Research
UK landlord statistics 2026
The essential figures on landlords, rents and the private rented sector, from official sources and credited industry data. Every statistic is sourced, and you can copy a ready-made citation with one click.
Last updated 16 October 2026
Key statistics
Updated 16 October 2026- Rents £1,400 average UK private rent a month, August 2026 54% since 2015 ONS
- Courts 63,046 landlord possession claims in 2024, a record Highest since 1999 Ministry of Justice
- Renters 5.0m households rent privately, one in five ONS Census 2021
- Landlords 2.88m landlords declared rental income to HMRC HMRC
- Insurance £7,501 average escape of water claim 164% since 2020 Total Landlord Insurance
- Insurance £284.75 median landlord insurance cost a year Alan Boswell Group
- Homes 22% of private rentals fail the Decent Homes Standard English Housing Survey
- Homes 1.85m rentals rated below EPC band C EPC register
The private rented sector
5.0 million households in England and Wales rented from a private landlord at the 2021 Census, one in five of all households. Renting privately is most common in London, where 30% of households rent.
How households in England and Wales live
One household in five rents privately, close to the 17.1% who rent from a council or housing association.
- Owned outright 32.8%
- Owned with a mortgage 28.7%
- Rent free 0.1%
- Shared ownership 1%
- Social rented 17.1%
- Private rented 20.3%
Show the data
| Tenure | Households | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Owned outright | 8,136,782 | 32.8% |
| Owned with a mortgage | 7,122,199 | 28.7% |
| Rent free | 32,697 | 0.1% |
| Shared ownership | 240,234 | 1% |
| Social rented | 4,227,756 | 17.1% |
| Private rented | 5,023,531 | 20.3% |
Share of households renting privately, by region
London stands out at 30%. Elsewhere the share ranges from 17% to 19.7%.
Show the data
| Region | Households renting privately | Share |
|---|---|---|
| London | 1,025,533 | 30% |
| South West | 482,144 | 19.7% |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 452,557 | 19.4% |
| North West | 606,844 | 19.2% |
| South East | 730,767 | 19.2% |
| East Midlands | 380,046 | 18.7% |
| East | 478,574 | 18.2% |
| West Midlands | 435,884 | 17.9% |
| North East | 202,539 | 17.2% |
| Wales | 228,642 | 17% |
Landlords
Most landlords are individuals with small portfolios, not companies. 2.88m landlords declared property income to HMRC in the 2024-25 tax year, and almost half of landlords own a single rental property.
- 2.88m landlords declared property income to HMRC 2024-25 tax year, UK Self Assessment returns; excludes incorporated landlords. HM Revenue & Customs
- £59.0bn of property income declared by landlords 2024-25 tax year, UK HM Revenue & Customs
- 45% of landlords own just one rental property 2024, England Online survey of more than 9,000 landlords registered directly with a tenancy deposit scheme. MHCLG
- 64% of landlords are aged 55 or over 2024, England Online survey of more than 9,000 landlords registered directly with a tenancy deposit scheme. MHCLG
- 93% of landlords let as individuals, not companies 2024, England Online survey of more than 9,000 landlords registered directly with a tenancy deposit scheme. MHCLG
- 4% of landlords see letting as a full-time business 2024, England Online survey of more than 9,000 landlords registered directly with a tenancy deposit scheme. MHCLG
- 43% of landlords use a letting agent to let their property 2024, England Online survey of more than 9,000 landlords registered directly with a tenancy deposit scheme. MHCLG
- 11% of private rented homes were empty when surveyed, mostly between tenants 2024, England MHCLG
Landlord registers in Wales and Scotland
Wales and Scotland already require landlords to register, so they publish direct counts. England's database opens in December 2026.
- 98,544 landlords registered with Rent Smart Wales, letting 211,054 properties October 2026, Wales Rent Smart Wales
- 224,354 landlords on the Scottish Landlord Register, letting 351,154 properties 2025, Scotland Landlords as at August 2025; properties as at March 2025. Scottish Government
- 267,227 tenancy deposits protected in Scotland, worth £221.9 million 31 March 2025, Scotland Scottish Government
Buy-to-let companies set up each year
2025 was a record, with 63,585 new property letting companies still trading today, up from 50,352 in 2024. 46,622 more were set up in 2026 to 1 October 2026.
Companies registered under SIC code 68209 (letting and operating own real estate) that are still on the register. Companies set up in earlier years and since closed are not counted, so older years are understated.
Show the data
| Year set up | Live letting companies |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3,332 |
| 2011 | 4,129 |
| 2012 | 4,968 |
| 2013 | 6,298 |
| 2014 | 7,568 |
| 2015 | 10,113 |
| 2016 | 14,135 |
| 2017 | 17,943 |
| 2018 | 20,179 |
| 2019 | 24,701 |
| 2020 | 30,009 |
| 2021 | 34,780 |
| 2022 | 35,187 |
| 2023 | 38,187 |
| 2024 | 50,352 |
| 2025 | 63,585 |
| 2026 | 46,622 |
- 472,488 live UK companies registered to let their own property Companies House, 1 October 2026
- 43% of them have an outstanding mortgage or charge registered (204,590) Companies House, 1 October 2026
Landlord sentiment
Surveys by landlord bodies and industry firms point the same way: confidence is low, legislation is the biggest worry, and a sizeable minority plan to sell. These are surveys of each organisation's own members or customers, not official statistics.
