The new Conservative government has abolished no-fault evictions and introduced lifetime deposits under new legislation aimed at improving the rental market in England.

Housing market sentiment remains negative despite more people believing prices will rise in 2020, according to a joint building societies report.

According to data from HMRC and analysed and published by The Times, landlords could play a pivotal role in who ends up with the keys to No.10 Downing Street come December 13, with the outcome of over 100 constituencies potentially in their hands.

The government’s “meddling” in the private rental sector has driven away landlords and “decreased standards” for tenants, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has claimed.

One of the UK’s leading landlord bodies has urged political parties to give councils the resources to enforce current buy-to-let regulations rather than impose further legislation on the sector.