England’s rental stock surges by as much as 86.6% in a year
Rental listings have almost doubled in Tyne and Wear since August 2025, with Greater Manchester and a host of other markets also recording double-digit growth
The latest research from Propoly has revealed that England’s rental listings have climbed by an average of 7.4% in the past year, led by an 86.6% increase in Tyne and Wear, making it the fastest-growing rental market in England.
Propoly analysed residential rental listings across English counties, comparing the number of properties listed in August 2025 with the latest available listing levels in August 2026*. The analysis identifies the markets where rental stock has increased most significantly, alongside those where available stock has fallen.
Across England, rental stock has increased by 7.4% over the period, rising from 114,178 listings in August 2025 to an estimated 122,659 today.
However, the scale of growth in Tyne and Wear, where listings have grown from 1,855 to 3,462, dwarfs the national picture, while a number of other markets are also recording substantial increases in available rental stock.
Greater Manchester has recorded the nation’s second largest increase, with rental listings rising by 28.4%, followed by Rutland where listings are up 23.1%. The City of London has seen rental stock rise by 21.5%.
Somerset has recorded a 20.4% increase in listings, followed by Northumberland at 19.0%. Wiltshire and Hampshire have both seen rental stock rise by 18.4%, while Worcestershire has recorded an 18.3% increase. Leicestershire completes the top ten, with listings up 17.3% year-on-year.
The increase in available stock across these markets gives tenants more properties to choose from and provides letting agents with a greater pool of properties to manage and market.
However, not all of England’s counties have seen rental stock increase. The Isle of Wight has seen rental listings fall by -35.2% on the year, while Warwickshire has seen a decline of -10.8%, and numbers in Norfolk are down -9.6%.
West Yorkshire has seen rental stock decrease by -9.3%, followed by Suffolk (-9.1%) and East Sussex (-8.9%). Shropshire has recorded a -5.6% decline, while Devon and Staffordshire have seen listings fall by -5.2% and -4.5% respectively.
The contrasting performance of individual markets highlights the increasingly local nature of the rental market. While some areas are seeing a significant increase in the number of properties coming to market, others have fewer listings available than a year ago.
For letting agents, rapid changes in rental stock can create both opportunities and operational challenges. More available properties can mean more business, but also more properties to onboard, market, reference, and progress through to tenancy at a time when agents are under pressure to deliver an efficient service.
Sim Sekhon, Group CEO at Propoly, commented:
“The increase in Tyne and Wear is striking, particularly when set against the more measured rise seen across England as a whole. While greater availability should provide tenants with more choice, the extent of the increase also underlines how quickly local rental markets can change.
What is clear is that there is no single national rental market. Agents in areas such as Tyne and Wear are managing a significant expansion in available stock, while those operating in other parts of the country are contending with considerably fewer listings than a year ago.
For agents seeing stock levels rise, this presents a clear opportunity, but it also means more properties and prospective tenants to progress. Having efficient systems in place will be crucial if agents are to manage that additional workload and convert greater availability into successfully completed tenancies.”
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