The Government is being urged to hold a moratorium on further buy-to-let interventions after analysis found the market has swung in favour of large institutional landlords.

Research by the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA) – based on the Government’s 2018 English Private Landlord Survey – warned that further changes could affect rental supply and mean higher rents for tenants.

IMLA’s analysis found professional landlords, as of the end of 2018, represent 48% of the private rental sector, up from 38% in 2010.

In contrast, the number of single-property landlords has fallen from 40% to 21% over the same period.

This was blamed on a tougher mortgage market, the increasing size of the build-to-rent sector and mainly, IMLA claims, due to Government changes such as additional Stamp Duty and the scaling back of mortgage interest relief making buy-to-let less profitable.

Kate Davies, executive director of IMLA, said: “We are concerned that layers of Government intervention have adversely affected small-scale landlords’ ability and appetite to invest in properties over recent years.

“As increased tax and regulatory responsibilities increasingly disincentivise landlords, we face a possible topping out of the private rental sector (PRS).

“While it’s good to see professional and institutional investors increasing their stake in the nation’s housing stock, the number of one-property buy-to-let investors has fallen by almost half.

“Squeezing the PRS puts the pressure on millions of renters in Britain. We are strong advocates of a fair market with a quality supply of homes. Restricting the PRS risks a lack of supply, rising rents and a fall in the quality of rental accommodation.

“We have repeatedly called for Government to put the brakes on regulating and taxing our nation’s landlords. We urge a more moderate approach to ensure our private rental sector remains strong for the millions of renters who rely on it.”

Blog Post from Property Industry Eye

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