The UK housing market continues to evolve, and recent data reveals a significant shift in how homes are owned and occupied across the country. According to new research by Savills, the UK’s private rented sector (PRS) recorded its largest decline this century in 2025, falling by £48 billion in value as many buy-to-let landlords exited the market.

Many Landlords feel they’re “up to date” with compliance – gas safety, electrical certificates, EPC ratings – the usual checklist. But there’s one upcoming change that could quietly catch a lot of landlords off guard in 2026: the shift towards mandatory higher energy efficiency standards for rental properties under the government’s EPC reforms.

With Easter just around the corner, now is a strategic moment to prepare your home for market, before buyer demand peaks and properties move fastest.

UK mortgage lenders have recently started increasing their mortgage rates, as concerns grow that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East could have a wider impact on the global economy. Financial markets are becoming more cautious that rising energy prices, particularly oil and gas, could push inflation higher again.