"Our views are clearly shared by others in the marketplace, most notably IMLA. Its recent review of 2024 and preview of 2025 paints an encouraging picture for buy-to-let with an estimate of £33.2 billion of gross lending in 2024, which would be 10% up on 2023"
- Steve Cox - Fleet Mortgages
Buy-to-let specialist lender, Fleet Mortgages has released the latest data from its Buy-to-Let Rental Barometer covering Q4 2024 rental yields across England and Wales.
The regional snapshot covers all areas of England and Wales in which Fleet lends and highlights the rental yield changes that have occurred in each of those regions. In this iteration, the yearly comparison is between Q4 2023 and Q4 2024.
The total average yield for England and Wales is 7.4%, showing an annual increase of 0.6% on the same quarter in 2023, and 0.2% up on the previous quarter.
Fleet said rental yields remain almost universally positive, with only one region in England and Wales, the West Midlands, showing a year-on-year fall. However, compared to the previous quarter, three regions – Greater London, the North East and the West Midlands – have all seen reducing yields.
The North East continues to lead the average rental yield table at 9.3% with Yorkshire & Humberside moving up to second place with 8.6%, above the North West with 8.3%, which occupied second place in the last Barometer.
Having dropped down the list in Q3 2024, Wales has moved back up with a 0.5% year-on-year increase delivering a quarterly rental yield of 8.2% while the East Midlands continues to show strong growth, showing a year-on-year increase of 1.2%, however, this has slowed recently, up only 0.2% on the last quarter.
Fleet said that averaged out across England & Wales, rental yields were broadly static compared to a year ago. However, with almost all regions still in positive territory, and with mortgage costs having fallen over the last 12-18 months, the yields available made property investment an attractive option for many established and new landlords.
Applications received by Fleet from those landlords with six to 14 buy-to-let properties had increased from 30% in Q3 to 34% in Q4, while there was a continuation in the growth of applications from first-time landlords, up from 10% to 11%, over the same period.
The lender’s data also reveals the highest average monthly rent per property was generated within Greater London at £2,056, followed by the South West at £1,734. Properties located within the North East typically contain the most affordable rental stock, with an average monthly rent of £706.
The Rental Barometer also includes data covering average rates, loan sizes, and purchase/remortgage split figures.
Comparing the third and fourth quarters of 2024, Fleet’s product pricing continued to fall. Its average 75% LTV two-year fixed rate fell from 5.02% to 4.71%, while its five-year fixed rate fell from 5.24% to 5.11%. The lender said it anticipated a continuation of this trend through 2025.
Peer group average rates were 5.33% for two-year fixed rates, down from 5.34%, but had seen an increase from 5.35% to 5.45% for five-year rates.
Fleet’s average loan size continued to increase on the previous quarter, up from £196k to just shy of £202k, with the average rental cover at loan origination also increasing from 176% to 182%, reflecting improved monthly rents and affordability.
Applications for property purchases in Q4 2024 also increased, up from 43% last quarter to 44%, while 79% of all applications through the quarter were from limited company borrowers – up from 77% - while private investor borrower applications were down from 23% to 21%.
“There is certainly a greater degree of positivity around the buy-to-let market now than at this time last year, even with the Budget decision to increase stamp duty surcharges for landlord purchasers," commented Steve Cox, Chief Commercial Officer at Fleet Mortgages, adding "Our Rental Barometer reflects that optimism over the last quarter of 2024, with average rental yields – on the whole – continuing to improve, albeit at a slightly slower rate, but also in terms of Fleet’s figures for average monthly rents, average rates, average loan sizes, rental cover, and application numbers for property purchases.
“Certainly, many landlords were waiting for the Budget before making decisions, but even with the stamp duty increase, at least they now have certainty about the future, can plan accordingly, and as mentioned, the financial position is positive which will allow more landlords to act and to add to portfolios where appropriate.", he said.
A more positive market
Fleet suggests that this points to a more positive market for buy-to-let in 2025.
Steve explains "...especially if we see rates fall steadily, as anticipated, while at the same time, tenant demand remains strong, while the supply of properties in the private rental sector is still not enough to meet this demand.
“Our views are clearly shared by others in the marketplace, most notably IMLA. Its recent review of 2024 and preview of 2025 paints an encouraging picture for buy-to-let with an estimate of £33.2 billion of gross lending in 2024, which would be 10% up on 2023.
“Its outlook for the future is also positive, predicting £38bn of buy-to-let gross lending this year and up again to £42bn in 2026, arguing this improvement will come from greater landlord activity fuelled by lower rates, improved affordability, and a continuation in strong rental yields.
Steve concluded: “Overall as we begin 2025, our expectation is for a strong year of lending activity and business, with a higher degree of demand, both from established landlords and – encouragingly – from first-time borrowers.
“We are here to work with advisers and their landlord clients to ensure they get the most competitive products and criteria to allow them to take advantage of increasingly positive market conditions.”
