"In the face of increasing operating costs and the threat of new legislation, this commitment from landlords to stay put is a huge win for the PRS and for renters all over the country"
- Rob Stanton - Landbay
UK landlords appear committed to the private rented sector, with nearly 60% of buy-to-let landlords saying they do not intend to sell any properties in the coming year, according to new findings from Landbay.
The latest survey revealed that 58% of landlords have no plans to dispose of any homes in the next 12 months. This represents a noticeable rise from 47% in last year’s survey, which was conducted shortly after the Autumn Budget.
Among those planning to retain their holdings, the strongest intention was recorded among non-portfolio landlords with fewer than four mortgaged properties, accounting for 32% of responses. They were followed by 24% of landlords with portfolios of between four and 10 rental homes.
Some landlords, however, do expect to sell. Around 15% of respondents intend to sell up to 10% of their portfolio, while 4% plan to sell up to a quarter. Fewer than one in 10 said they might sell up to half of their properties.
When asked about motivations for selling, regulation emerged as the leading factor. More than a third of those considering a sale, or 35%, pointed to the impact of measures such as the forthcoming Renters’ Rights Bill. Taxation was cited by 31% of landlords planning to sell. In last year’s survey, taxation was selected by over half of respondents, at 51.4%.
The research was conducted in May 2025 and included buy-to-let landlords managing a combined portfolio of around 3,000 properties. The survey was carried out before reports of possible Treasury plans that could introduce National Insurance on rental income.
“This latest survey data is hugely encouraging and once again demonstrates just how robust and resilient buy-to-let landlords are,” explained Rob Stanton, sales and distribution director at Landbay. “In the face of increasing operating costs and the threat of new legislation, this commitment from landlords to stay put is a huge win for the PRS and for renters all over the country, especially when you consider the massive role rented accommodation plays in the UK’s housing mix.
“We know this isn’t the story for all landlords, and while selling is a natural part of developing a successful portfolio, there are still those just looking to scale back,” Stanton continued. “As a sector, we absolutely need to get behind these landlords and give them the confidence to not just stay put, but to expand and succeed. As a lender in this space, we take this role really seriously, whether it’s launching and expanding our innovative product transfer offering or providing competitive rates and a broad product range to help landlords of all sizes when the timing is right to scale their portfolio.”
The survey also highlighted that landlords are showing stronger buying intentions. This year, 52% said they plan to acquire new rental properties in the next 12 months, a rise from 27% in the previous survey.
