More than 500 rental properties a day are leaving the private rented sector, according to new analysis from TwentyEA.
The property data firm estimates that 505 rental homes per day have left the sector so far in 2026. It says the rate is more than three times the level recorded in 2020.
TwentyEA’s figures cover the whole of the UK. However, the Renters’ Rights Act reforms referenced in its analysis apply only to England.
Landlord sales remain elevated despite the first phase of the Renters’ Rights Act taking effect on 1 May. The reforms abolished Section 21 evictions and introduced a new tenancy system. They also brought in restrictions on rental bidding, among other changes.
TwentyEA estimates that 111,696 homes left the PRS through landlord sales in 2024. That figure increased to around 181,000 in 2025.
The firm had previously identified signs that the rate of landlord exits was easing. In January, former rental properties accounted for 10.4% of homes listed for sale, according to its data.
However, TwentyEA now estimates that 834,800 properties have left the PRS since the start of the decade.
The company calculates that the sector has lost 18.6% of its rental stock nationally. In London, the figure stands at 14.2%.
The figures do not establish that the Renters’ Rights Act caused landlords to sell. TwentyEA instead points to several pressures on landlord returns. These include taxation, mortgage costs, regulation and forthcoming energy-efficiency requirements.
Further regulatory changes are also approaching. The government plans to start the regional rollout of its mandatory PRS Database from late 2026.
Landlords will have to register and pay an annual fee. However, the government has yet to confirm the amount. The mandatory Landlord Ombudsman is expected to follow in 2028.
Tax changes are also on the horizon. From April 2027, landlords will face separate property income tax rates of 22%, 42% and 47%.
Meanwhile, privately rented homes will have to meet higher energy-efficiency standards by 1 October 2030, unless an exemption applies.
Landlords may need to spend up to £10,000 per property on qualifying improvements. The government’s impact assessment estimates average expenditure of £5,400 for properties below the required standard.
Owners of higher-value rental properties in England could face another cost from April 2028.
The High Value Council Tax Surcharge will apply to residential properties worth £2m or more under the current proposals. Annual charges will range from £2,500 to £7,500. The property owner, rather than the occupier, will pay the surcharge.
TwentyEA argues that the combined impact of higher costs and tighter regulation could encourage more landlords to sell.
Its analysis also cites separate research from Allsop. Some 42% of surveyed landlords said they were unlikely or very unlikely to continue letting.
That proportion increased to 52% among single-property landlords. Meanwhile, 30% said they intended to sell all their rental properties.
The latest TwentyEA figures will add to the debate around rental supply. The question is whether continuing landlord exits will further constrain stock as the sector adjusts to the new regulatory regime.



Comments (1)
PRS has never been an unbiased adjudicator or a balanced Redress Scheme. It is an ungoverned private company. It looks at landlords as demons and always out to get the tenants and makes decisions accordingly. There is nothing there to govern them. Apparently Trading Standards and MHCLG are supposed to monitor them. Try getting hold of them.