THE proportion of landlords using a letting agent to help manage their property has "spiked", according to a survey.

The National Landlords Association (NLA) says six in ten landlords are now using an agent - up by seven per cent from the end of last year.

The industry body says the rise is "a break from the norm", as use of letting agents only rose by one per cent between 2014 and 2016.

MORE TOP STORIES:

However, the nationwide figures are not reflected here on the ground in the North West, where the NLA says landlords are the least reliant on agents compared to others across the UK.

Research findings show that, nationwide, the proportion of landlords who self-manage has fallen by nearly ten per cent in the past year - from 46 to 39 per cent. Agent usage is highest in Scotland, at 79 per cent.

The NLA says recent changes to buy-to-let taxation, as well as a planned ban on charging fees to tenants, are expected to increase the strains on letting agents’ and landlords’ businesses in the coming months.

Richard Lambert, the association's CEO, said: "As landlords plan ahead to compensate for the tax changes over the next few years, we would expect to see the number who use an agent slowly fall away, and for more to start considering whether they are able to manage their properties themselves.

"However, this sudden spike, which is completely out of step with recent trends, completely turns this theory on its head. The big question is whether or not it’s a blip or if it will continue to rise."

Meanwhile, Richard Price, executive director at the UK Association of Letting Agents, commented: "There have been some regional fluctuations, but overall these findings show an increasing proportion of landlords rely on agents at present, which is testament to the professional work undertaken by the vast majority of agents in the sector.

"It’s an uncertain time for anyone who owns a buy-to-let property, so the steady hand of a reputable agent is exactly what many landlords are looking for right now."