The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has issued a stark warning to landlords, stressing the importance of their continued participation in the º£½ÇÊÓƵ's private housing sector to avoid catastrophic consequences for tenants.
The NRLA emphasises that the exodus of private landlords from the market is a key factor contributing to homelessness and underscores the necessity for "responsible landlords" to remain active to "keep tenants in their homes," as reported by .
Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the NRLA, highlighted the critical impact on renters, stating: "For millions of renters across the country, whether a landlord sells a property or not will decide the fate of where they live."
Beadle elaborated on the repercussions for tenants, explaining: "Landlords selling homes is disastrous for tenants. Even if properties sold end up back in the rental market, that's scant comfort for those who have been forced to move as a result."
With private landlords representing approximately 84% of all tenancies in the º£½ÇÊÓƵ and nearly one-fifth of º£½ÇÊÓƵ homes being privately rented, the role of these landlords is significant.
He called on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to "support responsible private landlords" and foster investment in new, high-quality, long-term rental properties.
Despite the challenging rental market conditions, marked by inflation, soaring interest rates, and tightening regulations which are squeezing yields, Beadle noted that recent changes have disproportionately impacted private landlords compared to their professional counterparts.
Significantly, private landlords can now only deduct 20 per cent of their mortgage interest from their rental income when working out their tax bill, a sharp drop from the 40 to 45 per cent they could claim back in 2017.
This became an especially pressing issue following the outbreak of war in Ukraine, which saw interest rates and mortgages skyrocket.
Private rental sector a ‘crucial part’ of the housing ecosystem
Being a private landlord has become increasingly challenging over the years, and at the same time, public sentiment towards the profession has been on the decline.
There's been a stark contrast in the outlooks of private and professional landlords: Professional landlords are largely positive about the future of the º£½ÇÊÓƵ's rental sector, while private landlords are not.
However, Sam Humphreys, head of M&A at Dwelly, argued that for those who "take a professional approach", the sector remains "highly profitable and viable."
He stated: "These landlords are best placed to continue delivering quality, well managed homes... These individuals are typically well accustomed to changing government regulations and will have the resilience to adapt to the new legislation."
Humphreys further emphasised the importance of the private rental sector, saying: "The private rental sector is a crucial part of the housing ecosystem, especially as homeownership becomes less accessible... Government must tread carefully to avoid deterring landlords and worsening the housing crisis."
In a surprising turn of events, buy-to-let mortgages saw a 40 per cent surge in the first quarter of 2025. However, some experts have cautioned that this increase is largely due to landlords seeking to capitalise on stamp duty relief, rather than indicating a shift in sentiment.
Will the Renters’ Rights Bill make things worse?
Industry pundits have expressed divergent views on the potential impact of the forthcoming Renters' Rights Bill. Some argue it's a necessary measure to recalibrate the balance between tenants and landlords, while others fear it could cause investment to evaporate.
During its third reading at the beginning of July, Lords criticised the bill, contending that it could harm tenants by driving landlords away from the sector and towards short-term lets.
"It threatens to drive landlords out of the market, reducing the number of available homes, and pushing up rents even higher," Lady Bybrook warned.
She emphasised the need for equilibrium, stating: "Balance is essential, and on these benches, we do not believe this bill strikes the right balance... [the] bill that risks driving out good landlords while allowing the rogue ones to continue operating completely."
Humphreys echoed these concerns, suggesting that the increased bureaucracy anticipated from the Renters' Rights Bill could "force some amateur landlords to exit the sector, ultimately reducing supply and harming renters through rising rents and poorer housing standards."
Earlier this year, the º£½ÇÊÓƵ's largest landlord, Grainger, echoed a comparable sentiment: "It is likely that many smaller, private individual landlords will find the new regime challenging and will therefore accelerate their exit from the market, further constraining supply," CEO Helen Gordon remarked.