Landlords' plans for their portfolio over the next two years
28% plan to reduce their portfolio or leave the market; just 5% plan to expand.
Show the data
| Plan | Share of landlords |
|---|---|
| Keep portfolio as it is | 67% |
| Reduce portfolio | 15% |
| Leave the market | 13% |
| Expand | 5% |
Landlords' biggest challenge
Legislation is named by 52% of landlords, far ahead of maintenance (22%) and tenants not paying rent (7%).
Show the data
| Challenge | Share of landlords |
|---|---|
| Legislation | 52% |
| Maintenance requests | 22% |
| Property damage | 8% |
| Tenants not paying rent | 7% |
| Finding tenants | 4% |
How prepared landlords feel for new regulation
39% of landlords feel unprepared for new rules; only 6% feel highly prepared.
Show the data
| Preparedness | Share of landlords |
|---|---|
| Highly prepared | 6% |
| Adequately prepared | 55% |
| Somewhat unprepared | 31% |
| Significantly unprepared | 8% |
What landlords did with rents in the past year
Half left rents unchanged; 4% raised them by more than 10%.
Show the data
| Rent change | Share of landlords |
|---|---|
| Left rent unchanged | 50% |
| Raised by up to 10% | 43% |
| Raised by over 10% | 4% |
| Reduced rent | 2% |
- 26% of landlords have sold or are selling because of the Renters' Rights Act Q2 2026, NRLA members Online survey of NRLA members, not all landlords. National Residential Landlords Association
- 56% of landlords intend to sell some or all of their portfolio May 2026, DPS survey respondents Self-selected survey of DPS customers. The Deposit Protection Service
- 28.8 NRLA Landlord Confidence Index, third-lowest since 2019 Q2 2026, NRLA members Online survey of NRLA members, not all landlords. National Residential Landlords Association
- 13% of homes for sale were previously let, a sign of landlords selling 2026, Great Britain Rightmove
- 46% of landlords let to at least one tenant on Universal Credit Q1 2026, NRLA members Online survey of NRLA members, not all landlords. National Residential Landlords Association
- 32% of landlords plan to leave rents as they are May 2026, DPS survey respondents Survey of over 1,000 landlords and tenants. The Deposit Protection Service
Rents
The average private rent in the UK reached £1,400 a month in August 2026, up 3.8% on a year earlier and 54% higher than in January 2015.
Average monthly private rent since 2015
Rents in England are the highest of the four nations, at £1,459 a month. Scotland's have risen slowest over the past year, by 1.1%.
Show the data
| Month | England | UK | Scotland | Northern Ireland | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-01 | £950 | £910 | £673 | £532 | £541 |
| 2015-04 | £959 | £918 | £678 | £532 | £545 |
| 2015-07 | £967 | £926 | £682 | £534 | £547 |
| 2015-10 | £977 | £935 | £686 | £537 | £546 |
| 2016-01 | £983 | £941 | £687 | £538 | £548 |
| 2016-04 | £992 | £949 | £689 | £541 | £549 |
| 2016-07 | £1,003 | £958 | £690 | £542 | £549 |
| 2016-10 | £1,011 | £966 | £693 | £542 | £553 |
| 2017-01 | £1,018 | £972 | £696 | £542 | £556 |
| 2017-04 | £1,023 | £977 | £701 | £545 | £558 |
| 2017-07 | £1,028 | £982 | £706 | £548 | £565 |
| 2017-10 | £1,029 | £983 | £711 | £553 | £567 |
| 2018-01 | £1,029 | £984 | £714 | £556 | £568 |
| 2018-04 | £1,029 | £984 | £719 | £562 | £571 |
| 2018-07 | £1,032 | £987 | £722 | £565 | £574 |
| 2018-10 | £1,038 | £993 | £725 | £569 | £576 |
| 2019-01 | £1,043 | £997 | £728 | £572 | £580 |
| 2019-04 | £1,046 | £1,000 | £733 | £574 | £584 |
