Landlords across England are pursuing more than £470m in unpaid rent after over 210,000 households fell into arrears during 2024-25, new research suggests.
Analysis by Propoly of the latest government data on the private rented sector found that an estimated 210,163 rented households fell behind on payments over the year. The average arrears per household stood at £2,238, bringing the national total to around £470.3m.
London accounted for the largest share of arrears by value, with tenants in the capital amassing an estimated £109.5m in missed rent. The North West followed closely, with £103.1m in arrears, meaning the two regions alone were responsible for nearly half of the national total.
Other regions with significant arrears included the South East (£61m), West Midlands (£58.1m) and Yorkshire & Humber (£38m). The South West recorded the lowest total, at just under £14m.
In terms of the number of households affected, London represented 23.3 per cent of all arrears cases nationwide. The North West accounted for 21.9 per cent, followed by the South East at 13 per cent and the West Midlands at 12.4 per cent. The South West saw the smallest proportion, at 3 per cent of England’s total.
Sim Sekhon, group chief executive at Propoly, said the figures highlight the scale of financial exposure facing landlords. “For many landlords, rental income isn’t supplementary, it covers mortgage repayments, maintenance and wider commitments,” he said.
He pointed to continued pressure on household finances from higher living costs as a key driver behind rising arrears, warning that while tenant hardship may be understandable, the knock-on effect for landlords can be destabilising.
The data comes at a time of wider strain in the rental market, with landlords already grappling with higher mortgage rates, regulatory changes and increased operating costs.
Industry bodies have long argued that rent protection measures and stronger early-intervention systems are essential to limit financial risk for property owners, particularly in regions where arrears are most concentrated.
