Dear Reader

In Short

• being a UK landlord is more onerous than ever leaving many to feel they have no rights
• investment returns are not what they are
• your own financial plan should drive whether to sell, or hold
• clients are nervous that it is not a good time to sell even if they want to
• 5 independent sources of property market information you can use to help

As a financial planner that works with lots of UK expats, current and former, there are some themes which come up frequently from time to time. And right now, one of those is the ownership of UK property and the headache of being a landlord.

Many clients own UK property which they rent out, be it their ex-family home or properties bought specifically for investment purposes.

A common question I now hear is "Is this still a good idea or should I sell?".

Landlord challenges

The attractiveness of investment property ownership has declined over the last decade.

• Investment returns have diminished thanks to numerous tax changes
• responsibilities as a landlord of UK property are more onerous than ever thanks to the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (HMRC Guide here)

Understandably, investors are re-assessing their investment property(ies):

• Is UK property still a good investment for me, based on my plans?
• Is it too much hassle to keep the property?
• Will I get hammered for tax if I sell?
• Where will I put the money if I do sell?

Step 1 and how I can help

I am not a UK property expert. I will not forecast if now is the right time in terms of getting the best price. Any investment decision like this requires a financial planning first approach and could include addressing some of the following thoughts:

• What are my income needs?
• What access do I need to investment capital and when?
• What are my legacy plans?
• What capacity do I have for the work involved in being a landlord?

My role as a financial planner includes spending time with clients to explore these thoughts together and help clients decide what is right for them.

Do write to me if you would like to do that.

The market - Is it a good time to sell?

Whatever your financial planning outcome, a key question on any landlord's mind is whether it is a good time to sell. And how do you trust the information you see out there, everyone you speak to has a different view!

Below is a summary of the current property market all around the UK.

At the end of this, I have included links to 5 great sources of updates on the market. The sources are not estate agents with an agenda, but independent sites of data and trends.

Property market summary The UK housing market stayed subdued through mid-2026. Average house prices (Nationwide) rose 2.2% year-on-year to £277,484 in June, though they were flat month-on-month. Growth remains uneven: Northern Ireland led by a wide margin (+8.6%), while London and the South East lagged (under 2%), reflecting higher price-to-income ratios and mortgage-cost sensitivity in those regions. Demand is tentatively stabilizing but still weak — RICS buyer enquiries improved from -34% to -29% in June, and transactions for Jan–May 2026 were down 6.2% year-on-year. Housebuilding remains well below government targets: only ~26% of the 1.5 million homes pledged this Parliament have been delivered so far. Rental growth is moderating but still outpacing house prices — private rents rose 3.3% year-on-year in May, against a backdrop of rental supply running 20–30% below pre-pandemic levels. Gross rental yields averaged 7.35%, highest in Liverpool and Birmingham, lowest in Edinburgh and London.

The Bank of England has held its base rate at 3.75% since December, with mortgage rates expected to stay elevated near-term. Forecasters are split on 2026 price growth — estimates range from -2.0% (Savills) to +1.5% (Knight Frank) — with most expecting a firmer recovery from 2027 onward as affordability improves.

5 independent sources to data and insights

Here are the 5 great sources of information the current UK property market:

· Private rent and house prices, UK​

· UK House Price Index​

· Nationwide House Price Index​

· RICS UK Residential Market Survey​

· Global Property Guide – United Kingdom​

Conclusion

I strongly recommend revisiting your financial plan, understand what access you need to income and capital and when, and what you want as your financial legacy. Once you reconsider this, you can make an informed decision on what is right for you. Then, you can assess the market to decide on precise timing relying on independent sources.

With best wishes, Gary

Gary Smithson, Partner, Farringdon Asset Management Singapore and Malaysia

​gary-smithson-farringdon.kit.com​

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