The vast majority, or 93pc, of buy-to-let investors have no intention of selling their property and more than half are looking to buy more rental units, a new survey showed yesterday.

Commissioned by EBS Building Society and Gunne Residential, the survey found that only 5pc of those surveyed said that they expect that the number of properties that they own will decrease in the next five years, while 93pc of buy-to-let investors intend to maintain their portfolio over the same period.

It also found that 54pc of those polled said they plan to increase the size of their property portfolio within the next five years.

Over half of those surveyed have reported an increase in demand from tenants. Rental incomes are also on the increase, with 47pc of landlords reporting an increase in their income from rental properties. Of those surveyed, an average of 44pc of their rental income is coming from non-Irish tenants.

Pension

The survey also found that the majority of investors are now looking at property as a long-term investment, with the objective in many cases being pension provision.

Shammy Khan, head of mortgages with the EBS, said: "Investors continue to see property as a long-term asset and are choosing to remain in the market and remain open to increasing the size of their property portfolio."

Gunne Residential managing director, Declan Cassidy, described the findings as positive.

"The majority of investors are taking a medium to long term view of the market, which is a very sensible approach," he said.