The Property Investors Federation says the number of people not meeting their rent is on the rise, but often they are cases of genuine hardship.
Federation president Martin Evans says rent defaulters with his property management company have gone from two to four per week in the past few months, and that's set to rise.
But Mr Evans says landlords should be lenient with tenants as the economic downturn worsens.
He says landlords should offer help, such as referring tenants to agencies who can ensure they are getting the benefits they are entitled to.
