With new legislation coming into force from 1 May 2026, tenants across the private rented sector will have the legal right to request permission to keep a pet, & crucially, landlords will no longer be able to unreasonably refuse. While this marks a positive step for animal lovers, it also reshapes the way tenancies are assessed, agreed, & managed.

The UK’s buy-to-let sector has been under sustained pressure in recent years, but fresh data suggests that while landlords continue to leave the market, the pace of this so-called “exodus” may finally be beginning to ease. This shift is worth paying close attention to as it signals changing sentiment among investors and rise of new opportunities.

As borrowing costs climb back to levels last seen in late 2023, landlords are being forced to rethink not only how they finance their portfolios, but how they sustain profitability in a more challenging and complex market.

Recent headlines have painted a picture of landlords rushing to evict tenants ahead of the Renters’ Rights Act—but the reality, looks different. New research suggests that just 1 in 10 landlords (9%) who are actively asking tenants to leave are doing so directly because of the upcoming legislative changes. So, what is happening behind the scenes?