| 2019-07 | £1,052 | £1,006 | £739 | £576 | £584 |
| 2019-10 | £1,060 | £1,014 | £744 | £581 | £590 |
| 2020-01 | £1,065 | £1,019 | £749 | £584 | £593 |
| 2020-04 | £1,067 | £1,022 | £752 | £586 | £594 |
| 2020-07 | £1,071 | £1,025 | £754 | £590 | £600 |
| 2020-10 | £1,075 | £1,029 | £754 | £597 | £599 |
| 2021-01 | £1,076 | £1,030 | £758 | £605 | £604 |
| 2021-04 | £1,078 | £1,033 | £763 | £613 | £606 |
| 2021-07 | £1,082 | £1,037 | £767 | £623 | £609 |
| 2021-10 | £1,091 | £1,046 | £770 | £637 | £614 |
| 2022-01 | £1,104 | £1,059 | £784 | £651 | £621 |
| 2022-04 | £1,116 | £1,071 | £796 | £665 | £624 |
| 2022-07 | £1,130 | £1,084 | £804 | £680 | £634 |
| 2022-10 | £1,146 | £1,100 | £822 | £696 | £647 |
| 2023-01 | £1,166 | £1,120 | £844 | £708 | £659 |
| 2023-04 | £1,188 | £1,142 | £866 | £721 | £675 |
| 2023-07 | £1,216 | £1,169 | £893 | £740 | £693 |
| 2023-10 | £1,240 | £1,193 | £915 | £759 | £710 |
| 2024-01 | £1,264 | £1,216 | £937 | £775 | £720 |
| 2024-04 | £1,293 | £1,243 | £951 | £792 | £731 |
| 2024-07 | £1,319 | £1,268 | £964 | £808 | £748 |
| 2024-10 | £1,348 | £1,295 | £975 | £826 | £766 |
| 2025-01 | £1,375 | £1,321 | £996 | £838 | £781 |
| 2025-04 | £1,390 | £1,335 | £999 | £852 | £795 |
| 2025-07 | £1,398 | £1,343 | £999 | £865 | £807 |
| 2025-10 | £1,416 | £1,360 | £1,008 | £873 | £817 |
| 2026-01 | £1,423 | £1,367 | £1,021 | £880 | £826 |
| 2026-04 | £1,438 | £1,381 | £1,019 | £877 | £834 |
| 2026-07 | £1,451 | £1,393 | £1,016 | n/a | £843 |
| 2026-08 | £1,459 | £1,400 | £1,013 | n/a | £846 |
Annual change in average private rent
UK rent inflation peaked at 9.1% in March 2024 and has eased to 3.8%. Scotland's has slowed the most.
Show the data
| Month | UK | England | Scotland |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-01 | 3.3% | 3.5% | 2.1% |
| 2016-04 | 3.3% | 3.5% | 1.5% |
| 2016-07 | 3.4% | 3.7% | 1.2% |
| 2016-10 | 3.3% | 3.6% | 1.1% |
| 2017-01 | 3.3% | 3.5% | 1.4% |
| 2017-04 | 3% | 3.1% | 1.7% |
| 2017-07 | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.3% |
| 2017-10 | 1.8% | 1.7% | 2.6% |
| 2018-01 | 1.2% | 1.1% | 2.6% |
| 2018-04 | 0.8% | 0.6% | 2.7% |
| 2018-07 | 0.6% | 0.4% | 2.3% |
| 2018-10 | 1% | 0.9% | 1.8% |
| 2019-01 | 1.4% | 1.3% | 1.9% |
| 2019-04 | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.8% |
| 2019-07 | 1.9% | 1.9% | 2.4% |
| 2019-10 | 2.2% | 2.1% | 2.7% |
| 2020-01 | 2.2% | 2.1% | 2.9% |
| 2020-04 | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.7% |
| 2020-07 | 1.9% | 1.8% | 2% |
| 2020-10 | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.4% |
| 2021-01 | 1.1% | 1% | 1.2% |
| 2021-04 | 1.1% | 1% | 1.4% |
| 2021-07 | 1.1% | 1% | 1.8% |
| 2021-10 | 1.7% | 1.5% | 2.1% |
| 2022-01 | 2.7% | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| 2022-04 | 3.6% | 3.5% | 4.3% |
| 2022-07 | 4.5% | 4.4% | 4.8% |
| 2022-10 | 5.2% | 5% | 6.8% |
| 2023-01 | 5.8% | 5.6% | 7.7% |
| 2023-04 | 6.6% | 6.4% | 8.8% |
| 2023-07 | 7.9% | 7.6% | 11% |
| 2023-10 | 8.4% | 8.2% | 11.3% |
| 2024-01 | 8.5% | 8.4% | 11.1% |
| 2024-04 | 8.9% | 8.8% | 9.8% |
| 2024-07 | 8.5% | 8.5% | 8% |
| 2024-10 | 8.6% | 8.7% | 6.5% |
| 2025-01 | 8.7% | 8.8% | 6.2% |
| 2025-04 | 7.4% | 7.5% | 5.1% |
| 2025-07 | 5.9% | 6% | 3.6% |
| 2025-10 | 5% | 5% | 3.4% |
| 2026-01 | 3.5% | 3.5% | 2.6% |
| 2026-04 | 3.5% | 3.5% | 2% |
| 2026-07 | 3.7% | 3.8% | 1.7% |
| 2026-08 | 3.8% | 4% | 1.1% |
Average monthly private rent by region, August 2026
London is the most expensive region at £2,332, 3.0 times North East at £788.
