The highest rental yield in the UK property market in the first quarter of 2024 was in the North East region, amounting to **** percent. Conversely, private rental homes in London had the lowest average gross yield, at **** percent. Rental yield is a measure of profitability and shows the annual rental income as a share of the property price. Although higher yields imply a higher annual return, they do not take into consideration the rental growth and house price appreciation potential of the property.

Newham, Barking and Dagenham, and Haringey had the highest average gross yield in London in 2023. In Newham, the average yield was 7.25 percent. Westminster, on the other hand, had the lowest rental yield, at under 4.6 percent. Rental yield is a measure of profitability and shows the annual rental income as a share of the property price. Although higher yields imply a higher annual return, they do not take into consideration the rental growth and house price appreciation potential of the property.

The prime yields in the UK expanded across most property types between 2022 and 2025. In April 2025, yields were the lowest in the London West End offices market at *****percent. In contrast, shopping center yields stood at ****percent. Yield is an indicator for the expected return of a property investment and is calculated as the ratio of rental income and the property value. Several factors can drive yields - increased demand could raise property values, causing lower yields, while a fall in demand could create the opposite effect. Which is the largest commercial real estate sector in the UK? Office real estate has traditionally accounted for the lion’s share of the commercial property investment market, but since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, investors’ interest has shifted towards industrial real estate. With the e-commerce sector growing and supply chain management becoming more important than ever, so has the industrial and logistic sector. This increase in importance is also reflected in the occupiers market, with the annual take-up exceeding the ten-year average for three years in a row. How is the commercial property market expected to develop in the coming years? The industrial and logistic property market is forecast to outperform retail and offices in terms of capital value growth in the period between 2025 and 2028. According to the same forecast, rental growth is expected to turn positive for all property types in 2025, except for shopping centers.

Median monthly rental prices for the private rental market in England by bedroom category, region and administrative area, calculated using data from the Valuation Office Agency and Office for National Statistics.

Prime yields for high street retail properties in the UK have increased since 2019. As of June 2025, yields were the highest for good secondary properties in markets such as Truro, Leamington Spa, Colchester, and the lowest on Bond Street in London. High street shops on Oxford Street in London had a prime yield of *** percent.

Rental price statistics historical data time series (indices and annual percentage change). These are official statistics in development.

Industrial multi-lets and industrial distribution properties had the lowest yields in the industrial real estate sector, amounting to 5.25 percent in February 2024. Conversely, yields were the highest for retail warehousing (restricted), at 6.25. Yield is an indicator for the expected return of a property investment and is calculated as the ratio of rental income and the property value. Several factors can drive yields - increased demand could raise property values, causing lower yields, while a fall in demand could create the opposite effect. Overall, yields expanded across all commercial property types in 2023.

In 2023, houses in multiple occupation (HMO) and flats in multi-unit blocks saw the highest property yield in the United Kingdom. In the second quarter of the year, the rental yield of HMOs was six percent. Business mortgages, or buy-to-let (BTL) mortgages, are a loan sold to property investors, rather than to people who want to purchase a home to live in.

Scotland provided the highest gross rental yield for buy-to-let properties in the UK in the third quarter of 2024. The average yield in Scotland amounted to *** percent, making it one of the most profitable markets. In London, the average yield was *** percent, reflecting the highly competitive nature of the capital.

In the 2 years to March 2023, White British households spent 28% of their weekly income on rent payments on average – the lowest percentage out of all ethnic groups.

The average return for prime office real estate in Europe and the UK is forecast to increase in 2025. In 2024, the average return in the UK was estimated at **** percent, and in 2025, it was expected to rise to **** percent.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are attractive investment vehicles, as they are exempt from corporate tax. A reduction in REIT requirements and restrictions has encouraged new entrants, although many were hit hard by the retail crash during the COVID-19 outbreak. Revenue is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 0.4% over the five years through 2024-25 to £8.5 billion including estimated growth of 11.8% in 2024-25, while the average profit is expected to be 19.3%. As many REITs own some form of retail and office property, lockdowns and social distancing measures during the pandemic meant the REIT industry lost revenue. Many REITs were forced to sell assets to stay afloat, threatening a spiral in retail property value, with shopping centre giant Intu Properties collapsing into administration. While many REITs with exposure to warehouses performed well in the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak amid the e-commerce boom, the industry contended with significant headwinds like rising interest rates and rock-bottom confidence in 2022-23, hurting asset valuations and stifling investment activity. Macroeconomic conditions improved somewhat in 2023-24, with both business and consumer confidence picking up thanks to more optimistic growth prospects and stabilising interest, supporting rental income. However, the higher base rate environment has posed financing challenges, resulting in REITs finding alternative sources of finances like share placements to capitalise on low property values. In 2024-25, REITs have welcomed interest rate cuts, easing financing pressures and lifting asset values. This will support balance sheets, driving investment activity and revenue growth. REIT revenue is forecast to grow at a compound annual rate of 5.6% over the five years through 2029-30 to £11.2 billion. The hike in corporation tax in April 2023 has resulted in investors looking towards REITs due to their tax advantages, positioning REITs for significant investment in the coming years and driving revenue growth. REITs will welcome solid government support in the form of regulatory changes aiming at making the industry more competitive. Technological innovation will also shape the industry. Most notably, proptech solutions are being introduced, which improve property management and operating efficiency, supporting profit.

