Market snapshot: Voids reducing slightly, but rents dipping too

The latest rental index from PropTech firm Goodlord shows some regions enjoying lower void periods with others slower to stabilise. 

Specifically, the UK average for void periods remained at 18 days during October, no change from the previous month. Five out of the eight regions monitored by Goodlord saw void averages drop or remain steady. 

The West Midlands saw the most dramatic fall, with average void periods dropping from 34 days in September to just 20 days in October. 

The East Midlands and Wales also saw a drop in void periods, moving from 20 to 17 days and 23 to 10 days respectively. Void periods across the South West (18 days) and the South East (19 days) remained unchanged month on month. 

It was a more variable picture in Greater London, the South East and the North East. 

The North East saw the most significant shift after a positive September. Void periods in the region jumped from 10 to 25 days, taking it just above the region’s year to date average of 22 days. 

The South East also saw a shift, moving from 14 to 25 days. The impact was smaller in London, where a jump from 10 to 14 days was recorded. 

The average cost of rent also levelled out last month, taking the UK average down from a 2019 high of £1,034 in September, to £925 in October. 

This means UK rents are now much closer to their 2019 year-to-date average of £920. 

Every one of the eight regions monitored by Goodlord saw a decrease in average rents last month. The South West saw the biggest shift, with average rental costs dropping by 19 per cent during October - moving from £1,088 to £881 per property per month. 

Goodlord says such a decrease across the board could be explained by a surge in lets during August and September, as is expected during the period, pushing up average prices. 

“We are now seeing rental prices broadly return to their regional year to date averages” says Goodlord.

In terms of lettings demographics, the average age of UK renters was 34 in October, the highest recorded all year. 

The oldest renters are living in the South East and Wales (35 years), with the youngest in London and the North West (32 years).