The North West emerged as a dominant region for rental hotspots this summer, with available homes in Birkenhead and Wallasey attracting an average of 30 enquiries each during July and August. Carlisle followed closely with 29 enquiries per property, while Glasgow recorded 28 and East Kilbride 27.
Rightmove analysis indicates that three of the six most competitive locations were on the Wirral, and six of Britain’s top 10 rental hotspots were in the North West. Scotland recorded the highest regional competition with an average of 19 enquiries per property, followed by the North West with 16.
Nationally, rental competition has eased compared to previous years, with an average of 11 enquiries per property across Great Britain during July and August. This is down from 12 in the same period last year and a peak of 28 in summer 2022. However, demand remains above the pre-pandemic summer average of eight enquiries.
Colleen Babcock, a Rightmove property expert, noted that July and August are typically the busiest months for the rental market. She highlighted that while rental supply has rebalanced, some locations still see high numbers of enquiries, particularly in the North West and Scotland.