For the past few years, reports of landlords selling up and quitting have dominated the headlines. And it’s true that as legislation has tightened and renters’ rights have been prioritised, succeeding as a landlord now takes more time, effort and knowledge than it once did.

But for those who run their portfolio professionally, or work with a qualified agent who handles the detail for them, buy-to-let can still deliver great returns. Rather than a sector in decline, we think it’s actually a great time to be a landlord.

Here are four good reasons why:

1. Demand is continuing to outstrip supply for many properties
For years, the private rented sector (PRS) has not been able to provide enough homes to meet demand - across all tenant types, from young adults renting a room to families looking for a long-term let. The population is growing, but the PRS isn’t.

In England and Wales (ONS data), the PRS peaked at 20.3% of all housing in 2016/17, with around 4.8m dwellings. By 2023 it had fallen to 18.8% – with the number of homes barely changed over seven years.

During that time, the population grew by almost 2.5m (4.25%), yet the number of rental homes barely changed. With 1.3m households on the social housing waiting list in England alone, the highest since 2014, the PRS is under enormous pressure to deliver.