The UK average void period in the rental market dropped from 20 days in January to 19 days in February, data from Goodlord shows.

On a regional basis, the East Midlands, at 27 days (19 in January) had the longest average void period during February, with the North East not far behind, at 24 days (22 to the month before).

London had the shortest void periods on average, at 10 days (down from 15 in January), with the North West, South West and South East joint second, at 18 days apiece (19, 22, and 22 days each in January, respectively).

Goodlord adds that the average UK rent cost dropped from £875 per month in January to £864, with all regions but the South East and Midlands – which grew by 2 per cent and 1 per cent respectively – declining slightly.

The average age of a renter in the UK is now 34, earning £24,934, the data also shows.

Goodlord chief operations officer Tom Mundy says: “February is traditionally one of the quietest months of the year for lettings, which means these figures are aligned with our expectations for this period.

“It’s a good opportunity for letting agents to take stock of the systems they have in place and make sure they’re not only prepared for an increase in volumes as we head towards summer, but also upcoming legislation changes that will increase administration, such as the new electrical safety standards regulations.”