Average landlord losing over £1,000 from void periods

The average landlord is losing almost £1,100 in rental income from void periods, according to new analysis from Rushbrook.

Having analysed average void periods and rental periods across England, Rushbrook has determined this cost has climbed by almost 58% in three years.

This research shows that the average cost of a void across England has increased from £696 in 2023 to £1,097 in 2026, an increase of 57.5%.

This increase has come as the average void period itself has lengthened, rising from 17.5 days in 2023 to 23.2 days in 2026.

The cost of such void periods have almost doubled in some regions.

The North East has seen the largest increase in the cost of a rental void over the last three years, rising by 92.4%, from £318 in 2023 to £612 in 2026.

The West Midlands has recorded the second-largest increase at 62.5%, with the average cost of a void climbing from £528 to £859.

London follows, where the cost associated with the average void period has increased by 61.9%, from £838 to £1,357.

This also makes London the most expensive region in England for landlords experiencing a void in tenancy.

“Void periods are an unavoidable reality of owning rental property, but unnecessary void days aren't, and the financial consequence of those additional days has increased considerably,” said Roma Sharma, managing director at Rushbrook.

“Good management is about planning ahead, identifying what needs doing before a tenancy ends wherever possible and ensuring the right people are ready to act, so that a property isn't sitting empty simply because the next step hasn't been organised.”