Propertymark has published housing manifestos for Scotland and Wales ahead of the 2026 elections, setting out policy demands to tackle what it describes as broken housing systems across both nations.
With the Scottish Parliament election on 7 May and the Senedd election also scheduled for 2026, the trade body representing estate and letting agents is pressing political parties to commit to reforms that would increase housing supply, reduce transaction costs, and support the private rented sector.
Scotland’s 10-point housing plan
In Scotland, Propertymark’s manifesto responds directly to the national housing emergency declared in May 2024. The 10-point plan calls on the next Scottish Government to cut the cost of renting, boost housing supply, expand construction skills, and improve energy efficiency without undermining availability.
Key recommendations include abolishing the 8 percent Additional Dwelling Supplement on stamp duty, a sustained programme of social housing delivery, and investment in construction skills to meet both demand and net zero targets. The manifesto also calls for incentives to bring empty homes back into use and help older homeowners to downsize.
Welsh manifesto targets supply and high streets
The Welsh manifesto, titled “Boosting housing and growth for Wales”, focuses on releasing new supply, revitalising high streets through residential conversions, improving housing data, and supporting decarbonisation without restricting supply further.
This follows Landlord Knowledge’s recent report on LHA affordability, which found just 2 percent of rental properties affordable at housing benefit rates. Propertymark highlights this issue in both manifestos, calling for collaboration between devolved and UK governments to unfreeze Local Housing Allowance.
Common priorities across both nations
Both manifestos identify shared priorities that must be addressed if housing pressures are to ease:
- Reforming property taxes and transaction costs that act as barriers to investment
- Bringing empty homes and underused buildings back into productive use
- Investing in skills, training, and construction capacity
- Supporting property-specific approaches to energy efficiency
- Strengthening regulation and professional standards across the sector
- Ensuring housing policy is underpinned by transparent, high-quality data
- Building more homes, particularly social housing
Timothy Douglas, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Propertymark, said: “Housing pressures are now being felt across every tenure and in every part of Scotland and Wales. These manifestos are grounded in the day-to-day experience of property professionals, and they set out practical, deliverable solutions that the next governments can act on immediately.”
Douglas added: “Without bold, evidence-based reform, affordability will worsen, supply will continue to fall short, and the consequences for households and local economies will deepen.”
Propertymark warns that without urgent action, affordability challenges will intensify, choice for consumers will shrink, and pressure will continue to spill between tenures – pushing up rents, stalling transactions, and undermining confidence in housing markets.
The full Scottish manifesto and Welsh manifesto are available on Propertymark’s website.
What this means for landlords
- If you’re a Scottish landlord: Watch for the 7 May election results – policies on stamp duty and the Additional Dwelling Supplement could directly affect acquisition costs.
- If you’re a Welsh landlord: The Senedd election will shape how Rent Smart Wales and EPC requirements evolve in the coming years.
- Bottom line: Both manifestos call for tax cuts and supply increases, but implementation depends on which parties take power and whether they adopt these proposals.
Editor’s view
Propertymark’s manifestos are sensible shopping lists for landlords, but their fate depends entirely on electoral outcomes. The calls to abolish Scotland’s 8 percent stamp duty surcharge and unfreeze LHA are reasonable, but with housing a political battleground in both nations, landlords should not expect quick wins.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 13 March 2026
Sources: Propertymark
Related reading: Scottish government urges UK to unfreeze housing benefit rates
