The head of Generation Rent says the threat of landlords quitting the sector “should be taken with a large pinch of salt”.
The comment comes in a Guardian article looking chiefly at the 2% tax rise on rental income imposed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in November’s Budget.
Ben Twomey, chief executive of Generation Rent, says most landlords are able to absorb an increase in tax.
He adds: “Regardless of costs, landlords find it all too easy to raise rents anyway when wages are rising and building new homes slows down.
“While the Renters Rights Act will stop landlords evicting tenants just to raise the rent, it will still be possible for landlords to force rents up in line with speculative adverts.
“Renters still need real protections from unaffordable rent increases.”
The latest tax rise introduced by Reeves mean that basic-rate taxpayers will pay 22% on any income they receive from a rented property.
Higher-rate taxpayers will pay 42%, and additional-rate taxpayers 47%.
The Guardian – not known for its support for landlords in the past – cites one for whom the Reeves increase will cost £2,500 a year.
And it cites statistics to show that “the result [of tax rises by successive governments] has been a steady departure of landlords.”
You can see the whole piece here: https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jan/05/buy-to-let-landlords-autumn-budget-tax-regulations-interest-rates
This article is taken from Landlord Today