Landlords could see an influx of tenants who have sold homes thanks to the housing market crash, according to research from Unbiased.co.uk.
More than 1.75 million homeowners would now consider renting rather than keeping the homes they own.
This mirrors the habits of Continental Europeans who tend to act as tenants rather than buyers.
Some 32 per cent of those who now consider renting said they would not have done so in the past.
Recent volatility in the housing market has led many to believe that they would have more freedom if they rented homes from a landlord rather than owning one for themselves.
Chief executive of the organisation Karen Barrett said: "It has also caused renters to think about their long-term options, and while some still want to get on the property ladder despite the recent crash, many have now decided that the British status symbol of owning your own home no longer has the same importance."
The research follows statistics from Nationwide which said house prices rose by 5.9 per cent in 2009.
Written by Mark Garner
