Hottest UK cities for rental demand revealed

January 15, 2020

The latest research by rental management platform, Howsy, has looked at where across the UK is kicking off a new decade with the highest tenant demand for buy-to-let homes.

Howsy looked at rental listings across the major online portals and analysed demand across 23 major UK cities as well as each borough of London, based on the proportion of rental listings that had already been snapped up by renters as a percentage of all listings available online.

By doing so, Howsy is able to identify just where the hottest pockets of the rental market currently are and where buy-to-let properties are flying off the shelves due to a combination of high tenant demand and lower levels of housing stock.

Most in-demand UK cities

When it comes to current demand, Newport is home to the highest level of tenant demand with 35% of all rental homes listed on the major portals already let.

Bristol also remains one of the most in-demand cities for rental properties at 34%, with Nottingham (33%), Cambridge (33%) and Belfast (25%) also ranking in the top five.

Plymouth (23%), Portsmouth (23%), Bournemouth (23%), Leicester (18%) and Manchester (18%) complete the top 10.

Aberdeen remains the least sought after area for rental properties in the UK with tenant demand at 5% followed by Swansea (8%) and Leeds (9%).

London 

Within the capital, Bexley, Bromley, Sutton and Lewisham are the hottest boroughs for tenants straight off the bat in 2020, with 38% of all rental stock listed online already being snapped up.

Merton (32%), Croydon (31%), Greenwich (30%), Haringey (29%), Enfield (29%) and Kingston (27%) are also amongst the most popular.

The high financial barrier of rental costs is evident at the top end of the ladder with Kensington and Chelsea (7%), Westminster (7%), Camden (11%), the City of London (12%) and Hammersmith and Fulham (13%) all ranking with the lowest number of properties let as a percentage of total properties listed.

Founder and CEO of Howsy, Calum Brannan, commented:

“The buy-to-let sector may have had a rough ride of late but the UK rental market is still heavily relied upon by many in order to put a roof over their head and as a result, many cities still provide a great opportunity for buy-to-let investors due to the lower levels of available stock and consistently high tenant demand.

When looking to invest, this combination of high demand, an affordable initial cost and a good rental yield should all be considered in order to maximise a return. For those that do their research and tick these boxes, bricks and mortar remains a very sound investment despite attempts to dampen the financial return via stamp duty hikes and changes to tax relief.

Hopefully, a newly refreshed Government will realise that the buy-to-let landlord is the backbone of the UK rental market and we need to encourage investment into the sector rather than deter it.”

UK Cities – Top 10 Highest Demand
Location
Rental demand
Newport
35%
Bristol
34%
Nottingham
33%
Cambridge
33%
Belfast
25%
Plymouth
23%
Portsmouth
23%
Bournemouth
23%
Leicester
18%
Manchester
18%
UK Cities – Top 10 Lowest Demand
Location
Rental demand
Aberdeen
5%
Swansea
8%
Leeds
9%
Edinburgh
10%
Birmingham
14%
Cardiff
14%
Newcastle
14%
Liverpool
15%
Sheffield
16%
Southampton
16%
London – Top 10 Highest Demand
Borough
Rental demand
Bexley
38%
Bromley
38%
Sutton
38%
Lewisham
38%
Merton
32%
Croydon
31%
Greenwich
30%
Haringey
29%
Enfield
29%
Kingston upon Thames
27%
London – Top 10 Highest Demand
Borough
Rental demand
Kensington and Chelsea
7%
Westminster
7%
Camden
11%
City of London
12%
Hammersmith and Fulham
13%
Ealing
14%
Brent
15%
Tower Hamlets
19%
Barnet
19%
Richmond upon Thames
20%

Properganda PR

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

You May Also Enjoy

Estate Agents should not all look the same
Estate Agent Talk

Building Trust, One Step at a Time

The latest Ipsos Veracity Index reveals that trust in estate agents has reached its all-time-high since they were first included in the survey, with 37% of the public expressing confidence in 2024 compared to just 28% the previous year. But there’s still more to be done to keep on the upward trend according to property…
Read More →
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 →