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Landlords, what's causing you to sell up?

Journalist: Lucy Whalen, Financial Reporter, Property Reporter, Protection Reporter

ended 03. March 2026

Landlords, if you have recently left or are considering leaving the market, what has led you to make this decision at this point in time?

Has the Renters' Rights Bill influenced your decision, and what impact do you see this having on the sector in the future?

Property Reporter would love to hear your thoughts! 

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Editor
Bob Singh
Founder at Chess Mortgages
Landlords have been having a torrid time ever since George Osborne delivered that fateful budget in July 2015.

Since then the lustre of buy to let has been steadily fading with successive years of restricted relief and now the Renters Rights Act

Landlords who are earning above the basic rate band of tax suddenly found themselves at a disadvantage being able to claim only 20% of the finance costs against the gross rental income. Many who had refinanced their properties several times to further grow their portfolios suddenly were faced with huge tax bills making some landlords worse off. This was particularly painful when interest rates spiked.

Many landlords, who met the criteria, were able to “incorporate their portfolios and transfer legal title to a Ltd Co and avoid stamp duty and roll over capital gains tax.

Those who didn’t or couldn’t are left with portfolios not providing the levels of return hitherto seen and opting now to sell off these assets to deleverage their position