Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Team from a report by Landlord Today. Read the original article for full details.
Half of Landlords Aren't Increasing Rents
More landlords are choosing not to raise rents despite the Renters' Rights Act, opting instead to keep their tenants. A survey of more than 2,000 private landlords in England by the TDS Charitable Foundation found that half (50%) had not changed the rent they charged in the last 12 months.
That compares with four in ten (39%) last year, pointing to a growing trend of rent freezes across the private rented sector.
Larger Landlords Most Likely to Hold Rents
The report notes that larger landlords are the most likely to avoid raising rents. Landlords are aware of the cost-of-living pressures their tenants face, and this appears to influence their decisions on rent setting.
The findings suggest tenant retention is becoming a priority for a significant portion of the landlord community, even as the Renters' Rights Act introduces new regulatory requirements for the sector.
What This Means for Letting Agents and Inventory Clerks
For letting agents, the data points to a market where rental growth may be more subdued than some predictions suggested, with half of landlords holding rents steady over the past year. This could affect renewal conversations, rent review processes and the overall pace of rental price increases across managed portfolios.
Inventory clerks may also see continued demand for accurate, well-documented property records as tenancies are extended rather than re-let. With more landlords keeping existing tenants in place, up-to-date inventories and check-in/check-out documentation remain important for protecting both landlord and tenant interests.
The survey covered more than 2,000 private landlords in England, a substantial sample of the sector. The shift from 39% to 50% in a single year is a notable change in landlord behaviour, though the report does not specify the reasons behind individual landlords' decisions beyond awareness of cost-of-living pressures.
Source: Landlord Today