Nottingham lettings agents handle twice national average
Nottingham lettings agents are managing an average of 31.4 available rental properties each, more than double the national average across major British cities, according to new data.
Analysis by tenancy platform Propoly of 21 major British cities in July 2026 found 71,536 available rental properties being marketed by 5,454 letting agencies, equating to an average of 13.1 available properties per agent.
Regional variations
The figures reveal significant regional disparities in agent workloads. Nottingham recorded 3,078 available rental listings handled by 98 agencies, resulting in the highest average of 31.4 listings per agent.
Newcastle ranked second with an average of 23.5 available properties per agency, based on 2,886 listings and 123 active agents. Aberdeen placed third at 18.2 listings per agency, followed by Leeds at 16.5 and Birmingham at 17.2.
Plymouth recorded 15.6 available properties per agency, with Bournemouth at 15.3, Leicester at 15.1 and Portsmouth at 15.1. Sheffield averaged 14.9 listings per agency, followed by Southampton at 14.3, Liverpool at 13.8 and Bristol at 13.4.
London and major cities
Despite having the largest volume of rental stock, London’s 33,473 available listings were distributed across an estimated 2,744 agencies, resulting in an average of 12.2 available properties per agent, below the overall average. Cardiff matched London at 12.2 listings per agency.
The data comes as London renters face extended tenancy periods, reflecting broader pressures in the rental market.
Manchester recorded 10 listings per agency, while Sunderland averaged 11.9 and Swansea 11.1. Glasgow and Newport recorded the lowest activity levels, with Glasgow averaging eight available properties per agent and Newport recording 6.8, the lowest figure analysed.
Operational implications
Sim Sekhon, Group Chief Executive at Propoly, said: “The volume of rental stock that letting agents are managing varies dramatically across the country and that creates very different operational challenges from one market to the next.”
He added: “For agencies handling a high number of available properties, efficiency becomes increasingly important. As workloads grow, having the right systems and processes in place can make a significant difference to how quickly properties are marketed, enquiries are managed and tenancies progress.”
The research highlights operational differences in the lettings sector, with agents in cities like Nottingham and Newcastle managing substantially higher property volumes than counterparts in Glasgow and Newport. Industry observers suggest these variations reflect differing levels of market consolidation and local rental demand patterns across British cities.
