With the UK property market still moving downwards there has been a rise in the number of people becoming landlords for the first time. They are people who have moved into a new property and decided to rent out their old one until it is sold or until prices start rising again.
But they are experiencing a shock when they find the rent does not necessarily cover all their outgoings.
According estate agent Cluttons, many of these landlords unrealistically expect rental income to cover all their costs from the start. But the cost of maintaining a rental property can come as an unwelcome surprise to many homeowners who are not used to being forced to pay out for repairs at short notice.
As well as being unrealistic about rental expectations, these inexperienced landlords are also sometimes ignorant about tenants' rights.
'Many of our new landlords are not entering the lettings market by choice and they have a great deal to learn about the business,' said Lynn Hilton, a partner at Cluttons.
In contrast, professional landlords tend to view their investment property as a long-term investment, and are prepared to pay for repairs and upkeep.
The Association of Residential Letting Agents advises landlords to use rental agencies with membership in order to ensure that all legislation relating to deposits, inventories, insurance and other administration is followed.
Its latest research confirms that the rental sector in the UK is growing. The private rental sector in the UK is now worth over GBP500 billion, more than the total of all privately-owned commercial property, including offices, shops, hotels, factories, warehouses and leisure facilities.
The report from the ARLA also predicts rental property will continue to outstrip other types of investment property and rents will rise significantly in the short term.