Lomond, the group that uses private equity cash to acquire independent estate agents, claims there’s no mass exodus of landlords from the private rental sector. 

It says it’s analysed current properties listed for sale with a tenant in situ and how this level of stock has changed since the Budget.

Lomond insists the results show that landlords are acting with greater confidence. In the two weeks that followed the Budget the agency admits there was a decline of -0.6% in the number of properties listed for sale across England with a tenant in situ.

This 14 day reduction in rental stock listings climbs as high as 3% in the East of England, with the South West (-2.5%) and North East (-1.9%) also seeing notable reductions.

A further four regions have seen a reduction in tenanted for sale stock in the last two weeks.

Just the Midlands has seen an increase, with a jump of 1.4% in the East Midlands and a 0.8% increase across the West Midlands.

A Lomond spokesperson says: “It’s becoming fairly apparent that the exodus of buy-to-let landlords has been somewhat exaggerated and the vast majority continue to see the rental sector as a secure and consistent avenue of investment, despite the government’s best efforts to dent profitability.

“The good news is that having escaped a capital gains tax increase, we simply haven’t seen a rush for the door following the Budget.

“We expect the buy-to-let landscape will continue to remain positive now that the budget dust has settled.”