Leaders, a UK independently owned letting specialist in the South, experienced an exceptionally busy June, with the total number of lets across its offices up +6% compared with June 2008, and some offices up by as much as +25%.

Leaders report strong demand for rental accommodation of all types across the South, with a balance returning to the market, as many so-called reluctant landlords exit lettings in the face of the improving sales market.

Demand looks set to stay strong, with 90% of tenants surveyed who signed up to a new tenancy with Leaders in June saying that they intended to continue renting after their tenancy ends. Some 75% said they expected to continue renting for at least another two years.

The most common reason for renting was not being able to afford to buy. However, 20% of respondents said they liked the flexibility of renting, 14% said they did not want the responsibilities of home ownership and 6% said they were between owning homes or waiting to buy.

The features cited as most important by most tenants were the location of the property, the quality of the fixtures and fittings - particularly the bathroom and kitchen – and reasonable rents.