Zoopla’s boss predicts a shift to corporate landlords for the PRS

Zoopla’s boss predicts a shift to corporate landlords for the PRS

0:01 AM, 31st July 2024, About 4 months ago 36

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The boss of property listings website Zoopla, Charlie Bryant, says that being a private landlord is no longer financially viable – and corporate landlords will move into the market.

Speaking to the Telegraph, Mr Bryant, who leads Zoopla’s parent company Houseful, highlighted that individual buy to let investors are retreating from the private rented sector (PRS).

He points to rising taxes, high mortgage rates and increased regulation for the exodus.

However, in their place he is predicting that pension funds and private equity firms will replace private landlords, capitalising on the profitable build-to-rent (BTR) sector.

He notes that the removal of tax relief on BTL mortgages and the 3% stamp duty surcharge on second homes, introduced in 2016, have significantly impacted the attractiveness of being a landlord.

‘More corporate institutional landlords’

Mr Bryant told the Telegraph: “Undoubtedly the next iteration [of the rental market] is, particularly with potential planning changes, will be larger, more corporate institutional landlords, under the build-to-rent guise.”

Data from UK Finance supports his view, showing a contraction in the buy to let mortgage sector for the first time since 1996.

This trend coincides with Labour’s plans under Sir Keir Starmer to overhaul planning rules and build 1.5 million homes, potentially favouring corporate BTR investors.

The build-to-rent model, which is already prevalent in the US and Germany, is rapidly expanding in the UK.

According to JLL property consultants, the number of BTR flats in Britain has surged from 7,200 in 2015 to more than 90,000 today, with another 90,000 in development.

Despite this growth, these figures are still small compared to the 4.6 million households in the private rental sector.

Build-to-rent will be integral

Various property experts believe that build-to-rent will be integral to Labour’s housing strategy of building 1.5 million homes in the next five years, especially as high immigration levels drive rental demand.

Mr Bryant said: “Net migration remains high. The UK remains a very, very popular destination for overseas students and migrant labour.

“We are still a very strong financial centre and therefore we get a lot of expats coming in.”

To address the increasing demand, Mr Bryant is urging the government to construct a variety of homes, including social and affordable rent.


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MPD

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9:55 AM, 31st July 2024, About 4 months ago

There is always going to be a need for private landlords
So long as you run your rentals as a business then you can make good returns
Most importantly, provide a professional and hands on service to all your tenants
Scale is the key to success
Too small - overheads eat up all your profit
Too large - difficult to control and to provide a personal service
It’s a delicate balancing act but if you get it right, there is a great opportunity for passive income

DAMIEN RAFFERTY

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10:02 AM, 31st July 2024, About 4 months ago

While I agree with MPD
Passive and being a Landlord is Never Ever a word I would use to describe the JOB !
There is no such thing as an accidental Landlord and you need to keep up to date with legal, market and tenant demands
Roll on the 1.5 million new homes

Ardee

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10:32 AM, 31st July 2024, About 4 months ago

Well Starmer had no hesitation in admitting that serving Davos was his priority. It's almost like there was a plan to create the perfect climate, for the likes of Blackrock, et al, to move in and clean up on the surge in demand for rental homes.

The only hope for small landlords, would be to pool our portfolios and create a large enough entity to compete with these vultures.

JB

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10:47 AM, 31st July 2024, About 4 months ago

Reply to the comment left by MPD at 31/07/2024 - 09:55
What do you think is the optimum number of properties?

JB

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10:50 AM, 31st July 2024, About 4 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Ardee at 31/07/2024 - 10:32
Politicians only feather their own nests and that of their corporate mates

MPD

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11:00 AM, 31st July 2024, About 4 months ago

We have 14 and we self manage these
Optimum numbers will vary depending on circumstance. We are comfortable with our size and it provides a ROI of 9.25%
All our Tenants are on fixed AST’s of between 36 and 108 months
All our properties are less than 15 years old and have EPC’s of C or higher
We handle all minor maintenance in house and sub out to known and trusted contractors any complicated work
We are lucky as we are mortgage free
We considered remortgage of some properties but the fees demanded were prohibitively high so we expand organically

Reluctant Landlord

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11:08 AM, 31st July 2024, About 4 months ago

B2R brigade only want properties of scale - blocks of glass 'eco friendly and sustainable' coffins. Manicured outside spaces, gyms, pools etc. Tenant type, working professionals and single/couples. High standards may be, but with that comes high rents and high service charges.

There will always be the need for family homes with gardens outside the cities. B2R may plan for en mass housing estates in the future, but again rents will be high and these are years away yet.

Even the small number they will be forced to supply (as part of the planning permission) to be 'affordable' - at 80% of market rate will be too high for some. Adapted homes/bungalows? Doubtful.

Anyway they will suffer with the same issues with the rest of the PRS if all the planned legislation reform takes hold and tenants rights take over the political forum.

Those on the housing lists, awaiting social accommodation will continue to increase and as yet there are no plans to increase the availability or build homes they will be able to afford. Labour silent on that.

MPD

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11:12 AM, 31st July 2024, About 4 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 31/07/2024 - 11:08
Good analysis
Room for us small landlords in the landscape you describe
Reasonable returns to be made if you self manage and select the right tenants

Mick Roberts

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11:25 AM, 31st July 2024, About 4 months ago

No one is mentioning these Build to Rent Schemes don't cover the cheapest rents.
No thought is put in to where are the lower earners going.

Beaver

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11:46 AM, 31st July 2024, About 4 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Mick Roberts at 31/07/2024 - 11:25
This is absolutely right. Large corporate investors are good at maximising rents and returns and they have access to good legal help to eliminate tenants that they do not want.

Driving small landlords out of the market by stopping them from deducting their finance costs when large incorporated investors can has nothing to do with fairness and it does nothing for tenants. All that it does is drive competition and choice out of the rental market. Labour has not got the money to build 1.5 million homes and as they look to the likes of Blackrock to do it they will be driving up rents.

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