Show the data
| Region | Average rent | Annual change |
|---|---|---|
| London | £2,332 | 3.5% |
| South East | £1,426 | 3% |
| East of England | £1,289 | 3.5% |
| South West | £1,245 | 4.4% |
| Scotland | £1,013 | 1.1% |
| West Midlands | £982 | 4.9% |
| North West | £969 | 5.8% |
| East Midlands | £922 | 3.7% |
| Northern Ireland | £874 | 1.6% |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £865 | 4.9% |
| Wales | £846 | 4.3% |
| North East | £788 | 5.8% |
Average UK rent: how the measures compare
The ONS measures every existing tenancy. Rent indices measure new lets or one firm's own tenancies, so they run higher when rents are rising. Compare like with like.
Show the data
| Measure | Average monthly rent |
|---|---|
| Goodlord (its own platform) | £1,581 |
| ONS, all tenancies | £1,400 |
| HomeLet (new tenancies) | £1,387 |
| Zoopla (new lets) | £1,343 |
- £2,825 average advertised rent in London, a record Q3 2026, London Asking rents on new listings. Rightmove
- £1,418 average advertised rent outside London, a record Q3 2026, Great Britain outside London Asking rents on new listings. Rightmove
- 10 enquiries per rental home, down from 22 in 2022 Q2 2026, Great Britain Rightmove
- 9 applicants per available property at letting agents July 2026, UK Survey of Propertymark member agents. Propertymark
- 20 days average void period between tenancies September 2026, UK Tenancies on Goodlord's platform only. Goodlord
- 6.6% average gross landlord yield in Great Britain Q3 2026, Great Britain From asking rents and asking prices. Rightmove
Renters and affordability
Private renters in England spend about a third of their income on rent, and move far more often than owners or social renters.
- £250 average weekly private rent in England 2024-25, England London £393 a week; rest of England £207. MHCLG
- 34% of household income spent on rent, including housing support 2024-25, England Mean, household reference person and partner. MHCLG
- 39% of income spent on rent if housing support is excluded 2024-25, England MHCLG
- 24% of private renters receive housing support 2024-25, England MHCLG
How long households have lived in their home
Private renters have lived in their home for 4.7 years on average, against 17.0 years for owner occupiers.
Show the data
| Tenure | Average years in current home |
|---|---|
| Owner occupied | 17.0 |
| Social rented | 12.2 |
| Private rented | 4.7 |
Evictions and the courts
Private landlords filed 58,302 possession claims in England and Wales in the year to June 2026, and county court bailiffs carried out 20,692 repossessions for them. 2024 was the busiest year since records began in 1999. A claim is the start of a court case, not an eviction: many end in a settlement or no order.
Possession claims by type of claimant, 1999 to 2025
Private landlords filed 63,046 claims in 2024, more than social landlords (35,720) and mortgage lenders (23,138) put together.
Show the data
| Year | Private landlords | Social landlords | Mortgage lenders | Private landlord repossessions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 31,178 | 154,104 | 77,818 | 0 |
| 2000 | 36,138 | 156,196 | 70,140 | 8,089 |
| 2001 | 37,494 | 155,208 | 65,555 | 9,729 |
| 2002 | 36,732 | 157,913 | 62,862 | 10,061 |
| 2003 | 36,111 | 141,008 | 65,373 | 9,433 |
| 2004 | 37,348 | 136,918 | 76,993 | 8,880 |
| 2005 | 39,356 | 126,333 | 114,733 | 9,975 |
| 2006 | 42,008 | 116,152 | 131,248 | 10,857 |
| 2007 | 43,843 | 103,214 | 137,725 | 11,885 |
| 2008 | 44,052 | 104,165 | 142,741 | 11,995 |
| 2009 | 38,484 | 98,108 | 93,533 | 9,690 |
| 2010 | 44,744 | 90,217 | 75,431 | 11,041 |
| 2011 | 48,452 | 93,631 | 73,181 | 13,821 |
| 2012 | 54,257 | 96,742 | 59,877 | 16,971 |
| 2013 | 57,276 | 113,175 | 53,659 | 18,514 |
| 2014 | 59,132 | 105,645 | 41,151 | 20,999 |
| 2015 | 59,114 | 94,577 | 19,852 | 22,681 |
| 2016 | 54,581 | 82,788 | 18,456 | 21,978 |
| 2017 | 51,040 | 81,603 | 19,836 | 19,213 |
| 2018 | 46,732 | 74,980 | 19,508 | 17,264 |
| 2019 | 43,134 | 67,773 | 25,580 | 15,696 |
| 2020 | 21,584 | 18,097 | 5,553 | 3,891 |
| 2021 | 24,537 | 13,474 | 8,636 | 6,387 |
| 2022 | 51,006 | 27,682 | 13,211 | 13,950 |
| 2023 | 60,711 | 33,500 | 16,599 | 18,620 |
| 2024 | 63,046 | 35,720 | 23,138 | 20,952 |
| 2025 | 57,368 | 33,724 | 23,946 | 21,471 |
Repossessions by private landlords each year
County court bailiffs carried out 21,471 repossessions for private landlords in 2025.
