GLM Blog
Explore expert insight and different perspectives from GLM and guest contributors as they share their views on the trends, challenges and opportunities shaping today’s property sector.
Yesterday the government published guidance on the Register Your Property Service as it will be known.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published the guidance to assist landlords, letting agents and third parties registering on behalf of landlords navigate the new service and understand what actions they need to take.
Here are some key questions and answers for agents and property managers.
Do Letting Agents and Property Managers have to use the service?
No. Helping landlords register is optional. At launch, the service will let your team enter some property details for a landlord and keep them up to date.
Yesterday the government published guidance on the Register Your Property Service as it will be known.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published the guidance to assist landlords, letting agents and third parties registering on behalf of landlords navigate the new service and understand what actions they need to take.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government will also publish guidance for local councils.
Additional information – and all the deadlines - can be found the dedicated website https://lnkd.in/eQWUU_tK
Guidance for Landlords - https://lnkd.in/ezkZHcae
Guidance for Letting Agents & Property Managers - https://lnkd.in/e5X_qukM
Guidance for Third Parties - https://lnkd.in/eu9DpYaY
Almost six months after Phase 1 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 came into force, enforcement is no longer a future concern. An agent has been fined for breaching the Act and councils across England are now publishing their enforcement policies, setting out exactly what they will be looking for and what breaches will cost landlords and letting agents.
For letting agents, the message is clear, a routine slip - error - omission - repeated across dozens of tenancies, for example, property details, a referencing question that has not been reviewed or a notice template that pre-dates 1st May 2026.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) published a consultation on extending Awaab's Law to private rented sector tenancies and to certain types of accommodation occupied under licence.
Awaab's Law was introduced in social housing sector in October 2025 and requires social landlords to investigate and address hazards such as damp and mould within set timescales. The consultation will use these existing social housing requirements as its starting point, however, it recognises that there are significant differences between the social and private rented sectors and seeks views and evidence on whether the same requirements would work effectively in the private rented sector, or whether modifications are needed to achieve the best outcomes.
Following a TLIC meeting last week, Theresa Wallace has asked us to share an opportunity for letting agents to trial the Government's Register Your Property Service as part of the Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database private beta.
The PRS Database team at MHCLG have advised that the most effective way for letting agents to provide feedback on the service is to participate in the private beta.
Most letting agency offices close at 5.30pm, but properties do not. Boilers break down on Friday evenings, keys get lost at midnight and pipes burst on Christmas Day. How an agency handles those moments says a great deal about the quality of its service, and as winter approaches, now is the ideal time to review your out-of-hours arrangements.
Be clear about what counts as an emergency
One of the biggest sources of frustration for tenants and agents alike is uncertainty over what warrants an out-of-hours call. If tenants are unsure, some will call about minor issues at 2am, while others will sit through a genuine emergency because they do not want to cause a fuss. Neither outcome is good for the property or the relationship.
The UK Government has published its Anti-Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Strategy 2026 to 2029. Its aim is simple - to make it harder for criminals to hide and use money gained from crimes committed.
The government is investing £550 million in the strategy over the next three years. It is built around three key objectives: -
Target - focus efforts where the risk is highest, rather than on low-risk activity.
Integrate - help government organisations share information more effectively.
Empower - give those dealing with law enforcement better tools, skills and powers.
Ewan Somerville - Political reporter - BBC
Labour Party Conference - 29th September 2026
Leaseholders will be given extra protections from "cowboy" property agents and hidden fees, Angela Rayner has announced.
The housing secretary told Labour's annual conference the government would legislate for a new independent regulator and launch a consultation to cap "rip off" administrative fees.
Possession proceedings in England and Wales are moving online. A new digital court service is being launched in stages, and while most private landlords and their agents are unlikely to use the service, the direction of travel is clear. PCOL already exists but only for claims that relate to rent arrears or breach of a mortgage agreement.
What has changed?
The Online Procedure Rules 2026 came into force on 7th September 2026 with the introduction of a separate set of court rules for cases run online, sitting alongside the Civil Procedure Rules rather than within them. Possession claims are the first type of case to be brought under the new rules.
