Welcome to our first Newsround for September where we find no shortage of housing news this week.
Landlords’ request for a guarantor increases
An interesting report claims that more than half of all landlords are now requesting a guarantor if the tenants’ affordability checks are not easily met, where previously they would have taken more than one month’s rent upfront and now cannot due to the Renters’ Rights Act.
51% of tenants say they would seek a cheaper property if they were asked to provide a guarantor and 16% would stop looking for a property. LRG, a lettings agent, said that there is ‘a significant gap in awareness’ of what is available for tenants if they are asked to provide a guarantor.
Here at Landlord Law we have our own comprehensive Guarantee Deed, members can read about it and create their own form here.
Outdoor space appeals to tenants
Rental properties with outdoor space attracts more tenants than those without, claims a new survey by CIA Landlords. 36.2% of the 72,930 surveyed had a garden. Leeds came out lowest at only 25.7% of rentals with gardens and Edinburgh was the highest with 55.5% of properties with outdoor space.
Almost three quarters of tenants take this into consideration when looking for a property to rent. Landlords, however, need to be clear to tenants on who is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of a garden.
Rent tribunal cases surge
There is now a claim that the balance of power has now shifted to the tenant where rent increases are concerned since the Renters Rights Act come into force.
Letting agents Hamptons state that there were 166 rent tribunal cases in July this year compared to 44 in July 2025. The monthly court average was 42 decisions to late April 2026, but this has increased significantly to 129 in June.
Tenants are using this route to dispute a pay increase because it is relatively cheap for them to do so, and whilst waiting for a hearing it can delay an increase for another two or three months, and once heard, even if they lose, the rent increase (at the moment) cannot be backdated.
Hamptons say
Any proposed increase must be supported by robust evidence of market rent, including comparable local lettings, property condition, location, amenities and recent rental transactions. A clear audit trail showing how the figure was reached and ensure strict compliance with the statutory section 13 process will need to be kept.
Here at Landlord Law we have introduced the Landlord Law Market Rent and Tribunal Kit, which will help landlords navigate the new rental landscape.
The student rental market is uncertain
As we start the new academic year within the new Renters Rights Act, there is concern that the ban on rent in advance is impacting both international students and landlords. Landlords can only accept one month’s rent in advance, whereas international students or those struggling to find a guarantor can no longer pay seven months or more rent up front.
Neil McGimpsey, chief operating officer of Lomond, said
The act limits landlords to requesting one month’s rent in advance, meaning some students are struggling to provide financial assurances and therefore are finding it difficult to access the market.
Furthermore, with no more fixed-term tenancies, tenants can leave once their exams are over, leaving landlords with void periods and uncertainty.
The government, however, sees this as a positive move for giving students more flexibility, enabling them to ‘move as and when their circumstances change’.
Solar plug-in awareness for landlords
And, a final note this week on the new plug-in solar panel systems that were launched last week following changes from the government. These systems can be installed by households and plug directly into to a standard socket; they do not require a qualified electrical installer.
A warning from Risktop, a risk assessment specialist, that landlords need to make sure that they are secured correctly in external areas, will withstand high winds and bad weather and do not pose a risk hazard to others. Suitability and a risk assessment should be undertaken by landlords, and tenants should ask for landlord approval before installing them to ensure product compliance and correct installation.
No doubt we will be hearing more about these in the times to come.
Landlord Law members can find out more in our new FAQ on this.
Snippets
Landlord costs surge as income stalls – HMRC
Tenancy deposit reform ‘overlooks’ estimated £750m
HMO landlords are planning £10,000 upgrades
Croydon postpones licensing schemes at eleventh hour
See also our Quick News Updates on Landlord Law
Newsround will be back again next week
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