Interest in becoming a buy-to-let (BTL) landlord has fallen across almost every major UK city in the past year, emoov has revealed.

The estate agency’s latest study found that Cambridge is the only city to record growing interest in BTL investing, with searches increasing by 23.5% year-on-year.

After Cambridge, Plymouth recorded the strongest performance, with demand falling by 2.9%.

Searches in London and Birmingham dropped by 41.7% and 33.3 % respectively, with Carlisle experiencing the most significant decline in interest, falling by 59.1%.

According to the English Private Landlord Survey, the typical landlord in England is around 59 years old, with nearly two-thirds aged 55 and over.

The online estate agency said this means landlords are now re-evaluating their long-term financial plans, retirement goals, and whether hands-on property management still fits their lifestyle and investment objectives.

A spokesperson from emoov stated: "For many years, private landlords were encouraged to see BTL as a sensible long-term investment. It offered rental income, potential capital growth, and a form of pension planning for ordinary people who were prepared to take on the responsibility of providing housing.

"I am not considering selling because I believe tenants should have fewer rights, or because I think landlords should be free from regulation. Good tenants deserve safe, secure, well-managed homes. Bad landlords should be dealt with. But the current direction of travel has made small-scale private letting increasingly difficult to justify, especially for landlords who own one or two properties and manage them alongside other work or retirement plans."

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