Show the data
| Year | Repossessions |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 9,433 |
| 2004 | 8,880 |
| 2005 | 9,975 |
| 2006 | 10,857 |
| 2007 | 11,885 |
| 2008 | 11,995 |
| 2009 | 9,690 |
| 2010 | 11,041 |
| 2011 | 13,821 |
| 2012 | 16,971 |
| 2013 | 18,514 |
| 2014 | 20,999 |
| 2015 | 22,681 |
| 2016 | 21,978 |
| 2017 | 19,213 |
| 2018 | 17,264 |
| 2019 | 15,696 |
| 2020 | 3,891 |
| 2021 | 6,387 |
| 2022 | 13,950 |
| 2023 | 18,620 |
| 2024 | 20,952 |
| 2025 | 21,471 |
Landlord court claims by region
Claims per 1,000 privately rented homes, year to June 2026. London's rate is 3.3 times Wales's.
Show the data
| Region | Claims per 1,000 rented homes |
|---|---|
| London | 20.5 |
| North West | 11 |
| East of England | 10.5 |
| West Midlands | 10.4 |
| South East | 10 |
| North East | 8.5 |
| East Midlands | 8.5 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 7.4 |
| South West | 7.4 |
| Wales | 6.2 |
Share of private landlord claims using Section 21
52.9% of claims used the accelerated Section 21 route in April to June 2026, as landlords filed before it was abolished on 1 May, the highest share since 2023. It peaked at 67% in 2015.
Show the data
| Quarter | Section 21 share |
|---|---|
| 2010 Q1 | 43.8% |
| 2010 Q2 | 47.1% |
| 2010 Q3 | 50.1% |
| 2010 Q4 | 52% |
| 2011 Q1 | 50.9% |
| 2011 Q2 | 53.1% |
| 2011 Q3 | 54.8% |
| 2011 Q4 | 53.5% |
| 2012 Q1 | 53.8% |
| 2012 Q2 | 57.9% |
| 2012 Q3 | 58.4% |
| 2012 Q4 | 59.6% |
| 2013 Q1 | 60.3% |
| 2013 Q2 | 58.8% |
| 2013 Q3 | 60.2% |
| 2013 Q4 | 58.7% |
| 2014 Q1 | 58.2% |
| 2014 Q2 | 61.3% |
| 2014 Q3 | 61.8% |
| 2014 Q4 | 62.6% |
| 2015 Q1 | 63.1% |
| 2015 Q2 | 66.5% |
| 2015 Q3 | 65.3% |
| 2015 Q4 | 65% |
| 2016 Q1 | 63.1% |
| 2016 Q2 | 65% |
| 2016 Q3 | 62.5% |
| 2016 Q4 | 60% |
| 2017 Q1 | 58.5% |
| 2017 Q2 | 59.7% |
| 2017 Q3 | 58.6% |
| 2017 Q4 | 54.7% |
| 2018 Q1 | 50.8% |
| 2018 Q2 | 50.5% |
| 2018 Q3 | 50.1% |
| 2018 Q4 | 48% |
| 2019 Q1 | 43.8% |
| 2019 Q2 | 45.3% |
| 2019 Q3 | 44.2% |
| 2019 Q4 | 43.2% |
| 2020 Q1 | 42.3% |
| 2020 Q2 | 40.1% |
| 2020 Q3 | 44.8% |
| 2020 Q4 | 40.8% |
| 2021 Q1 | 26.1% |
| 2021 Q2 | 33.6% |
| 2021 Q3 | 33.1% |
| 2021 Q4 | 38.6% |
| 2022 Q1 | 48.5% |
| 2022 Q2 | 47.4% |
| 2022 Q3 | 49.2% |
| 2022 Q4 | 51.4% |
| 2023 Q1 | 50.5% |
| 2023 Q2 | 51.5% |
| 2023 Q3 | 54.2% |
| 2023 Q4 | 51.4% |
| 2024 Q1 | 50.8% |
| 2024 Q2 | 52.4% |
| 2024 Q3 | 52.4% |
| 2024 Q4 | 52.5% |
| 2025 Q1 | 50.4% |
| 2025 Q2 | 50.5% |
| 2025 Q3 | 49.8% |
| 2025 Q4 | 48.6% |
| 2026 Q1 | 46.4% |
| 2026 Q2 | 52.9% |
Highest rates of landlord court claims
Claims per 1,000 privately rented homes, year to June 2026. Nine of the ten highest rates are in London.
Homelessness after a tenancy ends
- 5% of private renters are in arrears or fell behind with the rent in the past year, down from 8% in 2019-20 2024-25, England MHCLG
- 14,120 households owed help to prevent homelessness because a private tenancy was ending, the most common reason January to March 2026, England Provisional. MHCLG
- 6,540 of them had been served a Section 21 notice January to March 2026, England MHCLG
- 45% of renters asked to leave in the last three years were served a Section 21 notice 2024-25, England MHCLG
Housing conditions, energy and risk
Private rented homes are more likely than any other tenure to fail the Decent Homes Standard or have damp, though the share has fallen over the past decade.
Homes failing the Decent Homes Standard, by tenure
22% of private rented homes are non-decent, about 1.1 million homes, the highest of any tenure.
