The average UK landlord portfolio generated £88,454 in gross rental income over the past year, up from £71,978 twelve months earlier, according to analysis by property management firm Rushbrook. The 22.9% increase represents an annual uplift of £16,476 and reflects sharp rent growth across the average buy-to-let portfolio in Q1 2026.
Rushbrook's research drew on the latest available landlord portfolio data, examining average portfolio size and value, buy-to-let borrowing levels, and rental income, alongside year-on-year changes across each measure. The firm also modelled estimated management costs based on prevailing fully managed fee rates.
The average landlord currently holds 7.3 properties with a combined estimated value of £1.7m, both figures unchanged on the year. What has shifted considerably is the income those properties produce. Estimated rental income per property rose from £9,860 to £12,117, with the aggregate effect lifting total portfolio income by more than £16,000 annually.
Borrowing rises alongside income
Rising gross rental income has not been accompanied by a corresponding reduction in landlord debt. The estimated buy-to-let mortgage borrowing associated with the average portfolio increased from £642,000 to £736,000, a rise of £94,000 or 14.6%, despite the underlying portfolio value remaining flat.
Rushbrook also modelled the cost of professionally managing a portfolio of this size. Fully managed rental services typically charge between 8% and 15% of monthly rental income, plus VAT.
Applying the midpoint rate of 11.5%, the firm calculates that managing a single property at the current average rental income level would cost around £139 per month including VAT. Across a 7.3-property portfolio, that rises to approximately £1,017 per month, or £12,207 per year, itself up 22.9% on the prior year given the rise in underlying rents.
"There's still a tendency to think of a landlord as someone who owns one or two properties and collects the rent each month, but these figures demonstrate the scale of the property businesses many landlords are actually running," said Roma Sharma, managing director of Rushbrook.
"The average portfolio comprises more than seven properties, is worth around £1.7m and is generating almost £90,000 in gross rental income each year. At the same time, the average landlord is carrying an estimated £736,000 in mortgage borrowing, so these are substantial, leveraged property businesses that require considerable ongoing oversight.
"It's important to distinguish gross rental income from profit. While rental income has increased substantially over the last year, landlords still have mortgage costs, maintenance, taxation, compliance, and numerous other operational expenses to account for, and the amount of mortgage borrowing associated with the average portfolio has also increased.
"Then there's the practical reality of managing multiple individual properties. Each one brings its own tenancy, maintenance requirements, inspections, compliance obligations, and day-to-day administration, and the workload involved has only become more demanding as the regulatory landscape has evolved.
"Professional property management is, of course, another cost that landlords have to account for, but the question for a portfolio landlord is increasingly whether managing everything themselves represents the best use of their time and resources.
"When you're overseeing £1.7m worth of property and almost £90,000 in annual gross rental income, good management isn't simply about collecting rent and arranging the occasional repair. It's about protecting the performance of a significant property business and ensuring that its assets, tenants, and regulatory obligations are being properly looked after."
