Housing Market in Flux: UK Rental Market Update (6 November 2025)

This week’s headlines paint a picture of a housing market in flux: long-term optimism tempered by short-term uncertainty. House prices are expected to keep rising over the long term, but new taxes and affordability concerns could make things tougher for landlords and tenants. Meanwhile, proptech innovation continues to accelerate signalling a sector pivoting towards data-driven efficiency. Yet, the political spotlight remains on fairness and affordability, with MPs pressing for rent controls to ensure that new tenant protections under the Renters’ Rights Act have real impact.

The Top Headlines

1. Average UK house price could hit £440,000 by 2030
   A new five-year forecast by Savills suggests average UK house prices will rise by about 22 % to reach £440,000 by 2030, although growth will be modest in the near term before accelerating from 2029. The firm highlights regional variation: the North of England is expected to outperform London significantly.
   Source 1, Source 2
2. Homemove acquisition of Home.co.uk set to shake up UK property portals
   Homemove, a proptech-driven estate agent, has acquired the portal Home.co.uk with the stated aim of injecting innovation and competition into the UK property portal market, potentially changing how listings and market data are accessed. Source
3. Autumn Budget predictions: major changes expected for homeowners and landlords
   Ahead of the next UK Budget, commentary suggests households may face new annual property taxes, capital gains changes on second homes, and increased National Insurance charges hitting landlords’ profitability. Source
4. PropTech growth: New programme outlines major efficiency gains in built-environment tech
   The UK PropTech Association’s “PropTech Growth Programme 2025” lays out how technology (AI, automation, digital twins) could cut site-assessment time by 80-90% and improve planning participation by 1500%. This underscores the momentum behind tech in real estate. Source
5. Affordability is a 'key area' absent from Renters' Rights Act
   MPs are calling for stricter control on how much rents can increase by. There are concerns that, without clear limits, landlords could use steep rent rises as a means of evicting tenants, or that renters may hesitate to assert their new rights for fear of retaliatory increases. Source

Landlords and letting agents: Landlords face tighter scrutiny on rent increases and possible new taxes, even as long-term price growth supports asset values. Letting agents will need to adapt to new compliance rules under the Renters’ Rights Act and embrace proptech tools to stay competitive.