Landlords in Kent are being urged to focus on hyper-local data as rising costs and incoming regulation reshape buy-to-let returns in 2026.
New analysis from property expert Kate Faulkner highlights widening gaps between areas such as Sevenoaks and Maidstone, underlining the need for more targeted investment decisions.
While property prices across the South East remain around £100,000 higher than the UK average, Kent values sit roughly 10% below the regional benchmark, masking significant local variation.
At the top end, Sevenoaks continues to track close to London pricing, with average values nearing £543,000. Maidstone, by contrast, offers a more accessible entry point, with prices slightly below the South East average but still above the Kent norm.
RENTAL RETURNS
Long-term performance also varies sharply. Since 2005, Kent prices have edged ahead of inflation while Maidstone has broadly tracked it. Sevenoaks has outperformed, delivering annual growth of around 3.6%, positioning it as a standout for capital appreciation.
However, rental returns remain under pressure.
Despite higher property values, rents across the South East are broadly in line with the national average, creating a mismatch between purchase costs and income.
Sevenoaks again bucks the trend, with rents around 30% above the UK average, although property prices are around 50% higher, compressing yields.
Across the region, average rents stand at £1,409 per month.
Across the region, average rents stand at £1,409 per month, compared with £1,430 across England and £1,374 across the UK, according to Office for National Statistics data.
At a local level, Sevenoaks commands average rents of £1,781, while Maidstone sits lower at £1,280, with weaker short-term rental growth.
Encouragingly for landlords, rental growth is currently outpacing inflation both year-on-year and over the longer term, helping to offset rising compliance costs.
These pressures are set to intensify with the rollout of the Renters’ Rights Act, which will introduce tighter rules around tenancies, rent increases and tenant protections from May.
WORK WITH AGENTS
Faulkner (main picture, left) says: “For buy to let to work and property investors to make money in today’s property market isn’t easy. Gone are the days when you just buy somewhere and see it increase in value.
“As a result, it’s important to work with local agents, do lots of research to find out which properties deliver the best capital growth, which ones are best for yields, especially over the long term and if possible, find a property that enables investors to build in capital growth the day it’s bought, rather than relying on natural price increases.”
She adds that understanding the balance between yield and capital growth will be critical for landlords navigating a more complex and regulated market.
Further insights into the Kent market will be shared at the National Landlord Investment Show in Ashford later this month, where Faulkner is set to outline forecasts for property prices, rents and investor returns through to 2030.
The event is free to attend, and you can register for your free ticket here. The National Landlord Investment Show will take place in Kent on 29th April 2026 at the Ashford International Hotel. Doors open at 9:30 am and close at 3:30 pm.
