Member representation: Consultation responses and position papers
Propertymark position papers
The effectiveness of local authority landlord licensing schemes
Landlord licensing schemes are expanding across England and Wales, bringing increased cost and administration for landlords and letting agents. While intended to raise standards in the private rented sector, inconsistent enforcement and stretched local authority resources raise questions about their effectiveness.
Tackling empty properties
The UK has more than 359,000 homes sitting empty for over six months. Long-term vacancy represents a wasted asset at a time of acute housing need, while also contributing to social decline, increased maintenance costs, and reduced local investment. A more strategic, well-resourced approach is essential to bring empty properties back into use and support thriving, sustainable communities.
Meeting UK house demand, moving beyond the planning system
It has been argued that the existing planning system is no longer fit for purpose, that it is blocking the delivery of new homes. Across the UK, national governments have looked to reform the planning sector—Propertymark explores if this will be enough to build the homes we need.
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.
Read our consultation responses
Housing supply must be at the heart of Government agenda
Propertymark has urged the Senedd’s Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee to make increasing the supply of homes its top priority. Our response to the Committee’s consultation on its future work programme sets out three priorities: delivering more homes across all tenures, sustaining a well-regulated private rented sector, and promoting professionalism and consumer confidence in property agents.
Commonhold will be at the heart of flat ownership reform
The UK Government has set out how it intends to ban the sale of new leasehold flats, expand the legal framework, and improve accessibility to make commonhold the default tenure for flats in both residential and mixed-use developments. Propertymark welcomes efforts to address the entrenched problems in the leasehold system, and we have put forward our recommendations for strengthening the draft legislation, ensuring the role of professional managing agents is recognised and supported, and the sector has adequate time to prepare.
Propertymark urges action on costs, safety, and standards in commonhold reform
The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee is examining whether the Draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill will strengthen the rights of leaseholders and effectively pave the way for commonhold in practice. We’ve provided written evidence, based on feedback from members, which focuses on the areas where change is most urgently needed to support agents and consumers and create a housing market that functions more effectively.
Leasehold property managers could lead the sector on universal qualifications
The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is considering the design of transparency and standardisation measures to be implemented in England and Wales under the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024. In addition, it has outlined new proposals around the fees and charges leaseholders pay, reform of the major works regime, and mandatory qualifications for managing agents.
PRS tenants must not be left behind as social sector raises standards
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities intends to boost standards in social housing by requiring senior managers and executives to have, or be working towards, a relevant qualification. Propertymark has strongly challenged the decision not to extend this requirement to all property agents in the UK, and questioned why private tenants should not expect the same protections as those in the social sector.
Shadow minister and leasehold leader echo Propertymark call for agent regulation
Matthew Pennycook, MP, has put forward an amendment which would lead to implementation of the Regulation of Property Agents working group report within 24 months of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill becoming law, whilst Martin Boyd, Chair of the Leasehold Advisory Service, lent his full support to the statutory regulation of agents, stating that it is ‘simply wrong’ that there are no qualification requirements for private sector property managers.
Solving leasehold injustice could have bigger benefits
The UK Government should take advantage of the momentum in leasehold reform to stamp out ground rents, invigorate property sales, and promote professional management of leasehold property by qualified and regulated agents.
Renters Reform must balance interests of tenants and landlords
Propertymark has submitted written evidence to the Public Bill Committee on the Renters (Reform) Bill, citing data demonstrating the level of concern amongst our members about measures likely to make the PRS increasingly hostile to property owners and the unintended consequences for people in need of homes.
The recognition of professional qualifications and regulation of professions
We highlighted the importance of regulation within the property sector and divergence in rules across the UK in response to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategies consultation.
Overarching Code of Practice for Residential Property Agents
Propertymark has responded to the Overarching Code of Practice for Residential Property Agents consultation, welcoming the proposals, and calling for the Code to be strengthened in four key areas to further support the industry.