Women now account for two in five landlords, with most using property in order to top up their monthly income.
Analysis of tens of thousands of landlords from Simple Landlords Insurance shows that 40% of landlords are now women. In comparison, just 17% of SME owners are female, which indicates that property could be moving towards equality at a quicker pace than other industries.
Goals
The investigation also showed that male and female investors have different goals for their investment. 63% of female landlords said using rent for monthly income was their goal, compared to 53% of men.
In addition, the research found that women are more likely than men to have become accidental landlords. 48% of female landlords said that they were ‘deliberate’ buy-to-let investors, in comparison to 61% of men.
Women were found to be more likely to have become landlords after moving in with their partner and renting out their own property.
Women now account for 40% of landlords
Acceptance
What’s more, female landlords are more likely to provide rental accommodation to a more diverse spectrum of tenants than men.
35% of female landlords said that they would rent their property to housing benefit tenants, in comparison to 25% of men. Women were also found to be more inclined to renting to students, pensioners and single tenants.
Alexandra Huntley, Head of Operations at Simple Landlords Insurance, observed: ‘As recently as 1970 women could be refused a mortgage without a male guarantor. But buying, selling, renovating, and renting property is no longer just for the boys. Those stereotypes are firmly consigned to history. Women have been steadily gaining ground over the last 50 years and are increasingly gaining financial independence through property investment.’[1]
[1] http://www.propertyreporter.co.uk/landlords/rise-of-the-modern-landlady.html