Opportunity to Invest 

Rental housing is likely to prove more resilient during this downturn than other real estate sectors, and landlords should therefore use this opportunity to invest in buy-to-let (BTL) properties, according to residential property consultancy Ringley Group. Mary-Anne Bowring, managing director at Ringley Group (pictured), as said that people are more likely to rent than buy during a recession, and rent is typically one of the last things people stop paying during financial hardship. Bowring said: “There is a huge opportunity still for buy-to-let investors in the UK rental market, which is only predicted to grow in size. “That’s why institutional investors such as pension funds and insurers are investing billions in building homes for rent, as they see an opportunity to secure income-producing investments that hold up well during a downturn.” Once the current crisis passes, pre-lockdown trends, including the predicted rise in the number of renters, will also continue.

This is due to affordability, changes in lifestyle and the job market, fundamentals which will remain post-virus. To stimulate housing market activity and help landlords invest in BTL properties, Ringley has called for the government to exempt landlords from the stamp duty surcharge on second homes. Bowring said: “Government efforts to restart the housing market should reflect long term pre-existing trends and that includes the continued growth in private renting. “If the government wants to kill two birds with one stone – boost activity in the housing market and provide much needed rental homes – it should exempt landlords from the second home stamp duty surcharge immediately.”

In response to the growing demand for rental properties, as well as the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown, Ringley recently brought forward the launch of its automated lettings platform, PlanetRent. Bowring said: “Proptech is evolving lettings fast as tenants must be seen as customers and the expectation is a frictionless, fully loaded experience, including immediate service which automation allows. “It is important that buy-to-let landlords learn from institutional landlords to not fall behind the latest trends.”