Key Data report shows UK autumn rental slowdown as new tools boost market insight

 

UK – The UK short-term rental sector is heading  into autumn with a mixed performance outlook, according to the September 2025 UK Index Report from short-term rental analytics provider Key Data. Forward bookings are tracking below last year, but nightly rates remain stronger, while shorter booking windows are adding uncertainty for property managers.

Direct reservation data from more than 85,000 UK holiday rentals reveals that average daily rates (ADRs) are climbing. November ADRs average £159, up 7% year on year, with September and October also higher at 4% and 5% growth respectively. However, bookings are lagging, with September down 5% year on year and November 3% lower, though October is up 2%.

Revenue per available rental (RevPAR) is also mixed. September shows a 1% decline, but October and November are tracking 7% and 4% higher. Lead times are shortening, down 6% in September and 4% in October and November compared with 2024, underscoring how travellers are waiting longer before confirming.

For operators, this combination of softer forward demand and firmer rates creates challenges in forecasting performance and communicating with property owners.

Key Data is responding by strengthening its UK market presence. Already the most widely used benchmarking platform among UK property managers – with more than 2,000 contributing companies including Awaze, Travel Chapter, and Sykes Cottages – the company is expanding partnerships with trade associations STAA, PASC, and ASSC. These collaborations aim to ensure data-led insights underpin both operator strategies and ongoing policy discussions around regulation.

To help managers navigate shifting market dynamics, Key Data is also launching two new tools in the UK:

• Enhanced Benchmarking, allowing operators to measure booking windows, stay lengths, feeder markets, and source performance directly against aggregated market data.
• Rental Projections, providing property-level revenue forecasts based on historical performance to support pricing decisions and owner communication.

Sally Henry, VP Business Development EMEA at Key Data, said: “ADRs are holding firm into autumn, but bookings are arriving later, leaving calendars looking weaker than this time last year. That makes it harder for operators to plan ahead with confidence. By working with the UK’s largest property managers and associations, and adding so much quality data to the direct data set, we’ve strengthened the foundation for insight. Now, with the addition of powerful new benchmarking and forecasting tools, we’re giving operators the visibility they need to protect revenue, communicate with owners, and respond quickly to changing guest behaviour.”

With demand patterns evolving, accurate data and agile forecasting tools are becoming central to revenue strategies. For the UK short-term rental industry, these insights may prove crucial as operators balance regulatory changes, shifting guest behaviours, and competitive pressures heading into 2026.

Tags: 2025 UK Index Report, Sally Henry, Key Data