The property market remains an attractive target for money laundering because of the value of property assets and the ability to hide ownership through companies, trusts, and overseas structures. An estimated £6.7 billion of UK property was bought with wealth suspected to have come from questionable sources between 2016 and 2022 — yet the National Crime Agency (NCA) reports that the volume of SARs from the property sector remains low.

Sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000 should now be using Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD), and further deadlines in 2027 and 2028 will bring many more agents, property owners, and businesses into the new system. MTD requires affected taxpayers to keep digital records and submit quarterly updates to HMRC using compatible software.

New analysis has shown that the average UK house now costs 1.7 times as much as the average flat, the greatest disparity since records began. The findings underline the growing impact that leasehold complexity, service charges, ground rent, and uncertainty around reform are having on buyer confidence, especially in England and Wales where flats are most sold on a leasehold basis.

From 2031, privately rented non-domestic buildings over 1,000 sqm in England and Wales will be expected to meet EPC B, where it is cost-effective. Buildings below 1,000 sqm are expected to remain as the current minimum EPC E. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DENZ) has stated the changes will only take effect after Parliament has passed secondary legislation.

The next Vice-Presidents for the sales and lettings divisions, alongside a Propertymark Board member re-elected for a second term, have been appointed following the 2026 leadership elections. The results were announced at Propertymark’s AGM on Friday, 19 June 2026, where attendees also heard from the incoming divisional Presidents, Kim Lidbury MARLA and Ian Harris FNAEA MARLA.

Money must be allocated in a practical, properly targeted, and flexible way to work across the country’s varied residential stock. Improving energy efficiency is vital, but it must be achieved in harmony with the protection of housing supply, support for responsible landlords, and warmer, more affordable homes for consumers.

Despite wider economic uncertainty and inflation remaining above target, the housing market continues to demonstrate resilience. Within the rental market, demand continues to significantly outstrip available supply.

Building on the momentum of previous years, we stepped up in scale, ambition and impact, bringing the profession together for a high-energy day of policy insight, practical learning, networking and sector-wide debate. More than a conference, Propertymark One was a meeting point for the profession at a time when agents are navigating significant legislative, economic, and technological change.

Just days after launch, Connect is already creating new business opportunities for members, with more than 2,000 registered users on the platform. Propertymark’s exclusive referral and lead-generation platform enables members to send and receive referrals, valuation requests and instructions through a trusted network of qualified property professionals across the UK and internationally.

The UK Government has ended the Furnished Holiday Lettings (FHL) rules. Since 6 April 2025, all holiday lets are taxed in the same way as normal rental income. This applies across the whole UK and affects anyone running a holiday let, Airbnb-style rental, cottage, annexe, or other short-stay property.

Centre for London has called for a Proportional Property Tax as part of a wider plan to tackle London’s housing crisis. The city not only needs more homes, but also a better way to use, fund, and distribute the homes it already has. Although the report focuses on the capital, many of the pressures it identifies are felt across the UK, including a shortage of social housing, high moving costs, a lack of suitable homes for older people, and barriers to new development.

Launching on 1 June 2026, Connect, a bespoke online platform, links agents through a trusted professional network, helping them send and receive referrals, valuation requests, and instructions across the UK and internationally. Sign up to win more business, create additional income opportunities, and deliver a better service – especially when clients are moving further afield.