Forget Generation Rent, we’re on course to become Nation Rent

June 7, 2019

Research by VeriSmart, the letting compliance specialists, has looked at what point in the future the UK could lose its homeowner status as the scales tip towards a greater number of rental sector occupants compared to owner-occupiers.

The UK is a nation of aspirational homeowners, but the high cost of property has seen many remain resigned to the rental sector. In fact, when it comes to the percentage of homeowners, the UK currently ranks as the 24th lowest of all 28 EU nations at just 65%.

In contrast, the UK is home to the fifth highest percentage of tenant occupiers of all EU nations, behind just Germany, Austria, Denmark and France.

The latest data shows that since 2010, the percentage of owner-occupant homeowners has fallen by -5% while the percentage of occupants in the rental sector has grown by 5%.

Despite this, homeowners still account for 65% of the market as we remain a nation driven by the goal of owning our own home. However, should this seven-year trend persist we could start to see this change as more and more of us remain in the rental sector.

Based on the previous decline in homeownership levels, the scales would tip in favour of tenants by 2039 with 50.7% of us renting to 49.3% owning our own home. By 2045 this will have grown to 55% of the nation living in the rental sector to 45% classes as owner occupants.

This isn’t a trend driven out of necessity but rather people choosing to rent within the private sector, as during this time the number of us in social rental accommodation has also dropped.

Founder and CEO of VeriSmart, Jonathan Senior, commented:

“We are currently seeing a shifting mentality in the way we choose to live our lives and for Generation Rent, in particular, there is no longer that urgency to make it out of the rental sector and secure their own ‘piece’ of bricks and mortar.

This was initially driven by consistently buoyant house price growth coupled with stagnant wage growth providing no other option but to rent, however, social rental numbers are falling, Build-to-Rent is growing in prominence, and there has been a number of tenant-friendly changes to the sector.

All of these changes are making the rental sector a more attractive place to be and as a result, we are seeing more of us opt for it and stay there for much longer than we may have traditionally.”

UK – Tenure Type Distribution (%)
Tenure Type
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Percentage / Distribution change over a seven-year period
Owner
70
67.9
66.7
64.6
64.4
63.5
63.4
65
-5%
Tenant
30
32.1
33.3
35.4
35.6
36.5
36.6
35
5%
Projection – Owner vs Tenant Occupation (%)
Year
Owner
Tenant
2010
70
30
2017
65
35
2024
60
40
2031
55
45
2038
50
50
2039
49.3
50.7
Tipping Point
2045
45
55

 

Properganda PR

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

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Council funding to crack down on rogue landlords

English councils are set to receive additional funding and training to help tackle rogue landlords, ahead of taking on new responsibilities when renters’ rights reforms come into force next month. All 317 local authorities in England will share £41 million in funding, building on an earlier £18 million allocation made last autumn. The funding is…
Read More →
New Builds 2020
Breaking News

Fewer than 1 in 5 new properties securing buyer

New-build demand remains subdued as fewer than 1 in 5 homes find buyers in Q1 2026 The latest New-Build Stock and Demand Index from Property Inspect has found that demand for new-build homes remained subdued in the first quarter of 2026, with fewer than one in five new properties securing a buyer. New-build stock levels…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

Top five AML red flags in UK property transactions

Cash-heavy and internationally supported purchases continue to shape the UK market New data from client due diligence platform Thirdfort reveals the most common anti-money laundering (AML) red flags identified in UK property transactions. Analysis of more than 415,000 completed Source of Funds (SoF) checks shows that the top five red flags are: Savings mismatch – 43.04% Gifted…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

Discover Northern Ireland’s top emerging investment hotspots

Derry/ Londonderry and Fermanagh named Northern Ireland’s top emerging investment hotspots Northern Ireland’s emerging investment hotspots are delivering compelling opportunities for landlords in 2026, with new research from Belfast-based estate agency John Minnis revealing a shift in where investors are finding the strongest returns. Drawing on insights from the latest John Minnis Investment Guide, the…
Read More →
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 13/4/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Why customisation matters more than capability Thought Leadership by Wes Snow CEO & Co-founder of Ascendix Technologies ‘There’s a persistent misconception that success with Artificial Intelligence comes down to selecting the most advanced or sophisticated tool. In reality, that’s not where the value lies. The real…
Read More →
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

First-time buyers pay extra £307m in stamp duty since relief ended

New Rightmove analysis reveals that since the end of the temporary relief measure in April 2025, first-time buyers in England have paid an estimated £307 million extra in stamp duty, averaging £4,618 more per buyer: The total estimated first-time buyer stamp duty bill over the past year was £408 million, versus £101 million the previous year In April 2025 the first-time buyer stamp duty threshold was lowered from £425,000 to £300,000. Before the change 62% of homes for sale were stamp-duty free for first-time buyers and that has…
Read More →