Tenants will continue to struggle to find the housing they need, as new data reveals the chronic shortage of homes to rent to meet demand.

Almost eight in ten landlords (79%) report that the demand for private rented housing was strong in the third quarter if the year, according to research from Pegasus Insight.

The data, compiled for the National Residential Landlords Association, indicates that landlords who let property in the South East experience the highest levels of demand, with 84% saying it was strong in Q3 2024. By contrast, the figures reveal that demand for private rented accommodation is lowest in the West Midlands.

Despite this trend, across England and Wales 19% of landlords said they sold property over the previous 12 months - more than double the 8% who purchased properties over the same period.

Over the next 12 months 41% of landlords said they plan to sell at least some rental properties, compared to just 6% saying they would buy.

The NRLA warns that, for the vast majority of tenants, landlords selling properties spells bad news. As it stands one in eight renters can purchase a home in the area in which they currently live, according to Oxford Economics.