Renting Experiences Revealed: A Deep Dive into Regional Variations

Marks Out Of Tenancy has reviewed insights from more than 2,299 rental property reviews between 2017 and 2025, capturing how tenant experiences have shifted across the UK housing market - from affordable flats to high-end rentals. The analysis reveals evolving levels of tenant satisfaction, changing preferences in rental platforms, and the lasting influence of events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. With patterns emerging by season, region, and tenant demographics, this comprehensive study paints a revealing portrait of today’s rental landscape across all property types and rent brackets.

The UK's private rental sector is dynamic and diverse, and the data from tenant reviews on Marks Out Of Tenancy has highlighted striking regional disparities in rental experiences, satisfaction, and market behaviour.

Key Regional Insights

Satisfaction Score Disparities:

Areas such as Twerton and Oldfield Park in Bath lead with remarkable tenant satisfaction scores of 4.57, indicating high-quality landlord and property management standards. In stark contrast, areas within South Central and Central West have significantly lower satisfaction averages, hovering around 1.99 and 1.86 respectively. This points to critical issues landlords and agents in these areas may need to address.

Deposit Protection Rates:

Nottingham shines with an impressive 89.3% deposit protection rate, suggesting robust regulatory compliance and tenant-landlord trust. Conversely, regions such as the North West lag significantly behind with rates as low as 42.1%, highlighting potential compliance issues that require urgent attention. Take a deeper delve into what the data said about deposit protection rates.

Patterns of Platform Usage

Understanding when and how different areas engaged with the platform provides vital clues about market behaviour. Early adopters like Bristol (average review year 2018) have a longer data history, offering deeper insights into tenant satisfaction trends over time. In contrast, newer adopters highlight areas where engagement is rising, potentially driven by increased market awareness or emerging rental challenges.

The Importance of Regional Clusters

Cluster analysis reveals significant variations in market dynamics, even among regions with similar characteristics. For instance, the North East cluster outperforms the Central West significantly. This suggests intrinsic differences in housing quality, landlord practices, or tenant expectations, and it underscores the necessity for local authorities and housing professionals to tailor strategies that reflect unique regional realities.

What Does This Mean For You?

For Renters: Empower yourself with localised reviews and satisfaction metrics to make informed decisions when choosing where to live.

For Landlords and Agents: Recognise the significant impact of maintaining high standards of tenant satisfaction and regulatory compliance on your market reputation and long-term profitability.

For Researchers and Policymakers: Utilise detailed geographical analyses to pinpoint and address localised housing issues, drive policy reform, and improve housing conditions nationwide.

Moving Forward with Marks Out Of Tenancy

By continuing to gather and analyse tenant feedback across diverse regions, Marks Out Of Tenancy not only aids renters in making informed choices but also equips landlords, agents, and policymakers with actionable insights to foster a healthier, more transparent rental market.

For deeper insights, explore the full analysis and engage with our maps and reports to better understand the landscape of the UK's private rental sector.