The number of female landlords in the United Kingdom is almost identical to the number of male landlords for the first time. According to the latest figures published by Ludlow Thompson, approximately 48% of all buy-to-let landlords in the UK are women.
This represents the largest proportion of females among the country’s 2.6 million landlords to date.
HMRC data indicates that between the 2014/15 and 2018/19 tax years, the number of male BTL landlords in the UK grew to 1.38 million – an increase of 10%. During the same period of time, the number of female landlords grew to 1.25 million – an increase of around 17%.
The sudden spike in the number of female landlords came as a surprise to many analysts, as elevated property prices and significant tax hikes continue to take a toll on BTL investment revenues. The figures from Ludlow Thompson also suggest that female BTL landlord income levels are increasing much faster than that of their male counterparts.
The past five years have seen women’s buy-to-let income grow from £12.7 billion to £16.1 billion; a huge 27% increase, meanwhile total combined annual income for male landlords increased by around 15% during the same period of time.
Crypto Coins Fail to Attract Female Investors
Buy-to-let property investments are proving a much more popular option for female investors than other assets like crypto currency, Ludlow Thompson reported.
Bitcoin in particular is proving an unpopular investment choice for females – figures from eToro suggest that just 15% of Bitcoin traders are women.
‘The buy-to-let market has built a reputation of delivering long-term, stable returns to investors looking for income and long-term growth,’ Commented Stephen Ludlow, chairman of Ludlow Thompson.
‘With the gender gap in buy-to-let ownership narrowing, it might not be long until we see a 50:50 gender split amongst buy-to-let investors.
‘This is a significant step considering the much wider ownership gap in other asset classes, such as equities and crypto currencies.’
Elsewhere, Property Hub co-founder Rob Dix said it was good to see the BTL sector attracting more female investors.
‘There’s no reason property investment should appeal more to men, or be more easily accessible to them than women, so it’s pleasing to see that the split is nearly 50:50,’ he said.
‘In terms of women’s property income growing at a much faster rate than men’s, as this is drawn from HMRC data, I suspect it’s an artifact of couples engaging more actively in tax planning following the buy-to-let tax changes that were announced in 2015.’
Advice for Prospective Investors
Experts continue to advise prospective investors interested in the UK’s real estate sector to exercise sensible caution.
Five important guidelines have been issued for anyone considering becoming a BTL landlord:
- Set out with a clear goal in mind and ensure you have the time and resources necessary to make a success of your BTL venture.
- Carefully consider whether or not it makes financial sense and is within your budget after factoring in all building management and maintenance costs. Consider funding routes such as bridging loans.
- Conduct extensive research on the different options available, including student accommodation, holiday lets and commercial properties.
- Consult with a loan broker such as Bridging Loans at the earliest possible stage to establish your budget and help you get the best possible deal on a BTL mortgage.
- Decide in advance whether you intend to be a hands-on landlord or pay for the services of a property management specialist, which will incur additional fees.
