Stage 1 scrutiny of the Bill is underway in the Senedd Local Government and Housing Committee, and Propertymark is set to give evidence in person on 9 October. We have also submitted written feedback, outlining how the legislation can be improved to ensure it achieves its aims.

Propertymark has submitted a detailed response to the UK Government consultation based on roundtables and surveys with agents across England. Our engagement shows that most properties managed by our members are already largely compliant. However, the extension of the Decent Homes Standard (DHS) will bring new obligations, particularly around damp and mould, safety measures, and clearer repair thresholds. We support a data-driven, proactive approach to property management that considers tenant experience.

This year, trees across Britain began shedding leaves weeks ahead of schedule. At a glance, it might seem like a charming sign of an early autumn - in reality, it’s a stress response. Propertymark Industry Supplier, Inventory Base, explains why this subtle ecological shift has very real consequences for the lettings sector.

We are proud to renew our support for the annual safety campaign, which is running from 8–14 September 2025. Coordinated by the Gas Safe Register, the week raises awareness of the importance of gas safety and highlights what individuals can do to protect themselves, their clients, and their communities. This year’s theme, “Looking after your home, friends, and family”, emphasises that gas safety is everyone’s responsibility. Agents, landlords, and homeowners can all take small steps which make a big difference in keeping people safe.

The Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee inquiry into housing conditions in England focuses on the proposed extension of the Decent Homes Standard and the application of Awaab’s Law across social housing and the private rented sector (PRS). Evidence gathered from Propertymark members demonstrates why current initiatives do not go far enough to drive up standards or consistently protect tenants. Reforms must be proportionate, backed by strong enforcement, and packaged with meaningful support for agents and their landlords.

Hackney Council is consulting on plans to introduce two new five-year licensing schemes in the private rented sector (PRS) from early 2026, arguing that they will improve standards. Propertymark supports the aim of raising housing standards, but we strongly urge Hackney and other local authorities to rethink their approach. A healthy PRS is fundamental to meeting growing housing demand, and under-resourced licensing schemes too often end up penalising good landlords and agents while allowing poor practice to persist.

A consultation on the Fire Precautions (Tall Residential Buildings) (Jersey) Regulations sets out proposals from Deputy Mary Le Hegarat, the Minister for Justice and Home Affairs, to introduce mandatory fire safety requirements, directly responding to recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 report.

The House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee continues its inquiry into the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) and quizzed Dame Judith Hackitt, Chair of the Building Control Independent Panel (BCIP), who said that the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) will do more to unblock delays and improve collaboration with industry.

Propertymark has submitted a detailed response to the Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Public Administration Committee as part of its call for views on the proposed Building Safety Levy (Scotland) Bill. While we support the principle of improving building safety, we are concerned that the Bill, in its current form, risks worsening Scotland’s housing emergency and unfairly penalising responsible developers.

The UK Government has set a deadline for the removal of unsafe cladding in England and introduced a new Remediation Bill to ensure that building owners will face legal consequences if they do not rectify life-critical fire safety defects in residential buildings over 11 metres in height by the end of 2031.

The Building Safety Levy (England) Regulations 2025 have been laid before Parliament, marking a significant step in the UK Government’s ongoing effort to secure swift remediation of buildings with historical safety defects. Subject to approval, the Levy will be charged to developers and used to pay for the remediation of building safety defects, protecting leaseholders from those costs, and is expected to raise £3.5 billion over ten years.

July 2025 will see the first EICRs expire following the Electrical Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) regulations coming into force in July 2020 for new tenancies and April 2021 for existing tenancies. Approaching expiry dates should be checked to allow time to arrange contractors and inspections, and any follow-up actions should be suitably recorded.

A new Building Safety (Wales) Bill has been introduced in the Senedd that includes wide-ranging reforms to improve the safety of flats and other multi-occupied residential buildings, with guidance expected later this year.

Sweeping changes have been announced in a bid to accelerate housebuilding and clear the backlog of stalled high-rise projects, with updated operational guidance expected in the Autumn alongside further steps to establish the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) as a standalone construction regulator.

Propertymark has welcomed Ofgem’s proposals to improve transparency and implement fair pricing protections for heat network customers, but warns that implementation must consider the operational realities of managing agents and ensure true consumer fairness.