Here at Dynamo, we’re seeing more landlords carefully assessing the pros and cons of new builds with an eye on a more energy efficient future for their portfolios. By this I mean in light of the government’s plan for a compulsory energy performance certificate rating of 'C' on new tenancies by December 2025, and on all rented properties by December 2028. Although, it’s prudent to point out this is not yet set in stone.

This plan has also resulted in a huge amount of talk about how much existing upgrades may cost and with the bulk of portfolios containing large levels of older property types, then landlords have to take these potential costs into account. A factor which is especially relevant as well over two-thirds of landlords reportedly still own rental properties with an EPC rating of D or below.

The student population and landlords who have built portfolios to incorporate a large element of student lets and houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) in and around university towns and cities across the UK have not had it easy over the past few years. Thankfully, schools and universities are now largely back to ‘normal’ and just about to start, or have started, the new academic year.

To coincide with this, Paragon Bank has revealed the locations where landlords letting to students can achieve the strongest yields. Analysing mortgage applications for properties located in popular student postcodes, the lender found that landlords providing student accommodation in towns or cities with just one university typically achieve the highest yields.

As an investment vehicle, BTL properties have long been held in the highest of regard. However, in recent years, regulatory and tax changes have served to challenge profit margins and investment potential with all landlords having to evaluate individual properties within their portfolio and adapt/diversify if necessary.

With this in mind, it was interesting to come across new research which looked at the returns seen across 12 investable assets in the last year to reveal where money has been best placed in the current climate.

It has obviously been a bumper year for the UK property market, with house prices rising across the board. The average UK homeowner is suggested to have experienced a gain in capital to the tune of 9.3% in the last year alone. So how does this compare to other investable assets?

The summer of 2022 could well be a pivotal one for the housing market and the private rented sector as rising living costs continue to impact a range of personal financial scenarios, affordability, savings pots and homeownership aspirations.

With house prices experiencing sustained highs, the pressure on potential first-time buyers is mounting and big decisions need to be made over whether homeownership might be an option or if a longer-term rental arrangement may be more preferable from a lifestyle and flexibility perspective.