The cost of rental voids has climbed by almost 58% in just three years, with the average landlord now estimated to lose almost £1,100 in rental income each time their property sits empty between tenancies.

Property management firm Rushbrook analysed average void periods and rental values across England to determine the estimated financial cost of a property remaining empty between tenancies, comparing the latest 2026 figures with 2023.

The research shows that the average cost of a void across England has increased from £696 in 2023 to £1,097 in 2026, an increase of 57.5%.

This increase has come as the average void period itself has lengthened, rising from 17.5 days in 2023 to 23.2 days in 2026.

The North East has seen the largest increase in the cost of a rental void over the last three years, rising by 92.4%, from £318 in 2023 to £612 in 2026.

The West Midlands has recorded the second-largest increase at 62.5%, with the average cost of a void climbing from £528 to £859.

London follows, where the cost associated with the average void period has increased by 61.9%, from £838 to £1,357. This also makes London the most expensive region in England for landlords experiencing a void in cash terms.

The South East has seen the average cost of a void increase by 60.1%, from £658 to £1,053, while the North West has recorded an increase of 59.5%, from £457 to £728.

Elsewhere, the estimated cost has increased by 53.9% in Yorkshire and the Humber, 50.4% in the East of England, 44.8% in the South West and 42.4% in the East Midlands.

While a void period cannot always be avoided when one tenancy ends and another begins, Rushbrook says the increasing financial cost demonstrates why preventing a property from remaining empty for longer than necessary is so important.

Effective management ahead of a tenancy ending can help minimise avoidable delays, whether that’s identifying maintenance requirements in advance, arranging contractors, coordinating the check-out process or ensuring any required works are completed efficiently before the next tenant moves in.

This is particularly important for portfolio landlords, where relatively small delays across multiple properties can quickly accumulate into a much larger loss of rental income.

The longer-term trend also shows that void periods themselves have been increasing. Across England, the average void stood at 18 days in 2022 and 17.5 days in 2023, before increasing to 18.4 days in 2024, 20.3 days in 2025 and 23.2 days in 2026.