UK Regional Rent Index - Template
Written by Scott Jones, founder of PropertyKiln · Last updated
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Here is a template you can reuse each quarter for a Regional Rent Index. Drop in fresh numbers and re-run the tables.
UK Regional Rent Index - Q[X] [Year]
1. Average monthly rent by region
Headline: [One sentence: "Rents are up/down by X% year-on-year, with the strongest growth in [regions]."]
Table 1 - Average monthly rent by region
| Region | Average monthly rent (GBP) | YoY change (%) | YoY change (GBP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| North East | [X] | [Y%] | [+/-Z] |
| North West | [X] | [Y%] | [+/-Z] |
| Yorkshire and Humber | [X] | [Y%] | [+/-Z] |
| East Midlands | [X] | [Y%] | [+/-Z] |
| West Midlands | [X] | [Y%] | [+/-Z] |
| East of England | [X] | [Y%] | [+/-Z] |
| London | [X] | [Y%] | [+/-Z] |
| South East | [X] | [Y%] | [+/-Z] |
| South West | [X] | [Y%] | [+/-Z] |
| Scotland | [X] | [Y%] | [+/-Z] |
| Wales | [X] | [Y%] | [+/-Z] |
| Northern Ireland | [X] | [Y%] | [+/-Z] |
Use ONS PIPR / private rent bulletins for UK and regional figures.
2. Rent vs mortgage: cashflow margin
Show how far rent gets you once you pay a typical interest-only mortgage.
Assumptions (edit per quarter):
- Mortgage: 75% LTV, interest-only.
- Average property value per region (optional).
- Typical BTL rate: [X.X]%.
Table 2 - Rent vs typical IO mortgage payment
| Region | Average rent (GBP) | Implied mortgage (75% LTV on avg price) | Monthly IO payment (GBP) | Cashflow margin (rent - IO) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North East | ||||
| ... | ||||
| London |
Add a one-liner: "Regions with the thinnest margin are [A, B], where higher prices mean the mortgage now eats [X]% of gross rent."
3. Void rate and tenant demand
Summarise how easy it is to let property in each region.
Table 3 - Voids and demand
| Region | Avg days to let | Avg void days per tenancy | Enquiries per listing | Trend vs last quarter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North East | ||||
| ... | ||||
| London |
Include 2-3 bullets:
- "Average days to let are lowest in [region] at X days, highest in [region] at Y days."
- "Void periods have risen/fallen in [regions], signalling [cooling/tightening] demand."
4. Market rent vs Local Housing Allowance
Show how affordable market rents are for tenants reliant on benefits.
Table 4 - Market rent vs LHA (2-bed, selected BRMAs or regional proxies)
| Region / BRMA | Market rent (GBP) | LHA rate (GBP) | Gap (GBP) | Gap (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Example: North West (Manchester) | ||||
| Example: South East (Oxford) | ||||
| ... |
Highlight where market rents significantly exceed LHA: these are hard areas for benefit tenants without top-ups.
5. Regional heatmap (optional visual)
If you add visuals:
- Map or heat table: each UK region coloured by YoY rent % change or rent vs LHA gap.
- Supporting mini-table for top 5 highest and lowest rent growth regions.
| Rank | Region | YoY rent change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | [Region] | [X.X]% |
| ... | ... | ... |
| 12 | [Region] | [Y.Y]% |
Use ONS PIPR regional YoY % data for consistency.
6. Forecast and trend commentary
Short, region-by-region summary linking data to outlook.
Template bullets (per region block or nationally):
- "Rents in [region] grew [X]% over the last year, but quarterly growth has [slowed/accelerated], suggesting [stabilising / renewed pressure]."
- "Rightmove expects national rents to rise around 2% in 2026, with [regions] likely to outperform due to tighter stock."
- "Zoopla notes supply is [improving/tight], but affordability caps are starting to bite in [regions]."
7. How to use this index as a landlord
Finish with a short "how to read the tables" box:
- Pricing: If your rent is far below the regional average for similar stock, you may have room to increase at review; if it is far above, expect more voids.
- Strategy: Look at rent vs IO margin and voids together: high margin + short voids = robust region; thin margin + long voids = exit or deleverage candidate.
- Tenant mix: Where LHA gap is large, benefit-dependent tenants will struggle without top-ups or guarantors.
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