Show the data
| Tenure | Non-decent homes |
|---|---|
| Private rented | 22% |
| Owner occupied | 15% |
| Social rented | 10% |
Homes with a damp problem, by tenure
One private rented home in ten has damp, 2.5 times the rate for owner-occupied homes.
Show the data
| Tenure | Homes with damp |
|---|---|
| Private rented | 10% |
| Social rented | 7% |
| Owner occupied | 4% |
Privately rented homes rated below EPC band C, by region
Older housing stock means Wales has the highest share at 61%. London, with more modern flats, has the lowest at 46%.
Show the data
| Region | Share below band C |
|---|---|
| Wales | 61% |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 58% |
| East Midlands | 57% |
| West Midlands | 57% |
| South West | 54% |
| North West | 53% |
| East of England | 53% |
| North East | 51% |
| South East | 51% |
| London | 46% |
53%
of privately rented homes with an energy certificate are currently rated below band C, at least 1.85 million homes. Rented homes in England must reach band C by October 2030.
6.1
residential burglaries per 1,000 households in England and Wales in the year to March 2026, from police recorded crime.
93%
of private renting households in England have a working smoke alarm, up from 91% a year earlier.
Older homes, HMOs and enforcement
Homes built before 1919, by tenure
32% of privately rented homes in England were built before 1919, more than any other tenure. Older homes cost more to insure and to bring up to standard.
Show the data
| Tenure | Built before 1919 |
|---|---|
| Private rented | 32% |
| Owner occupied | 20% |
| Social rented | 6% |
Properties with a mandatory HMO licence
95,217 properties in England held a mandatory HMO licence in 2024-25, against councils' own estimate of about 459,000 HMOs in all.
Earlier years are our totals of each council's return, not a series MHCLG publishes.
Show the data
| Year | Licensed HMOs |
|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 65,063 |
| 2019-20 | 78,457 |
| 2020-21 | 85,101 |
| 2021-22 | 91,635 |
| 2022-23 | 95,183 |
| 2023-24 | 93,806 |
| 2024-25 | 95,217 |
- 19,274 privately rented homes found with a Category 1 hazard on inspection in 2024-25 2024-25, England MHCLG
- £7,000 fine for failing to fix a Category 1 hazard, since 22 June 2026 From 22 June 2026, England MHCLG
- 459,000 HMOs estimated by councils in England, licensed or not 2024-25, England Councils' own estimates. MHCLG
Flood risk
6.3m properties in England are in areas at risk of flooding, mostly from surface water. The Environment Agency expects that to rise to around 8m by the middle of the century.
Properties at risk of flooding from rivers and the sea, by likelihood
About 367,900 properties in England are at high risk from rivers and the sea, a 3.3% or greater chance of flooding each year.
Show the data
| Likelihood | Properties |
|---|---|
| High | 367,900 |
| Medium | 323,300 |
| Low | 966,500 |
| Very low | 777,300 |
- 4.6m properties in England at risk of surface water flooding Present day, England Environment Agency
- 274,000 properties in Wales at risk of flooding 2025, Wales Measured differently from England, so not comparable. Natural Resources Wales
Flood Re and rented homes
Flood Re, the scheme that keeps home insurance affordable in flood-prone areas, covered an estimated 353,000 policies in the year to March 2026 and more than 742,000 homes since 2016. Buy-to-let homes only qualify if the policyholder or their family lives there for some of the time. Flood Re's own condition reads: "The holder of the policy, or their immediate family, must live in the property for some or all of the time". A home let to tenants usually falls outside the scheme, though tenants' own contents insurance can use it.
Sources: Flood Re, eligibility; Flood Re, Annual report and accounts 2025-26.
Landlord insurance: costs and claims
The typical landlord insurance policy in the UK costs a few hundred pounds a year, but the price varies widely with the type, size and age of the property. Escape of water is the most common claim, and its average cost has more than doubled in five years. Figures here come from insurers' and brokers' own customers, credited below each chart.
- £284.75 median quoted cost of landlord insurance a year, without extras 2026, UK Median of one broker's quotes, not policies bought. Alan Boswell Group
- 14% of landlords have no specialist landlord insurance 2026, UK Broker estimate. Alan Boswell Group
- £7,501 average escape of water claim, up from £2,844 in 2020 2024, Total Landlord policyholders Claims from one insurer's own policyholders. Total Landlord Insurance
- A third of landlord claims are for escape of water, mostly burst pipes 2020 to 2024, Total Landlord policyholders Claims from one insurer's own policyholders. Total Landlord Insurance
- £3,636 average storm damage claim, the second most common claim 2024, Total Landlord policyholders Claims from one insurer's own policyholders. Total Landlord Insurance
- Nearly £36,000 average fire claim: rarer, but the most costly 2020 to 2024, Total Landlord policyholders Claims from one insurer's own policyholders. Total Landlord Insurance
- 1,227 escape of water claims, a broker's most common claim of the year 2025, Alan Boswell clients All the broker's insurance lines, not landlord policies alone. Alan Boswell Group
Median landlord insurance cost by property type
Blocks of flats cost the most to insure, at £822.84 for a purpose-built block. A terraced house, the most common rental, has a median of £269.47.
