landlord survey from Landbay has revealed.
This is up from 29% in the previous survey, with the biggest reason for doing so being landlord taxation – selected by more than half of those looking to dispose of properties.
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Why the abolition of Section 21 will backfire on tenants
The Renters’ Rights Bill and its mission to abolish Section 21 so called ‘no-fault’ evictions isn’t just a slap in the face of landlords everywhere – it’s a ticking time bomb that will blow up the private rented sector (PRS) and leave landlords and tenants in the rubble.
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Landlords reveal their costliest mistakes
Research has revealed a range of expensive mistakes that landlords make with 19% of them saying that costly renovations that failed to boost property value or rental income is the biggest regret.
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New data ranks UK’s top coastal property investment spots by ROI and climate resilience
As demand for UK coastal properties continues to grow, investors are weighing not only potential returns but also the rising risks posed by climate change. With property prices remaining high and affordability under pressure, understanding the balance between investment viability and long-term resilience is more crucial than ever.
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Homes in England and Wales on the market for an average of 36 days
The latest figures show that 52% of sales are agreed within the first two months of a home being listed, a 3% rise from last year.
Homes in northern regions of England tend to sell faster than homes in southern regions, where prices are higher.
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