Britain’s most competitive rent hotspots revealed

Homes to rent in Birkenhead and Wallasey attracted an average of 30 enquiries apiece during July and August, research reveals.

That was the highest figure in Great Britain, and both towns recorded average monthly rents below £1,000.

Rightmove’s analysis of 1,000 locations put Carlisle third, with 29 enquiries for each available property.

Across Britain, the average was 11, down from 12 during the same period last year.

North West rent demand

The platform’s property expert, Colleen Babcock, said: “July and August are typically the busiest months of the year for the rental market, and our analysis shows that competition remains particularly strong in some parts of Great Britain.

“While rental supply has rebalanced compared with previous years, there are still locations where each available home attracts high numbers of enquiries from prospective tenants.”

She added: “The North West features particularly prominently in our findings, accounting for six of the 10 most competitive locations, while Scotland recorded the highest average level of competition anywhere in Great Britain.

“For renters, the findings are a reminder that competition can still be strong in many areas, despite the improvement in supply in recent years.”

Wirral towns feature prominently

Prenton joined Birkenhead and Wallasey among the six most competitive locations, giving the Wirral three places near the top of the table.

Average monthly rents in the three towns were £1,089, £874 and £975 respectively.

Glasgow took fourth place with 28 enquiries per home, followed by East Kilbride, which recorded 27 alongside Prenton.

Others in the top 10 were Kingswood in Bristol, Chorlton Cum Hardy in Manchester, Morecambe and Salisbury.

Competition below pandemic peak

Britain’s summer average of 11 enquiries per property was below the peak of 28 recorded in July and August 2022, but above the pre-pandemic figure of eight.

Scotland had the highest average at 19, followed by the North West at 16.

Nationally, advertised rents remained at a record average of £1,580 a month, although the pace of rent growth continued to slow.

People rent cheaper homes

Kim Ledbury, ARLA Propertymark’s president, said: “Considering rental costs have increased substantially over the last decade, many tenants are now looking at areas of greater affordability than ever before, particularly as advancing technology makes it easier for people to work remotely or in hybrid locations without having to locate themselves in or near larger towns and cities.

“For many, this increased flexibility means that living further away from traditional employment centres can provide an opportunity to manage housing costs while still maintaining access to employment.”

She added: “Renting has become increasingly popular for many because of the flexibility it can offer and of course, the real-world challenges many people currently face when trying to save a deposit to potentially buy a home.

“For those who are not yet in a position to purchase, renting can provide an important degree of choice and flexibility while they consider their longer-term housing options.”