A quarter of landlords (24%) are actively selling or looking to sell some, or all of their portfolio.

Research by Goodlord reveals that even more are unsure about their future in the PRS after a poll of more than 1,200 landlords across the UK found 35% don’t believe they will still be a landlord in five years.

A significant number remain on the fence as 21% have not yet decided what their future in the industry looks like. Only 44% reckon they will still be landlords by 2031, but some believe they will have a smaller portfolio by then.

However, these numbers are lower than when Goodlord last surveyed landlords last September. Then, a third (35%) said they had sold or had actively tried to sell some, or all of their portfolio in the previous 12 months.

Holding

Overall, most landlords are currently in a holding pattern, with 72% not offloading any stock or attempting to buy any new rental properties. Only 4% are actively investing. Goodlord says while this could be a result of a smaller cohort of landlords acquiring bigger portfolios, the imbalance indicates that the number of landlords selling up will continue to outpace the number joining the PRS or expanding their portfolios.

Emily Popple, director of landlord experience, says many will be waiting to see what the real-world implications of the Renters’ Rights Act are.

“Through the right policy decisions and support systems, the government has an opportunity to retain rather than lose the significant cohort of landlords who are on the fence about their future and considering selling up. That’s something policy makers should take very seriously,” she adds. “Otherwise, the supply and demand pressures pushing up rents for tenants will only persist.”

‍