Fewer people than ever are opting to become a hands-on landlord, inspecting properties and dealing with tenants’ maintenance issues. In fact, existing landlords are selling up in droves – and a LendLord survey revealed a third were planning to sell properties or pause investment in 2026.

But that does not mean the property investment sector is no longer viable. Instead, it means investors should be thinking bigger – and looking at the alternative options out there as opposed to buy-to-let.

The downfall of buy-to-let
Return on investment is always the main factor to consider across any sector, not just within the property industry. A number of changes in Government legislation, as well as the wider economic picture, have seen the ROI prospects associated with buy-to-let drop significantly over the past few years.

Tax is now paid on the entire rental income, with expenses no longer deductible and relief no longer based on individual tax brackets but set at 20% for all – a significant reduction for higher earners who could previously claim up to 45% off their mortgage interest payments.