The UK's private rented sector is becoming increasingly professionalised, with landlords managing larger portfolios, adopting more sophisticated ownership structures and driving growing demand for specialist landlord lending and portfolio finance solutions.
The latest Landlord Trends research from Pegasus Insight shows the average landlord portfolio has grown to 7.3 properties, underlining a continued shift towards larger-scale, business-minded investors. The research also found that 21% of landlords now describe themselves as full-time or self-employed landlords, up from 17% at the end of 2025.
These findings suggest that, despite ongoing regulatory and tax changes, a significant proportion of landlords are treating property investment as a professional business rather than a sideline activity.
Limited company landlords sit at the forefront of this trend. Their average portfolio now stands at 15.3 properties, up from 12.8 in the fourth quarter of 2025, with around 66% of their holdings now owned through a corporate structure.
Refinancing activity is also fuelling demand for specialist landlord lending. Almost four in ten landlords with existing borrowing expect to remortgage within the next year, rising to 56% among those with four or more buy-to-let mortgages.
Portfolio borrowers are almost twice as likely as smaller landlords to be active in the refinancing market, a gap that highlights the growing complexity of larger property businesses.
- The average landlord portfolio has grown to 7.3 properties
- Limited company landlords now hold an average of 15.3 properties, up from 12.8 in Q4 2025
- 21% of landlords describe themselves as full-time or self-employed, up from 17% at the end of 2025
Mark Long, founder and managing director of Pegasus Insight (pictured), said the sector's image needed updating. "The PRS is becoming increasingly professional and sophisticated," he explained. "The image of the landlord with one or two properties operating on the side of another career no longer tells the full story."
"We are seeing fewer landlords treating property as a sideline investment and more operating as professional businesses with larger, more sophisticated portfolios."
That shift, he added, carries clear implications for lenders. "Larger landlords tend to have more complex borrowing needs, make greater use of limited company structures and are more likely to require specialist lending solutions and refinancing support."
"As the market evolves, there is a growing opportunity for lenders and brokers that can provide the expertise, flexibility and products needed to support increasingly professional property businesses."
