With an estimated 2.5 million landlords in the UK, buy-to-let properties are a popular way of generating additional income and a financial investment for the future.
However, it’s estimated that around two in five (41.4%) landlords do not have do not have specialist landlord coverage in place. This means more than one million landlords could be exposed to potentially large expenses further down the line, should they need to pay for repairs to the building or the replacement of items.
Landlord insurance provides financial protection for homeowners who rent property out to tenants. In short, it helps cover the increased risks associated with letting properties out to those in rented accommodation.
Our landlord insurance report collates recent UK landlord insurance statistics, alongside our own data, to see how the market is changing. By analysing landlord insurance stats across different variables, we can assess the extent to which various factors could impact the average cost of landlord insurance in 2023.
The median average cost of landlord insurance in the UK in 2023 is £224.93. This is for landlord insurance with no optional extras, and takes into account all property types, locations, and tenant types in the UK.
Based on quote data, a studio flat is the cheapest type of property for landlord insurance. With an average price of £101.44, this is almost a quarter (24%) less than the next most affordable property type (an individual converted flat).
Other types of property that are relatively affordable for landlord insurance include:
Property type | Median average quote price | Percentage of total quotes |
---|---|---|
Terraced house | £231.35 | 42.40% |
Semi-detached house | £236.84 | 16.91% |
Purpose built individual flat | £139.39 | 15.42% |
Converted block of flat | £597.35 | 6.94% |
Detached house | £298.28 | 5.43% |
Individual converted flat | £133.75 | 4.21% |
Detached bungalow | £285.19 | 2.09% |
Purpose built block of flats | £621.18 | 1.57% |
Semi-detached bungalow | £216.80 | 1.30% |
Maisonette | £178.95 | 1.10% |
Tyneside flat | £156.65 | 0.71% |
Link-detached house | £263.95 | 0.36% |
Studio flat | £101.44 | 0.31% |
Terraced bungalow | £194.76 | 0.30% |
As expected, at the other end of the scale, the most expensive landlord insurance is the purpose built block of flats, where multiple properties are covered. With an average quote of £621.18 per year, this is 514% more expensive than the most affordable option (studio flat).
On average, landlord insurance is also relatively high for converted blocks of flats and detached housing, with typical quotes ranging from £597.35 to £298.28, respectively.
In total, the most common type of quote for landlord insurance was for terraced housing. Accounting for more than two in five (41.37%) of quotes, the average cost of landlord insurance for this type of property was £231.35 a year.
Recently become a landlord, or thinking of becoming one?
Then check out our beginners guide to landlord insurance.
Another factor that affects the cost of landlord insurance is property size. Generally, properties with fewer bedrooms tend to generate cheaper landlord insurance quotes.
According to our quote-based data, one-bedroom properties tend to have the lowest landlord insurance costs. On average, this will set you back around £141.81 for the year.
The most popular property size for landlord insurance quotes is two-bedroom (37.09%), followed closely by three-bedroom properties (35.6%). Despite having twice the number of bedrooms, a two bedroom property will only cost 31% more to insure than a one bedroom property. For a three bedroom property the price increases once again, this time by £86.
Number of bedrooms | Median average quote price | Percentage of total quotes |
---|---|---|
1 | £141.81 | 10.52% |
2 | £186.72 | 37.09% |
3 | £234.32 | 35.60% |
4 | £320.35 | 8.65% |
5 | £365.77 | 3.84% |
6 | £381.64 | 2.78% |
7 | £435.64 | 0.78% |
8 | £469.73 | 0.36% |
9 | £461.50 | 0.12% |
10 | £617.36 | 0.11% |
On average, a four-bedroom property costs 40% more to insure than a three-bedroom, and around double compared to a one-bed property.
Typically, the most expensive property size for landlord insurance is one with 10 bedrooms. With an average quote of £617.36, this is almost a third (31%) more than the cost to to insure an 8-bedroom property.
Our very own landlord insurance statistics show that newer properties tend to yield cheaper insurance costs.
Typically, properties built between 1990-2000 have the lowest average landlord insurance costs. At £172.23 for a typical quote, this is around £4 a year cheaper than the next most affordable options (properties built after 2000 and those constructed between 1980-1989).
Year | Median average quote price | Percentage of total quotes |
---|---|---|
1850-1899 | £336.06 | 7.12% |
1900-1920 | £266.27 | 30.22% |
1921-1944 | £267.51 | 10.06% |
1945-1979 | £212.52 | 23.81% |
1980-1989 | £176.15 | 7.62% |
1990-2000 | £172.23 | 7.21% |
After 2000 | £176.01 | 12.45% |
On average, properties built between 1850-1899 cost 90% more to insure than those built since the turn of the millennium (£336.05 vs £176.01, respectively).
