New figures show auction sales climbing across most UK regions
UK residential property auction sales rose 8.4% year-on-year in the first half of 2026, reaching 15,349 transactions, according to a report from the Essential Information Group (EIG) published in September. Independent lending data suggests that growth is being matched by rising demand for the fast finance auctions require.
Auction sales climb across most regions
Sales increased across 12 of the UK's 13 regions in H1 2026, EIG found. London recorded the largest gain, with volumes up 24%, while Yorkshire and The Humber and the North-West each rose 12%. Wales was the only region to see a decline, down 8% to 684 sales.
Source: EIG
Flats accounted for 27.2% of residential auction sales in the second quarter of 2026, up from roughly 20% historically, EIG reported. Accessible pricing remained a driver of activity: 37% of H1 sales were below £100,000, and 81% were under £250,000.
The growth coincides with the Renters' Rights Act, which came into force on May 1, 2026, and abolished Section 21 "no-fault" evictions along with assured shorthold tenancies. Landlords who want to sell a tenanted property must now rely on specific possession grounds under Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988, Propertymark said. Tenanted property disposals, which surged in 2024 ahead of the legislation, have since receded to levels resembling 2022 and 2023, EIG found.
Stuart Collar-Brown, president of NAVA Propertymark, said the report "reflects how auction has firmly established itself as an important part of the property market."
“For sellers, it can provide speed and certainty, while for buyers it can open up opportunities to purchase a wide range of property,” said Collar-Brown.
“As auction becomes more familiar to the public, it is important that consumers understand what makes the process different from a traditional sale. Buyers should have access to clear information about the property, the legal pack and any additional costs, so they can bid with confidence and know exactly what they are committing to.
Bridging demand and completion speed both rise
Demand for auction finance rose from 11% of bridging loan purposes in the first quarter of 2026 to 14% in the second, according to Bridging Trends Q2 2026 data published directly by MT Finance. Regulated bridging lending overall increased from 41% to 48% over the same period, the report said – its largest quarterly rise since the first quarter of 2022.
New completion-time data published by specialist lender Lendlord, cross-referencing EIG's Q2 2026 report, recorded auction-related bridging completions of five to seven days from application to funds released in cases reviewed across the first half of 2026, against the standard 28-day auction completion deadline. The data set includes a Welsh case in which a £67,500 loan against a £90,000 surveyor valuation completed in seven days to fund a heavy refurbishment project, according to Lendlord.
EIG's Q2 2026 report also found buyers becoming more selective, with the share of houses selling more than 30% above guide price falling from 27% in 2021-22 to 19% in 2025-26.
