A charitable foundation claims pressures on the rental market are showing signs of easing, with landlords purchasing more properties again.

A survey of over 2,000 private landlords in England by the TDS Charitable Foundation, found that 23% said they had increased the number of properties they rent out over the last year, up from 19% who said the same last year.

In contrast, the proportion saying they sold property has remained flat at 14%, compared to 13% last year.

Landlords who bought properties this year purchased an average of 2.5 each, up from 2.2 last year. This is also higher than the average of 2.3 properties sold by those selling during the same period.  

The rise in rental supply has coincided with a slight easing of financial pressures faced by tenants. Whilst 56% of landlords said they had increased rents over the past 12 months; this was down from 61% the previous year.

A recent survey of private sector tenants by the same foundation found a slight fall in the proportion of tenants struggling to afford their rent, which is now at 32%, down from 35% last year.

TDS Group chief executive Steve Harriott says: “Whilst cost pressures in the sector might be easing, many tenants are continuing to struggle to afford their rents.

“Measures in the Renters’ Rights Bill to help tenants challenge unreasonable rent increases will count for nothing unless they are equipped with the information about rents and provided with the detailed information that they need to exercise these rights effectively.

“Alongside this, it’s clear that many low-income tenants are continuing to struggle to cover their rents due to the ongoing freeze on housing benefit rates.”