November 5, 2025

Do more amenities mean higher rents?

The rental market is always changing, and landlords have to adapt to keep up. If you want to achieve higher rents, there’s plenty you can do to give yourself the best chance of finding the ideal tenant.

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Top of that list is understanding what tenants want and giving it to them. It sounds simple, but you would be surprised how many landlords make little or no effort to stand out in a competitive market.

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However, avoiding that trap is easy. The key to it all is providing what tenants want and use. Get that right and you will be able to charge higher rents.

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Renting is a lifestyle now, not a temporary choice

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Renting has become a permanent lifestyle choice for many. More people than ever before are choosing to stay in rental properties for the long term. That means landlords need to provide homes where tenants can really live, not just ones that are a place to sleep for the night.

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Research from MoneySuperMarket in 2024, reported by The Mirror, shows that “more than two-thirds of people say renting a home is a 'lifestyle choice’. Nearly half believe that when making a home, it does not matter whether you rent or own.

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“And more than one-in-three rent when they can afford to buy, with 60% liking the flexibility and 20% trying an area out.”

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For that reason, landlords who can offer properties that enable a lifestyle will charge the highest rents in 2025.

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What should landlords provide to achieve the highest rent?

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But what does that mean in reality? What exactly is it that tenants want from their rental properties in 2025?

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Developers think they have the answer – more amenities. We have seen an arms race in recent years as more and more amenities have been included as standard in new buildings. gyms, cinema rooms, lounges, yoga studios and much more.

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But is that the most important thing for tenants? It’s an important part of the mix, but it’s not the top priority. Research from Bidwells shows what tenants consider to be the essential basics:

High-speed Wi-Fi: 88.01%
Secure building access: 85.96%
Laundry facilities: 84.57%
En-suite bathroom: 83.62%

In other words, landlords should try to provide connectivity, security, laundry facilities and privacy first and foremost. Those are the features at the front of the mind for renters.

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So, where do amenities fit into the rental picture?

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Once you’ve provided the basics, you will be looking for an edge in the market. Just because amenities aren’t top of the list, they are still having an effect on renters. The same Bidwells research shows this. While the basics are most important, large numbers of renters are still looking for additional amenities:

Outdoor space: 81.27%
Parking: 72.18%
Gym or wellness facilities: 66.78%
Co-working space/work area: 65.73%
On-site events and community activities: 59.79%

It’s clear to see that a huge number of tenants desire amenities as well as intangibles like security.

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Landlords should also note that there is a demographic divide among renters. All renters want the above basics, but the category of renters with the most money – and who are willing to spend it on rent – will pay for access to high-quality amenities as part of their homes. Bidwells suggests this surplus could be as much as £60 per month, or £720 per year, extra.

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So landlords in buildings with amenities can access a tier of potential renters that they might not be able to if they didn’t have access to a gym, parking, wellness facilities, landscaped gardens, roof terraces, co-working spaces and everything else that premium accommodation offers.

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Amenities can give landlords an edge

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While amenities are not top of the list of tenant demands, they can give you an edge and help you earn as much rental income as possible. In fact, amenities can give a landlord access to a whole group of richer tenants whom they would otherwise not be able to rent to.

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So, in many cases, amenities can mean higher rents. That’s good news for landlords with properties in amenity-rich buildings. If that’s you, appointing a professional lettings and management agent like Northbank Residential is the best way to make sure your property is being let out at the right market rate for those wealthier tenants.

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By doing so, you can make sure that amenities mean higher rents for you.

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Arrange a call with our team today.

Contact us today regarding all property management and lettings enquires.

0161 388 7848

contact@northbankresidential.com

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