The majority of agents surveyed by Goodlord (67%) say they expect more landlords to exit the private rented sector (PRS) this year.

This is in addition to the 28% of the 2,600 agents, landlords and tenants asked by the firm who say that more than 10% of the landlords on their books have already left the sector in the past year.

Further troubles are evident in limited stock, with 65% of agents asked saying they have run into problems regarding this issue.

More bad news for the PRS is the likely effect of the rising cost of living, which 80% of the people asked are worried about. A total of 35% of agents asked say this will have a “major and negative” impact – including a rise in arrears.

On the brighter side, just under half – 43% – of agents are either “very optimistic” or “somewhat optimistic” about the future of the sector, and only 26% say they are pessimistic, the Goodlord survey shows.

Mortgage Strategy reader Arron Bardoe comments that, “In many areas, there are more landlords leaving than entering.

“Together with other punitive taxes and legislation, this will reduce available properties and drive up rents, so the government will then need to decide if the home ownership or rental sector is more important. Reversing the decline in landlords could take a decade to take effect.”

At the end of this August, Goodlord revealed that rents slipped and void days extended during the summer to 14 days, from 10 the month previous.