High demand for good rental property continues across the country but one location heads the list according to OnTheMarket.

Prospective tenants in Aldershot have to move the quickest as a property was let within 10 days, on average, of being advertised in October. 

This was half the time it took in October 2023, when it was 20 days. 

It took 14 days to let a property in Mansfield and Plymouth, 15 in Newcastle upon Tyne and 16 days in Gloucester, Crawley and Exeter.

At the other end of the spectrum, Blackburn tenants have more than three times as long to make up their minds with properties renting within 34 days, up from 19 days in the same period last year. 

In Huddersfield it took 33 days, followed by 31 days in Middlesborough, 30 days in Burnley and 29 days in Leicester, Derby, Bradford and Sunderland.

In London, Lambeth is once again the quickest place to secure a rental property, taking an average of 17 days, the fastest across the city. Last year, it also topped the London table, taking 15 days for a property to let. 

Meanwhile, in the slowest borough, Kensington & Chelsea, it took exactly twice as long – 34 days – with City of Westminster and Barnet taking a slightly shorter 31 days, and Harrow taking 30 days. 

These are all slower than last year’s rental markets where it took 28, 29, 21 and 22 days respectively, suggesting pressure may be easing on tenants.

An OnTheMarket spokesperson says: “The rental market is still highly competitive with some unlucky tenants having very little time to make a decision, particularly if they want a good property at a reasonable price. As with buyers and sellers, it helps to be organised, getting paperwork together in advance, having the funds on hand to cover the deposit, and ensuring you can move quickly if required.

“With tenants often able to be more flexible than buyers when it comes to location, if you are looking in one of the hottest parts of the country it may be worth considering a neighbouring area which is a bit further out where there is less pressure to transact quickly.

“It is also good practice to get local letting agents on side so that when a property that suits you and is within budget becomes available you are at the front of the queue.”