Buy-to-let investors upbeat as demand rises

Buy-to-let investors remain optimistic about the future as tenant demand continues to rise.

New research by specialist buy-to-let lender Paragon Mortgages reveals continued strong growth in tenant demand in the second quarter of 2015.

Some 43% of landlords have seen a rise in tenant demand.

And more than half believe they will continue to see a rise over the next year.

The results also show that young people and families are driving tenant demand.

John Heron, managing director of Paragon Mortgages, said it is no surprise that rental demand is steadily increasing.

“With continued stress on the housing stock driving prices up, tough affordability hurdles for would-be buyers and a social rented sector under pressure as a result of renewed interest in right-to-buy, a steady increase in rental demand was practically inevitable.

“It is important that landlords continue to expand the supply of rented property in order to maintain balance and so avoid unsustainable increases in rents.

“A healthy, competitive and innovative buy-to-let market is critical to this.”