Show the data
| Property type | Median annual cost |
|---|---|
| Purpose-built block of flats | £822.84 |
| Converted block of flats | £714.07 |
| Detached house | £364.29 |
| Detached bungalow | £311.07 |
| Semi-detached house | £280.00 |
| Terraced house | £269.47 |
| Purpose-built flat | £255.44 |
Median landlord insurance cost by number of bedrooms
Cover for a one-bedroom rental has a median cost of £224.00, rising to £451.00 for six bedrooms.
Show the data
| Bedrooms | Median annual cost |
|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | £224.00 |
| 2 bedrooms | £242.00 |
| 3 bedrooms | £279.10 |
| 4 bedrooms | £377.03 |
| 5 bedrooms | £424.74 |
| 6 bedrooms | £451.00 |
Median landlord insurance cost by age of property
Older homes cost more to insure: £547.35 for a home built before 1850, against £230.65 for one built in the 1980s.
Show the data
| Built | Median annual cost |
|---|---|
| Before 1850 | £547.35 |
| 1850 to 1899 | £423.56 |
| 1900 to 1920 | £319.60 |
| 1921 to 1944 | £325.85 |
| 1945 to 1979 | £269.00 |
| 1980 to 1989 | £230.65 |
| 1990 to 2000 | £234.12 |
| After 2000 | £275.00 |
Median landlord insurance cost by type of tenant
Student lets and empty properties cost the most to insure, at about £371.96, against £275.56 for employed tenants.
Show the data
| Tenant type | Median annual cost |
|---|---|
| Unoccupied | £372.10 |
| Students | £371.96 |
| Self-employed | £340.42 |
| Housing benefit | £287.78 |
| Employed | £275.56 |
| Retired | £264.02 |
Average escape of water claim
The average escape of water payment rose 164% in four years, from £2,844 to £7,501.
Show the data
| Year | Average escape of water payment |
|---|---|
| 2020 | £2,844 |
| 2024 | £7,501 |
What optional cover adds to a landlord policy
Rent guarantee is the most expensive add-on. Most extras cost less bought with the main policy than on their own.
| Cover | With a policy | On its own |
|---|---|---|
| Rent guarantee (£12k to £50k cover) | £195 | £250 |
| Home emergency | £155 | £155 |
| Legal expenses (£50k cover) | £60 | £80 |
Deposits and disputes
Very few deposits end in a formal dispute. When they do, cleaning has been the most common reason for five years running, and claims for redecoration are rising. Figures are from The Deposit Protection Service, one of the three government-approved schemes.
- £1,208 average tenancy deposit To March 2026, UK The Deposit Protection Service
- Under 5% of deposits end in a dispute 2026, DPS deposits Deposits protected by The DPS only, not every scheme. The Deposit Protection Service
- 29% of deposit claims are for cleaning, the top reason 2025, DPS deposits Deposits protected by The DPS only, not every scheme. The Deposit Protection Service
Reasons for deposit claims, 2025
Cleaning (29.37%), damage (18.42%) and rent arrears (16.45%) are the main reasons landlords claim against a deposit.
Show the data
| Reason | Share of claims |
|---|---|
| Cleaning | 29.37% |
| Damage | 18.42% |
| Rent arrears | 16.45% |
| Redecoration | 10.88% |
| Other | 13.31% |
Cleaning and redecoration claims are rising
Cleaning's share of claims rose from 24.57% in 2021 to 29.37% in 2025; redecoration from 7.48% to 10.88%.
Show the data
| Year | Cleaning | Redecoration |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 24.57% | 7.48% |
| 2022 | 26.72% | 8.95% |
| 2023 | 27.7% | 10.02% |
| 2024 | 28.66% | 10.47% |
| 2025 | 29.37% | 10.88% |
Buy-to-let mortgages
Buy-to-let lending is now driven by remortgaging, with purchases by landlords falling. Arrears and repossessions on buy-to-let mortgages are low and falling, but borrowing costs have risen this year.
- 58,272 new buy-to-let loans, worth £10.8 billion Q1 2026, UK Remortgages 39,160; house purchase 16,871 (down 14.9%). UK Finance
- 5.34% average two-year fixed buy-to-let mortgage rate October 2026, UK Two-year fix at 75% loan to value, no fee. Rightmove
- 7.21% average gross rental yield on new lending, against a 4.71% average rate Q1 2026, UK UK Finance
- 4,332 buy-to-let mortgage deals on the market 26 March 2026, UK Moneyfacts Group
- 8,390 buy-to-let mortgages in arrears of 2.5% or more, 0.44% of the total Q2 2026, UK UK Finance
- 630 buy-to-let properties taken into possession in the quarter Q2 2026, UK UK Finance
- 211,700 purchases paid the stamp duty surcharge on additional homes in 2024-25, up from 191,500 2024-25, England and Northern Ireland Includes second homes as well as buy-to-let. England alone: 205,200. HMRC
- £5.4bn stamp duty raised on additional-home purchases in 2024-25, £2.8 billion of it from the surcharge 2024-25, England and Northern Ireland HMRC
New buy-to-let lending by purpose, Q1 2026
Two thirds of new buy-to-let loans were remortgages. Purchases by landlords fell 14.9% on a year earlier.
