The private rental sector has been evolving for some time, but the pace of change over the last few years has been significant. Changes to taxation, rising borrowing costs, increasing compliance requirements, proposed EPC standards and, more recently, the Renters’ Rights Act have all contributed to landlords taking a fresh look at their property investments.
Recent figures reported by TwentyEA suggest that almost 850,000 properties have left the private rented sector over the past decade, with landlord sales reaching their highest level during 2025. It’s easy to look at those figures and conclude that landlords are leaving the market altogether, but the picture is more nuanced than the headlines suggest.
At the same time as many private landlords are selling, the Build to Rent sector continues to expand. According to the latest market data, Build to Rent listings increased by 22% during the second quarter of 2026 compared with the same period last year, helping rental supply reach its highest level for seven years.
On the surface, those figures appear contradictory. If landlords are leaving the market, why is rental supply increasing?
The answer is that the market is changing rather than shrinking.
Build to Rent developments, funded by pension funds and institutional investors, are adding professionally managed rental homes across many of the UK’s major cities. However, they are not replacing the type of housing that has traditionally been provided by private landlords.
A one-bedroom apartment in a city centre development serves a different market to a three-bedroom family home in a suburban neighbourhood. Both are important, but they meet different housing needs.
Private landlords therefore continue to play a vital role in providing homes across the country, particularly for families and in locations where large-scale Build to Rent developments simply do not exist.
For many landlords, particularly those who became landlords by circumstance rather than choice, the question is no longer whether the market has changed. It has. The more important question is whether now is the right time to sell.
Before making that decision, it is worth taking a step back and understanding exactly what your property is worth and whether there are opportunities to improve its value before it reaches the market.
This is where an independent valuation from a Chartered Surveyor can make a real difference.
Whilst an estate agent will advise on likely marketing price, a Surveyor will assess the property as an asset, considering the factors that may influence its value both now and in the future.
That could include:
- identifying refurbishment works that may improve market value
- assessing whether EPC improvements would make the property more attractive to buyers
- highlighting development or extension potential
- reviewing planning opportunities
- identifying defects that could affect negotiations later in the sales process
- advising whether selling with vacant possession is likely to achieve a higher price
Every property is different, and there is no single approach that suits every landlord. In some cases, carrying out improvements before selling can deliver a worthwhile return. In others, the best decision may be to market the property as it stands. The key is making that decision with reliable, independent advice rather than reacting to market headlines.
The rental market will continue to evolve. Some landlords will decide to expand their portfolios, others will refinance, and some will conclude that selling is the right move.
Whatever the decision, it should be based on a clear understanding of the property’s value and its potential.
In a market that continues to change, informed decisions have never been more important.
