New data has revealed the UK’s trending rental hotspots in 2025.
Landlord insurer Hiscox analysed UK, global, and regional Google search data for flat and house tenancy enquiries across 1,000 UK locations, showing the areas that have experienced the biggest increase in searches and are emerging hotspots for renters.
Unsurprisingly, London remains the UK’s biggest rental hub, and has seen a notable increase in interest suggesting demand still exists in the city.
The data said that there were 45,000 more search enquiries for houses to rent in London among British tenants (+13 per cent). However, search enquiries by international flat hunters dropped 7 per cent for London (59,000 less searches). Similarly, house hunters declined by 21 per cent, which translated to 50,400 fewer searches.
The top three trending hotspots for British renters seeking flat tenancies were London, Birmingham and Edinburgh. For renters seeking house tenancies, the most popular areas were London, Cardiff and Birmingham.
However, for international tenants seeking a rental property, the top locations to rent a flat were Bristol, Oxford and Leeds. Those looking to rent a house were more commonly searching for Bolton, Oxford and Leeds.
Michael Dear, product lead at Hiscox said: “From the return of big cities to the continued popularity of coastal towns, our data gives a snapshot of what renters really value in 2025. While London is regaining some of its pull with UK tenants, it’s telling to see smaller towns like Bolton, and seaside spots like Truro and Whitby, climbing the ranks. It’s a reminder that for many renters, space, lifestyle and affordability are just as important as postcode.
“It’s also notable that international interest of late could be shifting away from London. This could reflect changing student patterns, work visa trends, or simply that renters from overseas are casting a wider net and have more awareness of other UK cities that offer both quality of life and rental value. It’s a sign that rental demand across the UK could become more evenly spread – and that’s good news for renters looking beyond the usual hotspots.”