Traditionally, success in buy-to-let was measured in relatively simple terms. Portfolio size, growth and the next acquisition were all signs that an investment strategy was working.
Recent Pegasus Insight research found that four in five limited company landlords describe themselves as intentional landlords, highlighting a growing group of investors taking a more deliberate approach to property ownership.
Property ownership is becoming far more closely linked to long-term objectives than it has been in the past. Rather than focusing purely on the next purchase opportunity, many landlords are making conscious decisions about portfolio structure, ownership arrangements and what role property will play in their financial future.
Rely’s Next Gen Landlords research, conducted with demographic consultancy Trajectory*, identified a range of future landlord groups, from entrepreneurs and portfolio builders to those focused on retaining family assets or providing high-quality homes in their local communities. While their motivations vary considerably, many are approaching property ownership with a clear idea of what they want to achieve and how they intend to get there.
That conviction is reflected across several of the future landlord groups identified in the research. Positive Impact Portfolios, investors seeking to combine commercial success with positive outcomes for tenants, Reimagining Rentals, landlords motivated by improving rental standards based on their own experiences of renting, and Landlords with Heart, those focused on providing homes for people who need them most, all report overwhelmingly positive outlooks for the sector, with more than nine in ten in each group positive about the market.
For some, that ambition is centred on building a business. One of the groups identified in the research is Rentrepreneurs, who account for around 18% of the future landlord market. Predominantly Gen Z investors, 94% are attracted by the prospect of being their own boss and the opportunity to build something of their own.
Our research also suggests many future landlords are giving serious thought to what being a landlord involves, from the responsibilities of managing property to the decisions needed to make an investment work over time. Among the Capable but Cautious group, which could account for up to 28% of future landlords, confidence rather than financial capacity is often the barrier to entering the sector.
Some of the groups identified in the Next Gen research are motivated by more than financial returns alone. Positive Impact Portfolios, which account for around 11% of
the future landlord market and have an average household income of £125,000, are driven by delivering positive outcomes for tenants alongside commercial returns.
Landlords with Heart place particular importance on providing homes for those who need them most and see property ownership as an opportunity to make a meaningful difference. Those in the Reimagining Rentals group are often Millennial investors whose own experiences of renting have shaped their view of the sector and their desire to raise standards for future tenants. Commercial goals remain important across all three groups, but they sit alongside a desire to improve tenant experience, support local communities and take pride in the homes they provide.
There is evidence of this more deliberate approach in today’s market. Around three-quarters of buy-to-let purchases were made through limited companies in 2025, a significant increase compared with just a few years ago, while 32% of Positive Impact Portfolios already operate through a limited company structure compared with 25% of landlords overall.
Success is also being measured more broadly than it was before. Alongside portfolio growth, there is greater focus on asset quality, tenant experience and building portfolios that remain effective over time. For many landlords, progress is no longer defined solely by the next acquisition, but by whether their portfolio is delivering the outcomes they set out to achieve.
The route into landlording may continue to evolve, but our research suggests many future landlords are entering the sector with a strong understanding of what they want property ownership to achieve. Whether they are building a business, creating long-term financial security or providing high-quality homes, there is clear evidence of a more considered approach to ownership.
The rise of the intentional landlord is not simply about market conditions or investment performance. It points to a sector where more investors are approaching property ownership with a plan, a clear purpose and a longer-term view of success.
