One hundred days since the Renters' Rights Act received Royal Assent, the private rental sector is exhibiting precisely the symptoms critics warned of: a wave of landlord sell-offs, lengthening court backlogs, and rents climbing fastest in the very markets the legislation was designed to protect. Industry estimates now suggest that between 8% and 12% of buy-to-let landlords have either sold or begun the process of exiting the sector since the Act's provisions began taking effect, with the abolition of Section 21 'no-fault' evictions cited as the single largest catalyst. For a market that already lost an estimated 250,000 rental homes between 2016 and 2023 amid tax changes and tighter mortgage stress tests, this latest contraction compounds a supply crisis that shows no sign of easing.
100 Days of Rental Reform Chaos: Landlords Flee, Rents Surge
Labour's Renters' Rights Act has triggered a landlord exodus and rent spikes—here's what investors need to know before the next 100 days.
Topics
Renters Rights ActBuy-to-LetSection 21Rental MarketLandlord Exodus


