THE PROPERTY FILTER TAKE
Auction sales volumes rose 20.3% year-on-year in March, with £559.1m raised - the strongest Q1 on record according to Essential Information Group (EiG)
The opportunity window is here: a wave of landlord disposals is expected in April ahead of the Renters' Rights Act (the legislation overhauling landlord-tenant law in England) coming into force in May, meaning more motivated sellers and competitively priced stock at auction
You may wish to register with auction houses now and line up your finance - conditional auction (where buyers secure exchange at the auction but complete later) and unconditional lots will both feature heavily in this landlord exit cycle
2,897 lots sold in March at a 20.3% year-on-year jump. Total funds raised hit £559.1m - up 16.6%. That is the headline from Essential Information Group (EiG), the body that tracks UK auction market data. Here is the angle: a second wave of supply is coming, and it could be the best buying window of 2026.
The Numbers Behind the Headlines
The success rate (the percentage of lots that actually sell on the day) held steady at 68.6%, barely changed from 68.2% in March 2025, according to EiG data. That tells you demand kept pace with a meaningful supply increase. It is not a buyer's market flooded with unsold stock - it is a functioning market with real depth on both sides.
Zoom out to Q1 as a whole and the picture is even clearer. 7,738 lots sold across the quarter - up 19.5% year-on-year - with £1.49bn raised, a 12.7% increase, according to EiG. Residential property drove the bulk of that activity, with sales up 19.6% in March alone. Commercial auctions also moved, with volumes up 26.5% and a higher success rate of 70.6%.
Regional differences are worth watching. London and the West Midlands saw strong growth in both volumes and conversion rates. Yorkshire and the North East had sharp supply increases that weighed on success rates - more lots, but not all of them clearing. Wales and East Anglia showed the most balanced conditions, with gains in both activity and conversion. If you are deal-sourcing by region, those balanced markets tend to offer the clearest pricing signals.
What the Renters' Rights Act Means for Auction Supply
Stuart Collar-Brown, president of NAVA Propertymark (the national association for valuers and auctioneers), made the structural point directly. "The market is increasingly driven by certainty over aspiration, with buyers and sellers prioritising speed, transparency and reduced fall-through risk, areas where auctions perform strongly," he said.
The short-term supply angle is specific. EiG noted that April may see an additional wave of landlord disposals (sales of rental properties by exiting landlords) ahead of the Renters' Rights Act coming into force in May. The Renters' Rights Act removes fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) and abolishes Section 21 no-fault evictions, materially changing how landlords manage and exit tenancies. Some landlords are choosing to sell now rather than operate under the new rules.
Collar-Brown confirmed the pattern: "As the Renters' Rights Act approaches implementation, some landlords are reassessing portfolios, with auctions offering a practical route for the efficient sale, especially of more complex stock."
For investors using Property Filter's deal-sourcing software, this kind of structural supply shift is exactly what creates consistent deal flow - motivated sellers, clear timelines, and assets that need to clear. Use our stress-test calculator to check your yield assumptions before bidding, particularly on any HMO (house in multiple occupation) or multi-let stock that may come through with existing tenancies in place.
What to Watch in April and May
The Q1 data is already strong. The question now is whether April supply converts at the same rate, or whether the volume surge from landlord exits pushes success rates down as it did in Yorkshire and the North East.
Watch the EiG monthly data closely. A falling success rate alongside rising supply is not a bad sign for buyers - it is a sign that competition at the hammer is easing. That is when the investment strategies that rely on buying below market value have the best shot at working. For a deeper look at how to approach the bidding process itself, the Property Deals Mastery guide covers negotiation and deal analysis in detail.
The mainstream shift Collar-Brown described is real. Auctions are no longer a last resort for distressed stock. They are a primary route - and that means sharper pricing, more informed competition, and a need to know your numbers before you raise your paddle.
