Landlords face £470m rent arrears across England

Landlords in England dealt with an estimated £470m in rent arrears over the course of a single year, according to an analysis of government data.

Research of official figures by the compliance platform, Propoly, found that 210,163 households fell into rent arrears during 2024-25.

The average amount owed across the year was £2,238, producing a national arrears total estimated at £470.3m.

London generated the largest volume of arrears with renters in the capital accounting for £109.5m of that figure.

‘Significant’ scale of rent arrears

The group’s chief executive, Sim Sekhon, said: “The scale of rental arrears we’re seeing across England is significant, with more than 210,000 households falling behind on their rent in a single year.

“When this equates to over £470 million in missed payments, it underlines just how exposed landlords can be when tenant finances come under pressure.

“For many landlords, rental income isn’t simply supplementary, it’s essential to covering mortgage repayments, maintenance costs and wider financial commitments.”

He added: “It’s been a challenging period for household finances, with higher living costs continuing to stretch budgets, so it’s little surprise that a growing number of tenants are struggling to stay on top of their rent.

“However, while the pressures may be understandable, the financial impact on landlords can be severe and, in some cases, destabilising.”

Regional rent arrears

The North West also exceeded £100m, with regional arrears reaching £103.1m.

After that came the South East at £61m, the West Midlands at £58.1m, and Yorkshire and Humber with £38m.

However, the South West recorded the lowest total, at just under £14m for the year.

Ratio of rent arrears regionally

The firm also found that a regional breakdown of households in arrears reveals that of the 210,163 households affected, 23.3% were in London.

The North West accounted for 21.9% of the national total.

The South East represented 13%, followed by the West Midlands at 12.4% and Yorkshire and Humber at 8.1%.

Meanwhile, the South West accounted for the smallest proportion, with just 3% of England’s total.