"Landlords selling homes is disastrous for tenants. Even if properties sold end up back in the rental market, that’s scant comfort for those who have been forced to move as a result"
- Ben Beadle - NRLA
The number of households in England’s private rented sector at risk of homelessness due to landlords selling their properties has risen by nearly 20% since the start of the year, new government data reveals.
Between January and March 2025, just over 6,500 households were deemed eligible for council support to prevent homelessness after their landlord chose to sell the property. This is up from around 5,500 households between October and December 2024, a 19% increase.
The data confirms that property sales are the most common reason for landlords to end a tenancy, accounting for nearly three times as many cases as the next most cited cause.
The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has responded by calling for stronger incentives to retain responsible landlords in the market, stressing the knock-on effects for renters.
“For millions of renters across the country, whether a landlord sells a property or not will decide the fate of where they live,” said Ben Beadle, chief executive of the NRLA. “Landlords selling homes is disastrous for tenants. Even if properties sold end up back in the rental market, that’s scant comfort for those who have been forced to move as a result. In the Autumn Budget the Chancellor needs to support responsible private landlords to invest in new decent quality, long term homes to rent that tenants desperately need.”
The NRLA's analysis underscores growing pressure on housing supply within the private rented sector, as rising sales by landlords displace tenants and fuel local housing crises. The group argues that policies aimed at encouraging long-term investment in rental homes are essential to reducing instability and preventing homelessness.
