Howsy’s Lonely-Hearts Rentals Index – Forget Love Island, here’s where to rent for the best chance of finding love and affordability

June 14, 2019

Innovative lettings management platform, Howsy, has looked at where across the UK offers the most affordable rental prices in relation to the percentage of singles for tenants looking for a long-term roommate.

Howsy looked at the percentage of singles and the average monthly rent across the UK ranking each area based on the ratio of rent paid per percent of single people in a given area.

The lower the score the better, highlighting the most affordable rental markets with the biggest abundance of singles.

Top of the table was Hull where the average monthly rent is £421 and 42.1% of people are classed as single. Therefore Hull scored a singles affordability score of 9.99 making it the most affordable location to rent in the UK with the greatest chance of finding love.

Liverpool is the next best bet with a score of 10.04, with a higher rate of singles (49.7%) but a slightly higher cost of rent at £499 a month on average.

Blaenau Gwent and Rhondda Cynon Taff fly the flag for lonely-hearts in Wales, scoring 12.07 and 12.38 respectively.

Middlesbrough (12.42), Ceredigion (12.42), Lincoln (12.55), Nottingham (13.05), Gwynedd (13.07) and Preston (13.31) complete the top 10 most affordable locations for renters looking for love.

Founder and CEO of Howsy, Calum Brannan, commented:

“Hull may not be the first place that springs to mind when you consider the UK’s most romantic hotspots but as this research demonstrates, it certainly provides the best bet for those looking to rent at an affordable rate while searching for love.

Of course, one way to get around the affordability issues of the UK rental market is to share the cost with someone else, so these areas also offer the best chance at achieving this goal and increasing your property rental potential or your disposable income.”

Top 25 – Ranking based on percentage of singles vs rent
 
Location
% of Singles
Average Monthly Rent
Ratio score of rent cost per singles percentage
Hull
42.1%
£421
9.99
Liverpool
49.7%
£499
10.04
Blaenau Gwent
34.2%
£413
12.07
Rhondda Cynon Taff
33.9%
£420
12.38
Middlesbrough
39.4%
£490
12.42
Ceredigion
38.7%
£481
12.42
Lincoln
44.0%
£552
12.55
Nottingham
51.3%
£670
13.05
Gwynedd
36.4%å
£476
13.07
Preston
40.9%
£545
13.31
Stoke-on-Trent
36.0%
£483
13.40
Merthyr Tydfil
35.3%
£474
13.43
Hartlepool
34.4%
£464
13.49
Burnley
33.4%
£453
13.55
North East Lincolnshire
33.1%
£460
13.90
Neath Port Talbot
31.2%
£436
13.96
Leicester
41.5%
£585
14.10
Norwich
46.9%
£665
14.18
Hyndburn
33.0%
£471
14.29
Rochdale
35.1%
£503
14.31
Knowsley
40.3%
£581
14.40
Dundee City
43.2%
£623
14.44
Doncaster
32.2%
£469
14.57
Wolverhampton
37.1%
£542
14.61
Blackpool
35.3%
£519
14.70

 

Properganda PR

National and local media coverage for property businesses. Journo quotes delivered in minutes.

You May Also Enjoy

How to add value to your home
Estate Agent Talk

Investing in Property: A Smart Move for Long-Term Financial Growth

In a world of fluctuating markets and uncertain economic trends, property investment remains one of the most stable and reliable ways to build long-term wealth. Whether you’re purchasing your first home, a rental unit, or commercial space, real estate continues to offer numerous advantages that set it apart from other types of investments. This article…
Read More →
How to help out hoarders
Estate Agent Talk

Neighbourly nightmares: One in three Brits face next-door disputes

New research from Rightmove reveals that over a third of Brits (36%) admit to having had an argument with their neighbour Top annoyances are noisy neighbours (78%), parking spot poachers (71%) and curtain twitchers (70%) Neighbour behaviours deemed the biggest red flags are asking for your Wi-Fi password (87%) and letting bins overflow (71%)  …
Read More →
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 07/08/25

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X. Interest rates cut to 4%, inflation expected to rise to the same figure The Bank of Engaland after two ballots approve 0.25% cut in rate to 4%, but inflation is double target figure In what is the fourth rate cut since Labour came into power…
Read More →
Breaking News

1 in 5 private rented homes could be illegal

More than one in five private rented homes in England currently fail to meet the Decent Homes Standard (DHS). Analysis from Inventory Base suggests that these properties would be illegal to rent should the proposed extension of the DHS within the Renter’s Rights Bill (RRB) pass into law. The DHS is a government-issued minimum standard…
Read More →
bank of england interest rate
Breaking News

Property Industry Response to Latest Bank of England Rate Cut

Following a hold in June, the rate has today been cut to 4.0%. This comes despite inflation (CPI) sitting at 3.6% in June 2025, higher than the Bank of England target rate of 2.0%. The decision to reduce the base rate by the Monetary Policy Committee was the result of five members voting for a…
Read More →
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Rightmove Comment on The Bank Rate Cut

Matt Smith, Rightmove’s mortgage expert says: “As expected we now have the third Bank Rate cut of the year, with the Bank continuing along its forecast trajectory. Mortgage lenders have had a bit of room to reduce rates over the last week, owing to the ongoing developments around global tariffs. However, we expect that lenders…
Read More →