Analysis of Zoopla data from Benham and Reeves suggests that the anticipated “landlord exodus” from the UK rental market has not occurred. Contrary to fears that the Renters’ Rights Bill would cause a significant reduction in rental property supply, the number of available rental listings has increased by 23.5% across England between September 2024 and August 2025.

Key Findings:

• Increased Supply: Available rental properties have increased in nearly all 48 English regions since the bill was introduced.
• Regional Variations: The most significant increases in rental stock were seen in Bristol (+79.1%), West Yorkshire (+72.9%), and Tyne and Wear (+60%).
• London’s Market: The London rental market has remained robust, with an 11% increase in available listings.
• Decreased Supply: Only three regions saw a decrease in rental listings: Herefordshire (-22.5%), Gloucestershire (-16.4%), and the Isle of Wight (-11.1%).
• Landlord Sentiment: The Director of Benham & Reeves, Marc von Grundherr, notes that despite “understandable uncertainty,” the feared collapse in supply has “simply not materialised.” He also mentions that strong yields and a slightly slower property market are currently making buy-to-let an attractive investment.
• Future Outlook: The article cautions against complacency, stating that the “true test will come in the months after implementation” when landlords have fully absorbed the new legislation.⁹ However, for now, the private rental sector is described as “robust.”

  The Benham & Reeves findings

  Location	Available rental listings – Sep 2024	Available rental listings – Aug 2025 latest	Change – Sep 2024 vs latest
  City of Bristol	1,931	3,459	79.1%
  West Yorkshire	5,145	8,894	72.9%
  Tyne and Wear	1,868	2,988	60.0%
  East Sussex	2,537	3,817	50.5%
  Northumberland	222	314	41.4%
  Greater Manchester	6,209	8,599	38.5%
  Leicestershire	2,108	2,893	37.2%
  West Midlands (county)	6,222	8,528	37.1%
  Nottinghamshire	4,659	6,376	36.9%
  Norfolk	1,597	2,169	35.8%
  Derbyshire	2,176	2,955	35.8%
  Cambridgeshire	2,164	2,930	35.4%
  Lancashire	1,970	2,608	32.4%
  South Yorkshire	2,607	3,437	31.8%
  Oxfordshire	1,915	2,486	29.8%
  Devon	1,825	2,365	29.6%
  Cumbria	359	458	27.6%
  Hampshire	4,096	5,222	27.5%
  Dorset	1,760	2,234	26.9%
  Bedfordshire	1,305	1,656	26.9%
  Kent	4,795	6,060	26.4%
  Merseyside	2,613	3,274	25.3%
  Buckinghamshire	2,029	2,538	25.1%
  Lincolnshire	1,911	2,390	25.1%
  Staffordshire	1,395	1,739	24.7%
  Somerset	1,464	1,801	23.0%
  Hertfordshire	2,609	3,205	22.8%
  East Riding of Yorkshire	810	989	22.1%
  Worcestershire	764	917	20.0%
  Durham	1,297	1,555	19.9%
  Surrey	3,501	4,151	18.6%
  West Sussex	1,448	1,715	18.4%
  Berkshire	3,002	3,521	17.3%
  Cheshire	1,599	1,874	17.2%
  Northamptonshire	1,437	1,676	16.6%
  Essex	4,787	5,379	12.4%
  Wiltshire	994	1,107	11.4%
  Greater London	48,991	54,361	11.0%
  Rutland	61	67	9.8%
  Shropshire	623	674	8.2%
  City of London	294	314	6.8%
  Cornwall	633	674	6.5%
  Suffolk	1,546	1,633	5.6%
  North Yorkshire	2,125	2,218	4.4%
  Warwickshire	1,396	1,452	4.0%
  Isle of Wight	226	201	-11.1%
  Gloucestershire	1,615	1,350	-16.4%
  Herefordshire	178	138	-22.5%
  England	146,818	181,361	23.5%

  Analysis based on rental listings data for September 2024 versus latest available figures for August 2025, sourced from Zoopla.