Rental competition remains particularly strong in several parts of Great Britain, with some properties attracting as many as 30 prospective tenants, according to new analysis from Rightmove.
The property portal examined rental activity during July and August, traditionally two of the busiest months for the lettings market. Its findings show that although the balance between supply and demand has improved from the extreme levels seen in recent years, competition remains intense in some local markets.
The average advertised rent across Great Britain has also reached a new high of £1,580 per calendar month. However, the rate at which rents are increasing has slowed as more properties become available and tenants have more choice than they did during the peak of the pandemic-era rental shortage.
Rental Enquiries Remain Above Pre-Pandemic Levels
Rightmove found that each available rental property received an average of 11 enquiries during July and August.
This represents a slight fall from the average of 12 enquiries recorded during the same period last year. It is also considerably lower than the summer peak of 28 enquiries per property recorded in 2022.
Despite this decline, competition remains higher than before the pandemic. The average property attracted eight enquiries during the summer months in the pre-pandemic period.
For the purposes of the analysis, an enquiry is recorded when a potential tenant contacts a letting agent by phone or email to ask about viewing a rental property.
Rightmove assessed 1,000 locations across Great Britain and ranked them according to the average number of enquiries received by each available rental listing.
| Location | Area | Average rent PCM | Enquiries per available listing |
| Birkenhead, Wirral, Merseyside | North West | £874 | 30 |
| Wallasey, Wirral Merseyside | North West | £975 | 30 |
| Carlisle, Cumbria | North West | £913 | 29 |
| Glasgow | Scotland | £1,181 | 28 |
| East Kilbride, Glasgow | Scotland | £1,049 | 27 |
| Prenton, Wirral, Merseyside | North West | £1,089 | 27 |
| Kingswood, Bristol | South West | £1,542 | 25 |
| Chorlton Cum Hardy, Manchester, Greater Manchester | North West | £1,610 | 22 |
| Morecambe, Lancashire | North West | £887 | 22 |
| Salisbury, Wiltshire | South West | £1,371 | 21 |
North West Sees Particularly Strong Competition
The figures show particularly high levels of competition across several locations in the North West.
Birkenhead and Wallasey recorded the highest average number of enquiries, with 30 prospective tenants contacting agents for each available rental property.
Carlisle followed closely with 29 enquiries, while Prenton recorded 27.
Glasgow also featured prominently, with an average of 28 enquiries per available property. East Kilbride recorded 27.
At the other end of the table, Salisbury recorded 21 enquiries per property, while several other locations attracted between 22 and 25 enquiries.
The figures highlight how widely rental competition can vary between individual locations, even as conditions across the wider market begin to ease.
Scotland Leads Regional Competition
Looking at the broader regional figures, Scotland recorded the highest average level of competition, with 19 enquiries for every available rental property.
The North West followed with 16 enquiries per property. The South West and West Midlands both recorded an average of 12, alongside Yorkshire and The Humber.
The North East recorded 11 enquiries, matching the Great Britain average. Wales also stood at 11.
| Location | Average enquiries per available rental property |
| Scotland | 19 |
| North West | 16 |
| South West | 12 |
| West Midlands | 12 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 12 |
| North East | 11 |
| Great Britain | 11 |
| Wales | 11 |
| East of England | 10 |
| East Midlands | 9 |
| London | 9 |
| South East | 9 |
The East of England recorded 10 enquiries per property, while the East Midlands, London and South East each averaged nine.
Rental Market Has Started to Rebalance
The latest figures suggest that the rental market is no longer experiencing the same level of nationwide pressure seen during the most competitive periods of the past few years.
More rental properties coming onto the market have given tenants greater choice, while the number of enquiries per property has fallen from its 2022 peak.
However, the regional differences show that supply and demand are not balanced evenly across Great Britain.
For landlords, strong enquiry levels in certain areas indicate that demand for rental homes remains substantial. For tenants, the level of competition can mean that desirable properties attract large numbers of applicants soon after being advertised.
The figures also show why local market conditions remain important. While national rental trends provide a useful overview, the level of competition facing landlords and tenants can differ significantly from one location to another.
With some properties still attracting dozens of enquiries, competition for rental homes remains a major feature of parts of the British lettings market.
Download NOW
4 Simple Steps To Becoming Wealthy Through Property