Selling a rental property has become “too much of a risk” under the Renters’ Rights Act, according to one property sector specialist, after recent figures showed landlord purchases overtook sales for the first time since 2019.
Mark Dawson, managing director of landlord adviser and eviction specialist AST Assistance, said the introduction of a 12-month ban on re-letting a property after using a Ground 1A notice to evict a tenant in order to sell had removed an important safety net for landlords.
His comments follow analysis by Hamptons showing landlords accounted for 10.2% of property purchases in June, compared with 9.2% of homes listed for sale that had previously been rented – the first time since 2019 that purchases have exceeded sales.
Dawson said: “The 12-month re-letting ban has taken away a huge safety net for landlords. It’s no longer the case that they can just re-let if their sale falls through, placing them in a situation where it’s too much of a risk to try and sell their property.”
Dawson added this was especially the case when considering more than half (51%) of rental properties failed to complete sales in 2025.
He said: “In some cases this risk can leave a property sitting empty for 12 months, not only taking away a landlord’s income, but also leaving them paying mortgage payments, utility charges and council tax.”
According to Dawson, landlords choosing to sell now needed a much firmer plan in place, including finding buyers who were less likely to pull out if the eviction process is delayed – “either someone who has already had an accepted offer on their own property or a first-time buyer with a mortgage already agreed”.
Dawson also questioned whether the rules could have unintended consequences for the private rented sector.
“If landlords delay both selling and re-letting to avoid the 12-month penalty, homes sit empty on both sides of the market, not benefiting buyers or renters,” he said.
“Ultimately, this could end up working against the very people the Renters’ Rights Act was designed to protect.”
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