Letting agent sees near 80% jump in new rentals
Charlotte Partridge says her Midlands agency has signed up a record number of lettings so far this year.
A letting agent is signing up unprecedented numbers of new rentals despite uncertainty created over the Renters’ Rights Act.
Partridge Homes, which operates in south Birmingham, has seen a record start to the year with more lettings added to its portfolio in nearly 20 years.
Nearly 80% higher
The family-run company, with offices in Solihull and Yardley, arranged 129 new lets from January to the end of April this year – more than in any previous opening four months since it began in business in 2007.
This latest figure is 79% higher than the previous record for the firm of 72, which was achieved in 2025.
We have had a record January to April for new lettings, and May is on track to be our best month ever.”
Charlotte Partridge, MD at Partridge Homes (pictured), says: “Despite rental demand in the UK falling by 20% in the past year, exacerbated by some landlords exiting the market due to the Renters’ Rights Act … we are not seeing any evidence of this at Partridge Homes.
“Instead, we have had a record January to April for new lettings, and May is on track to be our best month ever.”
Record number
Partridge Homes has set itself a target of 365 new lettings across 2026, in addition to the 500 tenancies it already manages.
Until now, its record number of new tenancies in a year was 215 in 2025, but if it maintains its current rate the company will exceed its target for this year.
“In the areas we serve across Solihull, Birmingham and Warwickshire, we are seeing higher-than-ever demand from tenants looking for high-quality accommodation, including many who are moving to the West Midlands region for work.”
In recent years, two Solihull estate agents have entered into partnerships with Partridge Homes to fully outsource their lettings divisions. And the firm is currently in talks with a third competitor with a view to taking on its lettings.
