The agency said the figures suggest the recent surge in landlord sales ahead of the Renters’ Rights Act has eased, and that while the legislation may have prompted some landlords to sell, the larger wave of exits from the private rented sector had been driven by earlier tax changes and higher mortgage costs.
June also marked the first time since 2019 that the share of homes bought by landlords exceeded the share sold by them. Landlords accounted for 10.2% of purchases during the month, compared with 9.2% of homes listed for sale that had previously been rented.
Hamptons noted the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act on 1st May had also changed the risks for landlords considering a sale. Landlords using a Ground 1A notice to regain possession in order to sell now face a mandatory 12-month ban on re-letting the property, even if they fail to find a buyer.
The latest Hamptons monthly lettings index found that 51% of rental properties marketed for sale in 2025 did not sell, rising to 60% for flats. Had the new rules been in force last year, the agency estimated that between 80,000 and 100,000 unsold rental homes would have been prevented from returning to the rental market for 12 months.
Aneisha Beveridge, head of research at Hamptons, said: “What’s changed more recently is the balance of risk. A tougher sales market and the introduction of a 12-month re-letting ban mean selling has become a more complicated proposition for landlords.
“For many, the prospect of being left with an empty property that can’t easily return to the rental market has made holding on to an investment look more attractive.”
The report said landlord exits remain most concentrated in London and the South of England, where higher property prices, lower yields and mortgage costs continue to weigh on investor returns. In London, 20.3% of homes listed for sale in June had previously been rented within the last five years, compared with 9.5% in the South East.
Hamptons also reported that rents on newly let homes across Great Britain rose by 1.6% year on year in June to an average of £1,392 a month, the strongest annual increase for 13 months. For existing tenants whose rent increased during the month, the average uplift was 5.4%.
The North East recorded the strongest growth, with newly agreed rents up 4.3% year-on-year to £859 per month. By contrast, rental growth in Inner London continued to slow, falling from 1.6% in May to 0.4% in June. However, Outer London returned to positive annual growth for the first time in 12 months, with rents up 1.9% year-on-year.
