The share of homes bought by landlords has climbed to its highest level since 2016 with investor activity increasingly being driven by landlords buying properties from other landlords, according to new analysis from Hamptons.
Between January and April 2026, landlords accounted for 13.3% of all property purchases across Great Britain, up from 9.9% during the same period last year.
Hamptons says the increase has been fuelled by a reshuffling of the private rented sector ahead of the Renters’ Rights Act and against a backdrop of higher mortgage rates, rather than a wave of new investors entering the market.
A record 23% of homes bought by landlords this year had previously been rented out by another landlord, up from 16% in 2025 and well above the 2019-2023 average of 9.9%.
AROUND THE REGIONS
The strongest growth in landlord activity was seen across Northern England, where investors accounted for 23.9% of buyers so far this year, compared to 14.5% in 2025. The North West saw the sharpest increase, with landlords making up 25.3% of buyers, more than double last year’s figure.
But buy-to-let investment remained relatively subdued across Southern England. Across London, the South East, South West and East of England, landlords accounted for 9.1% of purchases, only marginally higher than last year.
Hamptons says higher yields in Northern regions continue to make buy-to-let investment more financially viable, particularly as borrowing and tax costs remain elevated.
The research also found that houses are now more likely than flats to remain within the rental market, reversing previous trends. Around 60% of previously rented homes bought by landlords this year were houses, up from 40% five years ago.
RENTERS’ RIGHTS ACT
At the same time, rental growth continued to accelerate ahead of the Renters’ Rights Act becoming law. New-let rents across Great Britain rose 1.9% year-on-year in April to an average of £1,396 per month, marking the fastest pace of growth in 11 months.
Inner London led rental growth, with new-let rents rising 6.7% annually to an average of £2,840 per month.
CHANGING HANDS
Aneisha Beveridge (main picture, inset), Head of Research at Hamptons, says: “With the Renters’ Rights Act becoming law against a backdrop of rising mortgage rates, some landlords have taken the opportunity to leave the market. Increasingly, though, they’re passing on their properties to other investors.
“This means the recent spike in landlord purchases reflects homes changing hands between investors, rather than the dawn of a new buy-to-let boom.”
