The stamp duty surcharge and the tailing off of mortgage interest tax relief have driven hundreds of thousands of landlords from the buy to let sector, new data suggests.

The much talked about city to countryside exodus triggered by the pandemic has been largely led by older renters according to a new survey.

Landlords could be among those who benefit from a rumoured extension to the stamp duty holiday until the end of June.

Private rents in London have fallen by as much as 20% in some parts of the capital, fuelled by fall in international student numbers, short lets flooding the market and an exodus of tenants to the suburbs.

The housing market has seemingly shrugged off coronavirus woes and bounced back to new heights with the average cost of a house in the UK increasing by a little over £3,000 in August.