If you’re keeping an eye on the latest developments in the UK property market, several recent news stories highlight changes affecting landlords, homeowners and buyers. These include proposed housing standards in the private rented sector, areas seeing notable price movement, published market outlooks, and planned reforms to leasehold law.
The Decent Homes Standard – what landlords need to know
The government is pressing ahead with its targets for a Decent Homes Standard (DHS) across the private rented sector, explained Landlord Today recently. That initiative requires that by 2035, all homes in the private rented sector must meet five essential criteria:
1. Free from hazards
To meet the DHS rules, all homes must be free from any faults designated as Category 1 hazards under the currently updated Housing, Health, and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) operated by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).
2. Free from disrepair
All homes in the private rented sector will have to be free from key aspects of disrepair (such as the roof, windows, walls, and doors) and will fail DHS tests if two or more other aspects are in a state of disrepair.
3. Facilities and windows safety
All homes must have a usable bathroom, toilet, and kitchen, be soundproofed whenever necessary, and have childproof window catches if there is any risk of falls.
4. Heating
There must be heating systems (that tenants can control) that can heat every room in the rented property; and
5. Mould and damp
Homes must be free from mould and damp – achieving HHSRS standards that also comply with Awaab’s Law.
House price hotspots and predictions
The online listings website Rightmove has published a list of the top ten property hotspots (those with the biggest price change) last year:
- Hawick, Scotland – 18% increase in average prices to £148,663;
- Durham, NE England – 15% – £251,339;
- Stannington, Yorkshire and The Humber – 12% – £264,078
- Anfield, NW England – 11% – £132,178;
- Benton, NE England – 11% – £231,693;
- Johnstone, Scotland – 11% – £156,107;
- Anlaby, Yorkshire and The Humber – 10% – £256,305;
- Saffron Walden, East of England – 10% – £523,787;
- Seacroft, Yorkshire and The Humber – 9% – £218,893;
- Orkney Islands, Scotland – 9% – £215,546.
The current national average house price is £368,031.
Rightmove also recently published its predictions for the movement in house prices during 2026.
According to the listings website, the UK housing market looks set to improve this year, with advertised prices rising by around 2% by the end of 2026.
Regional variations will, of course, significantly affect the degree to which the housing market proves favourable to buyers. While starting out relatively lower in price, for instance, homes in Scotland, Wales, and Northern England will end up seeing stronger rates of growth. Prices in London, on the other hand, are expected to lag behind.
What is ground rent, and how are leasehold rules changing?
In a recent article the BBC explained the concept of leasehold housing and promises by the government to overhaul the current system.
It explained that a leaseholder simply owns the right to occupy a dwelling for a certain number of years, but that the land on which it is built continues to be owned by the freeholder. The leaseholder typically pays a ground rent to the freeholder.
There are currently some five million leasehold properties in the UK – seven out of every ten of them are flats.
In the shakeup proposed by the government, the maximum ground rent that can be charged by the freeholder will be limited to £250 a year (the average rate is currently £304) and, over the next 40 years, will fall to zero. Leasehold arrangements will be banned for any new dwellings.
The government anticipates that the necessary changes to the legislation on leaseholds will take effect from late 2028.
