ONE IN FIVE LANDLORDS TOO EMBARRASSED TO ADMIT IT

One in five landlords are too embarrassed to admit it, according to a recent poll of almost 800 residential property investors*.

The findings show that on average 21 per cent of landlords have been too embarrassed to admit it before. Across the UK, more landlords in the East of England and the East Midlands said they were embarrassed to admit it compared to any other region (29 per cent and 28 per cent respectively).

At the other end of the scale, the English regions with the fewest embarrassed landlords were the South East and Yorkshire and Humber (18 per cent).

Just 13 per cent of landlords in Scotland said they had been too embarrassed to admit it before – the lowest across the UK (see full regional breakdown below).

Richard Blanco, who lets property in London and the East Midlands, says he hasn’t always been truthful when it comes to admitting he’s a landlord:
“Before becoming a landlord I thought long and hard about it because I had always disliked landlords as a student due to a bad experience I had over my deposit.

“These days I’m more upfront about it, but I tell people I work in property instead, because I still assume people won’t like me if tell them what I do.

“I also say that I work for the National Landlords Association (NLA) and that we campaign to improve the private rented sector, which tends to go down a bit better”.

The findings indicate that approximately 400,000 of the UK’s 2 million landlords avoid telling people what they do. The NLA, which is the largest representative body for landlords in the UK, says that despite the bad press, the majority of tenants are satisfied with their current landlord and tenancy.**

Richard Lambert, Chief Executive Officer at the NLA, said:
“The number of people looking to invest in property is rising all the time yet the stigma attached to being a landlord never seems to diminish.

“It’s the minority of rogues and criminal landlords that make the headlines, and this has a negative impact on everyone else.

“The majority of landlords are hardworking individuals who put their own money into providing homes for others, and they should not be ashamed to say so”.
Full regional breakdown

East of England 29
East Midlands 28
London 24
North East 19
North West 23
Scotland 13
South East 18
South West 23
Wales 17
West Midlands 19
Yorkshire and Humber 18
For further information, please contact:
Alex Brent
PR Executive, NLA
020 7820 7904
alex.brent@landlords.org.uk

Christopher Walkey

Founder of Estate Agent Networking. Internationally invited speaker on how to build online target audiences using Social Media. Writes about UK property prices, housing, politics and affordable homes.

You May Also Enjoy

Estate Agent Talk

Boost Spring Valuations: Is Upgrading to Double Glazing Still a Top ROI?

Come spring, the property market always picks up pace. As an estate agent, you know the questions start flooding in from homeowners wanting to maximise their sale price. Top of the list for many? Windows. Specifically, is splashing out on new double glazing actually going to deliver a worthwhile return when they sell? It’s a…
Read More
LIVING BY THE SEASIDE 2022
Breaking News

COVID five years on: City and coastal trends reverse as homes by the sea take longer to sell

Rightmove’s new report looks at how the market has changed five years on from the pandemic starting Many city and coastal trends have now reversed, with homes near the sea taking three weeks longer to sell compared to 2020, and the majority of buyers in the capital looking to stay rather than leave London A…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

What it takes to make real estate development financing work

By Daniel Austin, CEO and co-founder at ASK Partners Securing financing for real estate development has become an uphill battle. With interest rates still elevated, inflation pushing construction costs higher, and planning delays introducing further uncertainty, developers face a challenging environment. Traditional lenders, constrained by regulatory pressures and rising risk aversion, have scaled back, creating…
Read More
Home and Living

Signs Your Roof Needs Professional Repair: Don’t Ignore These Red Flags!

The roof of your home is one of its most vital components. It serves as the first line of defense against the elements, shielding you and your family from rain, snow, wind, and UV rays. A sturdy roof also enhances the energy efficiency of your house, helping to regulate temperature and reduce heating and cooling…
Read More
for sale sign london
Estate Agent Talk

Cheap Local Estate Agent

How much is the average estate agency fees in England for 2025? The figure of 1.42% (including VAT) is the average estate agency fee in 2025. This average fee for selling your home can vary with figures between 1% and up to 3.5%, there may be some lower and higher too. How you are looking…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

The Future of Real Estate: How Technology is Revolutionizing the Industry

It is also evident that the real estate industry is going through a lot of changes mainly due to changes in technology. Technology is changing almost every aspect of the industry and this includes the purchasing, selling, and advertising of properties. Consumers need a more efficient and enhanced form of transactions, real estate professionals must…
Read More