Eyebrows were raised earlier this year when housing minister Yvette Cooper commented on the supposed increase in landlords looking to 'buy-to-leave' - ie purchasing a house or flat then leaving it empty, simply sitting back and letting capital growth do its job. Was the practice really that big an issue? It seems not, according to a new study.

Instant Access Properties (IAP) polled 500 of its members following the comments and found that just 3.1 per cent said they had 'bought to leave' in the past, with the vast majority telling a different story.

IAP officials have made the obvious, if somewhat overlooked, point that buy-to-let is all about the combination of appreciation and rental income, and would leave little benefit without one or the other.

"Even in the rare cases where investors can afford to keep units empty, there is no incentive to do so as it simply equates to throwing money away," commented IAP head of comms Pierre Williams.

And with more Britons than ever turning to the rental sector for accommodation as prices rise out of their reach, it's looking less and less likely that any landlord will consider changing tack midstream.