A tenant campaign group has suggested landlords exiting the sector could “open the doors” to the property ladder for renters.

Landlords exiting the sector should be encouraged to sell-up to their tenants, a campaign group claims.

Commenting as Rightmove revealed that the proportion of former rental properties moving into the sales market is at its highest on record, Generation Rent suggested tenants need protection and support.

Dan Wilson Craw, deputy chief executive of Generation Rent, said:”Homes that were previously for rent becoming available to buy is not inherently bad for renters – given that so many renters want to buy, it can provide opportunity. 

“However, our primary concern is for tenants whose landlord is selling up and automatically serves an eviction notice. We desperately need protections to keep tenants in our homes or otherwise minimise the upheaval when landlords decide to sell up.”

Wilson-Craw suggested these protections should be part of the upcoming Renters’ Rights Bill, where he said the government should encourage sales to the current tenants.

He added: “This would be a win-win scenario, or to another landlord with the tenant staying put. If evictions must go ahead, tenants need more notice and financial support with the costs of moving. 

“Looking at the bigger picture, homes moving from rental to sale opens doors for renters to become homeowners, which is a stated aim of the government. Despite concerns about landlords’ threats to leave the market, this has to happen if the government wants to revive home ownership. The answer to affordability in renting is more homes, not more landlords, and providing homes people can afford to live in, in places they want to live, is the way out of this crisis.”