Why more portfolio landlords are considering professional property management
29/09/2026
Managing a rental portfolio has never been a completely hands-off investment. But new research suggests that, for many landlords, keeping on top of everything is becoming increasingly demanding.
Research commissioned by Rushbrook among 525 self-managing landlords found that 74% of portfolio landlords say managing their properties has become harder over the past three years.
And for more than half, the changing regulatory landscape is making them reconsider whether they want to continue doing everything themselves.
Regulation is becoming a growing concern
The research found that 57% of self-managing portfolio landlords have reconsidered self-management because of recent regulatory changes.
Compliance and legislation were also identified as the single biggest source of stress, cited by 41% of landlords.
That came ahead of:
- Maintenance and repairs – 20%
- Changes between tenancies – 11%
- Tenant communication – 10%
For landlords with several properties, keeping track of changing requirements alongside the everyday demands of running a portfolio can quickly become a significant commitment.
Property management can take more than 30 hours a month
Regulation isn't the only pressure.
According to the research, 68% of landlords spend at least 31 hours every month managing their rental properties, with a further 17% spending between 21 and 30 hours.
Maintenance is particularly time-consuming, with 52% saying repairs and maintenance take up more of their time than any other part of managing their portfolio.
Perhaps most tellingly, 77% said they regularly delay non-urgent maintenance because they don't have enough time to arrange it.
For landlords balancing property with work, family or other investments, those hours can quickly add up.
Why are landlords considering professional management?
When landlords were asked what could make them consider using a professional property management service, their reasons were practical.
26% said keeping on top of legislation and compliance was a key factor, while 21% wanted to save time and 15% wanted to reduce the stress involved in managing their portfolio.
Others highlighted dealing with tenants and arranging maintenance and repairs.
Professional management doesn't have to mean giving up control of your investment. Instead, it can mean having an experienced team handling the day-to-day work while you retain oversight of your portfolio.
Could professional management make your portfolio easier to run?
Whether you own one rental property or a growing portfolio, the amount of work involved in being a landlord is changing.
Having professional support can help with the everyday demands of property management, from communicating with tenants and coordinating maintenance to helping you keep on top of changing requirements.
If you're finding that managing your properties is taking up more of your time, it may be worth reviewing whether your current approach is still working for you.
Talk to your local lettings team about how our property management service could help make managing your portfolio simpler.
