The Rightmove Consumer Confidence Survey Q4 2012

Rents set to rise circa 2% in 2013, tempered by majority of landlords planning ‘rent freeze’.

• 61% of existing landlords plan ‘rent freeze’ for 2013, the clearest indicator yet that landlords will opt for a lighter foot on the ‘rent rise accelerator’ next year.

• Just one in four (25%) of existing landlords intend to put rents up in 2013, and of those only around a third (35%) plan a raise of more than 5% - the result is likely to see the annual rate of growth ease to circa 2%

• Landlords becoming increasingly mindful of tenants’ ability to meet rising rental demands, heightening risk of arrears and voids:

• More than a fifth (22%) of current tenants pays 50% or more of their take-home pay on rent as ‘affordability ceiling’ comes into view.

• Rental headroom reduced as average rents have increased by 13.6% since 2009 as demand continues to outstrip supply.

• Composition of UK landlords includes many who are perhaps more sympathetic to tenants’ rental price worries – one in four is an ‘accidental landlord’.

• Pressure on rental demand set to remain as many tenants unable to escape rental trap - 59% would like to buy but can’t afford to do so, the highest Rightmove has ever recorded.