The majority of buy-to-let landlords plan to expand their property portfolios or leave them untouched in 2008, a new study has claimed.

Bradford and Bingley, the UK''s largest buy-to-let lender, said that its survey of nearly 4,000 landlords found 86 per cent remained undaunted by warnings about the market, believing they can weather the crisis over the coming months.

Recent years have seen investors move in their droves to pump money into the buy-to-let sector, attracted not so much by the modest five to six per cent rental yields as the phenomenal 227 per cent house price growth property has enjoyed since 1996.

And in spite of the ongoing credit crunch coupled with an IMF warning that UK property is headed for a sharp price correction, still investors see money in the market and an overwhelming 95 per cent expect robust yields over the next six months.

Jeremy Law, head of buy-to-let at Bradford and Bingley, said that the continued confidence of investors was "extremely encouraging". He described their views as being among the most authoritative in the industry given that they are at "the coalface" on the buy-to-let market.

Bradford and Bingley''s research echoes findings by Property for Life, who this week reported that three quarters of buy-to-let investors are looking to make further purchases.