United Kingdom: Real Estate

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) has published its response to the Single Construction Regulator Prospectus consultation, confirming the direction of travel for construction sector regulation — but with implementation not expected before 2028.

The UK Government has launched a consultation on whether 'quid pro quo' leases—where tenants agreed to pay higher ground rents in exchange for lower purchase premiums—should be exempt from the proposed £250 annual ground rent cap. This issue is particularly significant for the retirement living sector, where flexible payment structures have traditionally allowed purchasers to choose between different combinations of upfront costs and ongoing fees. The consultation raises critical questions

The UK Government's ambitious plan to replace leasehold with commonhold has reached a critical juncture, with the Housing Committee publishing its final report on the draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill.

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 fundamentally transforms England's private rental sector by abolishing assured shorthold tenancies and section 21 "no fault" evictions, creating significant operational challenges for purpose-built student accommodation and build-to-rent schemes. This analysis examines how institutional investors and operators are adapting to the new assured periodic tenancy regime, enhanced tenant protections, and revised rent increase mechanisms that introduce unprecedented uncertainty into in

UK citizens owning property in European countries like Spain, Italy, or France face complex succession laws that differ significantly from British inheritance rules. Many European jurisdictions enforce mandatory inheritance portions for relatives that cannot be easily overridden, potentially conflicting with your intended estate distribution. Understanding these forced heirship rules and creating jurisdiction-specific wills becomes essential for ensuring your overseas assets pass to your chosen beneficiarie

The UK Building Safety Levy is set to take effect on 1 October 2026, bringing significant cost implications for residential and mixed-use developments. Recent draft regulations have introduced crucial changes to the definition of previously developed land, which determines eligibility for a 50% levy discount. Understanding these amendments and their impact on brownfield site qualifications is essential for developers navigating the new regulatory landscape.

After six weeks of bruising election campaigning – not to mention recent years in which politics has strained the UK's long-founded reputation for consensus and stable policymaking – the nation wakes up on 5 July with a major shift in the landscape.

The right of responsible access (also known as the “right to roam”) allows everyone to access most land and inland water in Scotland for recreational and other purposes.

From 31 October 2026, new national rules will fundamentally change how planning decisions are made in England – with most decisions shifting from committee to officers. Here's what commercial developers need to know