News & Market Commentary

Independent property intelligence from our desk.

Market reports, city-level research, policy commentary, tax analysis and transaction data, 227+ articles in our archive.

The Bank Holds at 3.75% in June, and a Summer Mortgage Price War Begins

The Monetary Policy Committee held the base rate at 3.75% on 18 June, with two members now voting to raise. Yet the big lenders are cutting fixed rates into the summer. The two stories are not contradictory. Here is what investors should take from it.

18 June 20262 min readLewis Banks

Read the article

Recent articles

227 articles · 13 categories

Tax & Policy

Stamp Duty in 2026: The Real Cost of the 5% Surcharge on Buy-to-Let

The additional-dwellings stamp duty surcharge sits at 5%, and the nil-rate threshold has reverted to £125,000. Together they have meaningfully raised the entry cost of a buy-to-let. Here is the maths on a typical purchase and how we factor it into returns.

16 June 20262 min

Market Report

House Prices Cooled This Spring: Reading the Latest Index Data

The major house price indices softened through late spring, with monthly falls at Halifax and Nationwide and the biggest June asking-price drop Rightmove has recorded in fourteen years. Modest annual growth remains. Here is how we read a cooling market.

9 June 20262 min

Investment Strategy

2.7 Students for Every Bed: Inside the Student Housing Squeeze

Purpose-built student accommodation is the tightest corner of the UK housing market, with nearly three full-time students competing for every available bed and new supply running at half its pre-pandemic rate. Here is why the imbalance matters and how we approach the sector.

29 May 20262 min

Liverpool

Liverpool's 7.9% Yields Are Leading the North West: Why We Keep Buying Here

Liverpool is posting the strongest gross yields of the major regional cities in 2026, ahead of Birmingham and Manchester. The headline number is not the whole story, but it points to a real structural case. Here is how we read it.

26 May 20262 min

Tax & Policy

EPC C by 2030 Is Confirmed: The Retrofit Maths Every Landlord Needs to Run

Every privately rented home will need an EPC rating of C by October 2030, with non-compliance penalties rising toward £30,000 per property. The methodology is changing too. Here is how to think about the retrofit cost before you buy or hold.

19 May 20262 min

Market Report

The Bank Holds Again: What a Second Straight Hold Means for Buy-to-Let

The Monetary Policy Committee held the base rate at 3.75% in May, the second consecutive hold and the third meeting in a row without a cut. Lenders are still trimming fixed rates regardless. Here is what it means for buy-to-let financing.

12 May 20262 min

Tax & Policy

The Renters' Rights Act Is Live: What Changed on 1 May and What We Are Telling Landlords

Phase one of the Renters' Rights Act took effect on 1 May 2026. Section 21 is gone, fixed terms have converted to periodic tenancies, and rent increases now run on a single annual mechanism. Here is what actually changed and the five things we are asking our landlords to do.

6 May 20262 min

Manchester

Manchester Property Investment 2026: Our Year-Ahead Outlook

What we are seeing on the ground in Manchester in 2026, where price growth is concentrating, which postcodes we are actively buying in and which we are avoiding. A practitioner outlook, not a marketing brochure.

19 April 20262 min

Strategies

Portfolio Exit Strategies: Five Ways to Sell Down a UK BTL Book

Most investors spend 90% of their planning on acquisition. Far fewer have a defined exit. Here are the five routes out of a UK BTL portfolio in 2026, what each costs in tax, and when to use them.

18 April 20264 min

Investment Strategy

Nigerian Investors in UK Property: The 2026 Playbook

Naira devaluation since 2023 has made UK property the default wealth-preservation tool for Lagos-based professionals and the Nigerian diaspora. How to actually execute the FX routing, AML clearance, and acquisition workflow.

18 April 20263 min

Market Report

UK Rental Market Outlook 2026: Where the Yield Hotspots Are

Savills 2026 forecast points to a clear three-city lead on rental growth, with regional markets continuing to dramatically outperform London. Here is where we see the highest-conviction positions.

18 April 20262 min

Tax & Policy

SPV vs Personal Name: A 2026 Tax Comparison with Worked Numbers

A side-by-side comparison of holding a UK buy-to-let in personal name versus a limited company, with a worked example on a £275,000 Manchester apartment at current rates.

17 April 20262 min

Investment Strategy

Where UAE Capital is Flowing into UK Property in 2026

UAE-based investors placed £4.1bn into UK residential property last year, the largest single-decade high. Here is where that capital is going, how the post-corporate-tax regime has changed structuring, and what the smart money is doing differently in 2026.

16 April 20264 min

UK Property Market

Average House Prices Drop In March

Average House Prices Fall this March Halifax reports a sudden March drop in property values. Discover why average house prices fell 0.5% and what this means for your next move. Consequently, the typical property value fell below the critical £300,000 threshold to settle at £299,677. Furthermore, annual price growth eased to just 0.8% across the …

16 April 20264 min

Off Plan

Off-Plan Due Diligence: 22 Questions Every Investor Should Ask

Off-plan purchases carry two risks personal buyers routinely under-price: developer solvency and delivery slippage. The 22-point checklist we use internally before introducing any scheme to clients.

15 April 20262 min

London

East London Housing Growth Trends

East London Housing Market Trends East London housing delivers exceptional house price growth. Smart buyers secure strong returns across these resilient boroughs. Recent data shows property values consistently surging upwards. Indeed, astute investors are closely watching these evolving market trends. Foxtons research indicates that average London house prices grew by 1.4% annually. However, sp…

15 April 20264 min

UK Property Market

Property Investment Market Trends Revealed

Property Investment Market Landscape Shifts Master the property investment market with confidence. Discover how landlords secure high rental yields and adapt quickly. Fleet Mortgages recently recorded a notable 0.7 percent annual increase. Consequently, national average yields hit 8.1 percent this quarter. Therefore, landlords experience highly favourable conditions right now. Undoubtedly, thes…

14 April 20263 min

Free Investment Guide

The 2026 UK Property Investment Guide

5-year growth forecasts for the UK's top 8 rental cities
Full breakdown of buy-to-let yields, running costs and tax
Off-plan vs completed: the 140-deal data comparison
How our clients structure portfolios for limited-company ownership

Next Step

Want these insights in your inbox?

We send one in-depth market commentary per month. No spam, no upsell, unsubscribe any time.

Book a Free Consultation