What does today's average landlord look like? (2024)

If you’re a private landlord with a portfolio made up of a number of properties, you might have wondered in the past whether you fit the classic landlord profile? Or do your circ*mstances mean that you’re bucking the national trend?

To know the answer to this, you need to know what the average landlord looks like. How old are they? Do they still work, or are they retired? And what are the average earnings from their rentals?

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) answers these questions and more in its 2018 English Private Landlord Survey. Let’s unravel some of the key facts and figures shared in the report, which together paint an accurate picture of today’s landlord.

How do you compare?

They earn £15,000 per year

On average, landlords report a gross, annual rental income of £15,000 – that’s before tax and other deductions. For the majority of landlords, rental income accounts for two fifths (42%) of their total gross income. Just over one quarter (26%) of landlords report a gross rental income of between £20,000 and £49,999, while 13% report receiving £50,000 or more.

They’re over 55

The typical private landlord is over 55 years old (59%) and, as such, one third (33%) are retired. The report also notes how landlords are typically less ethnically diverse compared with the overall population, with 89% being white.

They operate as private individuals

Almost all (94%) landlords rent property as an individual. Only 4% rent property as part of a company and 2% as part of another type of organisation.

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They’re experienced

Many of today’s landlords have been letting private property for some time. In fact, 70% have let property for six years or more. The average length of time survey respondents have been landlords worked out as 11.5 years.

They prefer property over other investment types

Why did you become a landlord? Many of the respondents (46%) chose to enter the rental market because they preferred property to other types of investment, while 44% did so in order to support their pension pot. Perhaps surprisingly, just 4% of people became a landlord with the intention of renting property as a full-time job.

They have different intentions to agencies

There are a couple of significant differences between the letting practices of landlords and letting agents. Mainly, that landlords are less likely to increase the rent for new tenants, as well as for tenancy renewals.

Specifically, 50% of agents in the study had raised the rent for their last letting, dropping to 42% of landlords. While for the most recent renewal, 70% of landlords kept the rent unchanged, versus 63% of agents.

In terms of deposit size, 61% of agents took between four and six weeks’ rent, compared with 45% of landlords. Then, nearly half (47%) of landlords took a deposit of up to four weeks’ rent, compared with 29% of agents.

Landlords are choosier about tenants than agencies

Another difference between landlords and agencies is that landlords are pickier when it comes to their tenants. More than half (52%) of landlords said they would be unwilling to let their property to tenants who receive Housing Benefit, with just 37% of agents saying the same. 47% of landlords and 33% of agents said they wouldn’t let to people on Universal Credit. The main reasons cited by both parties were the risk of delayed payment, unpaid rent, or that benefits would not be sufficient enough to cover rent.

One quarter of landlords and 10% of agents said that they would not let property to non-UK passport holders, though they weren’t asked to give their reasons.

Nearly two in 10 (18%) landlords and 6% of agents said they would be unwilling to let to families. In most cases this was because of fears the property or properties were unsuitable for families, or due to the increased risk of property damage.

Protecting your investment with landlord insurance

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What does today's average landlord look like? (2024)

FAQs

How old are most landlords? ›

While most rental property owners were senior citizens, today's landlords are as young as 40 years with 27% between 30 and 40 and 8% 20 to 30 years old. However, factors such as race and gender affect the average age of landlords.

How many houses do most landlords own? ›

Half of All Landlords Manage Their Own Properties

On average, landlords have three properties to their name. Of those who own the units, it's about a 50/50 split when it comes to just being the owner and handing management over to someone else, or owning while also managing the properties.

What is the average profit on rental property? ›

The amount will depend on your specific situation, but a good rule of thumb is to aim for at least 10% profit after all expenses and taxes. While 10% is a good target, you may be able to make more depending on the property and the rental market.

How long do most tenants stay on average? ›

So, how long does a Tenant stay? A quick google search will tell you that for a single-family rental in the United States, you should expect an average tenancy to last about 3 years. And a multi-family/apartment should stay occupied for roughly 2.5 years. So now you have a benchmark by which to judge your performance.

What is the hardest part about being a landlord? ›

There are many costs of owning a rental property, including maintenance costs, mortgage payments, property management costs (if you choose to hire a company), insurance, etc. Being a landlord for the first time means that managing all of these expenses can be difficult, and even overwhelming.

Who is the youngest landlord ever? ›

A beauty therapy student is believed to have become Britain's youngest pub landlord at the age of 18. Rheanna Geraghty is running the 17th-century Waggon & Horses pub in the Cambridgeshire village of Steeple Morden. She started working there as a waitress at 16.

