Highlights from the UK’s private and social rented sector headlines: December 2020

Our final PayProp Rent Report of 2020 marks five years of monthly UK private and social rented sector news roundups. A huge thanks to our loyal readers!

• In our leading story, rental arrears were down across the UK in December – and at their lowest levels since the first lockdown – as highlighted in our third Special Report on the effects of COVID-19. Only time will tell if the progress will last now that restrictions have been increased again.
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• We also bring you highlights from our first Rental Confidence Index, revealing a promising level of optimism about the industry from agents, landlords and tenants.
  
  
• The government has published its revised edition of ‘How to rent’, outlining the rights and responsibilities of tenants in England.
  

• Local Housing Allowance (LHA) amounts will be once again frozen from April, creating new concerns about rising rent arrears shortly after the government allowed LHA to start increasing for the first time since 2016.
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• Lastly, we share the latest on planned rent strikes at more than 20 UK universities. Understandably, property professionals are worried this could become an issue for the private rented sector too.
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For more on the latest analysis, download the December 2020 issue of the PayProp Rent Report and subscribe to get future issues delivered to your inbox.