Former rentals accounted for 10% of new sales listings in January - down from 17% a year ago – suggesting that the landlord exodus could be slowing.

Property research firm TwentyCi says the latest figure for sales of rental properties is much closer to the long-term expected average.

Across Q1 2025 overall, 15% of all new instructions were previously rented homes, a significant increase from 9% in Q1 2024, while in Q1 2023, rental properties made up 10% of the total of new listings.

However, TwentyCi believes there are other early indicators that the rental market could be improving as the supply of properties (newly to let) in the UK is at its highest point in any January for the last six years, up by 21% (22,900) compared to this time last year.

Growth

Growth in supply is outstripping demand across all price points and regions, it adds. Wales saw the largest increase in supply across the regions, at 32%, while every other region (except Northern Ireland) saw growth of more than 10%.

While supply is increasing, total available stock for renters in January 2026 had dropped by 4% in the last 12 months, in all price bands. At the lowest price level, tenants looking for rentals of less than £800pm have 6% fewer properties to choose from than they did at this time last year, and for properties priced £3,000pm+, the decline in stock is 7% year on year. Available stock is declining in eight out of 13 regions; in Northern Ireland, stock fell by 40% while outer London observed the highest increase of stock, at 9%.

CEO Colin Bradshaw reckons the wave of exits by buy-to-let landlords seems to have run its course, after a prolonged sell-off period triggered by tax increases, cost rises and the incoming Renters’ Rights Act. He adds: “With former rental properties making up a much smaller proportion of new sales listings a year on, the data indicates that those landlords who wanted out have already made their move, and those that remain are staying put.”

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