The latest Arla Propertymark private rented sector report shows that tenant demand is at its highest on record, while the number of properties available is also up.

There were an average of 101 new tenants per letting agent branch in August, the report details, beating the previous record of 97 counted in July.

Meanwhile, the number of available properties per branch came in at 208, the same as the month before, far above the 192 counted in July 2017 – the previous record month.

There was a rise in the number of tenants who say their rent bill rise in August, too – 48 per cent of agents witnessed this versus 29 per cent in June and 39 per cent in July. In August 2019, this figure stood at 64 per cent.

Arla Propertymark president Angela Davey comments: “We continue to see record breaking levels of rental stock and demand from tenants, painting a positive picture for the future of the private rented sector.

“With Covid-19 lockdown restrictions starting to increase again as we head towards the colder months, it’s more important than ever for landlords to communicate well with their tenants, and that tenants continue to pay their rent to ensure the market remains strong over the next period.”