Rental demand climbs 6% across the UK’s major cities

October 4, 2019

Innovative lettings management platform, Bunk, has released it’s latest look at the UK rental market and which cities are most in-demand amongst tenants and where has seen the largest uplift since Q2.

Bunk’s index looks at rental listings across all of the major property portals, taking an average demand score for the nation’s major cities based on where has the highest number of properties already let as a percentage of all rental listings.

The research highlights where the highest level of tenant demand currently is based on this supply/demand ratio.

The UK

The latest data shows that rental demand is up 6% quarter to quarter across the UK’s major cities and for the second quarter in a row, Bristol tops the table as the most in-demand location for rental properties. Tenant demand in Bristol is currently at 67.6%, having increased a further 17.5% since Q2.

Nottingham ranks second with demand for rental stock at 54.3%, followed by Cambridge with a demand score of 50%, as well as Bournemouth (42.9%) and Portsmouth (42.8%).

These five cities also account for the largest increases in tenant demand since Q2, with increases of between 11.2% and 18.7%.

Aberdeen remains the least in-demand city for rental demand at 8.9%, with Edinburgh (14.8%) and Newcastle (16.5%) also propping up the bottom of the table.

London 

London rental demand has shot up 8.2% since the second quarter of 2019 with Lewisham topping the table as the most in-demand borough at 48.4%. Bromley (46.2%), Bexley (43.7%), Havering (43.7%) and Islington (43.3%) are also amongst the most in-demand boroughs for tenant demand in Q3.

Islington has also seen the largest uplift in rental demand quarter to quarter, up 17%, while Sutton is the only borough to see a drop since Q2 – down -0.7%.

Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster and Camden are the boroughs home to the lowest level of current tenant demand at 13.4%, 15.4%, and 22.3% respectively.

Co-founder of Bunk, Tom Woollard, commented:

“We continue to see the UK rental sector acting as the backbone of the property market with demand for rental properties climbing yet again.

With the start of the university term, it’s no surprise that some of the UK’s most prominent university towns have seen some of the largest uplifts in rental demand as thousands of students look to secure a place to live while studying.

For buy-to-let landlords, it remains one of the most prominent factors when deciding where to invest in a property and it’s clear why. While you can have the best yields around, they’re not worth a penny without the tenant demand to fill a property and this demand is abundant around the likes of Bristol, Notts, Cambridge, and Bournemouth.”

