Fewer than a quarter of landlords believe planning reform will help their business, according to new polling from specialist lender Landbay, with most unconvinced it will create meaningful new opportunities in the buy-to-let market.
The survey found 77% of landlords do not think planning reforms will have a positive effect on their portfolios. Just 13% said looser planning rules could create more chances to buy new-build property, while only 9% thought reform would drive enough jobs and growth to lift rental demand in a meaningful way.
Landbay poll shows little faith in planning changes
For landlords, the figures matter because ministers keep presenting planning reform as part of the answer to the housing shortage. Yet investors appear to think the main barriers sit elsewhere, especially around labour shortages, delivery risk and the wider economics of building.
Rob Stanton, sales and distribution director at Landbay, said the level of scepticism was “absolutely damning” and argued landlords remain an important part of the planning system through conversions, extensions, HMOs and new-build demand.
Nearly half of respondents also said planning reform alone will not solve the housing crisis. Landlords cited the shortage of skilled trades as a major reason, with some saying housebuilding targets will remain out of reach without a much stronger construction workforce.
This follows Residential Landlord’s analysis of falling private housing output, which showed how fragile delivery already looks even before extra political promises are priced in. Combined with government-backed efforts to increase housing supply, the latest Landbay figures suggest landlords still doubt whether headline reform will turn into extra stock on the ground.
Implications for landlords
That matters for investors hoping planning reform would widen acquisition options. If landlords do not expect more viable new-build stock, attention is likely to stay on existing homes, conversions and smaller repositioning projects rather than large-scale supply coming through quickly.
For investors, the point is clear. Planning reform may improve the political mood, but it does not fix build costs, borrowing costs or the shortage of trades on its own. Landlords looking for new opportunities may need to assume supply stays tight for longer rather than betting on a quick increase in stock.
More broadly, the survey points to a gap between Westminster rhetoric and landlord expectations. For investors, that gap matters because pricing, competition and rental demand will keep responding to what actually gets built, not what gets announced.
Read the publicly reported Landbay findings here.
Opinion
Landlords are right to be wary. The sector has heard years of promises about planning reform, faster delivery and more homes, but supply still looks constrained. Until ministers show they can turn reform into completed homes rather than another consultation cycle, investors will treat these claims with caution.
