Rental property listings in England have increased by 7.45% year-on-year, with Tyne and Wear recording the highest growth rate among all counties, according to new data.
Analysis by lettings software provider Propoly compared residential rental listings across English counties between August 2025 and August 2026, revealing significant regional variations in available rental stock.
Regional variations
Tyne and Wear led the growth with rental listings up 86.6% annually. Greater Manchester recorded the second-largest increase at 28.4%, followed by Rutland at 23.1% and the City of London at 21.5%.
The findings contrast with recent trends in rental growth, where supply constraints have driven price increases in many markets.
However, not all regions experienced growth. The Isle of Wight saw rental listings decline by 35.2% year-on-year, while Warwickshire recorded a 10.8% decrease and Norfolk fell by 9.6%.
Market implications
Sim Sekhon, Group Chief Executive at Propoly, said: “The increase in Tyne and Wear is striking, particularly when set against the more measured rise seen across England as a whole. While greater availability should provide tenants with more choice, the extent of the increase also underlines how quickly local rental markets can change.”
Sekhon noted that “there is no single national rental market” and that agents in areas experiencing stock increases face different operational challenges compared to those in declining markets.
The data suggests that lettings agents in high-growth areas will need to manage increased workloads as they handle more properties and tenant applications. This trend follows recent investment activity in the lettings sector, indicating continued interest in rental market infrastructure.
Outlook
The divergent trends across English counties indicate that rental market conditions remain highly localised, with supply dynamics varying significantly between regions. The data points to potential shifts in tenant choice and rental pricing in high-growth areas, while markets experiencing declining stock may continue to face supply pressures.
