In the high-stakes world of UK property investment, it often feels like a defensive game against a relentless tide of regulation and taxation. But what happens when the players change the rules? The recent, landmark victory against the Valuation Office Agency’s (VOA) disastrous policy of charging council tax “by the room” for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) is more than just a win; it’s a seismic shift in the landlord-regulator relationship. This was not a concession han