Empty Weeks Between Tenants in London: What They Cost Landlords
Every landlord knows that a vacant flat is money walking out the door. And knowing how much it is matters in London, especially since the number is higher than most people anticipate. The average London rent is £2,338 a month, so every empty week costs about £540 in lost rent. In the priciest boroughs, that’s more than £800. Meanwhile, council tax, standing charges, and the mortgage don’t stop.
Typically, vacancies between tenancies aren’t caused by a lack of demand. It’s the turnaround: the days between the previous tenant vacates and the next one moves in. Days go by waiting for the check-out, cleaning, repairs, or the dated photos. This guide focuses on how much those days cost across sixteen London boroughs. It looks at the spending that runs while the flat stays vacant, explains the changes in re-letting in 2026, and points out where time typically gets wasted with changeovers. Most often, things get delayed because of the cleaning. That's why a clean booked for the day after the check-out saves the most time.
The price of an empty week, borough by borough
Based on the Office for National Statistics, the following table turns each borough’s average monthly rent into a weekly figure. Then it converts it into the cost of a two-week gap. When nothing is planned well in advance, that’s the typical turnaround.
| Borough | Average monthly rent (ONS, Sept 2026) | One empty week | Two empty weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kensington and Chelsea | £3,739 | about £863 | about £1,726 |
| Westminster | £3,209 | about £741 | about £1,481 |
| Islington | £2,884 | about £666 | about £1,331 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | £2,861 | about £660 | about £1,320 |
| Camden | £2,834 | about £654 | about £1,308 |
| Hackney | £2,667 | about £615 | about £1,231 |
| Wandsworth | £2,640 | about £609 | about £1,218 |
| Lambeth | £2,538 | about £586 | about £1,171 |
| Southwark | £2,516 | about £581 | about £1,161 |
| Tower Hamlets | £2,462 | about £568 | about £1,136 |
| Richmond upon Thames | £2,349 | about £542 | about £1,084 |
| Ealing | £2,126 | about £491 | about £981 |
| Hounslow | £1,962 | about £453 | about £906 |
| Barking and Dagenham | £1,700 | about £392 | about £785 |
| Croydon | £1,586 | about £366 | about £732 |
| Bexley | £1,540 | about £355 | about £711 |
| London average | £2,338 | about £540 | about £1,079 |
These averages cover homes of all sizes. It’s understandable why a one-bedroom flat is cheaper per week than a family house. In Islington, at the ONS average of £2,189 a month, a one-bedroom flat loses about £505 a week; in Croydon, at £1,577, a two-bedroom home loses around £364.
Compared with the cost of the turnaround, a professional move-out clean in London starts at £120 + VAT for a studio and £150 + VAT for a one-bedroom flat, and London prices can be higher. In every borough on the list, one vacant day costs more than a quarter of that. One empty week will be several times as much. So it’s worth paying for a clean after the checkout, even when it only saves two or three days.
The costs that keep running after the tenant moves out
While lost rent is the most obvious cost of a vacant flat, some are less visible. It’s the bills that go to you from the tenant the day they vacate.
Council tax. Typically, the tenant pays the council tax while the property is rented. Once it’s vacant, the owner has to pay it. You won't get a discount if the place stays empty or unfurnished. In Kensington and Chelsea, the rules are clear: council tax must be paid on an empty, unfurnished property. Unless an exemption applies, Tower Hamlets has charged the full rate on unoccupied homes since 1 April 2024. If the home stays empty for more than a year, it triggers a long-term empty premium, which doubles the bill. Typically, the gap between tenants is much shorter than that. (Tower Hamlets confirms that the premium doesn't apply to a let property empty for less than 12 months between tenancies). However, you should know that the clock is ticking.
Energy and water. Standing charges continue. The check-out, the clean, any repairs and the viewings need running power and hot water.
Insurance. Many landlord policies have conditions for properties remaining vacant beyond a certain number of days. See what the policy says if the rental remains vacant.
The mortgage and service charge. They don’t change when the flat stays vacant.
Where the days actually go
When a changeover drags, it’s typically not one big delay. It’s several small ones; one doesn’t start until the previous has ended. Here’s what a common London re-let looks like:
- The tenant gives notice. Under the Renters' Rights Act, a tenant on a periodic tenancy can give two months' notice. So you have two months to plan the changeover.