How many rental properties will make you a millionaire? ›

To become a real estate millionaire, you may have to own at least ten properties. If this is your goal, you need to accumulate rental properties with a total value of at least a million.

How many small landlords are there in Canada? ›

In a report published online, Statistics Canada says it obtained data from tax filings that showed 1,356,650 households reported income from rentals.

Who is the worlds largest residential landlord? ›

The world's largest private landlord, Blackstone, holds more than $300 billion in real estate assets under management (AUM). In one deal this past June, Blackstone bought 17,000 single-family homes across the US to extract rental income from tenants.

What is the 50% rule in real estate? ›

Like many rules of real estate investing, the 50 percent rule isn't always accurate, but it can be a helpful way to estimate expenses for rental property. To use it, an investor takes the property's gross rent and multiplies it by 50 percent, providing the estimated monthly operating expenses. That sounds easy, right?

What is the 1% rule in rental investment? ›

What Is The 1% Rule In Real Estate? The 1% rule of real estate investing measures the price of the investment property against the gross income it will generate. For a potential investment to pass the 1% rule, its monthly rent must be equal to or no less than 1% of the purchase price.

What is the 2% rule in real estate? ›

This is a general rule of thumb that determines a base level of rental income a rental property should generate. Following the 2% rule, an investor can expect to realize a gross yield from a rental property if the monthly rent is at least 2% of the purchase price.

How long are most rental leases? ›

With a written lease agreement, the terms of the lease and the monthly rent are fixed for the time period specified in the agreement, usually six months or one year. As long as you follow the terms, a lease agreement prevents the landlord from raising the rent or asking you to move until the lease expires.

What is the formula for tenant turnover rate? ›

Divide the number of tenants that move out in a 12-month period over the total number of tenants that you have in that 12-month period. Then, multiply by 100.

How do you calculate tenant turnover rate? ›

The standard time frame used to determine the tenant turnover rate is one-year, since a twelve month lease is the standard for the residential real estate market. The number of vacant units at lease-end divided by the total number of units in a property over a given period results in the tenant turnover rate.

What is a bad term for landlord? ›

A slumlord (or slum landlord) is a slang term for a landlord, generally an absentee landlord with more than one property, who attempts to maximize profit by minimizing spending on property maintenance, often in deteriorating neighborhoods, and to tenants that they can intimidate.

What are landlords biggest fears? ›

Our landlords usually have two major concerns when it comes to renting out their properties. First, they are afraid the tenant won't pay the rent on time or ever. Second, they are afraid the tenant will trash the property. We have systems in place to substantially minimize the risk of those two things happening.

What is a female landlord called? ›

When a juristic person is in this position, the term landlord is used. Other terms include lessor and owner. The term landlady may be used for the female owners.

What is the gender neutral word for landlord? ›

While landlady refers exclusively to a woman, in law the word landlord can refer to a person of either sex. Most provinces have property rental statutes with titles such as the Landlord and Tenant Act. In many instances, however, the gender-neutral terms lessor and property owner may be used instead.

Why do we need landlords? ›

For households that don't have significant savings or a source of credit to fund an investment in a home, landlords can facilitate that service. Third, landlords lower the financial risk of housing for renters. Homeownership is difficult because it limits financial diversification.

How to invest 300k in real estate? ›

How to Invest 300k in Real Estate
  1. Get involved in real estate crowdfunding.
  2. Recession Proof Your Future –Invest in a Passive Income Strategy!
  3. Invest in a multi-family property in a less costly neighborhood.
  4. Buy fixer-uppers and remodel them for profit.
  5. Recession Proof Your Future –Invest in a Passive Income Strategy!
Oct 19, 2022

Do millionaires rent or buy homes? ›

The number of millionaire renters has tripled in the past five years. More and more millionaires are stepping on the everyman's corner and renting apartments rather than putting down roots and money to become homeowners.

What rental properties are most profitable? ›

What Types of Commercial Properties Are the Most Profitable? High-Tenant Properties – Typically, properties with a high number of tenants will give the best return on investment. These properties include RVs, self-storage, apartment complexes, and office spaces.

Which city has the highest rents in Canada? ›

ca's January 2023 Rent Report. Vancouver remains the most expensive city to rent in Canada, with the average price of a one-bedroom unit at $2,596 per month. Toronto is in second place at $2,457 for a one-bedroom followed by Burnaby, B.C. ($2,450), the Etobico*ke area of Toronto ($2,172) and Mississauga, Ont.