The Letting Industry Council (TLIC) co-founded by Theresa Wallace and Kate Faulkner OBE comprises of lettings experts from across the industry, professional bodies, deposit schemes, service providers for both landlords and tenants, and representatives from large and small lettings agents. Government advisors also proactively attend the meetings enabling two-way feedback on current issues.
Members are united by their desire to help standards rise across lettings and this wide group represents the views of all parties in the PRS.
The Renters' Rights Act represents the biggest change to the private rented sector in a generation. Much of the commentary since implementation began has focused on landlords leaving the market, but it is important to look past the headlines and look at letting agents and property managers who can offer landlords the expertise, structure and reassurance the new rules demand.
Published by the Government
This winter we’re rolling out the ‘Register your rental property’ service, as part of the second phase of Renters’ Rights Act implementation.
If you’re a landlord of an assured or regulated tenancy, then you must register yourself and each of your properties through the service.
You won’t need to register on the service if you’re a landlord of supported exempt accommodation as set out in the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023. You can see whether this applies to you by checking Section 12 of the Act.
There’s an annual £65 registration fee per property, and you’ll need to renew your registration each year. If you don’t register your properties, then you risk being fined. Offline registration routes will be available for landlords who need them.
Press Release
The Guild of Letting & Management Limited (GLM) supports Gas Safety Week 2026 and urges people to “Take No Chances” with gas safety
Gas Safety Week takes place from 14th–20th September 2026, bringing together organisations, businesses, community groups and Gas Safe registered engineers across the UK to help keep the nation gas safe.
As a supporter of this year’s campaign, GLM is taking part by sharing gas safety advice with letting agents, posting campaign content on social media, reminding landlords to book an annual gas safety check.
Even though summer has consisted of heatwave after heatwave, it’s important for landlords to start thinking about heating supply, appliances and installations in their rental properties.
Timing this article around Gas Safety Week (14th - 20th September 2026) is no accident. Coordinated annually by the Gas Safe Register, the campaign brings the gas industry, landlords, letting agents and consumer bodies together to reinforce one message - every check counts.
As the Autumn approaches, letting agents, landlords and most important of all, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) are preparing for the second phase of the Renters’ Rights Act. It is the Private Rented Sector Database - to be known as “Register Your Rental Property” which has created a stir since the Conservative government announced all landlords in England would be required to register their rental properties on a database.
Starting 1st September 2025., MHCLG will be starting a pilot of the database in Birmingham, Gateshead and Nottingham. The pilot will involve completing a 3-part registration process which includes providing personal details, property details and compliance information (e.g. Gas safety certificates). The data provided will be viewed by local council enforcement officers but won’t be used for enforcement purposes.
As the UK braces itself for its fifth heatwave of the year, with possible temperatures of 36C, it’s important to note the impact this extreme weather has had on industries where a dress code is the norm. The focus for the purpose of this blog is the property sector, but it applies to paramedics, the fire service, people working in construction, police officers, barristers, refuse collectors - the list could go on and on. In short, the UK is not used to extreme weather conditions and the heatwaves this year have proven that fact.
Since 1 May 2026, Section 13 (Form 4A) of the Housing Act 1988 (Amended) has become the only mechanism for increasing rent on an assured periodic tenancy in England. Rent review clauses, informal agreements, and the pressure of a tenancy renewal have all been swept away, and letting agents managing rent reviews now need a considerably more disciplined process than many were used to under the old fixed-term system.
In June 2022, Michael Gove the then Secretary of State made the following statement:- “Everyone has a right to a decent home. No one should be condemned to live in properties that are inadequately heated, unsafe, or unhealthy. Yet more than 2.8 million of our fellow citizens are paying to live in homes that are not fit for the 21st century. Tackling this is critical to our mission to level up the country. The reality today is that far too many renters are living in damp, dangerous, cold homes, powerless to put things right, and with the threat of sudden eviction hanging over them. They’re often frightened to raise a complaint. If they do, there is no guarantee that they won’t be penalised for it, that their rent won’t shoot up as a result, or that they won’t be hit with a Section 21 notice asking them to leave. This government is determined to tackle these injustices by offering a New Deal to those living in the Private Rented Sector; one with quality, affordability, and fairness at its heart.”
The Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR) measures private rent inflation for new and existing tenancies. The UK House Price Index (HPI) measures house price inflation.
