The average UK landlord portfolio is now generating almost £90,000 a year in gross rental income, it’s claimed.
Property management firm Rushbrook analysed the latest landlord portfolio data, looking at the size and value of the average portfolio, the level of buy-to-let borrowing, and the rental income being generated, as well as how these figures have changed on an annual basis.
The firm also modelled the estimated cost of professionally managing the average portfolio based on typical fully managed property management fees.
The research shows that the average landlord currently owns 7.3 properties with a combined estimated value of £1.7m, both unchanged on an annual basis.
However, the gross rental income generated by the average portfolio has increased considerably.
Estimated annual rental income per property has risen by 22.9%, from £9,860 to £12,117 in Q1 2026.
As a result, the estimated gross rental income generated across the average 7.3-property portfolio has climbed from £71,978 to £88,454 per year, an annual increase of £16,476.
While rental income has increased, so too has the level of borrowing associated with the average landlord portfolio.
The estimated amount owed through buy-to-let mortgage borrowing has risen from £642,000 to £736,000.
That’s an annual increase of £94,000, or 14.6%, despite the estimated value of the average portfolio remaining unchanged at £1.7m.
Rushbrook says this demonstrates why rising gross rental income should not necessarily be viewed as an equivalent improvement in landlord profitability, with the average landlord overseeing a substantial leveraged asset base alongside the wider costs associated with running and maintaining a rental portfolio.
The firm also looked at the potential cost of professionally managing the average landlord portfolio.
Fully managed rental services typically cost between 8% and 15% of monthly rental income, plus VAT.
Using the midpoint of 11.5%, Rushbrook estimates that professional management of a single property generating the current average rental income would cost approximately £139 per month including VAT.
Across the average portfolio of 7.3 properties, this equates to an estimated £1,017 per month, or £12,207 per year, based on current rental income levels.
