A property lawyer says tax reductions on so-called additional properties – mostly buy to lets – would help clear the backlog of those now on sale.

Lisa Wilson, a partner at law firm Spencer West LLP, says: “The introduction of the Renters Rights Act, and abolition of ‘No Fault’ evictions from May 2026 has impacted upon market activity. 

“Leading up to the 1 May deadline, agents and landlords worked hard to serve Section 21 Notices whilst they still could.

“The evictions meant lots of investment properties were up for sale, but with increasing mortgage rates and buyer uncertainty, buyer appetite was perhaps not what Landlords were expecting. Many of those properties are still sat on the market without tenants or buyers. Could new Investor Buyers be the answer?

“I would welcome reform to Stamp Duty in the 2026 Budget in the form of reduced rates for Additional Properties to help restore liquidity. This would bring new investors to the market who are entering with 2026 laws and taxation already in place, rather than having to adjust existing plans retrospectively.”

Wilson says in any market, buying property should be viewed as a long-term 10 to 20 year investment to weather inevitable political storms. 

Over the summer property website Zoopla issued data showing that the average price of a house was up 43% since 2016 across the UK, but flats had increased by 10% over the same period.

This was at least partly because of the glut on sale, especially in southern England.

Zoopla’s analysis over the summer looked at flats that were unsold after six months on the open market. 

London was worst on 87% followed by the with south-east of England (85%) and East Anglia on 84%. 

Over England as a whole, the average was 80.5%.

The property portal put the glut down to landlords exiting the private rental sector and the growing unpopularity of leasehold property.

The Budget takes place next Wednesday.