Private Rental Sector Rents Continue To Rise
In 10 Out Of 12 UK Regions
New data published by HomeLet has revealed some UK private rental sector hotspots for property investors and portfolio landlords to consider.
In some areas of the UK PRS rents have continued to increase, despite all the doom mongering that is […]

New Data Reveals UK Private Rental Sector Hotspots
Private Rental Sector Rents Continue To Rise
In 10 Out Of 12 UK Regions
New data published by HomeLet has revealed some UK private rental sector hotspots for property investors and portfolio landlords to consider.
In some areas of the UK PRS rents have continued to increase, despite all the doom mongering that is going on in the media, with rents increasing by the most in:
- Leicester – PRS rents up 45% on 2013
- Southall – PRS rents up 38% on 2013
- Cambridge – PRS rents up 24% on 2013
Meanwhile other parts of the UK witnessed the biggest falls in rental prices in 2014 on new rental agreements with the biggest rental price falls recorded in:
- Colchester PRS rents Down 24% on 2013 prices
- Croydon – PRS rents down 23% on 2013
- Brighton – PRS fall 18% lower than 2013 prices.
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Best And Worst UK Property Investment Hotspots
Rental returns on buy to let properties are best in cities like Southampton, Manchester and Nottingham, where as many as one in four properties are owned by landlords in the private rented sector.
Portfolio landlords and property investors are looking beyond London to identify regions where rental yields […]

UK Cities With Best and Worst Property Investment Yields
Best And Worst UK Property Investment Hotspots
Rental returns on buy to let properties are best in cities like Southampton, Manchester and Nottingham, where as many as one in four properties are owned by landlords in the private rented sector.
Portfolio landlords and property investors are looking beyond London to identify regions where rental yields are almost three times as high as in the capital.
Rental yield is calculated by measuring the rental income against the properties cost
The latest data on buy-to-let yields provided by the HSBC bank, also shows the proportion of properties in each area that are already owned by landlords, with landlords already owning more than one in four properties in many of the top-yielding areas.
HSBC’s report draws on official data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the UK Land Registry with rental data provided by Home.co.uk.

Top Property Investment Hotspots Revealed
- Southampton, currently tops the list for rental returns with rental yields of 8.73% Manchester has rental yields of around 7.98%
- Nottingham has rental yields of around 7.67%
- Blackpool has rental yields of around 7.63%
- Hull has rental yields of around 7.47%
In all of these areas, except Hull, private rental sector (PRS) landlords already own more than one in five properties.
These areas offer relatively low property prices and have strong demand for rental property from large student and young professional populations – the characteristics that the experts say make for excellent buy-to-let investments.
Top 10 Property Investment Hot Spots By Rental Yields
Rank |
Location |
Housing privately rented (%) |
Average house price |
Average monthly rent |
Gross rental yield (%) |
1 | Southampton | 23.42 | £143,011 | £1,040 | 8.73 |
2 | Manchester | 26.85 | £104,244 | £693 | 7.98 |
3 | Nottingham | 21.64 | £86,000 | £550 | 7.67 |
4 | Blackpool | 24.16 | £77,899 | £495 | 7.63 |
5 | Kingston upon Hull | 19.02 | £68,243 | £425 | 7.47 |
6 | Coventry | 19.02 | £110,029 | £650 | 7.09 |
7 | Oxford | 26.11 | £254,514 | £1,489 | 7.02 |
8 | Portsmouth | 22.28 | £146,709 | £795 | 6.50 |
9 | Liverpool | 21.75 | £91,175 | £494 | 6.50 |
10 | Cambridge | 23.91 | £185,414 | £1,001 | 6.48 |
The lowest rental yields were registered in areas such as London where recent property price rises have outpaced the growth in rental yields and in some areas like Westminster 38% of property is privately rented.
Worst 10 Property Investment Areas By Rental Yield
Location |
Housing privately rented (%) |
Average house price |
|
Gross rental yield (%) |
Kensington and Chelsea | 33.97 | £1,236,605 | £2,968 | 2.88 |
Thanet | 21.96 | £189,362 | £524 | 3.32 |
Hastings | 27.19 | £184,787 | £520 | 3.38 |
Haringey | 30.33 | £425,541 | £1,200 | 3.38 |
Westminster | 37.56 | £890,272 | £2,578 | 3.47 |
Hammersmith and Fulham | 30.05 | £685,797 | £2,004 | 3.51 |
Richmond upon Thames | 20.55 | £540,379 | £1,699 | 3.77 |
Camden | 30.46 | £715,831 | £2,383 | 3.99 |
Ipswich | 18.75 | £158,925 | £546 | 4.12 |
Lincoln | 19.36 | £124,789 | £433 | 4.16 |
Head Of Mortgages at HSBC Peter Dockar, said: “House prices in the top-yielding locations – while still out of reach among many first time buyers – are relatively affordable for landlords investing in property and the demand from young professionals has pushed up rents and driven up the returns. London is often seen as the haven of property investment with many believing the streets are paved with gold. However, while the highest rents in the country are an attractive draw for landlords, high house prices in the capital squeeze yields and limit the returns available. As a result, returns can often be far more attractive in other areas so it certainly pays for landlords to do their research.”
One Million More Rented Households In UK
Since 2009 With More To Come
It has been well documented over recent years that there has been a cultural and generational shift towards renting in the UK with “Generation Rent” emerging as the dominant force in the UK property market.
The shift towards the continental style […]
One Million More Rented Households In UK
Since 2009 With More To Come
It has been well documented over recent years that there has been a cultural and generational shift towards renting in the UK with “Generation Rent” emerging as the dominant force in the UK property market.
The shift towards the continental style of living in rented property has been largely influenced by the difficulty for people to raise the necessary deposit and finance for property ownership.
CBRE believe that significant activity by UK Buy-to-Let property investors and foreign nationals acquiring property in major towns and cities within the UK has also contributed significantly, and the influence of these interested parties is still growing.
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Government Planning Minister Claims Planning Laws are sending UK housing back to the 19th Century
Planning Minister Nick Boles has stirred up a real hornets’ nest by claiming that local authorities that save green fields instead of building residential properties are irresponsible, and building new homes must be prioritised above preserving fields.
Nick Boles argued that homes […]
Government Planning Minister Claims Planning Laws are sending UK housing back to the 19th Century
Planning Minister Nick Boles has stirred up a real hornets’ nest by claiming that local authorities that save green fields instead of building residential properties are irresponsible, and building new homes must be prioritised above preserving fields.
Nick Boles argued that homes create more human happiness than fields, whilst revealing the Government is determined to speed up the rate of residential house building, despite strong opposition.
Mr. Boles slammed local authorities in an interview with the Daily Mail stating:”Deeply irresponsible councils and communities that refuse to co-operate with the government’s expansion plans will risk losing their hospitals and high street shops as their populations shrink. I understand that rural campaigners are very worried when green-field land is replaced by the sheer ugliness and soullessness of housing estates. However, current planning laws are sending Britain back to the 19th century when only the well-off could afford their own home. The sum of human happiness that is created by the houses that are being built is vastly greater than the economic, social and environmental value of a field that was growing wheat or rape.”
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