The number of landlords exiting the private rented sector reached a record in 2024. The flow of properties from rental to owner-occupation — or to short-term lets — has tightened supply just as demand from renters continues to grow. The consequences are felt acutely by those least able to absorb them.
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The Cost Squeeze
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The arithmetic of buy-to-let has changed fundamentally since 2021. A landlord who financed a property on a 75% interest-only mortgage at 2% was paying around £500 a month in interest on a £300,000 loan. The same mortgage at today's rates costs over £1,100.
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For landlords who cannot pass these costs on — because of rental affordability limits, rent controls in Scotland, or simple market constraints — the business case for retaining properties has evaporated.
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The Regulatory Environment
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The Renters' Rights Act removed no-fault evictions and introduced a single system of periodic tenancies. Landlords who argued the change was needed; others say it has made the sector unviable for small investors.
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Energy efficiency requirements loom. Properties must reach EPC Band C by 2028; bringing an older property up to standard can cost £15,000 or more.
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Who Fills the Gap?
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The retreat of small private landlords has not reduced the demand for rented housing. Build-to-Rent developers — institutional investors building purpose-designed rental blocks — are filling some of the gap, but not at the scale or in the locations where need is greatest.
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