Research from Hamptons reveals that 2.2m fewer homes are available for rent in Britain due to a 3% stamp duty surcharge introduced in 2016. This tax, aimed at discouraging buy-to-let investments, has led to a 1% increase in rental costs over the past decade. Currently, there are 5.2m private rental households, with rents rising by an average of 4% annually since the tax was implemented. Aneisha Beveridge, head of research at Hamptons, said: “Almost overnight, the market tilted away from investors.”
