Louisa Sedgwick, managing director of mortgages at Paragon Bank, says recent years has seen landlords face shifting sands across regulation, taxation and economic uncertainty – despite the fact that they provide a home to one in five households

A finance chief has urged regulators and politicians to cut a better deal for landlords in 2026.

Louisa Sedgwick, managing director of mortgages at Paragon Bank, says recent years has seen landlords face shifting sands across regulation, taxation and economic uncertainty – despite the fact that they provide a home to one in five households.

Writing on the Landlord Today website, Sedgwick says she hopes the government does not botch the introduction of the Renters Rights Act, much of which comes into effect in May.

If implementation is sensible and support is forthcoming, the majority of landlords will adapt. But if the transition is botched, we risk driving good landlords out of the sector, reducing supply and pushing up rents for everyone. What’s needed is clarity. Landlords deserve straightforward guidance, practical support and a regulatory environment that recognises their contribution. The sector cannot afford confusion or knee-jerk policies that undermine confidence and investment.

She also urges government assistance to landlords faced with having to retrofit some three million private rental properties to reach EPC band C by 2030.

She says: As the government considers responses to its Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards consultation, it has to acknowledge that rushing through an impractical timetable is crazy and simply won’t work.  It must also respect that the sector needs practical support, not just targets. Financial products like refurb-to-let mortgages are a start, but we need more. Grants, clear guidance and a recognition that one size does not fit all.

The bank chief goes on to say that with some 40% of rented properties having mortgages, 2026 will see a wave of mortgage maturities, with 1.8m loans across the whole market, with £49 billion in buy-to-let alone.

She added: For some, this is an opportunity to secure better rates and grow portfolios. For others, it’s a source of anxiety, especially as affordability rules tighten and rates remain volatile.