Westminster City Council has joined the growing number of London boroughs in introducing a Selective Licensing scheme for privately rented properties. It brings one of London's most prominent central boroughs into a comprehensive regulatory framework in a move that will affect thousands of landlords across central London.
If you let a property in Westminster, here is what you need to know.
What is Selective Licensing?
Read MoreWandsworth Council is the latest London borough to introduce new property licensing requirements for landlords, effective from 1 July 2025. In addition to the existing Mandatory HMO Licensing, Wandsworth has now rolled out Additional and Selective Licensing schemes, aimed at improving housing standards and ensuring landlords meet their responsibilities.
Holding the correct property licence is a legal requirement and demonstrates that the property is suitable for occupation and managed to an acceptable standard.
Here’s what you need to know about each type of licence, why they’re necessary and how we can support you with the application process.
If you're a landlord in the UK, Making Tax Digital (MTD) is something you’ll want to be aware of — especially with the need to be paper-free by April 2026.
While the changes have been delayed several times, the government’s aim is clear: to move away from annual paper returns and bring the tax system into the digital age.
What is Making Tax Digital?
MTD is HMRC’s initiative to digitise tax reporting, making it easier for individuals and businesses to get their tax right.
For landlords, it means keeping digital records of rental income and expenses, and sending quarterly updates to HMRC using compatible software.
Read MoreAs of 31st January 2025, significant reforms under the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 came in, bringing important changes for leaseholders and landlords across England and Wales.
The Reformed Provisions Already in Force
Since 24 July 2024:
New rules were introduced for rent charge arrears.
Landlords can no longer recover legal costs via the service charge unless a lease explicitly allows it.
Section 125 of the Building Safety Act 2022 was repealed, removing previous rules on remediation costs from insolvent landlords.
Stronger notification requirements were introduced in the event of landlord insolvency for higher-risk buildings.
The government is moving towards a major reform in how flats are owned, with the goal of ending new leasehold ownership for flats altogether. The proposed alternative? Commonhold — a type of ownership that’s familiar in other parts of the world but still rare in the UK.
While the government is still consulting on the details, here's what we know so far.
What Is Commonhold?
Commonhold is a type of freehold ownership designed specifically for flats. Unlike leasehold, there’s no expiring term, no ground rent, and no third-party freeholder. Instead:
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