No-Garden Nation: The UK cities where renters are most and least likely to find a house with garden space
Finding a rental home with a garden can be difficult, especially in major UK cities where rental choice is already limited. For renters searching for a house with outdoor space, availability can vary significantly depending on location.
To understand where renters are least likely to find private outdoor space, CIA Landlords analysed Rightmove rental listings across UK cities, comparing the number of total rental homes available with the number of rental listings that included a house with a garden.
Key findings
- Almost two-thirds, 63.8%, of rental listings in major UK cities did not have a garden.
- Leeds is the hardest major UK city to find a rental home with a garden, with just 25.7% of rental listings offering outdoor space.
- Liverpool ranks second, with only 28.2% of rental listings including a garden.
- Nottingham, Newcastle and Sheffield complete the top five hardest major cities to find garden rentals.
- London ranks seventh among major cities, with 34.9% of rental listings offering a garden and 65.1% listed without one.
- Edinburgh is the major UK city where renters are most likely to find a house with garden space, with 55.5% of rental listings offering outdoor space.
The hardest major UK cities to find a rental home with a garden
Leeds ranks as the hardest major UK city to find a rental home with a garden. Out of 4,155 rental listings analysed in the city, only 1,066 included a garden. This means just 25.7% of Leeds rental listings offered garden space, while 74.3% did not.
Liverpool followed in second place, with 28.2% of rental listings offering a garden, while Nottingham ranked third at 29.3%.
| Rank | City | Total rental listings | Rentals with garden | % with garden | % without garden |
| 1 | Leeds | 4,155 | 1,066 | 25.7% | 74.3% |
| 2 | Liverpool | 2,298 | 647 | 28.2% | 71.8% |
| 3 | Nottingham | 3,110 | 912 | 29.3% | 70.7% |
| 4 | Newcastle | 3,308 | 992 | 30.0% | 70.0% |
| 5 | Sheffield | 1,906 | 617 | 32.4% | 67.6% |
| 6 | Southampton | 1,073 | 361 | 33.6% | 66.4% |
| 7 | London | 32,621 | 11,384 | 34.9% | 65.1% |
| 8 | Salford | 1,436 | 510 | 35.5% | 64.5% |
| 9 | Manchester | 5,346 | 1,993 | 37.3% | 62.7% |
| 10 | Birmingham | 4,205 | 1,678 | 39.9% | 60.1% |
The major UK cities where renters are most likely to find a house with garden space
While gardens are scarce across many large rental markets, some major cities offer renters a better chance of finding outdoor space.
Edinburgh ranked as the major city with the highest proportion of garden rentals, with 55.5% of listings including a garden. Coventry followed at 50.0%, while Glasgow ranked third at 49.7%.
| Rank | City | Total rental listings | Rentals with garden | % with garden | % without garden |
| 1 | Edinburgh | 1,147 | 637 | 55.5% | 44.5% |
| 2 | Coventry | 1,385 | 692 | 50.0% | 50.0% |
| 3 | Glasgow | 1,460 | 725 | 49.7% | 50.3% |
| 4 | Bristol | 2,442 | 1,160 | 47.5% | 52.5% |
| 5 | Brighton and Hove | 1,904 | 883 | 46.4% | 53.6% |
How does London compare?
London had the highest number of rental listings in the study, with 32,621 rental homes analysed.
Of these, 11,384 were listed with a garden, meaning 34.9% of London rental listings offered garden space. However, this also means nearly two-thirds, 65.1%, did not.
London ranked seventh among major UK cities where renters are least likely to find a garden. While this means London was not the hardest major city for garden availability, the sheer size of its rental market means a large number of renters may still be competing for homes with private outdoor space.
What does this mean for landlords?
For landlords, a house with garden space can be a valuable asset financially, particularly in cities where outdoor space is less common.
A well-maintained garden may help a rental property stand out, improve kerb appeal and attract tenants who value private outdoor space. This can be especially relevant for families, pet owners, long-term tenants or renters looking for more usable space at home.
The findings come as previous research from CIA Landlords shows how important home environments are to renters’ wellbeing. In a poll, 87% of renters said where they live is important to their mental wellbeing. It was also revealed that 74% of people say a private garden or access to outdoor space is important, and 41% said it was very important to them.
However, gardens also come with additional responsibilities. Outdoor areas can create maintenance issues, safety risks and potential disputes if expectations are not clearly set out at the beginning of a tenancy.
Landlords should make sure tenants understand who is responsible for mowing lawns, clearing weeds, maintaining borders and keeping outdoor areas tidy. This should be clearly stated in the tenancy agreement.
It is also sensible to document the condition of the garden before tenants move in. Dated photographs and check-in reports can help avoid disputes later.
Garden maintenance tips for landlords
If your rental property has a garden, consider the following steps:
- Make garden responsibilities clear in the tenancy agreement
Set out exactly what the tenant is expected to maintain and what remains the landlord’s responsibility. - Keep the garden low maintenance
Simple lawns, hard-wearing plants and easy-care outdoor areas may be more practical than high-maintenance landscaping. - Check fences, gates and paths regularly
Damaged fencing, loose paving or unstable steps can create safety issues if not addressed. - Document the condition before move-in
Include the garden in the property inventory, with clear photographs of lawns, boundaries, patios, sheds and external fixtures. - Consider seasonal upkeep
Some jobs, such as tree maintenance, gutter clearing or fence repairs, may need to be handled by the landlord or a professional. - Review your landlord insurance
Outdoor features can be affected by storms, accidental damage, malicious damage or liability issues. Landlords should make sure they understand what their policy does and does not cover. - Landlords can also visit CIA Landlords’ insurance types page to learn more about cover options including buildings insurance, contents insurance, property owners’ liability, loss of rent, malicious damage and legal expenses.
CIA Landlords analysed rental listings from Rightmove across UK cities to identify the proportion of available rental homes listed with a garden.
For the major city ranking, only cities with at least 1,000 rental listings were included. This created a major city sample of 72,930 rental listings.
Cities were ranked by the percentage of rental listings that included a garden. The cities with the lowest proportion of garden listings were ranked as the hardest places to find a rental home with a garden.
Across the full dataset, 72,930 rental listings were analysed, of which 33,488 included a garden. This means 38.2% of listings had a garden, while 61.8% did not.
Percentages have been rounded to one decimal place.
Data was collected in June 2026.