How Often Do Tenants Move Home? A Look Across the UK
Tenant mobility varies widely across the UK, with some regions seeing frequent moves while others have a much more settled rental population.
Here’s how often tenants move home in different parts of the country.
📍 London has the most active rental market, with 1,025,500 privately rented homes. On average, tenants move every 2.5 years, meaning 404,600 rental properties changed hands in 2024 alone.
📍 The South East follows, with 730,800 rental properties. Tenants here move home roughly every 4.3 years, with 169,700 homes getting new occupants in 2024.
📍 The East Midlands and East of England both see tenants move around every 4.7 to 4.9 years. With 380,000 and 478,600 rental properties, these regions saw 80,300 and 97,300 homes change tenants last year, respectively.
📍 The West Midlands has 435,900 privately rented properties, with tenants moving on average every 5.2 years. This steady turnover resulted in 84,300 properties changing hands in 2024.
📍 The North West, Yorkshire & Humber, North East, South West, and Scotland all see tenants move every 5.3 to 5.5 years. With rental stock ranging from 202,500 in the North East to 606,800 in the North West, movement is consistent, with tens of thousands of properties getting new tenants each year.
📍 Wales, with 228,600 rental properties, has tenants staying for around 7 years, making it a more stable market compared to most of England. Just 32,300 homes changed tenants last year.
📍 Northern Ireland sees the longest tenancies, with renters typically staying for 12.5 years. With 130,000 private rental homes, fewer than 10,400 properties changed hands in 2024 – a stark contrast to London’s high turnover.
These figures show how different the rental experience is depending on location. Some markets see rapid change, while others remain far more settled.
If you would like to discuss the Frome rental market, feel free to give us a call.
