Britain’s most competitive summer rental hotspots
- New analysis from the UK’s largest property platform Rightmove has revealed the areas where renters faced the strongest competition this summer, with several North West towns emerging as the toughest places to secure a home
- Wallasey and Birkenhead in Merseyside were Britain’s joint most competitive rental market during July and August, with an average of 30 enquiries for every available rental property
- Carlisle completed the top three, with 29 enquiries per available property
- Three of the six most competitive rental hotspots are on the Wirral, while the North West accounts for six of the top ten locations
- Across Great Britain, there was an average of 11 enquiries per available rental property during July and August, down from a peak of 28 during the same period in 2022, but still above the pre-pandemic average of eight
New analysis from the UK’s largest property platform Rightmove has revealed Britain’s most competitive rental hotspots during July and August, typically the busiest months of the year for the rental market.
Wallasey and Birkenhead in Merseyside were Britain’s joint most competitive rental markets, with each available rental property attracting an average of 30 enquiries from prospective tenants.
Carlisle ranked third, with an average of 29 enquiries per available property, while Glasgow and East Kilbride completed the top five.
The findings highlight how intense competition for rental homes remains across parts of Great Britain, even as rental supply and demand conditions continue to rebalance compared with the record highs seen in previous years.
While average advertised rents remain at record levels nationally, (current national average rent £1,580 per calendar month), the pace of rent growth has continued to slow, as competition has eased and improving supply gives tenants more choice than during the pandemic-era peak.
Across Great Britain, rental properties attracted an average of 11 enquiries each during July and August, typically the busiest months of the year for the rental market.
While this is lower than the 12 enquiries recorded during the same period last year and significantly below the peak of 28 in July and August 2022, it remains above the pre-pandemic average of eight enquiries per property during the summer months.
An enquiry is measured by a prospective tenant phoning or emailing a letting agent to request to view a property to rent. Rightmove’s analysis ranked 1,000 locations across Great Britain and ranked them by the number of enquiries each available rental listing received.
Three of the six most competitive rental hotspots were on the Wirral, while six of the top ten were located in the North West. Scotland also featured strongly, with Glasgow and East Kilbride both appearing in the top five.
Scotland recorded the highest average level of rental competition across Great Britain, with properties receiving an average of 19 enquiries each during July and August. The North West followed with an average of 16 enquiries per property.
Britain’s busiest summer rental hotspots
| Location | Area | Average rent PCM | Enquiries per available listing |
| Birkenhead, Wirral, Merseyside | North West | £874 | 30 |
| Wallasey, Wirral Merseyside | North West | £975 | 30 |
| Carlisle, Cumbria | North West | £913 | 29 |
| Glasgow | Scotland | £1,181 | 28 |
| East Kilbride, Glasgow | Scotland | £1,049 | 27 |
| Prenton, Wirral, Merseyside | North West | £1,089 | 27 |
| Kingswood, Bristol | South West | £1,542 | 25 |
| Chorlton Cum Hardy, Manchester, Greater Manchester | North West | £1,610 | 22 |
| Morecambe, Lancashire | North West | £887 | 22 |
| Salisbury, Wiltshire | South West | £1,371 | 21 |
Average rental competition across Great Britain
| Location | Average enquiries per available rental property |
| Scotland | 19 |
| North West | 16 |
| South West | 12 |
| West Midlands | 12 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 12 |
| North East | 11 |
| Great Britain | 11 |
| Wales | 11 |
| East of England | 10 |
| East Midlands | 9 |
| London | 9 |
| South East | 9 |
Colleen Babcock, Rightmove’s property expert, said: “July and August are typically the busiest months of the year for the rental market, and our analysis shows that competition remains particularly strong in some parts of Great Britain. While rental supply has rebalanced compared with previous years, there are still locations where each available home attracts high numbers of enquiries from prospective tenants.
“The North West features particularly prominently in our findings, accounting for six of the ten most competitive locations, while Scotland recorded the highest average level of competition anywhere in Great Britain.
“For renters, the findings are a reminder that competition can still be strong in many areas, despite the improvement in supply in recent years. Starting a search early and being ready with the information an agent or landlord may need can help put renters in the best possible position when a suitable property becomes available.”
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