Landlords are committing the equivalent of almost four working days a month to managing their rental properties, with larger portfolio owners spending substantially more time, according to new research.

Data from Pegasus Insight’s Landlord Trends Q4 2025 report suggests that letting property is far from a passive investment for many operators in the private rented sector.

On average, landlords spend 31 hours per month managing their rental properties. For those with 11 or more properties, that commitment rises to 78 hours per month, the equivalent of almost 10 working days.

The research points to the growing operational demands of portfolio management, particularly for landlords running larger and more complex businesses.

While 57% of properties use some form of letting agent service, reported time commitments are broadly similar regardless of whether an agent is involved. This indicates that oversight, compliance, property maintenance and financial management responsibilities continue to sit largely with the landlord.

Time invested is highest among those with buy-to-let mortgages, houses in multiple occupation and larger portfolios, reflecting the additional layers of administration and compliance associated with structured borrowing and more intensive property use.

Alongside the time commitment, landlords also report a significant financial outlay. On average, between 23% and 24% of gross rental income is absorbed by running and maintenance costs, highlighting the combined time and cash burden involved in portfolio management.

Mark Long, managing director and founder of Pegasus Insight, said: “There is often a perception that letting property is a relatively passive activity, that landlords just sit back and let the cash roll in. But the data tells a different story.

“For many landlords, particularly those operating at scale, portfolio management represents a significant monthly time commitment.

“As regulatory and operational requirements have increased, so too has the administrative and compliance workload. Larger landlords, those whose properties are financed using a mortgage and those operating HMOs are naturally exposed to greater complexity, and that is reflected in the hours they invest.

“The combination of rising time demands and ongoing cost pressures reinforces the fact that the private rented sector is becoming increasingly professionalised.

“Successful landlords are devoting both capital and active management effort to sustain the performance of their investments.”