According to our quote-based data, properties built between 1900-1920 are the most common property age for landlord insurance quotes. On average, they tend to cost a fifth (20.8%) less to insure than those built between 1850-1890.
The average price of landlord insurance drops significantly for properties built after the Second World War. Those constructed between 1945-1979 cost 20% less on average to insure than a typical property built prior to 1944, and contribute to almost a quarter of total quotes (23.81%).
Our latest landlord insurance statistics show that as a property’s rebuild values increase, so does the relative cost of landlord insurance.
Almost three-quarters (72.75%) of our landlord insurance quotes are for properties with a rebuild value of between £100,000 and £300,000, generating average prices of £190.10 and £281.89, respectively.
The average cost of landlord insurance is lowest for properties under £100,000 RV, although this accounts for just over 1% of our total quotes.
What is meant by the ‘rebuild value’?
The rebuild value (RV) refers to how much it would cost to rebuild your property if it was destroyed beyond repair. This includes the price of site clearance, labour, and materials.
Property rebuild value (£) | Median average quote price | Percentage of total quotes |
---|---|---|
1k - 100k | £114.05 | 1.23% |
100k - 200k | £190.10 | 36.71% |
200k - 300k | £281.89 | 36.04% |
300k - 400k | £407.28 | 12.43% |
400k - 500k | £532.04 | 5.37% |
500k - 600k | £651.45 | 2.56% |
600k - 700k | £764.83 | 1.45% |
700k - 800k | £924.40 | 0.95% |
800k - 900k | £966.31 | 0.69% |
900k - 1mn | £1,126.50 | 0.44% |
1mn - 1.1mn | £1,263.12 | 0.37% |
1.1mn - 2mn | £1, 619.33 | 1.21% |
2mn - 3mn | £2,453.09 | 0.28% |
3mn - 4mn | £2,732.92 | 0.12% |
4mn - 5mn | £3,508.84 | 0.06% |
5mn - 6mn | £4,187.63 | 0.04% |
6mn+ | £4,157.18 | 0.06% |
At the other end of the scale, once the rebuild value of a property exceeds £900,000, then this results in an average landlord insurance cost of around £1,126.
Typically, the highest average landlord insurance costs can be found on properties between £5-6 million RV (around £4,186 per year).
Across the UK, there are significant variations in the average cost of landlord insurance, ranging from as little as £68.99 a year, up to more than £1,440.
Based on our quote data, the price of landlord insurance in the UK tends to be highest in the south—particularly in London—and less expensive towards the north. However, there are some areas of the capital, such as those in the E13, where the average cost can drop below £70 a year, depending on your personal circumstances and the type of property being insured.
Postcode | Median average quote price |
---|---|
W5 2 | £1,443.42 |
N6 5 | £1,109.50 |
N4 3 | £1,010.33 |
EX9 | £902.36 |
N2 0 | £764.60 |
WR10 | £762.18 |
W4 2 | £731.59 |
SE21 | £719.21 |
L6 7 | £700.79 |
TR7 | £699.53 |
According to our quote-based data, the most expensive area of the UK for landlord insurance is in the postcode W5 2. Situated in the London borough of Ealing, the average price of landlord insurance here is just over £1,443 a year.
This is followed by N6 5 and N4 3 postcodes, which have average landlord insurance costs in excess of £1,109 and £1,010, respectively.
On average, the most expensive area for landlord insurance outside of London is for properties in EX9. Properties here in Devon can expect to pay around £902 a year for their landlord insurance.
Postcode | Median average quote price |
---|---|
B7 5 | £68.41 |
E1 3 | £68.99 |
SA61 | £69.68 |
WS10 | £72.68 |
M3 5 | £73.32 |
HU1 | £73.33 |
L3 2 | £73.66 |
B3 1 | £74.11 |
EC1R | £74.65 |
BH2 | £76.53 |
According to our quote-based data, the most affordable part of the country for landlord insurance is located in the postcode area B7 5. Property owners in Salford Bridge (Birmingham) had an average quote price of £68.41 for their landlord insurance. This was marginally ahead of E1 3 in Whitechapel (London) at £68.99 a year.
Haverfordwest (Wales) was the only other postcode area of the country to experience average landlord insurance costs of less than £70 a year.
According to our quote-based landlord insurance statistics, the lowest average cost of landlord insurance is for those renting to the unemployed (£206.49) although this is for a very small percentage of quotes, followed by the employed (£207.90), and retired (£210.13).
