You own the property. How much of your week should it own? For many landlords, self-management starts with a manageable list: collect the rent, arrange a repair and answer the occasional question. Then the list grows. An inspection needs rearranging. A contractor needs rearranging. A contractor needs access. A certificate is approaching its renewal date. A tenancy issue requires a decision before the working day has even begun. The real question is not whether these jobs matt

On Thursday 15 October I was at Stoke Town Hall for the Landlords Forum on Renters' Rights, sitting in a room with Stoke-on-Trent City Council, local councillors, the DWP and a group of landlords who actually own and manage homes in this city. It was one of the most useful property events I have attended this year, and not because of the networking. It was because the council told us, plainly, what is coming and how they intend to enforce it. The short answer: Stoke-on-Trent

The short answer: England’s new ‘Register your rental property’ service is due to open on 15 December 2026, beginning in the West Midlands. Landlords of in-scope assured or regulated tenancies will need to register themselves and their let properties by the deadline for each property’s region. The government has announced an annual £65 fee per property, with a pro-rated fee during the rollout. The detail of the registration process is set out in regulations that were still in

Landlord compliance is rarely lost because someone has never heard of a gas certificate or an EICR. It is lost in the gaps: a report expires during a busy re-let, a deposit is protected but the prescribed information is not served, or a portfolio grows faster than its record-keeping system. In 2026, those gaps are more visible. The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 has changed the tenancy framework in England, including the end of new section 21 notices from 1 May 2026. The Register y