Average landlord portfolio income hits £88,454

The average landlord portfolio is claimed to be generating £88,454 a year in gross rent income, up £16,476 from £71,978, according to analysis by property management firm Rushbrook.

That comes from an average of 7.3 properties with an estimated combined value of £1.7m, with both figures unchanged over the year.

Estimated annual rent income per property rose 22.9%, from £9,860 to £12,117 in Q1 2026.

Borrowing increased at the same time, with estimated buy to let mortgage debt rising 14.6% from £642,000 to £736,000.

Mortgage borrowing increases

Roma Sharma, the firm’s managing director, said: “There’s still a tendency to think of a landlord as someone who owns one or two properties and collects the rent each month, but these figures demonstrate the scale of the property businesses many landlords are actually running.

“The average portfolio comprises more than seven properties, is worth around £1.7m and is generating almost £90,000 in gross rental income each year.

“At the same time, the average landlord is carrying an estimated £736,000 in mortgage borrowing, so these are substantial, leveraged property businesses that require considerable ongoing oversight.”

She added: “It’s important to distinguish gross rental income from profit.

“While rental income has increased substantially over the last year, landlords still have mortgage costs, maintenance, taxation, compliance, and numerous other operational expenses to account for, and the amount of mortgage borrowing associated with the average portfolio has also increased.”

Management costs rise

Rushbrook also modelled the potential cost of paying for professional management across the average landlord portfolio.

Fully managed services typically cost between 8% and 15% of monthly rent income, plus VAT, according to the firm.

Using a midpoint of 11.5%, it estimates the cost for one property generating the current average income at about £139 a month including VAT.

Across 7.3 properties, that rises to an estimated £1,017 a month, or £12,207 a year.

Portfolio costs increase

The estimated annual management bill is £2,274 higher than a year earlier, an increase of 22.9%.

Rushbrook says the rise in gross income should not be treated as an equivalent increase in landlord profit because mortgage costs, maintenance, taxation and compliance also must be met.

Its figures show borrowing increased by £94,000 over the year despite the estimated £1.7m value of the average portfolio remaining unchanged.

The analysis covered portfolio size and value, buy to let borrowing, rent income and the estimated cost of professional management.

The findings are based on a survey of 567 NRLA members with properties across the UK.