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The majority of landlords support stronger regulation of buy-to-let mortgages and advice, according to a survey conducted by LSL Property Services.

But not all landlords are the same, so the Treasury and FSA must resist the temptation to impose "one size fits all" regulation, David Brown, LSL Commercial Director, warned.

The Council of Mortgage Lenders has responded formally to the Treasury's consultation on whether to extend the scope of mortgage regulation.

The CML said it agreed with proposals to extend regulation to cover second-charge mortgages, and to ensure that borrowers were sufficiently protected when mortgage books were sold on.

But it disagreed for several reasons with the proposal to extend "conduct of business" regulation to buy-to-let lending.

Yields on residential property fell to 4.75% in January as rents slipped while property prices powered ahead. This is the lowest level since August 2008, according to the latest Buy-to-Let Index from LSL Property Services.

Yields peaked at 5.1% in March 2009 when house prices reached the bottom.

New buy-to-let lending increased for the second consecutive quarter in the last three months of 2009, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

There were 25,800 new loans advanced in quarter four, up from 23,700 in the third quarter but down from 38,000 in the fourth quarter of 2008. The 2009 growth is from a very low base after a consistent decline through seven consecutive quarters. Gross advances totalled £2.4billion in the fourth quarter of last year, up £300million from the third quarter but down £1.6billion from the fourth quarter of 2008. Volumes remain comparatively low, both in absolute terms and as a percentage of overall lending.

The buy-to-let sector is becoming over-regulated, according to nationwide tenant eviction and rent recovery firm, Landlord Assist.

Its warning follows proposals outlined by Housing Minister, John Healey, which he believes could help to improve the standards of service within the private rented sector.

Fewer landlords are experiencing financial difficulty, according to the National Landlords Association (NLA), commenting on the publication of the latest data published by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML).

The NLA's Simon Gordon said: "The latest figures from the Council of Mortgages demonstrate the resilience of the market in what have been difficult times for landlords. Fewer landlords are struggling to meet mortgage payments, with arrears down 37% year on year. The number of properties taken into possession in the fourth quarter has also fallen by 25%, as many landlords benefit from reduced interest rates.

The mini-boom in the rental market over the summer has paused for breath, according to the latest Buy to Let Index from LSL Property Services.

While house prices in November chalked up their seventh successive monthly gain, lifting home values 5% from their April 2009 low, rents slipped back for a second month running, falling 0.6% in November to take average rents back to levels at the end of August.

This follows four months of rapid rental inflation during the summer when rents rose at an annual pace of 13%.

The UK is entering a new phase for buy-to-let investment, according to property investment specialist, Assetz.

Many of those investors who entered the buy-to-let market during the boom years hoping to achieve short-term capital growth have now left the market as a result of the credit crisis, paving the way for a new type of property investor taking a long-term view.

Buy-to-let conditions will remain difficult for landlords in 2010, says Landlord Assist, the nationwide tenant eviction service.

By the end of this year, approximately 150,000 tenant evictions will have gone before the courts, and with the economic downturn showing no signs of lifting, Landlord Assist has forecast another tricky year for the rental market as it attempts to stabilise.