Property industry news

Propertymark has provided the Welsh Government with clear evidence on how short-term and holiday lets affect housing supply, communities and the work of property agents in response to the latest plans for the regulation of self-catering visitor accommodation.

The Sentencing Council has launched a 12-week public consultation on new sentencing guidelines for housing offences, including unlawful eviction, unlawful harassment, Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and housing standards breaches. For property agents, the proposals underline the importance of compliance, record-keeping and professional standards and present a clear opportunity to influence how the guidance is shaped.

Insight shows a market that remains resilient but measured, with steady new listings, slightly softer sales, and easing inflation, offering cautious optimism. While buyer conditions show signs of balance, demand in the rental market continues to outstrip supply, keeping affordability pressures firmly in focus.

The private rented sector (PRS) is being reshaped by changing motivations and new financial pressures, which help explain the structural changes behind shrinking stock levels, higher churn, and new expectations around compliance and profitability. For agents, these insights help develop and position services to effectively address the needs of their clients in a shifting market.

The Property Ombudsman (TPO) has issued new guidance in responding to growing concern about the prevalence of aggressive practices in the home-buying process, empowering buyers to recognise and challenge unfair practices. With complaints on the rise and increased scrutiny from redress schemes and Trading Standards, estate agents should take time to review their processes, staff training and messaging to ensure compliance.

Despite a multi-year commitment to affordable housing supply and increased investment in acquisitions and homelessness prevention, it is surprising that the Scottish Government is yet again failing to tackle the housing emergency, and the Budget misses an important opportunity to address the growing tax burden on housing. At a time of acute housing pressure, Scotland needs policies that encourage mobility and investment across all tenures.

Following the success of the Class of 25 initiative, The Propertymark Trust has opened its 2026 bursary programme, offering vital financial support to individuals working towards industry qualifications. Promoting professionalism and supporting access to education for people who would otherwise struggle to meet the costs of training, membership and assessment sits at the heart of the Trust’s work.

Formal regulation marks a major shift in how these systems are overseen and how consumers are protected. For property agents, this change is important because it will affect how heat networks are operated, what information consumers must receive, and how agents advise clients and market properties connected to networks. Hundreds of thousands of homes, particularly in blocks of flats and new developments, are already connected, and their use is expected to grow as part of the UK’s decarbonisation plans.

Fresh analysis shows that there are fewer homes available in 14 Scottish local authority areas than in 2022, despite the introduction of rent control measures. Propertymark has consistently warned that restricting rents without tackling supply and costs can create unintended consequences for tenants, landlords and the agents supporting them.

The Department for Communities (DfC) plans to extend notice- to-quit periods for tenants who live in homes for longer periods to provide greater stability; however, this goal must be balanced with a structured and predictable framework for letting agents and landlords.

The Scottish Government has introduced legislation which will amend the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024, giving councils more flexibility in how they design and run local schemes. This sits alongside the existing timetable for visitor levies to start from spring/summer 2026, with Edinburgh already committed to introducing a 5% levy on overnight stays from 24 July 2026.

Head of Policy and Campaigns, Timothy Douglas, has followed up our written submission to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee inquiry into housing affordability with in-person evidence on 6 January 2026. Our evidence reinforces the need for a joined-up approach to affordability which considers housing supply, rental market pressures, financial products, taxation, and consumer costs together.