Typically, properties with residents on housing benefits face average landlord insurance costs of £224 a year, compared to £243.01 for those who are self-employed. This figure was close to a fifth (17%) more per year than tenants who are retired.
Tenant type Median average quote price Percentage of total quotes
Employed £207.90 74.20%
Students £303.69 8.39%
Housing benefit £224.78 3.92%
Unemployed £206.49 2.79%
Retired £210.13 2.77%
Unoccupied £389.76 2.25%
Mixed £359.88 1.83%
Local authority £352.99 1.43%
Company let £391.76 0.80%
Self-employed £243.01 0.72%
Asylum seekers £278.82 0.35%
Housing association £279.81 0.22%
(Source: Alan Boswell Group)
According to our data, students are the second most popular tenant type (8.39%) after the employed (74.2%). However, the average cost of landlord insurance for renting to students is almost £100 a year more than employed tenants.
In addition, an unoccupied property has a typical cost of £389 per year. This makes them 85% more expensive for landlord insurance compared to tenants who are retired, and the second most expensive of all categories after company let (nearly £392 a year on average).
Renting to more than three tenants in the same property?
Then you may want to consider HMO landlord insurance as an alternative to a standard policy, to ensure you are fully protected in the event of a claim.
The overall cost of landlord insurance will vary depending on which optional extras you choose to include. For example, landlord legal expenses insurance (with up to £50,000 worth of cover) could set you back an extra £40 a year.
Optional extra coverage for landlords | When purchased with landlord insurance | When purchased as a standalone item |
---|---|---|
Accidental damage (building only) | Built into the rate | Not able to purchase |
Legal expenses (£50k cover) | £40 | £60 |
Tenant default/rent guarantee (£12k to £50k worth of cover) | £195 | £250 |
Home emergency (boiler, heating, electric) | £135 | £135 |
Similarly, rent guarantee insurance will set you back £195 a year, when purchased alongside landlord insurance, with the cost of adding landlord home emergency cover standing at £135. At the other end of the scale, landlord contents insurance as an add-on could range between £87 and £261 a year, depending on how much landlord cover you require.
Amount of cover | Median average cost |
---|---|
Up to £15,000 | £87.82 |
Up to £20,000 | £131.32 |
Up to £25,000 | £147.50 |
Up to £30,000 | £180.87 |
£30,000+ | £261.76 |
In addition to optional extras on their landlord insurance policy, those renting to tenants may also want to consider taking out landlord contents insurance. This will help protect personal items and possessions in the property, particularly if renting out one which is part or fully-furnished.
As expected, the median average cost of landlord contents insurance depends largely on the collective value of your items and how much subsequent cover you require. On average, if you have contents worth up to £15,000 in total, then you can expect to pay around £87 a year for landlord contents insurance. However, for double this amount of cover, the average cost rises to just over £180.
If your contents are collectively worth more than £30,000, then expect to pay in the region of £260 a year, on average.
Check out the range of landlord products we have available, to help find the policy that is right for you and your circumstances.
There are many factors that can affect the cost of landlord insurance in the UK. Most of these relate to property characteristics, including:
Landlord insurance costs can also be affected by the type of tenants living in the property (i.e whether they are employed, students, part of a house share, housing association, or local authority).
In addition, the type of landlord insurance you select, along with any policy add-ons, can also influence the cost of landlord insurance.
This may include:
Got more than one property in your portfolio?
You might want to consider multi property landlord insurance as a way of saving money.
Recent landlord insurance statistics indicate that annual growth in landlord insurance costs is expected to continue into 2023. For example, our data shows a 11.7% increase on single property policies compared to 2022.
This is driven by multiple factors, including claims inflation, operating ratios, and direct inflationary costs, which influenced the average price of landlord insurance for consumers up and down the UK.
Inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), rose by 7.3% in the 12 months to June 2023. This was down from 7.9% in May, but still 5.3% above the UK Government’s target of 2%.
Coupled with this, the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS) Material Cost Index, also known as BCI, rose by 1% in Q2 2023 compared to the previous quarter and by 4.9% compared to the previous year.
Labour site rates have risen faster than wages in 2023. Labour costs are expected to be the main driver of increased costs in Q3 and Q4 2023, as wages seek to catch up with labour site rates.
Labour shortages are hitting the industry hard as well, with wages expected to rise a further 10% in order to attract skilled workers to the profession.
Even though total new work output is forecast to grow by 13% between 2023 and 2028, the amount of new construction is predicted to shrink between 2023-24.
Climate change is resulting in more weather-related claims on insurance. In 2020 alone, Storms Dennis and Ciara resulted in over £500 million worth of claims. This represented a 95% increase in storm-related claims compared to 2019.