Show the data
| Purpose | New loans |
|---|---|
| Remortgages | 39,160 |
| House purchase | 16,871 |
Key dates for landlords
-
27 October 2025
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 receives Royal Assent. Source
-
1 May 2026
Section 21 "no fault" evictions are abolished in England. Tenancies become assured periodic tenancies, and landlords need a legal ground under Section 8 to regain possession. Source
-
22 June 2026
Councils in England can fine landlords up to £7,000 for failing to fix the most serious (Category 1) hazards. Source
-
31 July 2026
Last day to start court proceedings on a Section 21 notice served before 1 May 2026.
-
15 December 2026
The landlord database ("Register your rental property") launches in the West Midlands, then rolls out region by region over 12 months. Source
-
14 November 2027
Deadline for every landlord actively letting property in England to be registered. Source
-
Expected 2028
Landlords required to join the new private rented sector landlord ombudsman. Source
-
October 2030
Privately rented homes in England must reach EPC band C, with a spending cap of £10,000 per property.
Sources and how to cite
Official statistics
- Ministry of Justice, Mortgage and landlord possession statistics, April to June 2026 (published 13 August 2026)
- ONS, Price Index of Private Rents, August 2026 (published 16 September 2026)
- ONS, Census 2021, TS054 Tenure (England and Wales)
- MHCLG, Energy Performance Certificate register (latest certificate per privately rented home)
- Home Office, police recorded crime by Community Safety Partnership
- MHCLG, English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025: headline findings on housing quality and energy efficiency (29 January 2026)
- MHCLG, English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025: headline findings on demographics and household resilience (4 December 2025)
- MHCLG, English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025: private rented sector pre-Renters' Rights Act overview (14 May 2026)
- MHCLG, English Private Landlord Survey 2024: main report (5 December 2024)
- HM Revenue & Customs, Property rental income statistics: 2026 (28 August 2026)
- MHCLG, Statutory homelessness in England: January to March 2026 (13 August 2026)
- UK Finance, Mortgage Arrears and Possessions Update, Q2 2026 (13 August 2026)
- UK Finance, BTL Mortgage Market Update, Q1 2026 (15 July 2026)
- Environment Agency, National assessment of flood and coastal erosion risk in England 2024 (17 December 2024)
- Natural Resources Wales, Flood risk management annual report 2024 to 2025 (2025)
- Flood Re, Annual report and accounts 2025-26 (30 June 2026)
- MHCLG, Local authority housing statistics 2024 to 2025 (12 February 2026)
- MHCLG, Crack down on dangerous rented homes as new £7k fines kick in (June 2026)
- HMRC, Annual stamp tax statistics 2024 to 2025 (11 December 2025)
- Rent Smart Wales, Registrations dashboard (October 2026)
- Scottish Government, Freedom of information release (2025)
Industry data
Insurers, brokers, deposit schemes, rent indices and landlord bodies publish data on their own customers or members. It is credited to them, linked to their original page, and not presented as official statistics.
- Total Landlord Insurance, Top 5 landlord insurance pitfalls (published by the NRLA) (6 January 2025). Claims from one insurer's own policyholders.
- Alan Boswell Group, Telegraph magazine, Summer 2026: claims year in review (Summer 2026). All the broker's insurance lines, not landlord policies alone.
- Alan Boswell Group, UK landlord insurance statistics 2026 (31 March 2026). Broker estimate.
- The Deposit Protection Service, The Private Rented Sector Review, August 2026 (20 August 2026). Self-selected survey of DPS customers.
- The Deposit Protection Service, Cleaning main cause of tenancy deposit deductions for a fifth year running (11 June 2026). Deposits protected by The DPS only, not every scheme.
- Rightmove, Rental Trends Tracker Q3 2026 (15 October 2026)
- Zoopla, Rental Market Report: September 2026 (14 September 2026). New lets.
- HomeLet, HomeLet Rental Index, September 2026 (October 2026). HomeLet-referenced tenancies.
- Goodlord, Goodlord Rental Index, September 2026 (1 October 2026). Tenancies on Goodlord's platform only.
- Rightmove, Rental Trends Tracker Q2 2026 (16 July 2026)
- Propertymark, Housing Insight Report: July 2026 (16 September 2026). Survey of Propertymark member agents.
- National Residential Landlords Association, Landlord Eye Q2 2026 (16 September 2026). Online survey of NRLA members, not all landlords.
- National Residential Landlords Association, Landlord Eye #05 (4 June 2026). Online survey of NRLA members, not all landlords.
- The Deposit Protection Service, Almost a third of landlords say they will leave rents as they are (29 September 2026). Survey of over 1,000 landlords and tenants.
- Moneyfacts Group, Pain for landlords as buy-to-let borrowing costs soar (30 March 2026)
- Propertymark, Housing Insight Report: August 2026 (12 October 2026). Survey of Propertymark member agents.
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