The lettings market has seen the supply of new properties to let rise significantly year on year.
This is according to property consultancy TwentyEA.
Its latest report on the market for the third quarter of 2026, released over the weekend, says stock is up 12.1% and is at the highest levels in seven years.
This is across all price brackets, but growth is strongest in the most affordable properties.
Supply is up 13.1% for £0-£800 pcm rentals and increased by 14.5% for £800-£1,500 pcm lets.
The only region to see supply fall was Northern Ireland, by 1.3%. Conversely, Wales experienced the biggest rise in stock, up 24.7% year on year.
Rental growth is so prominent that ten of the 13 regions saw supply growth in double digits.
Last month, TwentyEA claimed that 562 rental properties in quarter three were leaving the sectornper day.
The consultancy stands by that figure and suggests that in particular smaller and accidental landlords are selling up, making way for professional operators.
It believes most of the increased stock is coming from a surge in build-to-rent properties.
In terms of the mainstream rental market, TwentyEA says that between 2020 and 2024, rental prices soared, but since then, they’ve remained fairly static.
The average let agreed price in year-to-date 2026 was £1,488 pcm, an increase of just £9 pcm in the last year.
The North West had the largest year-on-year price inflation at 4.9%, whilst Northern Ireland was the only region to experience a price reduction at -1.5%. In the current climate, affordability remains an issue for renters.