Furthermore, plumbing leaks and frozen pipes accounted for one in three claims made during 2020, costing insurers around £1.8 million per day in payouts.
Property damage caused by environmental disasters, combined with inflationary pressures from rising cost of materials and labour, leads to claims inflation. This naturally increases the cost of repair for insurance companies, leading to higher premiums for the consumer.
The latest inbound tourism forecasts from Visit Britain suggest that 37.5 million people could visit the UK in 2023 (roughly 92% of 2019 figures), spending around £30.9 billion. This may further increase the demand for self-catering accommodation, as seen by the rapid rise of Airbnb in the last decade.
Landlords in this industry will need to ensure they have an adequate short term landlord insurance policy in place, such as Airbnb insurance, or serviced accommodation insurance if they are providing hotel-like services (such as housekeeping) alongside amenities for cooking and washing.
Check out our landlord advice and guidance hub for the latest industry update, news, and guides relating to the world of landlord insurance.
To find out how landlords are feeling about the market and their tenants, in December 2023, we surveyed 1,500 landlords from across the UK to understand what struggles they face and whether they are optimistic for the future.
Our survey data shows that more than half (52%) of landlords are content with their property portfolios and wish to keep them the same size. In all, close to a quarter of all responses (23%) were from landlords aged 41-60 who planned on keeping their property portfolio the same.
18-25 | 26-40 | 41-60 | 61+ | |
---|---|---|---|---|
I am planning on doubling my property portfolio, or more | 0.30% | 1.10% | 3.50% | 2.40% |
I am planning on growing my portfolio a lot | 0.10% | 1.00% | 2.80% | 2.30% |
I am planning on keeping my property portfolio the same | 2.60% | 9.20% | 23.10% | 17.10% |
I am planning on selling all my properties | 0.20% | 0.60% | 1.10% | 0.90% |
I am planning on slightly growing my portfolio | 0.30% | 2.00% | 4.10% | 2.50% |
The next most popular response was from landlords who were planning to sell some properties, with close to a fifth (19.3%) indicating that they’d like to reduce their portfolio by under a half.
In all, around one in 20 landlords (5.1%) surveyed were aged 18-25. The majority of landlords from this age bracket intend to keep their property portfolio the same in 2024.
Despite the financial uncertainty around the cost of living of crisis, only 2.9% of landlords said they planned to sell their entire property portfolio.
The most common problem that landlords struggle with is maintenance requests with over a quarter (27.9%) saying that this is the biggest problem they face.
18-25 | 26-40 | 41-60 | 61+ | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conflicts with tenants | 0.90% | 4.00% | 9.70% | 5.80% | 20.40% |
Finding suitable properties | 0.70% | 1.90% | 4.30% | 3.10% | 10.00% |
Finding tenants | 1.00% | 2.80% | 6.80% | 6.70% | 17.30% |
Laws changing | 0.50% | 1.70% | 2.30% | 2.50% | 6.90% |
Maintenance requests | 1.50% | 5.10% | 12.50% | 8.80% | 27.90% |
Managing my time | 0.50% | 2.90% | 8.60% | 5.40% | 17.40% |
Total | 5.10% | 18.40% | 44.20% | 32.30% | 100% |
Not far behind is conflict with tenants, an issue which 20.4% of landlords claim they struggle with the most. Of those with this problem, just under half (47.5%) were aged between 41-60, whilst around one in three (28.4%) were over 61.
The problem which landlords struggled the least with was laws changing. Only 6.9% claimed that this was the biggest struggle that they faced. This means that a landlord is four times as likely to have struggled with maintenance requests than they are with changing laws.
Our survey data shows that most landlords either have an ‘ok’ or ‘poor’ relationship with their tenants, with very few having an ‘excellent’ relationship.
More than half (50.7%) of landlords gave their tenant a score of one or two in the survey, meaning that the majority of landlords feel their relationship with their tenant is negative. In contrast, under a fifth (19.8%) of landlords would say that they have a good or very good relationship with their tenants.
That aside, almost a third (29.5%) said that they had a neutral relationship with their tenants, scoring them a three out of five. This was the most popular response from our survey, but this was only 1.8 percentage points higher than a two out of five rating.
Landlords under the age of 25 were the most likely to have a very bad relationship with their tenants.
The survey results show that:
Older landlords were much more likely to view their tenants positively. For example, 8.4% of landlords over the age of 61 felt they had a very good relationship with their tenants, which is 2.5 percentage points more than the corresponding answer for landlords under the age of 25.
The most common answer to this question is that things have become “a little easier”, with more than a third (34.8%) feeling this way.
