- A majority (78%) of landlords in England have no confidence in the post Renters' Rights Act rental market.
- Less than 4% of landlords are expanding their portfolios; 36% are reducing their portfolios; 27% are leaving the rental market altogether.
- More than half (53%) of landlords with five or more buy-to-let properties are in the act of reducing their portfolios; small landlords are most likely to be exiting the rental market.
Since the Renters' Rights Act came into effect in May 2026, bringing sweeping reforms for tenants, room rents have hit record highs in most UK regions and supply has entered negative growth. Now, a survey by flatshare site SpareRoom, of landlords in England, has found 78% have 'no confidence' in the current rental market.
More than a third (36%) say they're now reducing their portfolios, rising to 53% among large landlords. And more than a quarter (27%) are in the act of leaving the rental market altogether but, among single-property landlords, this rises to 44%.
| Landlord group* | No confidence in rental market | Expanding portfolio | Reducing portfolio | Leaving rental market altogether | Not planning any changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All (668 respondents) | 78% | 4% | 36% | 27% | 36% |
| Single property (127 respondents) | 79% | 2% | 9% | 44% | 46% |
| 1-4 rental properties (427 respondents) | 78% | 4% | 27% | 31% | 40% |
| 5+ rental properties (241 respondents) | 78% | 4% | 53% | 22% | 29% |
*All survey participants had a majority of rental properties in England
Matt Hutchinson, director of flatshare site SpareRoom, comments: “It's still early days for a change that's supposed to offer a generational shift in behaviour. But for all the good it has done tenants so far - and the end of no-fault evictions and bidding wars has been positive - the Renters' Rights Act has also battered supply and forced up asking rents. “It's unlikely this will be resolved any time soon because landlords are still reacting to the changed landscape. Some have told us that while they're not selling up right now, they don't plan to re-let when their current tenants leave.
“While landlords have the option to walk away and invest their money elsewhere, tenants don't. They're now facing the fallout of a private rented sector that's deterring those who provide homes.”