Landlords hesitate to expand portfolios
Wednesday 26th August, 2026
Most UK landlords plan to hold their properties, but few intend to expand as tax, regulation and weaker profitability make buy-to-let less attractive.
This gives you a chance to comment on how landlord confidence could affect rental supply and choice for people searching for homes in the UK.
1 Source:
Why have we flagged this?
The survey highlights a major shift in landlord sentiment and supply, giving Rightmove an opportunity to add rental demand, listing and market trend data to the debate.
Get reactive idea inspiration
Thinking...
These are starting points for inspiration, not finished ideas.
Data idea
Map where rental supply is tightening fastest
Show which UK regions have seen the largest fall in available rental properties, giving context to landlords leaving the market.
Data to investigate: Analyse your rental listing data to compare the number of available properties by region year on year.
Why: It turns a landlord investment story into a clear warning about where renters may face the greatest pressure.
Newsjack
Publish a guide to the landlord exit effect
Create a plain-English explainer showing renters how landlord sales could affect local availability, rents and competition for homes.
Newsjack angle: Build a short regional guide using your market expertise and pitch it to national consumer property coverage and local newspapers.
Why: It translates an investor story into practical information for the millions of renters affected by changing supply.
Expert comment
Warn that tax breaks alone will not revive buy-to-let
Argue that landlords need confidence in long-term policy, regulation and returns before committing to new purchases.
Expert comment angle: Offer a Rightmove property expert to BBC, the Guardian and consumer property desks with the specific view that policy certainty matters more than a one-off tax change.
Why: It challenges the simple assumption that better taxation alone will bring landlords back.