Commuter savings can help tenants overcome the cost of renting

June 1, 2020

With many of us still restricted to working from home or on furlough, research by Ome shows the average UK commuter is benefitting to the tune of £66 a month that would otherwise be spent travelling to and from work.

Now that the market has reopened for business, tenants will be looking to move to rental properties having been restricted since the end of March. However, the financial barrier of securing a rental deposit at a cost of five weeks rent will have increased for those on furlough or unable to work.

The silver lining is that three months of furlough commuter cost savings could boost their finances by £199. While this won’t pay the rent, it will account for 18% of the average rental deposit of £1,107.

This help over the financial hurdle of renting is highest in the North East, where a three-month commuter saving of £212 could pay 35% of the average rental deposit.

The average commuter saving in the North West (25%), Yorkshire and Humber (24%), East Midlands (24%) and West Midlands (23%) would also chip away more than 20% of the average rental deposit.

This boost is predictably lowest in London, but with the average commuter cost accounting for 12% of the average rental deposit, it’s certainly better than nothing.

At local authority level, these cost savings become even more notable. The biggest boost is in Wales, with three months of commuter outgoings accounting for nearly half of the average rental deposit in Blaenau Gwent, while in England, this saving accounts for 39% of the average rental deposit in Middlesbrough and 32% in Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland.

Today, deposit alternative products such as Ome provide an alternative option to overcome the initial cost of a rental deposit. For the average UK tenant opting to take this route, three months of commuter cost savings could also help reduce ongoing rental costs, covering 24% of their first month’s rent.

Again, this is highest in the North East where three months of money saved working from home could cover 43% of your monthly rent, with London again the lowest at 15% of the average monthly rent.

Properganda PR

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

You May Also Enjoy

Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Richmond upon Thames crowned 2026’s happiest place to live

Richmond upon Thames has been crowned the happiest place to live in Great Britain, reclaiming the top spot after winning in 2023 and finishing second last year In second place is Harrogate in Yorkshire and the Humber, and in third place is Cirencester, Gloucestershire in the South West Kirkcaldy is the happiest place in Scotland,…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

What the sector must do differently to engage with young people

By Neil Louth – Group Executive Director, LRG and CEO, Acorn Group The property sector needs to start by recognising that younger buyers are not simply less committed to homeownership. Many still want the security and long-term stability it can offer, but they are making that judgement in a very different market. Deposits take longer…
Read More →
Breaking News

Persistent decline to give way to recovery in 2027

Glenigan’s Autumn 2026 Construction Forecast maintains that sector growth will revive in 2027, despite a challenging year of market stagnation Following a sluggish end to 2026, construction is set to rebound from 2027 onwards as public sector building increases Significant value gains expected for health, education, civils, offices and data centre projects Private and social…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

The Plumbing and Electrical Problems That Quietly Kill Sales and Lettings

We’ve all had one of these. The offer’s agreed. Everyone’s happy. The memorandum of sale has gone out, and you’re already mentally banking the fee. Then the buyer’s survey comes back. “Electrics appear dated. Recommend inspection by a qualified electrician.” And just like that, the mood changes. The buyer starts asking about a reduction. The…
Read More →
Breaking News

Rental price and average salary tracker – October 2026

Rental prices rise across most regions as affordability pressures persist Average monthly rents increased in eight of the 11 regions between September and October, with Wales recording the largest rise at 31.1%, followed by the North East at 29.8% and the South West at 7.5%. Scotland, London and the North West were the only regions…
Read More →
Letting Agent Talk

Portfolio landlords have outgrown traditional property management

By Adam Hills, Client Services Director, LRG Living Markets The residential lettings industry still manages many large portfolios as though they’re simply collections of individual tenancies. While that works on small portfolios, but it doesn’t work when landlords own 50, 100 or 200 properties. At that point, the challenge is no longer property management alone…
Read More →