What percentage of Canadians rent vs own? ›

According to the 2021 census, roughly one-third of Canadians rent. That number is higher in urban centres like Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal, where about half of all residents are tenants. What's more, the numbers in this camp are rising quickly: over the past decade, growth in renters was twice that in owners.

How many Canadians own a second home? ›

Who owns a vacation home? Rates of second home ownership in Atlantic Canada, Quebec and Ontario are similar to the Canadian average at around 7%. In Western Canada, the rate is somewhat lower at about 5%.

Which country owns the most land? ›

The largest country in the world is Russia with a total area of 17,098,242 Km² (6,601,665 mi²) and a land area of 16,376,870 Km² (6,323,142 mi²), equivalent to 11% of the total world's landmass of 148,940,000 Km² (57,510,000 square miles).

What country has the highest rent? ›

Monaco is the most expensive country to live in, with a cost of living of $3,585 per month. Other expensive countries to live in include the Cayman Islands, Switzerland, and Singapore, all of which have a cost of living of over $2,000 per month.

What company owns the most rental homes? ›

Leading apartment owners in the U.S. 2022, by units owned

Starwood Capital Group, which was the largest owner in 2022 with 115,000 units, is a private investment firm headquartered in Miami, Florida.

What is Rule 70 in real estate? ›

The 70% rule can help flippers when they're scouring real estate listings for potential investment opportunities. Basically, the rule says real estate investors should pay no more than 70% of a property's after-repair value (ARV) minus the cost of the repairs necessary to renovate the home.

What is the 36 rule in real estate? ›

A household should spend a maximum of 28% of its gross monthly income on total housing expenses according to this rule, and no more than 36% on total debt service. This includes housing and other debt such as car loans and credit cards. Lenders often use this rule to assess whether to extend credit to borrowers.

What is the 80% rule in real estate? ›

The 80% rule means that an insurer will only fully cover the cost of damage to a house if the owner has purchased insurance coverage equal to at least 80% of the house's total replacement value.

What is a good return on rental property? ›

Generally, a good ROI for rental property is considered to be around 8 to 12% or higher. However, many investors aim for even higher returns. It's important to remember that ROI isn't the only factor to consider while evaluating the profitability of a rental property investment.

How long does it take to make a profit on a rental property? ›

Most of the time, you can get positive cash flow right from day one with your rental. Figuring out your profit for the year is a matter of taking how much rent comes in and subtract how much money goes out for expenses like taxes, insurance, and mortgage payments. What you're left with is your profit for the year.

What is the 100X rule in real estate? ›

A common real estate investing rule a savvy real estate investor follows is to pay no more than 100X the monthly rent as the purchase price. In my example, an investor wouldn't pay more than $900,000 for my now $9,000 a month rental house.

What is the 4 3 2 1 real estate strategy? ›

The 4-3-2-1 Approach

This ratio allocates 40% of your income towards expenses, 30% towards housing, 20% towards savings and investments and 10% towards insurance.

What is the Brrrr method? ›

Share: The BRRRR (Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat) Method is a real estate investment approach that involves flipping a distressed property, renting it out and then getting a cash-out refinance on it to fund further rental property investments.

What is the 0.8 rule in real estate? ›

This general guideline suggests that you charge around 1% (or within 0.8-1.1%) of your property's total market value as monthly rent payments. A property valued at $200,000, for instance, would rent for $2,000 a month, or within a range of $1,600-$2,200.

What is the best lease length for an apartment? ›

6-Month Leases

They're a good middle ground between affording landlords enough time and a little security to determine if the tenants will be a good property fit, while also having the option of non-renew at 6 months without dealing with a potential eviction situation if the tenants aren't working out.

What is the difference between rent and rental? ›

While "rent" (like "lease") can be either a noun or a verb, "rental" can be either noun or adjective. ("How much is the rental on that rental car?")

What is the longest legal lease? ›

In the law of several US states, a 99-year lease will always be the longest possible contract for realty by statute, but many states have enacted shorter terms and some allow infinite terms.

How do landlords calculate profit? ›

To determine the net profit or loss of your rental properties:
  • Add together your rental income from ALL of your properties. *
  • Add together your allowable expenses from ALL of your properties*
  • Subtract your allowable expenses from your rental income.

What does high tenant turnover mean? ›

If a rental property has a high tenant turnover, it means that tenants rarely renew their rental agreement after the lease expires. A high turnover rate is generally seen as a negative for property managers, as it is their job to keep tenants happy and living on the property.

