is that because of the new tax laws that come into full effect in 2020?
I have a friend with quite a large portfolio who's selling a fair few properties,going to have a smaller portfolio but with more equity in each property.
The tax changes have been numerous and make it difficult to make a profit from buy to let now. For starters there is a stamp duty surcharge if you buy a house to let. Secondly, landlords are no longer permitted to net off all interest charges on mortgages (so effectively they pay tax on the money borrowed to buy the house - and as you say by 2020 they can claim none of the interest) and the wear and tear allowance has been removed (which is not a big issue as landlords can still claim tax relief when they buy to replace an item). I've done a similar thing to your friend - if you don't have a lot of equity I don't think you can make a profit any more.
There's also local councils bearing down on landlords. From this year I must pay an additional £5 per week for each house for them to empty the bins (in addition to rates).
It's not just that though. I bought when house prices were low and the income against the cost was reasonable. I wouldn't buy with house prices as they are today. Many people assume that house prices will just keep rising and they can make money at the end when they sell - that's a terrible assumption in my opinion.
And finally there is an ongoing risk with legislation. There are so many hoops to jump through now and if you make a mistake (even if you were not aware) then it can be very expensive. I've had one house this year where the tenants have trashed it. We found a plastic air pistol and they have shot it into all the kitchen doors, broken windows, into beds and walls/doors of bedrooms and even into the fridge. They have forced entry into four rooms and the doors have been broken (it's a student house, so all bedrooms have a lock). It has cost me more than £3k to put right the damage (so effectively it's taken all the profit from this house this year) . They are going to dispute the deposit retention claim (it's free to dispute so they have nothing to lose) and the odds are heavily in their favour: at the Deposit Protection Scheme only 19% of cases find for the landlord. I've spent 2 whole days so far writing a document to prove that the house was in good condition when they moved in and poor when they left (getting photographs, scans of receipts etc.) I reckon I need another day to complete it and even then there is no guarantee I'll even get anything from the deposits. New landlords should not believe it's easy and doesn't take time; if you are doing everything properly it will take lots of time and sometimes lots of stress.
No comments from me on whether all the changes are a good or bad thing. I can see why they have been introduced and there are some terrible landlords. However it hits the good landlords too. Landlords that are squeezed will either sell up or not maintain properties. There is no way I'm not going to maintain my properties - just from a moral standpoint if nothing else - but many would just let this trashed house in the condition that the last tenants left it, simply because they can no longer afford to do anything else. If they go one step further and introduce rent caps (as has been suggested by one political party) then it will cause more landlords to sell up and the ones that remain will become slums. I will sell.
So, all in all, not a great time to start letting houses in my opinion.