Goodlord and Vouch have released the sixth annual State of the Lettings Industry report, which brings together the views of more than 2,000 letting agents, landlords and tenants from across England, Wales, and Scotland, who were surveyed on more than 100 topics.

Following many months of media discussion around rising tenant demand and landlords leaving the market, this year’s report offers tangible insights into what’s happening on the ground.

Over the last 12 months, 78% of letting agents polled saw increased demand for tenants looking for homes. However, 58% of agents also reported an increase in the scarcity of available properties.

Some 76% of tenants who moved between July 2022 and July 2023 said they found it difficult to find a rental property. And 13% of tenants said that they paid more rent per month than the originally advertised rate this year.

Meanwhile, there is growing evidence that landlords are leaving the market. Over the last 12 months, 95% of letting agents saw at least one of their landlords sell at least one of their properties, while nearly a quarter of letting agents saw up to 20% of their landlords selling at least one of their properties.