Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Newsroom from a report by The Negotiator. Read the original article for full details.

Rental Supply Reaches Seven-Year High Despite Ongoing Landlord Exits

Rental supply in the UK has reached its highest level in seven years, according to new data from TwentyEA. This increase comes despite a significant number of landlords leaving the private rented sector (PRS) over the past decade.

Almost 850,000 properties have exited the PRS across Britain in the last ten years, with the highest volume of sales recorded last year. TwentyEA’s latest Property and Homemover report states that 18.6% of all PRS stock has disappeared in the past decade. The research also notes that nearly 181,000 rental homes were sold in 2025, with more properties being offloaded as the Renters’ Rights Act moved closer.

Despite these landlord exits, rental supply has risen by more than 17% so far in 2026 compared to 2025, reaching its largest point in seven years. TwentyEA attributes a significant part of this growth to build-to-rent developments. Between April and June this year, property listings for build-to-rent homes were 22% higher than during the same period last year.

TwentyEA’s director, Nick Huntley, commented that while the increase in rental supply is encouraging, many letting agents are still experiencing reduced stock due to landlords leaving the traditional PRS. The growth in purpose-built rental housing is helping to bring new homes into the sector, but it complements rather than replaces the role of private landlords.

The report also highlights changes in the estate agency sector. Online estate agency market share has fallen, now accounting for 3.6% of property exchanges, down 7% annually. In contrast, self-employed agents have increased their market share by 18.7% annually to 2.5%. Growth for self-employed agents has been recorded across all regions except Scotland, with the strongest presence in Wales, where they represent 3.5% of the market.

TwentyEA also reports that growth in property listings has occurred across all price bands, with the strongest increase in the £350,000 to £1 million range, which rose by 22.1% year-on-year.

These trends are relevant for UK letting agents and inventory clerks, as they reflect ongoing shifts in rental supply, landlord participation, and agency models within the property market.