Buying or Renting: Why Build to Rent Matters for the UK's Housing Future
- 04th Nov 26
An Englishman’s home is his castle, as the saying goes, and for some, owning a home remains a lifelong ambition. But homeownership isn’t the right choice for everyone. As the Government explores new ways to help first-time buyers onto the property ladder, it’s important to recognise that a healthy housing market must offer choice, balancing opportunities for homeownership with high-quality rental homes that meet the needs of today’s renters.
Help to buy
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has unveiled plans for a new help-to-buy scheme aimed at giving first-time buyers the chance to get onto the property ladder. The programme, called “Your first home”, is intended to help buyers in England who have a regular income but have been unable to save for a large deposit or don’t have financial support from their family.
Under the scheme, first-time buyers will get a 20% equity loan to help them buy a new-build home, with an initial interest free period and a requirement of a minimum deposit of just 2.5%.
Housing across Europe
When we look at what is going on outside the UK, it is clear that permanent renting is reshaping housing markets. The Forever Renter Global Index examined housing data across 39 countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), where permanent renting is most common. European nations make up 28 of the 39 countries in the study, meaning 71.8% of the dataset. Switzerland records the highest renter share globally at 61.2%, closely followed by Germany where 55.4% of the population rents. In the UK, the figure stands at 30.7%.
Meanwhile, the UK rental market continues to face supply pressures. According to Zoopla’s September 2026 Rental Market Report, the number of homes available to rent is 3% lower than a year ago, following three years of improving supply. The flow of new properties entering the rental market has also fallen by 6% year on year, while each available rental home now attracts an average of 5.3 enquiries, the highest level for almost two years. London is experiencing the greatest squeeze, with rising demand, fewer available homes and rental growth reaching 2.9%.
A housing market that offers genuine choice
While initiatives, such as Your first home, that make homeownership more accessible are welcome, they also raise a wider question: how do we ensure that efforts to help people buy a home don’t overshadow the needs of those who rent? The answer is not to prioritise one over the other. It is to recognise that buying and renting serve different needs, and that the UK requires more homes across all tenures to give people genuine choice, which includes the supply of high-quality rental homes for those who choose, or need, to rent for the long term.
Could helping buyers come at the expense of renters?
As the Government considers how to make homeownership more accessible, it is important to look at the wider implications for the housing market. Some may see policies that encourage buying as competing with investment in rental housing. However, the two do not have to be in opposition. London’s Deputy Mayor for Housing has suggested that the proposed scheme could benefit the wider housing market, stimulating the whole of the housing system and pushing for more homes to be built, especially in cities where they are needed most. Ultimately, the UK's housing challenges are too complex to be solved by focusing on one tenure alone and the conversations around rental properties, and especially Build to Rent, need to remain.
Why choice matters at every stage of life
Andy Burnham’s message was perhaps a little oversimplified. Yes, people may want to get onto the ladder but housing needs are rarely fixed with one solution that covers all of society. Someone renting their first home after university may eventually decide to buy. A couple who own a property might later choose to rent when relocating for work. A family may value the space and stability of a longer-term rental, while someone approaching retirement might want to release themselves from the responsibilities of property ownership. To accommodate all these different choices, it also means acknowledging that a successful rental market depends on more than simply having enough properties available. Residents need homes that are well maintained, professionally managed and designed around the realities of everyday life.
Raising expectations for rental living
At Love to Rent, we believe that renting deserves to be recognised as a positive housing choice, with residents able to make informed decisions about the homes and communities available to them. Through our dedicated Love to Rent Week and the Love to Rent Awards, we help raise awareness of what professionally managed rental living can offer.
The Awards, in particular, provide an opportunity to recognise the developers, operators and communities delivering excellent experiences for residents. By celebrating innovation, quality and resident-focused approaches, they help showcase the standards renters should be able to expect and encourage the wider sector to keep improving.
Building a housing market that works for everyone
Helping more people buy their first home is a worthwhile ambition. But it should be part of a broader housing strategy that recognises the different ways people want and need to live.
The UK needs more homes, greater choice and a stronger focus on quality across all tenures. First-time buyer initiatives can help some people achieve their aspirations, while investment in Build to Rent can provide professionally managed homes for those whose circumstances or preferences make renting the right option.