Nearly four in 10 landlords are planning to refinance within the next 12 months according to new research from Pegasus Insight, highlighting continued demand for buy-to-let borrowing despite ongoing regulatory and economic pressures facing the private rented sector.
The Q1 2026 Landlord Trends research found that 39% of landlords expect to remortgage over the coming year, with larger portfolio landlords driving much of the activity.
Among landlords holding four or more buy-to-let mortgages, 56% said they intend to refinance during the next 12 months, compared with 24% of landlords holding between one and three mortgages.
Pegasus Insight says the findings demonstrate that landlords remain highly active in managing increasingly complex borrowing arrangements across multiple properties, despite wider concerns surrounding the Renters’ Rights Act, taxation and affordability pressures.
STABLE OCCUPANCY
The research also found that landlords expecting to refinance anticipate remortgaging an average of 2.7 loans each, pointing to a significant volume of refinancing activity likely to enter the market during the next year.
The study suggests continued borrowing demand is being supported by relatively stable tenant occupancy patterns and ongoing rental demand across the sector.
Separate Wave 1 2026 Tenant Trends research from Pegasus Insight found tenants have lived in rented accommodation for an average of 8.2 years, including more than five years on average in their current property.
At the same time, two thirds of tenants said they intend to remain in their existing rental property once their current tenancy agreement ends, supporting long-term rental income consistency for landlords.
RESILIENT TENANT DEMAND
Mark Long (main picture, inset), Founder and Managing Director of Pegasus Insight, says: “While much of the recent discussion around the private rented sector has focused on the potential negative impact of the Renters’ Rights Act and the threat of future rent controls, these findings highlight the continued scale of borrowing activity taking place across the landlord market.
“Landlords are not standing still – many are actively refinancing, restructuring borrowing and reviewing funding arrangements across multiple properties.
“What also stands out is the stability underpinning the sector. Tenant demand remains resilient and tenancies are often long term in nature, helping to provide landlords with relatively predictable rental income over extended periods.”
