Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what evidence they have collected that buy-to-let investors and prospective residential owner-occupiers are in competition in the market for the same properties.

Whilst private landlords are competing for properties in the same housing market as owner occupiers, the types and locations of properties that they prefer will not always be identical to owner occupiers. Recent research by the Bank of England – see https://bankunderground.co.uk/2015/07/21/five-facts-about-buy-to-let/ - shows that buy to let investors have a greater tendency to purchase apartments and properties in London than owner occupiers.