Agents and landlords saw both void periods and rents drop at the end of 2019, Goodlord claims.

Analysis of new tenancies processed through the lettings platform in December found that void periods dropped from 24 to 19 days over the month across England and Wales, below the average for the year of 20 days.

Five out of the eight regions monitored by Goodlord saw rents remain at November levels or dip slightly.

The largest monthly decrease was recorded in the north-east, where average rents dropped by 3%.

Rents rose by 2% in London on a monthly basis and by 3% in the north-west of England and Wales.

London was the most expensive place to rent, at £1,668 per month, and the north-east was cheapest at £588.

Tom Mundy, chief operating officer at Goodlord, said: “Mid-November leading into December is traditionally quiet for the rental market, so these numbers are actually quite encouraging.

“Rent decreases were slight across most regions, alongside some modest increases, with other regions holding steady.

“Void periods were down in the majority of regions as tenants looked to finalise leases ahead of the Christmas break.

“We ended the year sitting slightly higher than 2019 averages on some key metrics – an encouraging note to round off what has been a seismic year for the industry.”

It comes as research by insurer Simply Business, conducted before the General Election, found that a quarter (26%) of UK landlords plan to sell at least one property in 2020, equating to more than half a million homes potentially being put up for sale.

The survey of 800 landlords revealed that 82% of landlords are not planning on buying any more properties this year.

Just one tenth said they would buy another property this year, while a third (35%) also reported a decrease in their rental yield in 2019.

The top reasons landlords gave for wanting to sell are tax increases and Government reforms, such as shifting House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licensing, which added new stipulations on the minimum size of rooms, as well as the banning of admin fees.

Other reasons that landlords gave for planning to sell included rising rental costs (10%), cashing in on their investment (9%), economic instability (5%) and slowing house price growth (4%).

A third also reported a decrease in their rental yield in 2019, which added to the desire to sell.

The research was conducted in November 2019 so it is unclear whether they might have changed their mind since the General Election result.