Dutch & Dutch Monthly Property Round-Up | May 2026

May has been another busy month at Dutch & Dutch. While much of the industry has been focused on adapting to the new Renters' Rights Act, activity across the property market has remained strong, with continued demand for quality homes, significant commercial transactions completing and ongoing work behind the scenes to prepare our clients for future regulatory changes.

As always, our priority is making sure we stay ahead of changes and protecting our clients’ interests.

Renters’ Rights Act

One of the biggest talking points this month has undoubtedly been the continued rollout and discussion surrounding the Renters’ Rights Act. The legislation represents one of the most substantial changes to the private rented sector in decades and will have wide-ranging implications for landlords, tenants and agents alike. Our focus remains helping clients navigate these changes.

Progress Towards Making Tax Digital

We have continued making progress with the implementation of a new software solution designed to support landlords ahead of Making Tax Digital. We are investing in systems and processes now to ensure our clients are well prepared for the transition and can benefit from greater transparency and efficiency moving forward.

Lettings

May has been a busy month for lettings, with the Renters’ Rights Act officially coming into effect on 1st May. While there had been significant speculation leading up to the changes, particularly around landlords increasing asking rents by 10–20% to offset the ban on bidding wars, there has so far been very little evidence of this across the market.

Although it is still early days, the transition has been relatively smooth and demand for well-presented properties remains strong.

One highlight this month was successfully letting a delightful two-bedroom, two-bathroom garden flat on Gladys Road. We were particularly pleased to secure the instruction and agree the let ahead of two multi branch national estate agents, showing once again that a personal, proactive approach can outperform the larger corporate agents. As an added bonus, the landlord has also instructed Dutch & Dutch on a fully managed basis.

Commercial Property

May also saw the successful completion of an £18.75 million mixed-use property portfolio sale, an important transaction that reflects continued confidence in London assets despite ongoing economic and political uncertainty.

Deals of this scale require careful coordination and detailed market knowledge. We were delighted to play a role in bringing the transaction to a successful conclusion.

Discussion with BKL Accountants

This month, our Managing Director, David Matthews, had the pleasure of filming a discussion with BKL Accountants on the current state of the property market. The conversation covered a range of topics, including geopolitical uncertainty, interest rates, the impact of ongoing international conflicts and how landlords are adapting to legislative change. It was a valuable opportunity to share practical insights at a time when many investors and property owners are seeking greater clarity and certainty.

We look forward to sharing the full discussion in the coming weeks.

Final thoughts from Dutch & Dutch

Despite continued regulatory change and wider economic uncertainty, activity across the property market remains encouraging. Demand for quality homes continues to be strong, commercial transactions are progressing, and landlords are increasingly focusing on long-term stability and professional management.

If you would like to discuss your property portfolio, future investment plans or the implications of the latest legislative changes, please get in touch with the team on 020 7794 0075.