Propertymark One arrived at a time of great uncertainty for agents and landlords alike, which is why it was so useful and reassuring to hear from property professionals. The common thread that linked every talk was the Renters’ Rights Bill, which continues to dominate the headlines, poised to turn the rental sector on its head.
Fixflo attended the presentations held throughout the day to hear what the biggest issues and opportunities are in the industry in this tumultuous time.
Over 40% of landlords don’t know what the Renters’ Rights Bill contains
Colleen Babcock, Head of Partner Marketing at Rightmove, came armed with statistics and research into current market trends. For example, from 2019 to 2025, supply of rental properties stayed consistent at 33%, while the demand rose by 10%, signifying an undersupply in the rental market.
The Renters’ Rights Bill is an opportunity for letting agents, as:
- 51% of landlords are fully aware of it and its key elements.
- 43% have heard of it but don’t know much about it.
- 6% are completely unaware of it.
What do landlords want to know about the Renters’ Rights Bill?
- 57% want clear timelines for when each proposed change will take effect.
- 45% want detailed information on new legal requirements.
The currency of the market will no longer be about who pays the most but the amount of time the tenants intend to stay
Alex Jeffery (Head of Litigation at Bright Solicitors), Sophie Lang (Director at Lang Llewellyn & Co) and Paul Shamplina (Founder of Landlord Action) discussed the Renters’ Rights Bill and what it could mean for agents and landlords.
Paul stated he doesn’t think there will be many wins with the Bill. He explained that the new Section 8 grounds are not extensive enough, with not enough mandatory grounds being put in place.
The court system is struggling with a lack of high court enforcement officers, meaning everything is slowed. The new norm for rent arrears is one year for enforcement, with having to give 21 days notice, transfer to high court, and get the judge’s discretion taking longer than usual.
While it used to take seconds to grant possession on a Section 21 claim, it now takes as much as 15 to 20 minutes for officials to complete. Shamplina said 31,000 Section 21 claims were issued in 2024, which is why more resources are needed for the court system.
Sophie has been encouraging landlords to implement Section 21 where needed in a “use it before you lose it” mentality. However, her biggest qualm was the gap in student accommodation. She explained that the Bill fails students in more ways than one. Landlords are already beginning to sell up HMOs because of the expected void periods as a result of the abolition of fixed-term tenancies. Otherwise, landlords will likely have to hike up rents to cover these periods, which will have a knock-on effect for vulnerable students.
It’s not all doom and gloom, though. The panellists agreed: agents need to stop underselling themselves. The Bill will only strengthen their positions in the rental sector, so they need to make it clear to landlords that they are there to protect them.
How should agents prepare for the shift away from Section 21 and fixed-term tenancies?
- Get knowledge up.
- Analyse current processes.
- Futureproof your business.
- Educate clients on what’s to come.
- Study your terms of business.
- Focus on tenants (tenant anxiety is through the roof as they, on average, pay 35-40% of their wage into their rent).
What are the main changes to expect?
- The currency of the market will no longer be who pays the most but the amount of time the tenants intend to stay.
- Rent arrears will go up.
- Tenants are more likely to be asked to leave as a result of the landlord selling up.
- Less furnished housing to avoid abuses of short-term letting.
- Rent to rent will likely diminish.
Chancellor’s Spending Review earmarks £39 billion investment over next 10 years for social housing
Daisy McAndrew, a political journalist known for her work across TV, radio and print, presented to the conference her observations on the politics side of things.
Just the same week as Daisy’s talk, the Chancellor announced the Spending Review. This details the Government’s spending plans, with housing being one of the sectors included. Approximately £39 billion will be invested into the Affordable Homes Programme, which includes social housing.
The Government committed £100m for homelessness prevention and £2.5bn in low-interest loans for social housing providers to support housebuilding.
Also announced was funding for the Warm Homes Plan, a consultation on how to introduce rent convergence, and equal access for social landlords to building safety remediation funding.
With Labour’s promise of 1.5 million homes to be built by 2030, how are they getting on?
- 129,000 houses are projected to be built across the next year.
- Housing associations can barely afford what’s currently on the market, let alone building more, Daisy explained.
- With the construction industry facing a mass exodus and a bottleneck in planning with the lack of officers, it is unlikely the Government will hit its target.
- Daisy estimated they would reach a total of around 1.1 to 1.2 million by 2030.
Final thoughts
The property landscape is undergoing profound change, with the Renters' Rights Bill at its centre. While some aspects may lead to an exodus of landlords and increased pressure on existing stock, property professionals collectively emphasised that proactive, knowledgeable, and client-centric letting agents are best placed not only to navigate these turbulent waters but to emerge stronger, providing essential expertise and reassurance to both landlords and tenants alike.
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