By Expert Views | UK Property News
Leading UK property experts gathered at the National Landlord Investment Show in London, Old Billingsgate, on 28th October 2026 for a live 2026 Autumn Budget debrief only hours after the Chancellor’s announcement was made, discussing what the Budget means for landlords, property investors and the wider UK property market.
With UK Property News Property Analyst Kate Faulkner OBE hosting the discussion, the overall sentiment was that this Budget really wasn’t the biggest in terms of impact on the property market, yet there was consensus that sometimes the best news from a Budget is that there are no major surprises and stability is welcomed!
As host Kate quite rightly put it when opening the panel, “There’s no kind of big news from this Budget, and actually sometimes that’s an enormous relief.”
The panel discussion brought together experts Richard Donnell, Executive Director of Zoopla, Lucy Waters, Founder and Managing Director of Aria Finance and Sean Hughes, Chartered Tax Advisor of Comprehensive Tax Planning.
Although the discussion took place live on Budget day at the National Landlord Investment Show, in front of an audience of landlords, property investors, developers and property professionals, the discussion extended well beyond the private rented sector.
The expert panel offered a broader perspective on the UK property market, exploring what the Budget and wider economic conditions mean for anyone making critical property decisions, from first-time buyers and existing homeowners to sellers, tenants, developers and investors.
The bigger picture: Opportunities remain despite modest house price growth
For Richard Donnell, Executive Director from Zoopla, the biggest influence on the housing market remains the cost of borrowing rather than the Budget itself. He suggested that mortgage rates moving closer to 4% would help stimulate activity, and despite the pending interest rate rise to 4% (at the time, now increased), he remained relatively positive about the housing market, rather than it causing any further price falls.
Instead, he expects regional differences to continue, with more affordable markets in northern England and Scotland outperforming southern England, where affordability remains challenging.
For investors, Richard emphasised the importance of rental income returns over capital growth, highlighting opportunities in areas offering stronger yields.
He also suggested rental growth could reach 4–6% annually by the middle of 2027, supported by continued rises in demand and limited rental supply.
Overall, Richard’s thoughts on the budget echoed the overall sentiment of the experts’ view of this panel in that he commented, “The government hasn’t made anything any worse, which is kind of positive.”
A focus on finance: A benign Budget, with borrowing costs still the key challenge
Lucy Waters described the Budget as relatively benign, as she commented on the panel “I think it was a fairly benign Budget, which we were expecting to some degree.” Overall, suggesting the announcement was unlikely to have a significant immediate impact on mortgage rates.
While she remained cautious about borrowing costs falling substantially in the near future, she highlighted that the rates today were still lower than the long-term rates and the exceptionally low interest rates experienced since the Credit Crunch were unusual, not today’s rates.
Her message was that buyers, developers and investors need to adapt to the current financing environment rather than wait for cheap borrowing to return.
Lucy also welcomed the proposed Your First Home scheme, which could provide a boost to developers and first-time buyers. However, she stressed the importance of protecting purchasers from overpaying for new-build properties, drawing on lessons from the previous Help to Buy scheme.
A focus on tax: Landlord tax changes need perspective
The proposed increase in property income tax rates attracted attention, but Sean Hughes encouraged landlords to look beyond the headlines.
He explained how the changes interact with Section 24 mortgage interest tax relief and why the impact will vary depending on individual circumstances and not affect those buying in a limited company.
He also pointed out that as the tax had risen by 4% for rental income, this also meant that those with a mortgage would see interest rate relief applied to rental income increasing to 24% from 20% too which should help off set some of the costs.
Sean also highlighted the importance of reviewing ownership structures, particularly the differences between holding properties personally and through limited companies.
As Sean commented,
“More than ever, it’s time to look at whether holding your properties in a limited company is worthwhile…”
While additional taxation is unwelcome, his message was that landlords should seek specialist advice and make informed decisions rather than react to predictions of a mass exodus from the sector.
A positive outlook for the wider property market?
The panel also welcomed measures aimed at supporting household finances and encouraging housing development. The proposed first-time buyer scheme could provide a useful boost to new-build demand, while continued rental demand and opportunities in more affordable regional markets offer reasons for optimism.
Importantly, the Budget did not introduce the dramatic housing market changes some had anticipated, such as matching Capital Gains Tax rates with income tax levels.
All the experts acknowledged that borrowing costs, affordability and housing supply remain challenges, but these are longer-term issues rather than new problems created by the Chancellor’s announcements.
The overall message was reassuring: the Autumn Budget has not fundamentally changed the outlook for the UK property market.
For buyers, sellers, developers and investors, the focus remains on making informed decisions, understanding local market conditions and taking advantage of opportunities as they emerge. And after months of speculation, a little stability may be exactly what the property industry needed.
Want to watch the full expert discussion?
The panel discussion was recorded live on Budget day at the National Landlord Investment Show on 28th October 2026, hosted by Kate Faulkner OBE, featuring Richard Donnell (Zoopla), Lucy Waters (Aria Finance) and Sean Hughes (Comprehensive Tax Planning).
Watch the full expert-led panel discussion here:
If you’re looking for specific resources on how the 2026 Autumn Budget could affect you as a landlord or property investor, don’t forget you can access this all through the FREE Landlord & Property Investment Community Hub hosted by the National Landlord Investment Show. The free digital community for UK landlords, property investors and developers to access expert advice, property insights, and on-demand training. Join for free today!
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