Belfast the 'most affordable' major city for tenants in the UK

Belfast is the most affordable major city in the UK for renters, with the average tenant spending less than a third of their take-home pay on rent.

The average tenant in Belfast spends £644 on their share of the rent and earns £25,184 per annum after tax.

This equates to spending 33.1% of their net pay on rent – around 3% less than the national average (36%), and much lower than major cities like London (45%), Bristol (41%) and Edinburgh (40%).

Chris Hutchinson, CEO at Canopy, said: “Our latest data shows stark differences in rental affordability across the UK, with some areas facing extreme conditions. In particular, parts of London have become almost unattainable, with tenants spending more than 50% of their net income on rent. This simply isn’t sustainable in the long term.

“The rental market is in a fragile state. While it’s encouraging to see efforts being made to relieve pressure on tenants, any regulatory changes could inadvertently push landlords out of the market, shrinking the supply of properties.

“Most landlords are already adhering to the spirit of the Renter’s Reform Bill, but the full consequences remain uncertain. The Government must tread carefully, so as not to dis-incentivise landlords further, which could ultimately lead to additional rental price pressure, deepening the affordability crisis.”