Rent rises on the increase

Rent rises on the increase

15:57 PM, 25th February 2019, About 5 years ago 1

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ARLA Propertymark is today issuing its January Private Rented Sector (PRS) Report.1

Rent prices:

The number of tenants experiencing rent rises increased in January, with 26% of agents witnessing landlords increasing them, compared to 18% in December.

This is the highest figure recorded since September, when 31% of tenants were experiencing rises.

Year on year, this figure is up 7% points, compared to January 2018.

Supply of rental stock and demand from tenants

The supply of properties available to rent rose to 197 in January, from 193 in December.

Demand from prospective tenants also increased in January, with the number of house-hunters registered per branch rising to 73 on average3, compared to 50 in December.

David Cox, ARLA Propertymark Chief Executive, said: “This month’s results are another huge blow for tenants. With demand increasing by 46% from December, and rents starting to rise in response to all of the cost increases landlords have experienced over the last few years, tenants are in for a rough ride. Last month, there were three landlords selling their buy to let (BTL) properties per branch, and as landlords continue to exit the market, rent prices will only continue to rise.

“With the Tenant Fees Act passing its final hurdle in the House of Commons and receiving Royal Assent this month, tenants will continue bearing the brunt, as agents and landlords start preparing for a post-tenant fees world.”

1 Opinium Research carried out an online survey among 327 ARLA members from 31st January to 18th February 2019. ARLA Propertymark Protected letting agents were surveyed on a number of key rental sector issues including supply and demand, the management of BTL properties, and monthly rent prices. www.opinium.co.uk

2 Records began in January 2015

3 Based on new option ranges, so comparisons beyond April 2017 unavailable


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Comments

Michael Barnes

21:02 PM, 27th February 2019, About 5 years ago

Seems to be a lot of meaningless numbers trying to convince people of something.

* landlords increasing rents? or agents increasing rents?

* Without seeing the questions that were asked it is impossible to draw any meaningful conclusions from the numbers.

* It says that 26% of AGENTS saw landlords increasing rents, and then tries to equate that with "lots of tenants saw rent increases". But if each agent had one of their 100 + properties see an increase in rent (which it could be), then that would be most tenants saw no change in rent.

* These "increase" figures hover around the 20% mark each month, which, if it means x% of tenants are seeing rent increases, would mean that tenants are seeing rent increases every 5 months. Clearly rubbish.

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