Key Takeaways
• Auction sales volumes rose 20.3% year-on-year in March, with £559.1m raised, according to Essential Information Group (EiG)
• The success rate held at 68.6%, showing demand kept pace with increased supply - not a flooded market
• April may bring a further surge of landlord-exit stock ahead of the Renters' Rights Act in May, creating a specific short-term opportunity window for buyers
2,897 lots sold in March at a 20.3% year-on-year jump. Total funds raised hit £559.1m - up 16.6%. That is the headline from Essential Information Group (EiG), the body that tracks UK auction market data. Here is the angle: a second wave of supply is coming, and it could be the best buying window of 2026.
The Numbers Behind the Headlines
The success rate (the percentage of lots that actually sell on the day) held steady at 68.6%, barely changed from 68.2% in March 2025, according to EiG data. That tells you demand kept pace with a meaningful supply increase. It is not a buyer's market flooded with unsold stock - it is a functioning market with real depth on both sides.
Zoom out to Q1 as a whole and the picture is even clearer. 7,738 lots sold across the quarter - up 19.5% year-on-year - with £1.49bn raised, a 12.7% increase, according to EiG. Residential property drove the bulk of that activity, with sales up 19.6% in March alone. Commercial auctions also moved, with volumes up 26.5% and a higher success rate of 70.6%.
Regional differences are worth watching. London and the West Midlands saw strong growth in both volumes and conversion rates. Yorkshire and the North East had sharp supply increases that weighed on success rates - more lots, but not all of them clearing. Wales and East Anglia showed the most balanced conditions, with gains in both activity and conversion. If you are deal-sourcing by region, those balanced markets tend to offer the clearest pricing signals.
What the Renters' Rights Act Means for Auction Supply
Stuart Collar-Brown, president of NAVA Propertymark (the national association for valuers and auctioneers), made the structural point directly. "The market is increasingly driven by certainty over aspiration, with buyers and sellers prioritising speed, transparency and reduced fall-through risk, areas where auctions perform strongly," he said.
The short-term supply angle is specific. EiG noted that April may see an additional wave of landlord disposals (sales of rental properties by exiting landlords) ahead of the Renters' Rights Act coming into force in May. The Renters' Rights Act removes fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) and abolishes Section 21 no-fault evictions, materially changing how landlords manage and exit tenancies. Some landlords are choosing to sell now rather than operate under the new rules.
Collar-Brown confirmed the pattern: "As the Renters' Rights Act approaches implementation, some landlords are reassessing portfolios, with auctions offering a practical route for the efficient sale, especially of more complex stock."
For investors using Property Filter's deal-sourcing software, this kind of structural supply shift is exactly what creates consistent deal flow - motivated sellers, clear timelines, and assets that need to clear. Use our stress-test calculator to check your yield assumptions before bidding, particularly on any HMO (house in multiple occupation) or multi-let stock that may come through with existing tenancies in place.
What to Watch in April and May
The Q1 data is already strong. The question now is whether April supply converts at the same rate, or whether the volume surge from landlord exits pushes success rates down as it did in Yorkshire and the North East.
Watch the EiG monthly data closely. A falling success rate alongside rising supply is not a bad sign for buyers - it is a sign that competition at the hammer is easing. That is when the investment strategies that rely on buying below market value have the best shot at working. For a deeper look at how to approach the bidding process itself, the Property Deals Mastery guide covers negotiation and deal analysis in detail.
The mainstream shift Collar-Brown described is real. Auctions are no longer a last resort for distressed stock. They are a primary route - and that means sharper pricing, more informed competition, and a need to know your numbers before you raise your paddle.
Key Takeaways
• Auction sales volumes rose 20.3% year-on-year in March, with £559.1m raised, according to Essential Information Group (EiG)
• The success rate held at 68.6%, showing demand kept pace with increased supply - not a flooded market
• April may bring a further surge of landlord-exit stock ahead of the Renters' Rights Act in May, creating a specific short-term opportunity window for buyers
