How to Reduce Void Periods on Your Teesside Rental Property

A void period — the time your rental property sits empty between tenancies — is one of the most expensive problems a landlord can face. During a void, you receive no rental income but continue to pay the mortgage, insurance, and council tax. For a Middlesbrough property renting at £550 per month, each void month costs approximately £850 to £950 when all fixed costs are included.

The average void period for privately rented properties in England is around four to six weeks per year. But with the right approach, you can reduce this significantly. Here is how.

Why Void Periods Happen

Understanding the causes helps you prevent them.

Tenant gives notice. The most common scenario. A tenant reaches the end of their fixed term or serves notice during a periodic tenancy. You have a window — typically four weeks — to find a replacement.

Eviction or abandonment. Less common but more disruptive. The property may be left in poor condition, requiring refurbishment before reletting.

Seasonal timing. The rental market in Teesside slows during December and January. If a tenancy ends in late November, you may face a longer void than if it ends in September.

Property condition. If the property needs work between tenancies — deep cleaning, redecoration, repairs — every day spent on refurbishment is a day without rent.

Overpriced rent. A property priced above the market rate will sit empty longer. Tenants have plenty of choice in Teesside, and they will choose the better value option.

Poor marketing. Bad photographs, incomplete listings, or advertising on the wrong platforms all reduce enquiries and extend the void.

Strategy 1: Start Marketing Before the Tenant Leaves

The single most effective way to reduce void periods is to begin marketing the property as soon as you know the current tenant is leaving. Under most tenancy agreements, you have the right to conduct viewings during the notice period (with reasonable notice to the tenant).

At Ascot Knight, we begin advertising properties the moment we receive a tenant's notice. Professional photographs are taken or updated, the listing goes live on Rightmove, Zoopla, and our own website, and we start booking viewings immediately. The goal is to have a new tenant lined up before the current one moves out, reducing the void to the minimum time needed for cleaning and inspection.

This requires a good relationship with the outgoing tenant. Being respectful about viewing times and giving proper notice for each visit makes the process smoother for everyone.

Strategy 2: Price the Property Correctly

Overpricing is the most common self-inflicted cause of extended voids. Landlords sometimes set rent based on what they want to earn rather than what the market will support. The result is weeks of silence while correctly-priced competing properties let quickly.

The Teesside rental market is competitive. Tenants will compare your two-bedroom terrace in TS5 at £625 per month with similar properties at £575 or £600. If yours does not offer something extra — better condition, better location, included appliances — they will choose the cheaper option.

A property that sits empty for six weeks at £625 per month has earned less over 12 months than one that let immediately at £575. The maths are straightforward:

£625 x 10.5 months (6-week void) = £6,562
£575 x 12 months (no void) = £6,900

Pricing slightly below the top of the market can actually generate more income over the year.

Strategy 3: Present the Property Well

First impressions matter enormously. A property that looks clean, bright, and well-maintained will let faster than one that feels tired or neglected — even if the bones of both properties are identical.

Between tenancies:

Professional deep clean (including carpets and oven)
Touch up any scuffed paintwork
Replace any damaged or worn fixtures (handles, light fittings, toilet seats)
Ensure the garden or outdoor area is tidy
Fix anything that is broken, however minor

For the listing:

Professional photographs (not phone photos)
Clean, decluttered rooms with good natural light
Accurate, detailed property descriptions
Floor plans (increasingly expected by tenants)

A landlord spending £200 to £400 on cleaning and presentation between tenancies is making one of the highest-return investments available. The difference between a two-week void and a six-week void on a £550 per month property is over £1,100.

Strategy 4: Offer the Right Tenancy Terms

Flexibility can attract tenants who might otherwise pass on your property.

Pets. An increasing number of tenants have pets, and many landlords refuse them outright. Allowing well-behaved pets (with appropriate clauses in the tenancy agreement and a pet deposit or additional pet rent) significantly widens your tenant pool. In some Middlesbrough postcodes, accepting pets can reduce your void to near zero because the competition is so limited.

Tenancy length. Some tenants want longer tenancies for stability. Offering an 18-month or two-year fixed term can be attractive to families and professionals, and gives you a longer guaranteed income period.

Furnishing options. Depending on your target market, offering a furnished or part-furnished property can help. Young professionals relocating to Teesside for work may prefer a furnished property. Families typically want unfurnished.

Strategy 5: Retain Good Tenants

The cheapest void is the one that never happens. Keeping a good tenant in place is always preferable to finding a new one.

Be responsive on maintenance. Tenants who feel their repair requests are ignored start looking for a new property months before their tenancy ends. A landlord or agent who responds quickly and fixes problems properly builds loyalty.

Keep rent increases reasonable. A £25 per month increase to match the market is fair. A £75 per month increase that pushes a good tenant to leave costs you far more in void periods and tenant-finding fees than the additional rent would have earned.

Communicate proactively. Check in with tenants periodically (through your agent if professionally managed). A simple annual inspection followed by a friendly conversation about whether they are happy and intend to stay gives you early warning of any planned departure.

Reward loyalty. Consider small gestures for long-term tenants — a new appliance, a redecoration of their choice, or a modest rent freeze for a year. The cost is minimal compared to a void.

Strategy 6: Use a Professional Letting Agent

Self-managing landlords often experience longer voids because they lack the marketing infrastructure, tenant databases, and responsiveness of a professional agent. A good letting agent will:

Market the property across all major portals and their own database
Conduct viewings promptly, including evenings and weekends
Screen tenants quickly with referencing checks
Prepare tenancy agreements and move-in inventories efficiently
Coordinate cleaning and minor repairs to minimise turnaround time

The management fee — typically 10% to 15% of monthly rent — pays for itself many times over if it reduces your annual void by even two or three weeks.

Strategy 7: Time the Tenancy Start Date

If you have some control over when a tenancy begins, aim for the busiest rental months. In Teesside, the strongest months for tenant demand are typically:

September to October: Students and professionals relocating after summer
January to March: New year movers and those whose Christmas-period moves were delayed
June to July: Families wanting to move before the school year

The weakest months are November and December. If possible, structure tenancy start dates so that renewals or endings fall in a high-demand period.

The Cost of Getting It Wrong

Let us quantify the impact. A Middlesbrough landlord with three properties, each renting at £550 per month, who averages a six-week void per property per year loses approximately £3,800 annually in rent alone — plus the fixed costs during those periods. Over five years, that is nearly £20,000.

Reducing the average void to two weeks per property saves approximately £2,500 per year across the portfolio. Over five years, that is £12,500 — a meaningful sum that goes straight to the bottom line.

Let Ascot Knight Minimise Your Voids

At Ascot Knight, reducing void periods is a core part of our property management service. Our proactive marketing, competitive pricing advice, professional property presentation, and efficient tenant turnover process keep your property earning. If you own rental property in Middlesbrough or Teesside and want to maximise your occupancy, contact us at ascotknight.co.uk or call 01642 043 to find out how we can help.