The average number of potential tenants competing for each rental room on the market is down to 3.4 from from 4.1 in the height of the 2011 summer market, according to flatsharing website easyroommate.co.uk.

Its analysis of over 86,000 room rentals around the country, and 30,000 flathunters’ profiles, found that in December, the number of renters registering to find a room fell by 13% compared to June 2011. At the same time, the supply of rental rooms has increased steadily, with a rise of 7% over the same period.

Jonathan Moore, director of easyroommate.co.uk, said: “Tenants looking for new houseshares will have breathed a sigh of relief as competition for accommodation eased late in the year. A combination of a seasonal drop-off in tenant demand