Houses Drive 65.7% of High-Demand UK Rental Market
New data reveals houses account for nearly two-thirds of properties with high rental demand in England, challenging the view that flats are the primary driver of tenant interest.
Houses represent 65.7% of properties experiencing high rental demand across England. This figure comes from an analysis of 15,583 individual listings. The data challenges the assumption that flats are the main driver of rental activity.
Rushbrook & Rathbone conducted the study. They identified high demand through low vacancy rates and short listing periods. The findings indicate a shift in tenant preference toward detached and semi-detached homes.
Houses dominate the national rental mix
Flats remain the single largest category at 34.3% of the total. Detached properties follow with a 27.3% share. Semi-detached homes account for 22.8% of the high-demand stock.
Terraced properties make up the remaining 15.6% of this segment. Together, these house types far outpace flat demand. This spread suggests landlords can find strong tenant interest in broader stock types.
Regional differences shape demand patterns
The South East holds the largest volume with 4,191 high-demand properties. This region accounts for 27% of the national total. London follows with 2,869 properties, representing 18% of the market.
The East of England contributes 16% of the total. The South East and East of England together hold 43% of all identified high-demand rentals. These two regions drive nearly half of the national activity.
East Midlands shows extreme house preference
Demand for houses peaks in the East Midlands. Houses account for 97.4% of high-demand properties in this region. Detached homes alone exceed half of the regional total at 52.6%.
Outside London, the preference for houses is consistent. The South East sees 64.9% of high-demand stock as houses. The East of England reaches 77% house dominance. London is the exception with 71.9% flat demand.
GN auto markets/housing: rental market reports note that longer rental periods drive this shift. Affordability issues prevent many buyers from entering the market. Tenants increasingly require larger homes for diverse life stages.