- The check-out. The inventory clerk inspects the flat against the check-in report. Everything else depends on this step, so book it for the morning of the day when tenancy ends.
- The clean. If the tenant has hired professional cleaners, inspect the results at the check-out. If you’re not happy with the results or they didn’t do it at all, the flat needs cleaning before the next tenant moves in or any client views it. Book a clean for the day after checkout, even if you don’t know whether you need it. It’s cheaper than a vacant week.
- Repairs and touch-ups. A dripping tap, a sealant line, or a scuffed wall are small jobs and easy to fix if you spot them early. They should be done in the same few days as the clean.
- Photos and listing. Listing a clean, empty flat will rent faster than one photographed with the previous tenant's boxes in it.
- Viewings, referencing and the move-in. While they depend on the market, they cannot start until all the previous steps are done.
The landlord controls the gap between steps 2 and 5. In London, every day can cost several hundred pounds.
What changed for re-letting in 2026
The Renters' Rights Act began to apply on 1 May 2026. Some of its rules apply right when the flat is vacant and is about to be re-rented:
- You must advertise a specific rent and can't accept more. The rent stated in written adverts, including online listings and social media posts, has to be a specific amount; it cannot be a range. Once it's advertised, neither you nor your agent can ask for, support or accept higher offers. A first breach can cause a fine of up to £7,000.
- No rent before the agreement is signed. Until the tenancy agreement is signed, you can’t request, encourage, or accept rent. Afterwards, you can't ask for more than one month's rent in advance.
- No blanket bans. You can't discriminate against people on benefits or with children. As long as you have a solid reason, you can only refuse a tenant's request to keep a pet.
- No fixed end date. New tenancies are periodic right from the beginning. Rather than a date stated in the contract, the next turnaround will start with a tenant's two months' notice.
In practical terms, asking rent has to be correct the first time. Letting competing tenants push it up is no longer possible. The best way to rent quickly at your preferred rent is to list a clean, move-in-ready, well-photographed flat.
Licensing: check before you re-let
At the re-let, you can check whether you need a licence for your property. In 2026, several London boroughs changed their schemes. Based on the NRLA's licensing update for June 2026:
| Borough | Scheme | In force from |
|---|---|---|
| Harrow | New selective licensing in Greenhill and Marlborough; Wealdstone North and Wealdstone South | 6 July 2026; 1 September 2026 |
| Hillingdon | Borough-wide additional licensing | 24 August 2026 |
| Westminster | Borough-wide additional licensing, renewed | 31 August 2026 |
| Croydon | Borough-wide additional licensing and selective licensing in part of the borough | 1 September 2026 |
| Enfield | Selective licensing, renewed | 1 September 2026 |
Islington's new scheme starts on 23 November 2026, and Wandsworth runs its own schemes as well. Renting a property that requires a licence without one will trigger significant penalties. If the list includes your borough, make sure the next tenant signs after you review the council's licensing page.
Speeding the turnaround
Save time in a turnaround by booking services before the tenant moves out; don’t wait until they vacate. A few habits can make a huge difference:
- Book the check-out and the clean as soon as notice arrives. Two months is enough to cover both dates.
- Ask the outgoing tenant early whether they're booking a professional clean. If they hire professional cleaners, ask for the checklist and dated photos. Book your own cleaners for the day after the check-out if they don’t.
- Keep the power and hot water on. They’re all necessary for the clean, a repair and a viewing.
- Line up small repairs for the same days. In an empty flat, the cleaner and the handyman can typically work around each other.
- Photograph and list as soon as the flat is clean. If it won’t show in the photos, don’t wait until the last small job is done.
When we clean between tenancies, we end with a signed checklist, an invoice and before-and-after photos. Use them for your records, the inventory, for your records. If you end up in a deposit dispute, use them as proof. If issues arise after we leave, tell us with photos within 7 days. We’ll return for free re-cleans. Add carpet cleaning to the clean; you’ll pay 40% of the standard price.
Re-letting in London?
Find out why so many London tenancies end between June and September. Our London guide covers everything else that changes across the city. Want to book a turnaround clean? Here’s what a turnaround clean with us covers.