A breakdown of whether landlords have found finding tenants in 2023 easier than in 2022
18-25 | 26-40 | 41-60 | 61+ | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
A little easier | 1.70% | 6.30% | 15.70% | 11.10% | 34.80% |
A little more difficult | 0.60% | 2.20% | 6.30% | 3.70% | 12.80% |
About the same | 1.50% | 5.70% | 12.60% | 9.70% | 29.50% |
Much easier | 0.70% | 1.90% | 4.80% | 4.50% | 11.90% |
Much more difficult | 0.40% | 1.50% | 3.10% | 2.10% | 7.10% |
No answer | 0.20% | 0.70% | 1.70% | 1.30% | 3.90% |
Total | 5.10% | 18.30% | 44.10% | 32.40% | 100.00% |
Close to three out of 10 landlords (29.5%) felt that finding a tenant was about as easy as the year before. Only 7.1% felt that things had become more difficult, despite the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Landlords aged 41-60 were the most likely to feel that things had become harder in 2023, with over one in 10 (10.9%) feeling that things were better in 2022. The oldest age group (61+) were the least likely to feel that finding tenants was easier in 2022.
This question divided the opinions of the landlords we surveyed. Just under a quarter (23.5%) of landlords felt that single tenants over 30 were the best tenants to have – 0.5 percentage points more than young professionals.
18-25 | 26-40 | 41-60 | 61+ | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Families | 1.10% | 3.10% | 7.80% | 5.60% | 17.70% |
Holiday lets | 0.20% | 0.90% | 2.00% | 1.60% | 4.70% |
Housing benefit tenants | 0.50% | 2.00% | 4.10% | 2.50% | 9.10% |
Non-traditional tenancies | 0.20% | 0.30% | 0.80% | 0.70% | 2.00% |
Short-term lets | 0.50% | 1.30% | 3.10% | 2.20% | 7.00% |
Single tenants (30+) | 1.30% | 3.90% | 10.90% | 7.50% | 23.50% |
Students | 0.30% | 2.50% | 5.40% | 4.80% | 13.10% |
Young professionals | 1.10% | 4.30% | 10.10% | 7.50% | 23.00% |
Total | 5.10% | 18.30% | 44.10% | 32.40% | 100.00% |
Families were also a popular choice of tenant, with less than a fifth (17.7%) of landlords believing that families were the best clients to have.
The tenants that very few landlords wanted were non-traditional tenancies, with only 2% of landlords feeling that they were the best tenants to have staying in their property.
A breakdown of landlords’ favoured tenants
Age of landlord | Favoured tenant | Percentage of landlords who favoured this tenant |
---|---|---|
Under 25 | Single tenant over 30 | 25.5% |
26-40 | Young professionals | 23.5% |
41-60 | Single tenant over 30 | 24.7% |
Over 61 | Young professionals/Single tenant over 30 | 23.5% |
There was some discrepancy in how landlords of different age groups responded. Young landlords under 25 favoured single tenants over 30 the most, as did landlords aged 41-60. A quarter (25.5%) of under 25 landlords preferred single tenants over 30, the corresponding figure for landlords aged 41-60 was 24.7%.
Whereas landlords aged 26-40 preferred young professionals, with 23.5% favouring them. Landlords over 61 couldn’t split the difference between young professionals and single tenants, as both received 23.5% of the vote from landlords of this age group.
According to the most recent landlord insurance statistics, the residential landlord insurance market was worth £716.8 million in 2020.
The cost of landlord insurance can vary depending on a number of factors, including location, property type and value, who is occupying the property, as well as any additional extras you select as part of your policy. At a basic level, landlord insurance costs can start from as little as £68 a year, ranging up to thousands of pounds for large, expensive properties.
Your monthly landlord insurance costs can vary from as little as £5.66, up to hundreds of pounds per month depending on the type of property you own, its estimated value, where it is located, and how many bedrooms it has. The monthly cost of your landlord insurance can also be influenced by who is living in the property and the type of occupancy, as well as whether you select any optional extras as part of your policy.
In the UK, the median average cost of landlord insurance in 2023 is £224.93.
Whether you need landlord insurance or not will come down to your personal circumstances. Some mortgage lenders will not issue a mortgage unless you have a buy-to-let landlord insurance policy in place beforehand. Even so, landlord insurance can provide you with financial protection should anything go wrong with the property, meaning you are less likely to be out of pocket in the future.
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Landlord harassment is essentially anything a landlord does that prevents tenants from living peacefully in their homes. Examples of landlord harassment in the UK vary widely but includes incidents such as changing the locks without tenants’ knowledge.
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