Member representation: Consultation responses and position papers
Our latest feature
Our position papers
Housing and property agents
Our Councillor briefing pack provides an introduction to Propertymark, our work, the role of property agents and the standards our members adhere to within your local community. It also contains useful questions and areas to consider within the housing sector to support residents.
Improving access to the PRS for welfare-dependent tenants
Includes recommendations on how those dependent on welfare support can have better access to the Private Rented Sector (PRS), and how letting agents and landlords can be supported to improve access to the PRS for other vulnerable groups.
Property agents: the case for regulation
Regulation offers the potential to professionalise the industry, stamp out bad practice, create transparency and give consumers more control over who manages their property. Minimum qualification requirements and statutory Code of Practices to be adhered to by all letting and managing agents in England and sales agents across the UK should be introduced.
The future of home buying and selling
Propertymark’s position paper comes off the back of the renewed efforts to improve the home buying and selling process. In this paper, we have presented the agents’ perspective to ensure that future regulations reflect the evidence our members are seeing on the ground and that future actions respond to the largest challenges affecting the process.
Impact of tax changes on the private rented sector
Using survey data from Propertymark members, and other private and public sector organisations, this position paper highlights the detrimental impact that government decisions since 2015 have had on the tax and financial situation for landlords in the PRS.
Reducing economic crime in the property sector
Purchasing property in the UK is a common method that can be used by serious organised criminals to launder the proceeds of criminal activity. This position paper includes recommendations that the UK Government should include in future legislation as well as other plans and reforms to reduce economic crime.
The Future of Renting
The Future of Renting features our recommendations to the UK Government and its plans to reform the private rented sector in England. We want to help shape and influence the UK Government’s Renters’ Reforms White Paper which is due to be released in 2022.
Read through our consultation responses
England's land must work harder and more flexibly for a secure future
A major consultation for a new Land Use Framework aims to balance the need for 1.5 million new homes, expansion of energy infrastructure, and the creation of new towns, alongside the protection of the environment and the transition to a low-carbon economy. Propertymark supports a balanced approach to changes in land use, however, we believe the UK Government has significantly underestimated the land required for residential development.
UK Government pursues stronger powers to tackle tax non-compliance
Plans are afoot to strengthen HMRC (HM Revenue and Customs) to act quickly and robustly against professional tax advisers who help clients avoid paying the correct tax. Propertymark welcomes this because it aligns with our calls to the Treasury, and we support HMRC’s ambition to ensure the financial sector upholds the highest standards and integrity of the tax system.
Housing is the foundation that's needed to get Britain working
Propertymark urges the UK Government to make access to housing a central part of its welfare system reform. Without suitable affordable housing options, it will be much harder to address other barriers to work, such as improving physical and mental health or engagement with education and training. Proposals in the Pathways to Work Green Paper will overhaul the existing system and introduce new initiatives, including unemployment insurance, to create sustainable health and disability benefits and employment support.
Modernised planning committees will still need more planning officers
The UK Government has published proposals to reform planning committees in England as part of its broader planning reform agenda, setting out significant changes that could affect how planning decisions are made locally. Propertymark supports reform to improve the consistency and speed of decisions but warns that the current proposals may miss the mark, especially around delegation and local flexibility.
Crime and Policing Bill offers new tools to address anti-social behaviour
Propertymark has submitted a response to the House of Commons Public Bill Committee's call for evidence on the Bill, focusing on key areas that affect the property sector, particularly anti-social behaviour (ASB) and the protection of vulnerable tenants from exploitation such as cuckooing and county lines activity. Our key message is clear: no matter how strong the tools , they will only work if landlords and property agents are informed and engaged in the implementation.
The CMA takes up the reins of consumer enforcement on 6 April, but what does it mean for property agents?
The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCC), which passed into law on 24 May 2024, contains provisions to prohibit unfair commercial practices, replacing and updating the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (the 2008 regulations). The legislation hands direct enforcement powers to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), giving them the authority to act on breaches of consumer protection rules, including requirements for providing material information.
Reform of EPC fees must balance costs with benefits
The Scottish Government has launched a technical consultation on proposed changes to lodgement fees and penalty charges as part of its ongoing reform of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs). This follows the publication of the Scottish Government’s response to a 2023 consultation on EPC reform and outlines plans to introduce new EPC regulations in 2025, with enforcement scheduled for 2026.
Leasehold insurance reforms must tackle root causes
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MCLHG) and the Welsh Government have proposed new regulations overhauling how insurance costs are charged to leaseholders in multi-occupancy buildings, to increase transparency and prevent leaseholders from being overcharged through commissions and hidden fees. While Propertymark supports efforts to ensure fairness for leaseholders, we have warned Ministers that these reforms alone will not bring down insurance premiums; a focus on building safety and insurer confidence is needed to achieve real change.
Protections from debt recovery should be reserved for those most in need
The Scottish Government is consulting on the process for a Mental Health Moratorium designed to give people with severe mental health conditions respite from debt recovery action, including rent arrears. Propertymark supports the proposals with recommendations to ensure the scheme works effectively in practice and recognises the rights of landlords.
Propertymark calls for realistic, fair, and effective action of fuel poverty
The Northern Ireland Executive has published a draft Fuel Poverty Strategy with proposals for improving energy efficiency in homes, protecting consumers, and fostering collaboration across sectors. Propertymark supports the key principles but has highlighted critical areas that need further consideration, including achievable timescales, sensible exemptions, and cost caps that reflect property values.
Maximising fire safety relies on effective support and enforcement for property owners
The Scottish Government has launched a review of fire safety regulations following the fatal Cameron House Hotel fire in 2017. Recommendations from the Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) highlighted key safety failings and proposed regulatory changes to prevent similar incidents in the future with a particular focus on traditional buildings converted to be used as hotels.
Local support must be integral to speedier planning decisions
Propertymark has responded to the UK Government’s consultation on proposals to streamline the infrastructure planning process consultation, highlighting key areas where improvements can be made while ensuring the interests of local communities and property professionals are safeguarded. Importantly, we recommend a stronger emphasis on public approval during the pre-application process to ensure that only well-supported projects move forward quickly.