Welcome to The Daily Dam: Your Bite-Sized Property News

Alright, you beautiful property pioneers, grab a coffee and find a sturdy piece of wood to chew on. It’s Barry here, back with The Daily Dam — the only place slicing through the sector’s red tape so you don’t have to.

We’ve got a bumper crop of headlines today. From council cash grabs to tenant unions throwing their toys out of the pram, let’s get our teeth into it.

1. Actually… Landlords Are Smashing the EPC Targets

A shocker for the mainstream media: landlords are actually doing a good job. According to fresh data, the private rented sector is miles closer to hitting the 2030 EPC C targets than the doom-mongers predicted. The PRS average is currently sitting at 68.9 — officially beating out owner-occupied homes! Flats are performing even better, already comfortably in the C band. Give yourselves a pat on the back, folks. Turns out you have been putting the work in.

📖 Read the full story: Property118: Landlords closer to EPC C targets than expected as deadline looms

2. Luton Council’s Licensing Cash Grab

Over to Luton, where landlords just lost their Supreme Court bid against the council’s shiny new licensing schemes. Got an HMO or a property in the town centre? Congratulations, you’re paying up. It’s £150 if you catch the “early bird” rate before the end of August, jumping to £366 after that. The council claims it’s all about “improving standards.” I call it another local authority putting its hands in your pockets to balance their books. Hold your nose and get your applications in early.

📖 Read the full story: Landlord Today: Landlords fail in legal bid to stop council licensing schemes

3. Acorn’s Twitter Tantrum

Speaking of people who love a moan, the Acorn tenants’ union is throwing a proper tantrum online. Their Norwich branch recently put out a post openly calling landlords “vindictive, greedy so-and-sos” and bragging about how entertaining it is to wind you up on social media. Look, you provide the roofs over their heads; they provide hot air and angry tweets. Don’t take the bait — let them shout into the void while you run your portfolios like the pros you are.

📖 Read the full story: LandlordZONE: Acorn activists’ online taunts frustrate landlords

4. Weaponising the Rent Tribunal

But wait, the unions aren’t just tweeting. They’ve launched a new online tool to help renters actively challenge your Section 13 rent increases at a tribunal. Because of the Renters’ Rights Act, the massive tribunal backlog means your rent hike gets delayed without being backdated if they appeal it. For a £47 fee, tenants can drag their feet and hold up your perfectly reasonable rent adjustments for months. They are weaponising the paperwork, team. Make absolutely sure your comparables are bulletproof before you serve notice.

📖 Read the full story: Property118: Tenants’ union launches tool to help renters challenge rent increases

5. Winning the Future Homes Standard

Let’s end on a massive win. The 2030 energy rules and the Future Homes Standard sound like a massive headache, but there is a brilliant tactical loophole here. If you get ahead of the game and lock in your EPC C certificate before October 2029, it stays valid for the full ten-year lifespan of the document. Beat the massive 2029 installer rush, save a fortune on last-minute panicked upgrades, and command a premium rent from tenants who want lower bills. Get it done early, lock it in the bank, and laugh all the way to 2039. Beaver brain activated!

📖 Read the full story: Landlord Today: How landlords can benefit from the Future Homes Standard

That’s your lot for today’s Daily Dam! Keep those portfolios safe, keep your teeth sharp, and we’ll see you back here tomorrow. Stay cheeky!