England
Average monthly rent for England was £1,446 in June 2026, up by 3.4% (£47) from a year earlier. This annual rise was unchanged in the 12 months to May 2026 (3.4%).
On 1st May 2026, Phase 1 of the Renters' Rights Act came into force – the most significant overhaul of the private rented sector since the Housing Act 1988 (Amended). Assured Shorthold Tenancies gave way to periodic agreements, Section 21 was abolished, Section 8 became the only notice landlords can rely on to obtain possession and Section 13 the only lawful route to increase rent; rent in advanced has been limited to one monthly payment; landlords are not able to accept offers above the advertised asking price; there is no rent control or caps on rent increases, and rents can be increased in line with market rent; joint tenants can serve notice to bring the tenancy to an end without consulting with their co-tenants.
The first phase of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 came into force on 1st May 2026, marking one of the most significant historical changes to possession proceedings since the introduction of assured and assured shorthold tenancies under the Housing Act 1988 (Amended).
The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee has published correspondence from Matthew Pennycook, Minister of State for Housing and Planning, which states that the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government will be unable to issue a response to the Committee’s report before the two-month deadline of 27 July 2026.
It is doubtful that anyone is surprised that Angela Rayner MP has been bought back into the fray and is back in post at Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government - civil servants welcomed her back and put her official portrait back where it once was little over 10 months ago. There are many schools of thought that feel aggrieved given the alleged misunderstanding over the payment of Stamp Duty, however, there is a job to be done - she knows how the land lies - she is more than familiar with the department and Matthew Pennycook is forging ahead with ensuring the Labour Manifesto for Housing is well and truly adhered to.
As the UK experiences more frequent and more prolonged periods of extreme heat, landlords and letting agents are increasingly having to think seriously about how well their properties perform in warm weather — something that has traditionally received far less attention than winter preparedness. Where a burst pipe or a failed boiler was once the typical emergency call, an unbearably hot flat in July is now just as likely to prompt an anxious message from a tenant, and agencies that treat heat as a genuine housing condition issue, rather than simply “the weather”, tend to manage the summer season considerably more smoothly.
On 20 July 2026, Andy Burnham was appointed Prime Minister after being elected unopposed as Labour leader following Sir Keir Starmer's resignation. It is a change of leader rather than a change of governing party — there has been no general election. But for an agency built around the private rented sector, a change of Prime Minister with as long and as specific a housing track record as Andy Burnham's is not a footnote. It is worth understanding properly, both for what is unlikely to change.
Summer holidays, longer daylight hours and warmer weather tends to bring an increase in noise-related complaints, particularly in flats, apartments and properties with gardens. Handling these fairly and consistently, matters more than ever now that landlords must rely on Section 8 (Form 3A) should they wish to end a tenancy.
On 17th July 2026, we welcomed members to our latest webinar, continuing a programme that has become one of the most valuable ways we keep our clients informed, answer questions and provide practical guidance during periods of legislative change.
What began as a response to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic has evolved into an established benefit, helping professionals stay informed and prepared as the regulatory landscape continues to change.
The Renters’ Rights Act (RRA) highlighted the provision for tenants to challenge a rent increase something tenants have been able to do for very long time but the emphasis on this process has never been as significant as it has been since July 2025.
It is important to remember that the legislation has two sides of the same coin, like landlords, tenants must also adhere to the rules set out in line within the RRA. For example, they must meet time-frames, follow clear processes and provide information to support their case when applying to the First-tier Tribunal.
As temperatures soar during the summer months, so too does pest activity. Heatwaves create ideal conditions for insects and rodents, resulting in a noticeable increase in reports of ants, flies, wasps, rodents and other unwelcome visitors finding their way into rental homes.
Whilst many pest issues are relatively straightforward to resolve, they can quickly become probelmatic if it is unclear who is responsible for dealing with them. This is where a well-drafted tenancy agreement, supported by good communication between landlord and tenant, becomes invaluable.
In 2018, the Regulation of Property Agents (RoPA) working group Chaired by Lord Best examined the options for raising standards across the property agent sector.
The working group made recommendations on:
a model for an independent property-agent regulator
a single, mandatory Code of Practice for property agents
minimum entry qualifications and continuing professional development for property agents
clarifying processes and charges for leaseholders