London rental accelerated 3.0% in July as landlords entered the first autumn Lettings season under England’s reformed tenancy framework.
London’s average private rent reached £2,317 a month in July, up 3.0% from last July, as the capital entered its first autumn Lettings peak season following major changes to England’s tenancy regulation.
The latest figures from Office for National Statistics show rental growth in London accelerated from 2.2% in June to 3.0% in July. London also remains the most expensive rental region in England.
The figures come as landlords adjust to reforms introduced under the Renters’ Rights Act. Since 1st May, Assured Shorthold Tenancy became Assured Periodic Tenancy, Section 21 “no-fault” evictions have been abolished and new procedures apply to rent increases and repossession. The sweeping legislative changes unintentionally caused a contraction in supply, compliance cost increase for the landlord and forcing rental prices higher across the board.
For non-residence landlords, achieving high ROI and complying with the latest tenancy regulatory requirements are the most important elements currently.
“Buying a property is only one part of the process,” added by Christie Luo, Director of CN Consulting. “For an overseas owner, the question is who is looking after it when they are outside the UK — from the tenancy admin, rent review to maintenance, tenant communication and ongoing management.”
The latest English Housing Survey estimates that 28% of London households were private renters in 2024-25, compared with 17% across the rest of England. Across England as a whole, around 4.7 million households were privately rented.
The routine management issues become more difficult for international landlords to handle. Repairs, emergency callouts, move-in, move-out and tenants queries that can be dealt with quickly on the ground by a professional team.
Luo said it is encouraging to see that nowadays more and more international buyers starting to ask for scope of services on property management before completing a purchase on an investment property.
“We do not see legal completion on the purchase of a property as the end of our business relationship,” she said. “For clients based in overseas, having a professional and reliable local team means the property can continue to be looked after properly after the purchase is complete. That’s when the value of an investment property truly shines – by continuously generating a healthy ROI for the buyer, especially under the new law.”
As London goes through its first peak autumn rental season under the new RRA, overseas landlords are extending their focus beyond where & what to buy, significantly to how the property will be professionally managed.
For more information, visit CN Consulting at https://www.cnconsulting.co.uk/