Top Line
Q2
Q3
Change
UK Cities
25.2%
31.2%
6.0%
London
21.4%
29.6%
8.2%
Major UK Cities Ranked by Quarterly Demand Change
City
Q2
Q3
Change
Nottingham
35.6%
54.3%
18.7%
Bristol
50.1%
67.6%
17.5%
Cambridge
33.5%
50.0%
16.4%
Bournemouth
30.3%
42.9%
12.6%
Portsmouth
31.6%
42.8%
11.2%
Glasgow
25.4%
35.1%
9.7%
Leeds
15.5%
24.1%
8.6%
London
21.4%
29.6%
8.2%
Manchester
26.4%
32.7%
6.3%
Birmingham
23.1%
28.9%
5.9%
Southampton
24.0%
29.6%
5.6%
Liverpool
18.3%
22.9%
4.6%
Leicester
24.7%
29.1%
4.4%
Newcastle
13.9%
16.5%
2.6%
Plymouth
34.5%
36.4%
1.9%
Swansea
16.3%
17.9%
1.6%
Sheffield
22.0%
23.5%
1.5%
Newport
38.7%
40.1%
1.5%
Aberdeen
8.0%
8.9%
0.9%
Edinburgh
14.3%
14.8%
0.5%
Oxford
29.0%
28.8%
-0.3%
Belfast
21.2%
20.9%
-0.3%
Cardiff
21.1%
19.7%
-1.3%
London Boroughs Ranked by Quarterly Demand Change
London Borough
Q2
Q3
Change
Islington
26.3%
43.3%
17.0%
Lambeth
26.2%
41.7%
15.5%
Hackney
27.3%
41.4%
14.1%
Tower Hamlets
24.1%
36.3%
12.2%
Southwark
30.9%
41.5%
10.6%
Haringey
30.3%
40.2%
9.9%
Newham
28.1%
36.8%
8.7%
Enfield
27.1%
35.5%
8.4%
Barnet
19.8%
28.1%
8.3%
Greenwich
32.9%
41.0%
8.1%
City of London
21.1%
28.9%
7.8%
Brent
19.8%
26.7%
6.9%
Hammersmith and Fulham
17.4%
24.2%
6.8%
Wandsworth
29.6%
35.9%
6.3%
Westminster
9.7%
15.4%
5.7%
Lewisham
43.0%
48.4%
5.4%
Hillingdon
27.7%
32.5%
4.8%
Camden
17.9%
22.3%
4.4%
Kensington and Chelsea
9.1%
13.4%
4.3%
Bromley
42.0%
46.2%
4.1%
Bexley
40.1%
43.7%
3.6%
Ealing
21.2%
24.5%
3.3%
Harrow
22.9%
25.7%
2.7%
Merton
37.3%
39.9%
2.6%
Barking and Dagenham
31.2%
33.1%
1.9%
Croydon
36.1%
37.9%
1.8%
Richmond upon Thames
28.1%
29.6%
1.5%
Waltham Forest
38.7%
40.0%
1.3%
Hounslow
25.6%
26.8%
1.2%
Redbridge
31.0%
32.2%
1.1%
Kingston upon Thames
30.7%
31.8%
1.1%
Havering
43.2%
43.7%
0.5%
Sutton
42.5%
41.8%
-0.7%

Properganda PR

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

You May Also Enjoy

Estate Agent Talk

The Future of Urban Real Estate: Trends and Predictions for 2026

Affordability pressures, hybrid work arrangements, and steep borrowing costs are heavy influences on urban real estate for 2026. We’re seeing an increase in mixed-use development and a renewed focus from investors on markets with a steady demand. Markets that can balance housing access, transportation, lifestyle amenities, and flexible workplaces will come out on top. Major…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

London’s prime residential market isn’t falling — it’s repricing

By Daniel Austin, CEO and co-founder at ASK Partners London’s prime residential market has looked subdued by global standards, but framing current conditions as a decline overlooks the more important underlying dynamic. The market is undergoing structural repricing driven by higher interest rates, shifting tax policy and a more volatile geopolitical environment. This is not…
Read More →
Breaking News

Foxtons Lettings Market Index – April 2026

Market activity strengthens with applicant demand recovering and supply remaining ahead of last year   After the implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act, April provides the final snapshot of market conditions ahead of implementation, offering a clear benchmark for how the sector is positioned entering this new regulatory environment. The lettings market strengthened through the…
Read More →
Breaking News

Five hidden costs catching home buyers out

FIVE hidden costs that’re catching home buyers out, AFTER they put their offer in, says expert • Buyers often focus on deposits and mortgages, but overlook thousands in extra costs • Delays, surveys and legal fees can quickly inflate budgets • Unexpected gaps in funding are becoming increasingly common A lot of home buyers think…
Read More →
Breaking News

Housing Insight Report: March 2026

Buyer activity and sales agreed picked up this month as the housing market entered the spring season, with increased stock levels giving consumers more choice despite ongoing affordability pressures. Meanwhile, the rental market remained highly competitive, as tenant demand continued to outstrip supply and concerns over future regulation weighed on landlord confidence. Sales 1. The…
Read More →
Breaking News

Renters’ Rights Act risks leaving the tenants it set out to protect with fewer options

Fewer than a third of landlords are fully aware that the Renters’ Rights Act bans advance rent payments of more than one month, according to new research from LRG. The survey of 650 landlords and tenants across England and Wales found that 43% know the rules have changed but remain uncertain of the details, while…
Read More →