Despite the Renters Rights Act, a quarter of tenants still feel landlords hold the upper hand, according to new research from LRG.
The Spring 2026 Lettings Report, which draws on responses from 650 landlords and tenants across England and Wales, finds both sides responding to the same market from very different vantage points.
Some 61% of landlords say power has shifted strongly towards tenants, with a further 28% saying it has shifted slightly. Only 1% feel it has moved strongly in favour of landlords.
But for tenants on the ground, new legal protections do not always translate into greater practical choice.
Of those who searched for a rental property in the last two years, 78% found fewer choices than expected. For 32%, the main barrier was affordability.
For 22%, limited availability was the main barrier, with a further 24% finding far less than expected on both counts.
A quarter of tenants wanted to move in the last twelve months but were unable to: 10% couldn’t afford to, 6% couldn’t find anything suitable, and 9% wanted to move but ultimately chose to stay.
Only 5% of tenants actually moved in the period.
Homeownership offers little relief. When asked what they would do if house prices in their area fell significantly tomorrow, 33% of tenants said they still couldn’t buy regardless.
Only 16% said they would look to buy immediately.
Allison Thompson, Chief Lettings Officer, Leaders – part of LRG – comments “What this data shows is that landlords and tenants are both describing the same market accurately; they are just experiencing it from different positions.
“Landlords feel the weight of legislation that has genuinely shifted protections towards tenants. Tenants feel the weight of a market where there aren’t enough homes to choose from.
“Both things can be true at once. Solving one without the other will never be enough. What the market needs is more good landlords, letting good properties, supported by good agents who know how to make the relationship work for everyone.”
