More women now investing in buy to let, survey shows...

Women now account for two in five landlords according to research by Simple Landlords Insurance.

It says it has analysed tens of thousands of landlords’ details to discover that 40 per cent of landlords are women.

A separate poll of over 400 landlords showed how male and female investors have different goals for their investments. Some 63 per cent of female landlords said using rent for monthly income was their long-term business goal, as opposed to long term capital growth, compared with 53 per cent of men.

The research also found that women are more likely than men to have become accidental landlords.

Some 48 per cent of female landlords are deliberate (as opposed to so-called ‘accidential’) buy to let investors, compared to 61 per cent of men.

Women were more likely to have become landlords after moving in with a partner and renting out their own property or through purchasing a property for a family member to live in, such as a child attending university.

Female landlords are also likely to provide rented accommodation to a more diverse range of tenants than men.

Some 35 per cent said they would rent to housing benefit recipients, compared with 25 per cent of men. Women were also more open to renting to pensioners, students and single employed tenants.