The large majority of private landlords still consider property rental to be a part-time activity, and most manage their portfolios as private individuals rather than as companies.

A new survey from the Council of Mortgage Lenders, together with specialist lender BDRC and the London School of Economics, updates one from 2010.

Six years on, there is almost no change in the proportion of landlords who do not consider lettings to be their main occupations – 92% in 2010, and 95% now.

Almost all – 87% now and 89% six years ago – manage their portfolio as an individual or couple.

While most landlords still own just one property, there is an apparent trend towards larger portfolios.

In 2010, 78% of landlords had one property and this proportion is now 63%. At the same time, the proportion managing two to four properties has risen from 17% to 30%.

For about 90% of landlords, rent makes up under half of their total income, almost unchanged since 2010.

The CML cautions that the 2010 survey was conducted across the whole of the UK, while the new one covers only England.