More rent than pay a mortgage in london

New figures just out show that renters in the capital outnumber homeowners for the first time in a more than a decade,  government data released yesterday shows that last year 898,000 London households were occupied by private renters.

The figures, which provide data from as far back as 2005, show that a decade ago just 405,000 households were renting, while 1,150,000 were paying mortgages.

“Generation Rent” as it has become known is for the greater part  made up of potential buyers who are trapped into paying high rents which give them little or no chance of ever saving up the deposit for a home of their own, or even if they do save a deposit  they have little chance of satisfying the earnings to value ratio required to obtain a mortgage due to spiralling house prices.

The number of households lived in by those with mortgages has sunk to 883,000, it just shows how the high house prices are affecting home ownership in London.

In a sign that ever increasing house prices are making it ever more difficult for generation rent, the number of households lived in by those with mortgages has sunk to 883,000.

The figures, which provide data from as far back as 2005, show that a decade ago just 405,000 households were renting, while 1,150,000 were paying mortgages.

 

Allen Walkey

Highly experienced businessman with a successful career in property sales and investment both in the UK and abroad. Now a freelance writer and blogger for the property and Investment Industry, keeping readers up-to-date with changes and events in a rapidly changing world.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

London rents outperform property values

The latest research by London lettings and estate agent, Benham and Reeves, has revealed that rental growth has outperformed house price growth across 26 of London’s 32 boroughs since the start of the year, with rents continuing to climb despite weaker property price performance across much of the capital. Benham and Reeves analysed the average…
Read More →
Breaking News

Rental property availability falls

The number of rental properties available across England fell by 12.1% during the third quarter of 2026, according to new analysis by Dwelly, highlighting an increasingly competitive rental market in many parts of the country. Dwelly is one of the UK’s largest rental property management groups, with more than 15,000 properties under management. The firm’s…
Read More →
Breaking News

Average advertised rents surpass £1,400 for the first time

The average advertised rent of homes outside London has risen to a new record of £1,418 per calendar month, up 1.5% this quarter: Despite a new record rent, annual rental growth has returned to a more stable level of +2.4% Number of available rental homes nationally is 2% lower than a year ago, while renter…
Read More →
Breaking News

Barclays unlocks wider mortgage access for company directors

Limited company directors who meet the income threshold can now have their Profit After Tax (PAT) considered in their affordability assessment regardless of property value The change means that, for a wider group of limited company directors, Barclays will consider a fuller view of the applicant’s income The update is the latest in a series…
Read More →
Breaking News

Homebuyer demand fall in Q3

The latest sales demand data from eXp UK has revealed that homebuyer demand in England slipped by -1.6% in Q3 2026. The analysis shows that just five counties managed positive growth during the quarter, suggesting that buyers may be holding back, adopting a wait-and-see approach ahead of what promises to be a vital Autumn Budget –…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

Alterations can change a property’s rebuild cost

‘Don’t get caught short’ warning to homeowners from valuations experts – alterations can change a property’s rebuild cost Properties change over time. Homeowners may add an extension, upgrade a kitchen or bathroom, alter the layout, or even change how the building is used, but when do those changes mean it’s time for a new rebuild…
Read More →