The Deposit Protection Service (DPS), the custodial tenancy deposit protection scheme accredited by the Government, has looked at the differences in void periods between landlords who market properties directly and those who use lettings agents.

It found that lettings agents ensure that the void period on a property is kept to within two weeks on 63% of properties compared to only 38% for those marketed by landlords directly.

The DPS has assessed the void periods from across 597,753 deposits it holds on rentals in the UK. The exact cost to landlords of rental voids is not recorded, although online letting agent Upad.co.uk calculates that more than £3 billion is lost each year.

Two of the 10 worst areas for empty properties were in Lancashire. However the South was also badly hit, with areas in Surrey, Essex and Hampshire amongst the worst. In some areas 50% of rental properties have been empty for more than three months.

Kevin Firth, director of The DPS, said: “Many landlords market their properties very effectively but the evidence we have compiled in the past two years demonstrates clearly that there is more they can learn to try to decrease void periods.