In a climate of rising rents and dwindling housing supply, buy-to-let landlords are increasingly finding themselves in the media’s firing line — but experts warn that this sustained attack could hurt not just landlords, but the very tenants the media purports to defend.
A new survey by specialist lender Landbay reveals a dramatic decline in landlord confidence, with just 9% of respondents agreeing that media coverage of the private rented sector (PRS) is “fair and accurate.” This marks a significant drop from 19% in 2023, reflecting growing frustration among landlords who feel unfairly scapegoated.
“Landlords are being traduced,” said Rob Stanton, Sales and Distribution Director at Landbay. “People imagine they’re raking in profits, but the reality is most are small business owners who’ve faced rising costs, legislative tightening, and now reputational damage at the hands of the media.”
Landbay’s research, conducted in May and covering landlords with portfolios totalling around 3,000 properties, paints a worrying picture. As anti-landlord rhetoric dominates headlines and social media feeds, increasing numbers of investors are choosing to exit the market — a decision that carries serious implications for housing supply and rent affordability.
“The public will soon realise that demonising landlords does nothing to fix the housing crisis,” Stanton warned. “In fact, it makes things worse. The more landlords walk away, the fewer rental properties there are — and when supply shrinks, rents rise.”
The figures bear out this concern. Only 4% of landlords with smaller portfolios — typically one to three properties — felt the media’s portrayal was accurate. These landlords, many of whom are investing personal savings or inheritance to secure retirement income, feel especially misrepresented.
“There’s a sense among smaller landlords that they’ve done everything right — maintained good homes, kept rents reasonable — and yet they’re treated as villains,” Stanton added.
While the portrayal of landlords as profit-hungry operators may make for clickable headlines, Landbay’s data suggests the reality is more complex. Many landlords are individuals, not corporations, and their departure from the sector risks deepening the very issues critics claim to care about.
The landlord exodus has already begun, fuelled by years of tax reforms, legislative burdens, and a hostile public narrative. Yet tenants are increasingly bearing the brunt, facing fewer housing options and climbing rents.
In a housing crisis, nuance is essential. Blanket condemnation of landlords may satisfy a headline, but it risks alienating the very investors needed to keep Britain’s rental market afloat. The sooner the conversation shifts from blame to solutions, the better it will be — for everyone.