Could It Take Longer To Let a Northampton Vacant Property?

Right Move’s latest research confirms that the average rental home now receives 10 enquiries, compared to 22 in 2022. That’s a lot fewer options of applicants to choose from, and a lot fewer eyes on the property.

With the stricter laws around notices and the removal of Section 21's, choosing the right tenant for a property is more important than ever.

The referencing process is already lengthy enough; ensuring that tenants meet affordability criteria, and have certified references & identity documents requires in-depth checks, and with less potential applicants this can turn a lengthy period into an even more laborious one. Vacant properties will really struggle in this new market.

However, it's no necessarily all doom and gloom, there is some optimism to be had.

RightMove's research shows that the speed at which properties are coming to market has also decreased by 1% compared to previous years.

Additional sources suggests there were an average of 114,178 properties listed for rent in Q3 2025.

https://www.property118.com/rental-home-availability-in-england-surges-by-nearly-20/

A 1% decrease is roughly over 1,100 less properties on the rental market. That's a lot less completion. However, it still indicates there's a lot of other properties that could potentially overshadow your own.

So we can take 3 things from this:

1) On average, there are fewer properties on the market, meaning your property is more likely to reach the eyes of prospective tenants.

But,

2) Tenants are now more price-conscious and are only applying for properties that actively appeal to them. That means a price reflective of its quality, its area, its size and its longevity.

And,

3) The new Renter's Rights Act means Tenants who are already in a property need to give 2 months' notice to vacate.

 

What does this means for you, as a homeowner?

Say you've got the perfect vacant property and you've priced just right (which is hard enough to do; we use detailed market reports to value our properties, but even then there are so many factors to consider – your target demographic, nearby shops or schools or travel links, etc).

Despite that, the speed at which you are going to get a new tenant is going to be slower than previous years simply because of the lower amount of viewings.

And then say you find that perfect tenant. The only problem then will be that they'll likely need to give 2 months' notice to vacate their current property; now your property is vacant for another 2 months. That's 2 more months of council tax, energy bills, and missed rent.

So even if your property is correctly priced, you could be missing out on months of rent.

It's an unfortunate fact, but one that must be taken into consideration when marketing your property. Make sure you think smart about the price of your property so that it appeals to the widest market - what is the sweet spot between affordable for tenants and a worthwhile income for you?

 

Guaranteed Rent to solve a Vacant Property

With our Guaranteed Rent Service, we can help mitigate this. From day one, we can guarantee you a rental income, even if the property is vacant.

So, we'll cover your energy bills, council tax and your rent during the void period; and when we do find a tenant, if they don't pay on time, we'll still make sure you get your rent.

In a market that's constantly fluctuating, it's nice to have some stability.