England Rent Hits £1,496 with 12-Day Voids

Average rents for new tenancies in England reached £1,496 in July 2025, the highest monthly figure since Goodlord began tracking the market in 2019, according to the latest Rental Index published today. The same dataset shows void periods tightening to 12 days on average, underscoring strong seasonal demand. These movements are important for landlords and agents when calibrating pricing, cash flow, and renewal strategies.

What the data shows

Goodlord reports that July's average of £1,496 is 1.8% higher than July 2024 (£1,470), and up 18.3% month-on-month from June, reflecting the usual summer surge in activity. The firm also notes that year-on-year rent inflation has been easing through 2025, even as the monthly peak lands each July.

Void periods shortened from 20 days in June to 12 days in July, a 40% drop, with sharper swings in some regions; that aligns with a market where properties let faster as student moves, graduate relocations, and family timing cluster before the autumn term.

"Across six years of operating the Index, we've never recorded a higher monthly rental average… every month of 2025 has brought a softening of year-on-year rent inflation."

Regional picture

The index highlights pronounced regional variation. July saw the North West post the steepest monthly rises, followed by the South West and North East, while Greater London recorded a comparatively modest uplift. On annual comparisons, the West Midlands led increases, whereas the East Midlands and South West recorded slight year-on-year declines. These splits are useful when assessing local pricing power and tenant affordability in renewal negotiations.

Voids show a similar dispersion. In the North West, average voids reportedly fell to 5 days in July, with the North East at 7 days, versus 14 days in Greater London - illustrating how quickly well-priced stock can turn where demand peaks. Agents may wish to adjust marketing cadence and reference-check throughput accordingly.

Market forces and seasonality

Goodlord attributes much of the July spike to seasonal churn—student tenancies rolling, graduates moving, and families settling before September—patterns amplified since the post-pandemic backlog in 2020 shifted more expiries into early summer. For operators, the combination of tighter voids and elevated asking levels means cash-flow timing improves in July and August, though affordability pressures can surface in referencing outcomes and arrears risk where wages lag.

Trade coverage reinforces the headline trends: record average rent and shorter voids on new lets across England. While one month doesn't set a full-year trajectory, the consistent July peak since 2019, coupled with 2025's softer annual inflation, suggests the market is hot but not overheating. Landlords should sense-check local demand indicators—portal leads, viewing-to-offer ratios, and fall-throughs—against these national benchmarks before setting rents for autumn move-ins.

Practical takeaways

• For renewals landing in the next 6–10 weeks, consider staggering increases to balance retention with today's higher new-let benchmarks, and monitor referencing pass-rates as an affordability check.
• Where voids are trending in single digits locally, earlier pre-marketing (e.g., at notice) can capture peak demand and minimise gaps without over-extending lead times.
• Regional splits matter: London's milder monthly rise versus sharper northern movements argue for hyper-local comparables rather than national averages when setting price.

As ever, headline figures are a guide, not a tariff. But today's data—£1,496 average rent, 12-day voids, and a cooler 1.8% annual rise—offers a clear snapshot of a market that remains tight on supply and brisk on lettings velocity, even as year-on-year inflation moderates.