The UK Government has used the Labour Party Conference to set out a series of significant housing and property sector reforms, including tougher action against landlords who fail to maintain their properties and confirmation that the regulation of property agents will be introduced. These plans are likely to have far-reaching implications for Propertymark members working across the sales, lettings and property management sectors.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has proposed a new scheme to allow first-time buyers in England to purchase a new-build home with a 2.5% deposit, along with plans to let councils intervene sooner when homes stand empty, and a £210 million package to bring disused high street buildings back into use. Propertymark’s Policy and Campaigns Team is at the Labour Party conference to discuss these announcements directly with MPs and explain how members and their clients could be affected.

Landlords and sole traders already using Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax must send their second quarterly update to HMRC by 7 November 2026. The rules will extend to more people from April 2027, so letting agents can help landlord clients prepare now.

Informed by our engagement with member agents operating in Wales, Propertymark has called on the Senedd’s Finance Committee to ensure the 2027–28 Budget addresses the real financial pressures facing property businesses and the wider housing market. We urge the Welsh Government to prioritise practical action that improves the availability and quality of homes, rather than adding costs or regulation that could reduce supply.

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.

Property agents will remain firmly on the frontline of the fight against economic crime as plans are afoot to strengthen anti-money laundering supervision, improve intelligence sharing and consider changes to the rules covering letting agents.

The UK Government has acknowledged that homeowners may need greater protection from the unreasonable enforcement of restrictive covenants, following concerns raised by MPs over unexpected and potentially significant demands for payments. The move reflects issues Propertymark has highlighted through its long-running campaign for meaningful leasehold reform and greater transparency for property owners.

Sales and lettings activity remained steady in July 2026, with buyer demand increasing and more homes available for sale, although most properties sold below asking price and transactions continued to take longer to complete. In the rental market, demand remained far higher than supply, with rents rising slightly and rental arrears increasing.

To reduce the tax burden on the housing market rather than introduce further changes in isolation, we warn the Scottish Government that plans for two new council tax bands risk adding complexity while doing little to increase revenue.

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy MP, has confirmed that England’s register of short-term and holiday lets (STLs) will be fully operational by March 2027. Scotland and Northern Ireland already operate similar schemes, and Wales is implementing a visitor accommodation register from October 2026. Better data on STLs should help local authorities better understand local housing impacts and support compliance with existing health and safety rules.

Legislation to modernise Scotland’s compulsory purchase system will be brought forward during this parliamentary term, following a consultation in 2025. Propertymark’s views are quoted in the Scottish Government’s published consultation reports, reflecting the value of member insight in shaping reforms that can support housing, regeneration, and infrastructure while protecting the rights of property owners and occupiers.

HM Land Registry will add property and spatial identifiers to its monthly Price Paid Data from 28 August 2026, helping estate agents provide more reliable information to buyers and sellers. Unique Property Reference Numbers (UPRNs) and INSPIRE IDs will be available in separate lookup tables alongside the dataset. The change will make it easier to connect sale prices with other property, address, and location data.

More than 436,000 sole traders and landlords have submitted their first quarterly update under Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. However, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has now begun identifying those who have not yet registered and transferring them to the new system proactively.

The Future Homes and Buildings Standards will introduce new minimum requirements for energy efficiency, low-carbon heating and renewable electricity in new homes and non-domestic buildings in England. For property professionals, the changes will affect the homes coming to market, the systems buyers and tenants need to understand, and the information agents may need to provide about heating, ventilation, solar panels and energy performance.

A first wave of almost £10 billion will support more than 70,000 social and affordable homes across England, with regional mayors gaining greater influence over housing investment and major planning decisions. The UK Government says future funding will prioritise Social Rent and council housebuilding as it works towards delivering the largest council housebuilding programme since the early 1980s.