North East property tax expert Martin Wardle is urging landlords to keep their eyes wide open to the growing number of regulations, costs and potential pitfalls facing the private rented sector.
Martin Wardle of specialist property tax advisers TH Ward is one of the founders of GB Landlords, a property education group which has been helping landlords across the North East stay informed for around eight years.
He is now encouraging landlords whether experienced investors or people considering entering the property market for the first time, to attend the GB Landlords Property Conference at the Britannia Hotel, Newcastle Airport, on Thursday, November 12.
The annual event brings together experts from across the property sector and is designed to give landlords the opportunity to hear directly from leading figures involved in regulation, taxation, property management and the wider industry.
Martin said the days when someone could simply buy a property and rent it out without having to understand the wider responsibilities of being a landlord were long gone.
“Keep your eyes open,” he said. “There is a danger that you just think, ‘I’m going to buy a house and rent it out’. But there are so many potential pitfalls.”
Martin said landlords could find themselves facing significant problems if they failed to understand their legal, safety, insurance and tax obligations.
“HMRC catch up with landlords who haven’t declared their rental income. Local authorities are catching people who have advertised properties when they haven’t got the right licenses in place.
“You can get massive fines because you haven’t got the right gas checks, electrical checks or other safety requirements, or you haven’t insured the property correctly as a rental property. The possible pitfalls are many.”
He believes the best protection for landlords is education and taking time to understand what they are getting into before committing to an investment.
“Go in with your eyes open and absorb as much as you can before you start,” he said.
“The property market isn’t going anywhere. It will still be there in six months. Spend a bit of time getting up to speed and go in with all the facts.”
The GB Landlords Property Conference is the fourth annual conference organised by the group, which was established to provide affordable property education and networking opportunities for landlords across the North East.
Last year’s event attracted more than 240 attendees and 50 exhibitors, with demand continuing to grow.
This year’s confirmed speakers include Suzanne Smith, discussing the Renters’ Rights Act six months on; property commentator and analyst Kate Faulkner OBE; Sean Hooker on property redress reform and the next phase of Renters’ Rights; Gareth Harrison, Deputy Agent for the North East at the Bank of England, giving an autumn update and Timothy Douglas and Henry Griffiths of Propertymark.
The conference also has particular relevance for certain Newcastle landlords, as the event qualifies as structured training for licensing purposes, with some licensed properties requiring landlords to complete five hours of structured training each year.
Martin said the aim of GB Landlords was not to tell people whether they should or should not invest in property, but to make sure they understand the realities before making decisions.
“The key thing really is educating landlords in the North East,” he said.
“This is a once-a-year opportunity to hear from people who are involved in the policymaking and influencing side of the industry at a national level and to get a real feel for what is going on.”
The GB Landlords Property Conference takes place at the Britannia Hotel, Newcastle Airport, on November 12, 2026.
Tickets and information: GB Landlords Property Conference 2026 – Eventbrite