Growth in the number of ‘portfolio landlords’

So-called ‘portfolio landlords’ continue to expand their portfolios, while landlords with fewer properties are choosing not to invest in another property.

Lender Kent Reliance’s most recent Buy-to-let Britain report finds that portfolio landlords – those with ten or more properties – invested in one new property in the last three months. This compares with landlords with fewer properties, who were less likely to invest in a new property over the last three months.  

This research reveals that landlords with larger portfolios have, in recent months, been more likely to continue to invest in the buy-to-let sector.  

Andy Golding, spokesperson for Kent Reliance, said: “A fundamental shift in the landlord population is now underway, as buy-to-let moves from being a popular past-time for hundreds of thousands of British amateur landlords, to the preserve of committed long-term investors with experience and expertise”.   

However, fewer landlords have a positive outlook now than they have in recent years, with 41% currently feeling positive about what the future has in store for their property investments.  

2017 was a tricky year for landlords, following the government’s decision to add a 3% stamp duty surcharge to the purchase of second homes, which was introduced the previous year. In addition, the phasing out of tax relief for residential landlords has encouraged landlords to move their properties into limited companies, as doing so means the tax relief changes do not affect them.  

Meanwhile, during 2017, there was a 45% increase in the number of buy-to-let applications for properties through a limited company when compared to 2016.  

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