The Intermediary – October 2025 - Flipbook - Page 38
BUY-TO-LET
Opinion
Preparing landlords
for change
I
n the past couple of months,
there have a number of
headlines focused on the
supposed further – and larger
– exodus of landlords from the
private rented sector (PRS),
suggesting significant numbers are
considering selling up in the face of
new legislation, squeezed margins and
rising costs.
However, if you scratch beneath
the surface, what people say and what
they actually do oen don’t align.
Recent research from Benham and
Reeves revealed that rather than a
collapse in supply, the rental market
has actually seen stock levels increase
since the Renters’ Rights Bill was first
announced. It says there are now
23.5% more properties available to rent
in England than back in September
last year.
That’s a long way from the narrative
of a mass landlord walk-out, and it’s
a reminder that, while the market is
changing, it is not in retreat.
It is also worth bearing in mind
that professional landlords tend
to take a longer-term view. They
understand that legislative change is
part and parcel of being in this sector,
and adapting is oen more fruitful
than exiting.
So, while the new Renters’ Rights
Bill – which by the time you are
reading this will have become law –
will undoubtedly change the shape of
landlord and tenant relationships, it
does not spell the end of the market.
Quite the opposite: it presents an
opportunity for landlords who are
prepared, informed, and willing
to work collaboratively with their
tenants and leing agents.
The challenge, however, is
awareness. Housing Hand’s recent
Understanding Renters Report
suggested that close to 70% of tenants
have never even heard of the Renters’
Rights Bill, and three-quarters are
unclear about the impact it will
have on them.
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The Intermediary | October 2025
Tenants lacking this knowledge is
one thing, but how many landlords
are also unclear on the detail of the
reforms – particularly those who
may not be members of associations
or engaged with professional
advice channels? Advisers could
have a critical role to play in
bridging this gap.
This is why we have developed
our new guide for both advisers and
landlord clients, entitled, ‘Geing
Landlords Renters’ Rights Ready: A
Guide for Advisers’.
Staying compliant
The aim is simple: to break down the
legislation in a clear and practical
way, outlining what the Bill means in
reality for landlords, and what steps
they need to take to stay compliant.
From the abolition of assured
shorthold tenancies (ASTs), to new
rent-seing rules, to the extension
of the Decent Homes Standard,
landlords will need to familiarise
themselves with significant changes.
They will also need to be ready for
new obligations such as registration
on the PRS Landlord Database and
the introduction of a mandatory
Ombudsman service.
For some landlords, this will feel
like a steep learning curve. Many have
relied heavily on leing agents to
handle compliance and management,
and it could be that the days of
‘winging it’ in this space are over.
The guide, available from the
Fleet Mortgages website, stresses
the importance of landlords having
at least a working knowledge of
the rules, even if they do continue
to use agents, so they can hold
them accountable and ensure their
properties are being managed
properly. In short, the landlordtenant relationship is becoming more
structured, more professional, and
more focused on transparency.
Advisers able to help landlords
navigate this transition will not only
LOUISA RITCHIE
is national account manager
at Fleet Mortgages
strengthen their client relationships,
but also add tangible value. Informed
advisers can help clients put the right
processes in place, encourage proactive
maintenance and communication,
and ensure that landlords are taking a
business-minded approach to
their
portfolios. This is where the positives
can shine through: landlords who
embrace these changes will be beer
positioned to offer quality housing,
aract and retain tenants, and build
sustainable, long-term businesses.
Professional landlords recognise
that rental demand remains strong
and that well-run portfolios continue
to generate returns. They are also
aware that uncertainty in the wider
housing market – not least for
would-be homeowners navigating
mortgage affordability challenges –
only strengthens the case for rental
as a tenure.
So, rather than seeing the Renters’
Rights Bill as the beginning of the end,
advisers should view it as a catalyst
for a more professionalised sector and
a further opportunity to engage with
existing, and new, clients.
Our guide is designed to help
advisers take a leading role in that
conversation. Once landlords are
armed with the right information,
they can move forward with
confidence.
In the end, change always brings
both challenges and opportunities.
Saying you’ll sell up is one thing,
actually doing it is another. The
evidence suggests landlords are
adapting rather than retreating.
Advisers now have a unique
opportunity to make sure that
adaptation is successful, and in doing
so, reinforce their place at the very
heart of landlord’s financing wants
and needs. ●
