Analysis from Benham and Reeves reviewed current residential listings across the capital to assess how evenly housing stock divides between the sales and lettings markets.
Across London, the data identifies 109,060 homes listed for sale or rent. Rental properties account for 35,324 of those listings, which represents 32.4% of the market. The figures underline the dominance of for-sale stock across the capital and the limited options facing renters searching for a home. In certain boroughs, the gap is even wider.
South-east boroughs show the sharpest imbalance
Bromley has the most pronounced imbalance between homes for sale and rent. The borough currently has 2,997 residential listings across both markets. Of those, 2,541 properties are for sale, meaning sales listings make up 84.8% of the market, leaving just 15.2% available to rent.
Nearby boroughs show a similar pattern.
In Bexley, rental homes represent only 17.3% of all listings, while rentals also fall below 20% of available stock in Havering, where rentals account for 18%, and Sutton, with 18.8% rental stock.
Other boroughs also lean heavily toward homes for sale. Rental properties make up 23.2% of listings in Enfield, 24% in Croydon, 24.5% in Greenwich, and 25% in Lewisham.
Together, these figures illustrate how much of South and Outer London is currently dominated by homes listed for sale rather than rental properties.
Prime boroughs offer a more balanced market
Central London tells a different story. Some of the capital’s most sought-after boroughs show a far more even distribution between homes for sale and rent.
The most balanced market appears in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The borough currently has 6,572 residential listings, with 50.9% for sale and 49.1% available to rent.
Other central boroughs also display a relatively balanced mix. Rentals account for:
47.4% of listings in City of Westminster
44.1% in Camden
40.2% in Islington
38.3% in Tower Hamlets
Different demand patterns across the capital
“The London market is rarely uniform and these figures highlight just how localised the balance between sales and lettings has become," said Marc von Grundherr, director at Benham and Reeves.
"In many of the capital’s more leafy and less densely populated southern boroughs, such as Bromley and Bexley, we’re seeing strong buyer demand, particularly from young families looking for more space, good schools and access to green areas."
"These markets naturally lean more heavily towards homes for sale, as they attract longer-term owner-occupiers who are putting down roots rather than short-term renters. At the same time, the lower rental stock levels mean that those properties that are available command strong rental values and yields for buy-to-let investors."
"By contrast, the more compact, higher value central and northern boroughs serve a different audience. Areas such as Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster, Camden and Islington remain magnets for young professional renters who want to be close to employment hubs and lifestyle amenities, as well as for affluent domestic and international buyers. As a result, these prime markets tend to display a far more even split between rental and for-sale stock."
He added, "What this really underlines is the diversity of London’s housing landscape. Demand profiles shift significantly from one borough to the next, shaped by affordability, property type, transport links and local amenities."
"For renters in some outer boroughs, the current imbalance does make the search more challenging, while in prime central locations the depth of rental stock reflects the needs of a more transient and globally mobile population."