What is a turnover rent? ›

What is a turnover rent lease? A tenant pays a percentage of their turnover rather than a fixed or monthly annual sum to their landlord. Turnover rent usually forms only part of the total rent payable. There is usually an agreed base rent which is then topped up with an agreed percentage of the tenant's turnover.

What is typical turnover rate for apartments? ›

California's residential turnover rate hit a decade's low in 2021
20212019
Homeowner turnover7.0%6.9%
Renter turnover15.6%17.0%
Nov 3, 2022

What is a good turnover rate in real estate? ›

10% or more is a good turnover rate in a real estate neighborhood.

How do you calculate percentage change in rent? ›

Calculating the Percentage Change Between Two Rents

To calculate the percentage increase we take the dollar difference between the original rent and the rent after the increase and compare that to the original rent. Dividing the dollar amount by the original rent provides the percentage increase.

What percent of 25 year olds own a home? ›

Almost 30% of 25-year-olds own their own homes, a higher percentage than their parents at the same age. Oshrat Carmiel is a freelance reporter with over a decade of experience covering residential and commercial real estate.

How old is the average homeowner? ›

In 2022, the average age of first-time homebuyers was 36, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). This is up from 33 in 2021. A more notable stat, however, is that only 26% of homebuyers in 2022 were first-time homebuyers — the lowest percentage since the NAR started tracking the metric.

What is a landlord in the Middle Ages? ›

In the United Kingdom the owner and/or manager of a pub (public house) is usually called the "landlord/landlady" or "publican", the latter properly the appellation of a Roman public contractor or tax farmer.

How many Millennials are renting? ›

Millennials remained the dominant renter generation, with 17.2 million renter households. Gen Z is now the only renter-majority generation with a 74% share and 4.5 million renters added in the last five years, more than any other age group.

How many people have no mortgage? ›

2021 count of owner households, with or without a mortgage

Buzz: California has 2.4 million households living what many consider a dream – being a free-and-clear homeowner, the third-highest count among the states.

How many people don't have a mortgage? ›

Q: How many homeowners have paid off their mortgage? A: 37% of U.S. households no longer have a home mortgage to pay, according to a Zillow data analysis.

What is the youngest age to buy a house? ›

In the United States, it is legal to buy a house without a co-signer at the age of majority, which is 18 years old in most states. Reaching the age of majority empowers individuals to sign legal agreements and complete real estate transactions.

What age do most people pay off their mortgage? ›

While the average age borrowers expect to pay off their mortgage is 59, the number of survey participants who have no idea when they will pay it off at all stood at 16%. In 2019, 9% of those asked didn't know and in 2020, 11% gave this answer.

What is the average age to buy a house in Canada? ›

According to a study conducted by Money.co.uk, the average age of a first-time homebuyer in Canada is around 36. While that's not too old, it's pretty late when compared to other major life milestones. The average Canadian university graduate is around 25 years old.

What is the average age to buy your first home in Canada? ›

For many young Canadians, buying a first home can feel like a distant dream, and it is not surprising. The average Canadian buys their first home at the age of thirty-six. Meanwhile, countless people in their mid to late twenties are looking to get into the real estate market, but have no idea how to get in.

Why do landlords exist? ›

For households that don't have significant savings or a source of credit to fund an investment in a home, landlords can facilitate that service. Third, landlords lower the financial risk of housing for renters. Homeownership is difficult because it limits financial diversification.

Why are landlords necessary? ›

The World Needs Landlords. The simple fact is that landlords are needed to provide housing for people who want to rent or can't buy. The choices are to let individuals and corporations own the rentals, manage them, and repair them, or to let the government do it.

Do millionaires buy or rent? ›

The number of millionaire renters has tripled in the past five years. More and more millionaires are stepping on the everyman's corner and renting apartments rather than putting down roots and money to become homeowners.

Why rich people rent instead of buying? ›

Living in an Expensive Area

So they may rent a place in New York City, London, and San Francisco to live in because it's much cheaper than buying. Since they have cash-flowing real estate and other investments to live off of, they know the difference between a property that is an expense and an income property.

Do millennials prefer to rent or buy? ›

New survey data from Apartment List shows that in 2022, 24.7% of millennials said they plan to “always rent” rather than buy a house. That's nearly double the portion that said the same in 2018 (13.3%). Apartment List defines “millennials” as those born between 1981 and 1996.

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