Biggest climbing buy-to-let hotspots in the pandemic market lockdown

Latest research from lettings management platform, Howsy, has revealed the pockets of the UK rental market currently registering the strongest yields, as well as those that have seen yields increase despite the current pandemic.

See the data on the best and biggest increases here.

The figures show that the current average UK rental yield sits at 3.5%, having seen a marginal decline from the 3.6% registered prior to the pandemic hitting in December of last year.

However, even with the obstacles that the current landscape presents, there are still a number of buy-to-let pockets providing strong returns for landlords who want to invest in property.

Bradford is home to the highest average yield at 10%, far better than the UK average, with Gwynedd (6.2%) and North Down (6%) also home to an average yield of 6% or more.

Glasgow, Liverpool, Preston, West Dunbartonshire, North Lanarkshire, Forest Heath and Manchester also rank high, while at the other end of the scale Kensington and Chelsea, Malvern Hills and Chiltern are home to the UK’s worst average yields at 2.3%.

Despite the problems posed by the current pandemic, predictions of house prices falling while rental demand remains high could mean an increase in yields, as the investment cost to return ratio becomes more favourable.

But even before this materialises, there are patches of the UK buy-to-let market that have already seen yields increase since November.

The largest has been in North West Leicestershire, where yields are up 1.4% during the pandemic. Arun, Corby and West Norfolk have also enjoyed an increase of 0.8% in rental yields, with North Dorest and Newark and Sherwood seeing a 0.7% uplift.

Kettering, Derby, Breckland and Falkirk also make the top 10 for largest pandemic rental yield uplifts.

Rhondda Cynon Taf, York, Gedling, Chiltern and the Vale of Glamorgan, however, have seen the largest declines of between 1%-3.5%.

Properganda PR

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

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Breaking Property News 18/12/25

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   “Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio” UK Estate Agents to go Danish style Government suggests professionalising property agents by adopting the Danish protocol Extract from the Open consultation Government Home Buying and Selling reform consultation – closing date 29th December ‘Estate agents play a pivotal…
Read More
Breaking News

2026 Predictions for the Lettings Sector

By Allison Thompson, National Lettings Managing Director, Leaders “The Renters’ Rights Bill will be the defining influence on the sector in 2026. While it raises the bar for professionalism and improves standards for tenants, it also represents the biggest operational shift landlords and agents have faced in a generation. Long-standing tenancy practices are changing, and…
Read More
Breaking News

The unexpected areas driving the UK property market

The latest market analysis from eXp UK shows that it is Derbyshire, Melton and Oldham that have driven UK house price growth over the last year, having posted the strongest annual increases of all UK local authorities. As another year comes to a close, eXp UK has analysed annual house price growth across the UK…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Here’s Why Watching Friends Buy Homes Messes with Your Head

Watching friends buy homes can mess with your head in a very specific way. And yeah, sure, it’s not always jealousy, and it’s not even always sadness either. It’s more like this quiet weight that shows up out of nowhere and just sits there while you scroll, smile, and tell yourself you’re genuinely happy for…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Choosing the Perfect Pergola Size

Selecting the right pergola dimensions represents one of the most crucial decisions in creating your ideal outdoor space. Too small, and you’ll feel cramped; too large, and it may overwhelm your garden or breach planning permissions. Understanding how to assess your needs ensures you invest in a structure that enhances rather than dominates your property.…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Rightmove to launch Christmas campaign as bigger Boxing Day bounce expected

Rightmove, the UK’s largest property platform, is encouraging potential home-movers to get started with their new year moving plans by investing in a multi-channel marketing campaign launching on Christmas Day. The campaign comes ahead of the traditional ‘Boxing Day bounce’ in home-moving activity on Rightmove, which typically sees new seller and buyer activity begin to…
Read More