Four in five landlords (82%) are concerned about the impact of the Renters’ Rights Act, with one in two (44%) very concerned. Meanwhile, three-quarters (75%) of landlords say regulation has made them less likely to grow their portfolios, and half (49%) are planning to sell or reduce their stake within two months.
The findings are from a survey of 2,650 landlords, letting agents and tenants by Goodlord and form part of a larger report titled ‘Is Renting Broken?’.
Regulatory pressure hampers growth
Almost 1 in 2 (44%) landlords cited regulatory pressure as the single biggest barrier to growth currently facing them. This dwarfs their concerns around taxation (14%) and economic uncertainty (12%).
Meanwhile, the data shows that just 18% of tenants feel fully confident in their new rights as renters and more than a third (38%) say better information about the RRA would improve their renting experience.
Letting agents unprepared for new eviction process
It’s not just landlords and tenants who are unprepared. Nearly nine in ten (89%) of letting agents claim they are ready for the changes. However, less than two-thirds (61%) feel ready to handle eviction processes after section 21 is abolished on May 1.
In a snap poll of letting agency leaders at its recent Goodlord Leaders’ Forum in central London, a third (33%) of letting agents in the audience said they believed the RRA would be bad for business, with a fifth (18%) admitting they didn’t expect to be working in lettings in five years’ time.
Tom Goodman, managing director at the Goodlord Group, said: “Landlords are sending a very clear signal. When nearly half are considering selling within the year, it points to a market under strain. The Renters’ Rights Act aims to improve outcomes for tenants, but these findings show the scale of concern among landlords about how the changes will work in practice.
“The data on agents is equally telling. While confidence levels appear high on the surface, the gap between perceived readiness and operational capability – particularly around complex areas like evictions – highlights a clear need for more support. What’s critical now is ensuring the industry has the clarity, tools, and guidance it needs to navigate the transition with confidence.”
Full data here.
