Houses account for almost two-thirds of properties experiencing high rental demand across England, according to new research from residential property management specialist Rushbrook & Rathbone, challenging the assumption that strong rental demand is primarily driven by flats.
The firm analysed 15,583 properties identified as experiencing high rental demand nationally, examining both the regional spread and the breakdown by property type. High rental demand is defined by indicators including low vacancy rates, short listing periods, rising rents and multiple applications per property.
Houses dominate high-demand rental stock
Flats remain the single most common individual property type among high-demand rentals, accounting for 34.3% of the total. However, houses collectively account for 65.7%, with detached properties making up 27.3%, semi-detached homes 22.8% and terraced properties a further 15.6%.
For landlords, the figures point to strong demand across a broader range of stock than the traditional flat-led model would suggest. Investing in a property type that attracts sustained tenant interest can help keep void periods short, though Rushbrook notes that effective ongoing management remains equally important to protecting long-term rental performance.
South East leads on volume, East Midlands on house dominance
At a regional level, the South East holds the largest share of high-demand rental stock, with 4,191 properties equating to 27% of the national total. London ranks second at 18%, or 2,869 properties, followed by the East of England at 16%, with 2,562. Together, the South East and East of England account for 43% of all high-demand rental properties identified.
The type of stock driving that demand differs sharply by region. Within London, flats dominate, making up 71.9% of high-demand rental properties. Outside the capital, the picture reverses: almost two-thirds (64.9%) of high-demand properties in the South East are houses, rising to 77% in the East of England.
The divide is most pronounced in the East Midlands, where houses account for 97.4% of high-demand rental properties, with detached homes alone exceeding half of the regional total at 52.6%.
"The lettings landscape has evolved considerably in modern times and whilst flats remain the most in demand property type within the rental market, we're now seeing higher demand for alternative property types such as larger houses," said Roma Sharma, managing director of Rushbrook.
"This is down to the fact that people are renting for longer and across a much broader range of life stages, with affordability issues with respect to homeownership preventing many from making the move onto the property ladder. As a result, their housing requirements are increasingly diverse.
"For landlords, strong tenant demand is a great starting point because it can help keep void periods to a minimum, but buying the right property is only half the battle. How that property is managed will ultimately play a major role in protecting its appeal and performance over the longer term.
"That means keeping on top of maintenance and compliance, looking after tenants properly and ensuring the property is ready to go when one tenancy ends and another begins. Strong demand creates the opportunity, but good management is what helps landlords make the most of it."
