On average rents across Britain have shown modest increases with a net 5% of surveyors reporting a rise in rents for the quarter to October. Chartered surveyors reported a healthy increase in tenant demand in the quarter to October with a net 23% of surveyors reported a rise in lettings activity for the quarter to October. Activity remained strongest in the Midlands, the North and South West with London and the South East showing a more limited rise.

Demand remained stronger for flats than houses – a net 22% of surveyors reported a rise in demand for flats, whereas only a net 14% reported a rise in demand for houses over the same period. And a net 28% of surveyors reported a rise in investors bringing property onto the rental market. This was below the figure of 36 percent reported in July and slightly below that of the same period last year. New instructions increased for both flats and houses.

However some surveyors in the South of England reported they currently have a larger number of properties registered on their books than they can ever remember. At the same time they state prospective tenants are becoming more discerning and poorer accommodation is becoming increasingly difficult to let.