The number of house shares available across England has dropped sharply, with new research from COHO suggesting landlords may be starting to leave the sector.
Between June and September, listings fell by 15.2% nationwide, with Bradford (-59.1%) and Leeds (-55.4%) seeing more than half their stock disappear.
Other cities hit hard include Manchester (-33.3%), Brighton (-32.9%), Leicester (-24.6%), Nottingham (-23.7%) and Sheffield (-21%). London was the only city to record growth, with availability rising 4.7%.
Tenant demand rose just 3.3% over the same period, not enough to explain such a steep decline. In Leeds, for example, supply fell by more than half even as demand slipped slightly.
HMO LANDLORD EXODUS
COHO points to a potential exodus of HMO landlords, driven by tightening regulation, political pressure and new tax proposals.
Vann Vogstad, founder and CEO of COHO, said: “Any data that points towards a declining supply of shared houses should be a real cause for concern on Downing Street.
“The HMO sector is a vital tool in the nation’s battle against the housing drought … If landlords leave the sector, rental shortages will deepen and rents will rise further.”
The findings raise questions about whether HMOs – long a critical pressure valve for renters – are being squeezed out just as demand for affordable housing continues to climb.”
