London housing starts lag far short
Saturday 30th May, 2026
Only 6,325 private homes started in London in Q1 2026 — just 7% of the Mayor’s 88,000 target — as developers pause amid 22,000 unsold or unfinished new builds and higher costs for new homes. This gives Rightmove a chance to explain market signals buyers and agents are already seeing on the platform — low new-build demand, stretched affordability and higher service charges — and why those trends matter for London’s housing supply and search behaviour.
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Why have we flagged this?
Weak London housing starts against the Mayor’s target is major market news that will drive searches and debate about supply, pricing and buyer incentives — Rightmove can offer market data and agent sentiment to add useful context.
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The London postcodes where new‑build listings linger longest
Reveal the London areas where new‑build listings take the most days to attract a buyer enquiry or go under offer, compared with last year.
Data to investigate: Pull your time-to-first-enquiry and time-on-market data for London new‑build listings by postcode district and compare with the same period last year.
Why: A simple speed metric highlights where demand is weakest and gives journalists local angles.
London buyers shun new‑builds for older homes
Show the share of buyer enquiries going to new‑build listings versus second‑hand homes in London, and how that share has shifted year on year.
Data to investigate: Analyse your enquiry data to compare the proportion of buyer enquiries to new‑build listings versus existing homes in London over the past 24 months.
Why: It directly tests whether demand is drifting from new‑builds to older stock, which speaks to why starts are stalling.
One in X London new‑builds cuts price before selling
Quantify how many London new‑build listings reduce asking price before going under offer, versus non‑new‑builds.
Data to investigate: Analyse your listing history data to calculate the share of London new‑build listings with at least one recorded price reduction, and compare with existing homes, Q1 this year vs Q1 last year.
Why: A clear discounting rate shows buyer resistance to premiums and makes the slowdown tangible.