The most significant worry for landlords are legislative changes and future tax changes, according to the latest English private landlord survey carried out by the government.

Respectively, 52% and 50% of the 9,000 landlords and letting agents asked gave these responses.

The survey also shows that 10% of landlords plan to sell all their properties and exit the market over the next two years, which is up from the 5% who replied in this manner when asked in 2018.

When landlords who plan to either sell a number of their properties or leave the sector altogether were asked why they wish to do so, 55% responded with recent legislative changes, followed by forthcoming legislative changes – the report gives the changes to section 21 as an example – which 53% replied with.

The third most common reason was personal reasons, such as funding retirement.

Some data signals the continuing professionalisation of the sector, too: a total of 35% of landlords who rent property as part of a company said they planned to buy more properties in the next two years compared to 9% of individual landlords or plan to do so.

However, overall, just 11% of landlords want to bring more property into their portfolio, while 12% want to decrease their number of properties. The biggest cohort, at 48%, have no plans to change the number of properties under their control.

The survey also shows that the median total gross rental income is £17,200, which is a rise on the £15,000 calculated in 2018.

More than half – 56% – of landlords have a rental income of less than £20,000 and 29% bring in between £20,000 and £49,999.

Landlords earning greater than £50,000 from their portfolio account for 15% of the survey participants.

The government estimates that, on average, landlords earn 47% of their total income from property – a gain on the 42% seen in 2018.

Arla Propertymark president Maxine Fothergill comments: “As landlords are persistently hit with legislative and tax changes, financial obligations are growing and incentives are non-existent, pushing many to withdraw their homes from the sector.

“Landlords have reported within the survey that for those who are going to leave the sector, recent and forthcoming legislative changes were the driving key factor to doing so.

“Urgent action is needed from the UK government to maintain existing investment as any further reduction in supply could have a detrimental ramification for the housing sector and a rise in those facing homelessness will be inescapable.”