Landlords in England are now facing an average wait of more than three weeks between tenants. This marks the third consecutive year that void periods have lengthened, according to research by property management firm Rushbrook.
The average period without a tenant reached 23.2 days in 2026, an increase from 17.5 days in 2023. Each gap is estimated to result in a £1,097 loss in rent income.
The estimated cost of an average void has risen by 57.5% since 2023, when it stood at £696. London recorded the highest cash loss at £1,357 between tenancies, while the North East saw the steepest percentage increase in costs, rising by 92.4% from £318 to £612.
Roma Sharma, Rushbrook's managing director, highlighted that while void periods are an unavoidable part of owning rental property, unnecessary delays are not. She suggested that good management involves planning ahead and identifying maintenance needs before a tenancy ends to minimise empty periods.