Interest in becoming a buy-to-let landlord has fallen across almost every major UK city over the past year, with searches dropping in all but one location analysed.
That is according to a study by Emoov, which found that Cambridge is the only city in the UK to see growing interest in buy-to-let investing.
Searches for buy-to-let increased by 23.5% year-on-year in the city, bucking a nationwide trend that saw demand fall in every other location studied.
After Cambridge, Plymouth recorded the strongest performance, with demand slipping by just 2.9%.
Poole (-5.3%) and Southampton (-5.7%) were among the locations that remained relatively stable, while most UK cities experienced far steeper declines.
| Top 10 Average Searches for “Buy to let Landlords” | |||
| City | June 2024-May 2025 | May 2025 – June 2026 | % Change |
| Cambridge | 2,380 | 2,940 | 23.50% |
| Plymouth | 8,720 | 8,470 | -2.90% |
| Poole | 5,830 | 5,520 | -5.30% |
| Southampton | 5,060 | 4,770 | -5.70% |
| Derby | 6,380 | 5,920 | -7.20% |
| Lichfield | 4,210 | 3,900 | -7.40% |
| Sunderland | 3,430 | 3,170 | -7.60% |
| Chichester | 4,580 | 4,180 | -8.70% |
| Exeter | 3,640 | 3,320 | -8.80% |
| Norwich | 7,510 | 6,760 | -10.00% |
Birmingham also experienced a 33.33% decline, followed by London with a 41.7% fall.
Carlisle experienced the most significant, 59.1% decline in interest.
| Bottom 10 Average Searches for “Buy to let Landlords” | |||
| City | June 2024-May 2025 | June 2025-May 2026 | % Change |
| Carlisle | 3,910 | 1,600 | -59.10% |
| London | 99,930 | 58,220 | -41.70% |
| Birmingham | 22,400 | 14,940 | -33.30% |
| Blackpool | 3,670 | 2,450 | -33.20% |
| Wakefield | 5,540 | 3,860 | -30.30% |
| Nottingham | 4,710 | 3,380 | -28.20% |
| Milton Keynes | 7,070 | 5,100 | -27.90% |
| Canterbury | 3,240 | 2,350 | -27.50% |
| Ripon | 2,310 | 1,690 | -26.80% |
| Colchester | 4,400 | 3,270 | -25.70% |
