HMO landlords feel more optimistic about their prospects than the average landlord, a Landbay survey has revealed.
Just over 43% of HMO landlords felt positive about their businesses, compared to 33% of all property investors.
Sentiment has improved, as only 27% of landlords feel negative about their business, compared to 37% at the end of last year.
Rob Stanton, sales and distribution director at Landbay, said: “Whichever party forms the next government, we hope that they will be committed to supporting the rental sector. Nurturing confidence among landlords is absolutely key to the health and prosperity of the UK housing market, helping to provide much needed accommodation.
“With affordability still a real challenge for residential buyers and demand continuing to outstrip supply, there is an abundance of tenants ready to rent across the country.
“There are many reasons to be optimistic about buy-to-let. Not only has it survived countless crises and changing governments over the years, it continues to thrive too. As a buy-to-let lender we are incredibly positive and remain committed to innovating to meet the needs of landlords.”
The strongest positive sentiment was among those landlords with portfolios over 20 properties. Of those with between four to 10 properties, more felt negative than positive.
But the feelings of landlords with portfolios between 11 and 20 properties were evenly split between negative and positive sentiment.
Those landlords who felt negative cited uncertainty over a change in government and potential rental reform.
Some were particularly worried about the proposed abolition of ‘no fault’ evictions, or Section 21s, to which both Conservatives and Labour have committed.