Expenditure on rent by renters and mortgages by mortgage holders, by region and age from the Living Costs and Food Survey for the financial year ending 2022. Data is presented as a proportion of total expenditure and a proportion of disposable income.

The investment yields of warehouse and industrial space in the UK continued to rise in 2024. As of June, yields were the highest for good secondary estates, at 7.25 percent. Conversely, prime distribution and warehousing properties with a lease term of 20 years and a higher open market value had the lowest yield, at five percent.

The average agreed rent for new tenancies in the UK ranged from *** British pounds to ***** British pounds, depending on the region. On average, renters outside of London paid ***** British pounds, whereas in London, this figure amounted to ***** British pounds. Rents have been on the rise for many years, but the period after the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this trend. Since 2015, the average rent in the UK increased by about ** percent, with about half of that gain achieved in the period after the pandemic. Why have UK rents increased so much? One of the main reasons driving up rental prices is the declining affordability of homeownership. Historically, house prices grew faster than rents, making renting more financially feasible than buying. In 2022, when the house price to rent ratio index peaked, house prices had outgrown rents by nearly ** percent since 2015. As house prices peaked in 2022, home buying slowed, exacerbating demand for rental properties and leading to soaring rental prices. How expensive is too expensive? Although there is no official requirement about the proportion of income spent on rent for it to be considered affordable, a popular rule is that rent should not exceed more than ** percent of income. In 2024, most renters in the UK exceeded that threshold, with the southern regions significantly more likely to spend upward of ** percent of their income on rent. Rental affordability has sparked a move away from the capital to other regions in the UK, such as the South East (Brighton and Southampton), the West Midlands (Birmingham) and the North West (Liverpool, Manchester, Blackpool and Preston).

Average weekly household expenditure on goods and services in the UK. Data are shown by region, age, income (including equivalised) group (deciles and quintiles), economic status, socio-economic class, housing tenure, output area classification, urban and rural areas (Great Britain only), place of purchase and household composition.

Renters in the UK spent on average 32.5 percent of their income on rent as of January 2025. Scotland and Yorkshire and Humber were the most affordable regions, with households spending less than 28 percent of their gross income on rent. Conversely, London, South West, and South East had a higher ratio. Greater London is the most expensive region for renters Greater London has a considerably higher rent than the rest of the UK regions. In 2024, the average rental cost in Greater London was more than twice higher than in the North West or West Midlands. Compared with Greater London, rent in the South East region was about 600 British pounds cheaper. London property prices continue to increase In recent years, house prices in the UK have been steadily increasing, and the period after the COVID-19 pandemic has been no exception. Prime residential property prices in Central London are forecast to continue rising until 2027. A similar trend in prime property prices is also expected in Outer London.

Since 2015, the gap between the cost of buying a home and renting has grown, with homeownership becoming increasingly less affordable. In the ***** ******* of 2024, the house price to rent ratio in the UK stood at *****. That meant that house price growth has outpaced rental growth by nearly ** percent between 2015 and 2024. The UK's house price to rent ratio was slightly below the average Euro area ratio. House price to income ratio in the UK Another indicator for housing affordability is the house price to income ratio, which is calculated by dividing nominal house prices by the nominal disposable income per head. The ratio saw an overall increase between 2015, which was the base year, and 2022. After that, the index declined, but remained close to the average for the Euro area. Is it more affordable to rent or buy? There are many things to be considered when comparing buying to renting, such as the ability to qualify for a mortgage and whether prospective homebuyers have sufficient savings for a deposit. Generally, purchasing a home is more affordable than renting one. However, the average monthly savings first-time buyers can achieve have been on the decline. In East of England, where house prices have increased rapidly over the past few years, it was cheaper to rent than to buy in 2022.

The UK residential rental market is poised for significant growth, with forecasts indicating a cumulative increase of nearly ** percent by 2029. This surge is expected to be front-loaded, with a robust ***** percent rise anticipated in 2024. Rental growth has accelerated notably since 2021, with August 2024 experiencing a decade-high annual percentage growth. The trend reflects the complex interplay between housing affordability, mortgage rates, and supply of rental homes, as the UK housing market navigates a period of transition.

The industrial real estate sector and West End offices are forecasted to see the highest annualized rental growth in the UK between 2025 and 2029, followed by city offices. According to the forecast, industrial real estate and West End office space rents are expected to grow by *** percent per year in this period, while city office space rents are expected to increase by *** percent. When it comes to total commercial real estate returns in the UK, the industrial and shopping center sectors are forecast to outperform all other property types.