The National Landlords Association (NLA) believes the adoption of a large institution-driven, US-style branded rental market in the UK could leave the vulnerable ‘out in the cold’.

Yet more proposals to incentivise large institutions to invest intensively in rental accommodation has the potential to skew the private-rented sector away from a diverse housing market designed to meet different needs and budgets according to NLA.

David Salusbury, chairman of NLA, said: “ We should be wary of calls to mirror the US housing market here in the UK, especially since there are few similarities and the US housing market is suffering considerably. We need to focus on developing the UK rental market around its own specific needs and circumstances.

“Encouraging a diverse UK rental market, including encouraging professional private landlords, will enable choice that will benefit consumers. Where is the evidence that large corporate investors are concerned about developing housing for the more vulnerable groups in society? Or will the focus only be on the high-profit areas of the market, as their shareholders might expect?”