x
By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies to enhance your experience.

TODAY'S OTHER NEWS

Tenants in for a ‘rocky ride this year’

Undoubtedly, 2018 was another tough year for landlords. With so many tax and regulatory changes over the past couple of years, there was a further decline in the number of buy-to-let acquisitions last year.

Based on figures from UK Finance, the number of buy-to-let mortgages secured in 2018 dropped to below 70,000.

Despite a drop in the number of new private rental properties coming onto the market, the number of tenants experiencing rent increases fell for the fourth month running in December, with 18% of letting agents reporting that landlords increased rents, according to ARLA Propertymark.

Advertisement

The trade body says that last month’s figure is the lowest recorded since December 2017, when the number of tenants experiencing rent rises was 16%.

However, the lack of competition from landlords for properties will inevitably reduce the supply of much needed housing in the private rented market at a time when some buy-to-let landlords are actively reducing the size of their property portfolios or exiting the buy-to-let market altogether, and that is expected to place upward pressure on rental values this year.

David Cox, ARLA Propertymark chief executive, commented: “Although December’s figures indicate that tenants finished the year in the driving seat, they’re in for a rocky ride this year.

“With the Tenant Fees Bill passing its final hurdle in Parliament last week, it is now waiting to receive Royal Assent before being passed into law and implemented on 1st June. This means it’s only a matter of time until we could see rent prices starting to creep up again.

“As we’ve said repeatedly, landlords have faced continued regulatory change and increasing costs over the last few years, and the tenant fees ban will only add to this burden meaning many will either have to start increasing rents for tenants or exit the market.”

 Average number of tenants experiencing rent hikes over the year

Want to comment on this story? If so...if any post is considered to victimise, harass, degrade or intimidate an individual or group of individuals on any basis, then the post may be deleted and the individual immediately banned from posting in future.

Poll: Do you think tenants are in for a rocky ride this year?

PLACE YOUR VOTE BELOW

  • Fed Up Landlord

    Landlords rarely increase rents in November, December, or January as these are the months more likely to incur voids. A rent increase leads to tenants looking around. Wait until the period February through to September and see what happens then.

  • icon
    • 31 January 2019 09:27 AM

    My rents increase every AST year no matter what the month is.
    In 10 years I have only ever had two tenants leave due to a proposed rent increase.
    They vacated and achieved higher rent with new tenants!
    Guess it depends on demand in the areas.
    Though I have seen that EU migrants make up 25% of the PRS so potentially there might be a softening of demand in areas popular with EU migrants.
    So I guess perhaps don't remain invested in those areas.
    But even with BrExit there seems to be no slowing down of migrants.
    By all accounts the majority of them aren't even EU nationals so that should keep demand up. I reckon with many LL selling up or downsizing that supply will remain lower than demand and so upward pressures on rents will continiue.
    I certainly don't believe supply will ever meet demand in my lifetime so fears of being unable to increase rents annually aren't even in my thinking.

  • icon

    Another biased headline! It should read "Tenants might face inflation or cost based rent increases, but many won't as landlords decide to absorb these to keep good tenants" Somehow the truth makes less interesting headlines!

icon

Please login to comment

MovePal MovePal MovePal
sign up