Private rented sector is shrinking fast as landlords abandon ship

My partner and I have been renting now for 30 years 2 houses and 1 flat, in all that time I only had to evict 3 tenants for failing to pay rent and one who also became a liberty to other tenants in an HMO, I only needed to take one tenant out through a court proceedings.
When the renters right bill comes abolishing S21, it will be perfect time to sell up once and for all pay capital gains tax and put my money in savings bond.for my retirement.
Doing so would displace 6 families 2 families of 4 individuals, and 5 HMO tenants.
Renters Rights should know majority of Landlords offer good quality homes fit for habitation at very reasonable rents often lower than LHA rates, and all we ask from our tenants is for a good behaviour, look after the property, keep it nice and tidy, and pay their rents on time, why would we need to evict them for no reason or for no fault?

Mike. Sadly the government do not want private landlords and are doing their best to get rid of us.

With the RRB and EPC C, they will force me to sell some houses and then the local council can pay to rehouse them.

I don’t expect another private landlord to take on a house, due to construction type will not be economically viable to make it an EPC C. When I bought 1 house I had to wait for the council to decide if they wanted to buy the place at the same price and they refused. Now they are going to have to house this tenant or buy the house at 50% more for what they could have bought it for when I sell the house

Reply to the comment left by Desert Rat at 12/04/2025 – 05:10the other option is another LL will buy it but not ‘legally’ let. In other words knowingly purchase with the intention of not doing it legit from the start and just filling the place.
I see this happening especially in the less desirable/not indigenous populated areas, shall we say, where also properties are also bought at auction for cash from a mate by a mate…. Another way of getting rid of dirty cash too.

Reply to the comment left by Mike at 12/04/2025 – 02:45
I am in a similar position – I’ve been a landlord since 1997, nearly all HMOs, got up to 6 houses, then sold down partly after the GFC and I switched to new-builds and renovations. My last HMO used to have 5 tenants, now down to four because the Tories changed the rules, and I only hold on as it’s a development site.

Once I get planning permission to redevelop some of the land, I am selling up and exiting the PRS entirely. The approach to tax is a disgrace compared to other lines of business, the returns feeble now that interest rates are back to 5%-ish, and though I only used S21 four times in 27 years except to sell – HMO disputes between tenants, non-payment of rent, and importation of drug-dealing boyfriend – the risks of a non-paying or violent tenant are far greater now.

The RRB and EPC C by 2028 are the last straws for me. It’s so hard to find tradespeople competent at insulation work and none guarantee to reach the EPC Grade required, and neither do energy assessors who you pay to specify the work.

I am sticking at development now, paying down debt, and. Investing in the stock market. The national and local governments can go suck on the lack.of social housing and the collapse of the PRS,. These are problems *entirely* of their own making.

Already sold off some last year, all long term tenants.
Issued a section 21 two months back to another long term tenant, they leave today.
All are D band Epc with no chance of me spending stupid money for no return to get to C rating.
Got some C rated as well but now wondering if I should just quit completely as the money returns , from the houses already sold, far exceed any rental income….why should I knock myself out to keep the commies in government happy or Shelter and the rest of the “charities ” who house no-one but pay themselves megabucks .

Soon there will be a rental crisis, and the Government will have to come to the rescue.

The landlords will have selfishly sold their properties and so the white knight government will have to save the day. Not by making being a landlord fair again, but by buying housing themselves.